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