College News - Week of Feb. 27

New Feature: Living Our Values
This new addition to staff news will feature brief stories about students, programs, faculty and staff, with a focus on how we are living our college values in the things we do here each day. We look forward to sharing your stories, so please - send them our way! 

Living Our Values - first feature story: Chickens in the House; Opportunity, Excellence, Learning, & Engagement.  I heard someone ask, "We have chickens on campus, really?" You bet! Levi Fredrikson and his students in the Small Scale Sustainable Livestock Production course, part of the Profitable Small Farms program, were caught living not one, but almost all of our college values: opportunity, excellence, learning, and engagement. For their class project, the students started a poultry-managing project with 10 chickens on the college campus. The project encompasses more than just buying some chickens and collecting their eggs. The students had to determine how many chickens would be a good number to manage based on the amount of land available and what they had learned in class about animal welfare, production considerations and stocking densities. Brain Parks of Frasier Creek Farm sold the 22- to 24-week-old chickens to the college program at a reduced rate. According to Levi, the team project gives the students hands-on training in running a small, sustainable pastured-poultry production, including coop construction, water and feed systems, pasture management and predator management. The students are planning to sell any eggs produced at their student-run farmers market on campus, and eventually want to include the eggs in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food basket program they are developing, with a goal to offer CSA baskets to campus by fall term.

Students with their chickens in the Small Scale Sustainable
Livestock Production course.

Staff, faculty, students and community members were honored at LBCC’s Unity Celebration held Feb. 25 in the Fireside Room. This annual event recognizes individuals and organizations whose work establishes unity and inclusivity while promoting diversity and social justice on campus and in our communities. Awards given at the celebration included the Analee Fuentes Unity Award, presented to LBCC student Kamran Ahmed Mirza, LBCC staff member Kim Sullivan, and LBCC faculty member Mary Mayfield; and the Gary Westford Community Connection award, presented to community member and former LBCC Multicultural Center Director Dee Curwen. Complete story, including nomination comments and photos, on the LBCC News Blog: http://linnbentoncommunitycollege.blogspot.com/2015/02/lbcc-unity-celebration-awards-presented.html

Dee Deems

A Celebration of Life for former LBCC employee and long-time community activist Dee Deems and her husband, Dr. Ted Deems, will be held this Saturday, Feb. 28, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the college cafeteria. Dee passed away six hours after Ted’s passing on Feb. 16. Because of Ted and Dee’s strong support and affection for LBCC and the LBCC Foundation, the Deems family wanted to have the public celebration of their lives at the college. Dee came to LBCC as a student in 1972, returning to college in her 40s to earn transfer credit on the way to a master’s degree at OSU. Her first job on campus was as associate director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, which was funded by a federal grant administered through LBCC. She worked for the college in various management positions from 1979 to 1991, including as director of the Lebanon Center, director of the Albany Center, and director of the Community Education Division. She retired from the college in 1991. She was involved in myriad government planning and fund raising groups, including the LBCC Foundation. She also returned frequently to teach LBCC community education classes.

Approximately 20 former LBCC employees came to the college Feb. 24 for the annual XLB'ers Tea, put on the by college Foundation Office. Former Business faculty member Michael Houser and Foundation Planned Giving manager Jim Birken gave a slide show presentation on their recent trip to Russia, complete with Russian tea, breads and cookies for attendees. If you are planning to retire and would like to be added to the XLB’ers mailing and email list, contact Paulette Meyers in the Foundation, X4203. 

XLB'ers Tea Feb. 24.

College Values: 
Opportunity
Excellence
Inclusiveness
Learning
Engagement

College Core Themes:
Economic Vitality
Cultural Richness
Educational Attainment




Insider published by: LBCC College Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement

College News - Week of Feb. 20

The Board of Education approved several new certificates and degrees at the board meeting Feb. 11. A new Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair Technician certificate (49 credits) is equivalent to the first year of the AAS Automotive Technology degree, and will provide entry-level training as well a pathway to the two-year degree. Two new certificates in business management, along with a third already offered, are designed for current retail workers, and also can be used to enhance CTE degree programs. The Retail Management certificate (already offered, 37 credits), new Event Management certificate (32 credits) and new Small Business Management certificate (19 credits) are fully embedded into a new AAS degree in Practical Business Management, providing a pathway for students to earn the two-year degree. In addition, a new AS degree in Religious Studies was approved, providing closer alignment with OSU’s program to create a smoother transition for students pursuing their bachelor’s degree.

The Grow Oregon program, part of the Oregon Small Business Development Center, and of which LBCC is a part, has helped small businesses in Oregon generate $47 million in direct economic impact since its beginnings in July 2011. In a recent article for the Oregon Economic Development Association newsletter, Marc Manley, director of LBCC’s Small Business Development Center and client advisory services field leader for Grow Oregon, wrote that the program has worked with 50 businesses throughout Oregon to date, with significant growth seen in areas of manufacturing, high tech, lumber products and the wine, beer and cider markets. Grow Oregon focuses on businesses with $1,000,000 to $50,000,000 in annual gross sales and 10 to 99 employees. LBCC’s SBDC is one of four Grow Oregon teams covering the state, along with teams in Portland, Bend and Grants Pass. For more information on Grow Oregon, contact Marc Manley.

