Weekly Update Sept. 20

Carolyn & Stephen Lebsack

Biological sciences faculty members Carolyn and Stephen

Teresa Thomas

Lebsack received the Pastega Faculty Excellence Award.  Carolyn started with the college in 1976, and Stephen in 1979. The Lebsacks retired in June. Teresa Thomas, administrative assistant, received the Pastega Classified Excellence Award. Teresa started with the college in 1981. The Distinguished Staff award went to Alice Sperling, former coordinator for the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence.  Alice started with the college in 1995 as an instructional assistant. She retired in June.

Andrew Feldman

Andrew Feldman was hired as the new dean of Science, Engineering and Mathematics.  Andrew comes to the college from Luna Community College in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he was the academic director for the department of Science, Math, and Engineering Technology for the last five years. He has a PhD and a bachelor degree in geology from Florida State University. In his free time, Andrew plays guitar and he and his wife, Barbara, enjoy good food, walking their huskies, motorcycling and winter sports. Andrew currently lives in Albany and is waiting for his wife to join him before deciding where to settle.

Sandra Shinkle and Rica Amity have joined the Career and Counseling Center. Sandra will be a full-time faculty counselor and instructor in Albany and at the East Linn Centers, transferring from her previous position with the CASE program.  Rica will serve as fixed-term faculty for fall term only, and will be located primarily in Albany. Both will teach Destination Graduation classes, counsel and advise undecided students, work with students in crisis management services and lead initiatives to help us achieve our equitable success and quality outcomes.

The new web site is currently in the internal viewing process until Oct. 10, and is viewable only when logged into the LBCC network at www.linnbenton.edu/inspired. Public preview will begin Oct. 11 via a link on the current web page. Web site launch is scheduled for Oct. 21.

The college landed a $2.7 million grant to help develop the new virtual college, LB iLearn Campus, which will initially target healthcare and business programs, with the goal to increase completion, improve accessibility and raise the quality of online education. The grant is part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant.

Board of Education member Catherine Thomas announced her resignation effective the end of September. Thomas' Zone 1 represents areas of East Linn County that include Sweet Home, Scio and Brownsville. An announcement calling for applications for her replacement will be posted in the newspaper and on the web site, with applications due Nov. 8.

The college will receive a “virtual” accreditation visit in October, the third such visit by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in this new process, which requires smaller, focused reports to be written every other year on specific topics instead of the once every 10 year approach. The third-year visit demonstrates the alignment of college resources with the mission of the college. A 180-page document responds to questions of alignment, and the college is likely to receive commendations and recommendations for its work.

College board members voted to establish LBCC email addresses which will be posted on the LBCC website, allowing them to be more accessible to answer questions and communicate with the community.

The board voted to increase the pay of LBCC management staff by 3 percent. The pay increase is coupled with benefit reductions for managers. That cost reduction was accomplished by dropping the most expensive health plan available to managers. The pay increase is similar to pay increases, coupled with benefit reductions, granted earlier this year to classified staff and faculty.