A wait list has been established for those interested in attending the free Estate Planning Seminar being held March 10 through the college Foundation office. Although this seminar is full, an additional seminar is being planned for sometime in May. Those who are added to the wait list will be first in line for the May seminar. Watch your email for date and time. To be added to the wait list, contact the Foundation office at foundation@linnbenton.edu, or 541-917-4209. Please include your contact phone number.

There's just one week left to nominate outstanding faculty, classified staff, long-time employees and/or LBCC alumni to be recognized for their contributions and achievements. Nomination deadline is Friday, Feb. 27. Awards will be given in April. The nomination forms and criteria for the Distinguished Staff Award and the Pastega Faculty and Pastega Classified Excellence Awards are available at: www.linnbenton.edu/faculty-and-staff/hr-safety-and-other-services/college-advancement/marketing/nomination-forms
Distinguished Alumni forms at: www.linnbenton.edu/friends-and-alumni/alumni/distinguished-alumni. Form also available by contacting Dale Stowell, College Advancement, CC-105.





Insider published by: LBCC College Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement

College News - Week of Feb. 13

Know a coworker who deserves to be recognized? How about a former student who's done awesome things through their work or for their community? Nominate them for the LBCC Distinguished Staff Award, Pastega Faculty and Classified Excellence Award, or the Distinguished Alumni Award! Nominations are open until Feb. 27. New this year: Staff awards will be given at spring Inservice, held April 17. Distinguished Alumni Awards are given at a special reception held in May. Distinguished Staff and Pastega nomination forms are available online at: www.linnbenton.edu/faculty-and-staff/hr-safety-and-other-services/college-advancement/marketing/nomination-forms  - and Distinguished Alumni forms are available at: www.linnbenton.edu/friends-and-alumni/alumni/distinguished-alumni - or by contacting Dale Stowell, College Advancement, CC-105.

The first meeting of the LBCC Open Educational Resource (OER) Discussion Group was held Feb. 12. OERs, course materials that are freely available on the web or in the library, are currently a hot topic, as college’s and instructors seek to reduce textbook costs and increase engagement for students. Amy Hofer, Statewide Open Education Library Service coordinator, LBCC eLearning and Media department, and Steve Smith, eLearning and Academic Technologies director, recently presented to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission emphasizing LBCC’s commitment and interest in OERs and library resources as a way to reduce course material costs. Below is an excerpt from that presentation:

“At LBCC, the board and the president are very interested in OERs. As recently as last night, there was a board discussion about what role they can play in encouraging the exploration of OERs both at a local level and a statewide level. LBCC is evaluating the use of strategic funds to support course redesign around the adoption of OERs, which we hope to get implemented for next year. We have calculated that a 25 percent adoption of OERs would save students at Linn-Benton $625,000 annually. A 50 percent adoption would save $1.2 million.”

If you are interested in participating in the discussion, plan to attend one of the following OER conferences (or email Amy Hofer, hofera@linnbenton.edu): Thursday, Feb. 26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Friday, Feb. 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Portland Community College; Friday, March 13, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Blue Mountain Community College; and Friday, April 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Lane Community College. Conference registration is available online at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UvEibymRWU2ZvnV0QdmeY8bng73i5o07tIcmwCzhGKw/edit?usp=sharing

Did you know that LBCC has a Relay for Life team? It does, and the team would like you to join them in their efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society. There are several opportunities for staff, students, friends and family to be involved, from joining the team at the Relay for Life walk June 20 and 21, to throwing your spare change in a donation can at the Bookstore, cafeteria and café. The team also takes bottles and cans for deposit, sells cookies, and holds a scrapbooking event each year. If interested in joining or donating, contact a team member: Patti Ball, Linda Dompier, Tammi Drury, Annette Easdale, Felicia Humphries, Vickie Keith, Paulette Myers, Michelle Slay and Amanda Stanley.

LBCC Relay for Life team makes cookies for a fundraiser, with the help
of Chef Scottie Hurley. Team members, left to right: Vickie Keith,
Felicia Humphries, Linda Dompier, Amanda Stanley, Michelle Slay, Tammi Drury,
Annette Easdale and Paulette Myers.

Links to New Hires, Promotions, Separations & Retirements, Board of Education Human Resource Memos - January 12 & February 6:

http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/01_21_15BoardPacket/HR%20Board%20Memo%201-12-15.pdf

http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/2_11_15BoardPacket/HR%20Board%20Memo%202-6-15.pdf 



Insider published by: LBCC College Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement