Insider College News - Welcome Back, Sept. 25

Starting this fall, students will receive a “Welcome to LBCC” information packet in the mail, designed to welcome them and let them know they are officially “in college.” Within a few days of submitting their college application, students will get a personalized welcome letter that includes the next steps they need to take. They also get a cool LBCC Roadrunner window decal, coupons to the bookstore and campus eateries, and information on clubs and student life to help them immediately start building connections.

College Advancement has installed more than 60 new "Inspired" banners throughout the parking lots on the Albany campus, and will soon add banners to the centers and the ATTC. The new banners highlight our values, programs, instructors, students, and graduates - providing inspiration every time we pull into campus. A special thank you goes to the Facilities Department for removing the old brackets from the poles, installing new ones, and hanging all the banners before Welcome Day.

The Library and the Student Help Desk have added new evening and weekend hours to better accommodate students. New hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.  In addition, the Forum Computer Lab has been moved to the Library, which allows for increased computer and technical support for students.

The college has implemented a new pay-to-print system. Called “GoPrint,” the new system tracks printer usage based on the student's account. The move is part of a campus-wide effort to reduce paper waste and ultimately save money by reducing paper and toner costs and equipment maintenance while promoting a more sustainable green printing environment. Students manage and add funds to their GoPrint account on-line. The price is .10 cents per sheet for black and white, and .20 cents per sheet for color. The software determines the cost of a print job and makes that known to the student prior to printing. The student can then accept and print the job or cancel it. 

Javier Cervantes, right, receives
his NCCHC pin.

Javier Cervantes, director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at LBCC, has completed the National Community College Hispanic Council Leadership Fellows Program. Established more than 20 years ago through the University of San Diego, the 10-day NCCHC Fellows Program provides training, preparation and support of Hispanic leaders in America's community colleges. As LBCC works to become a "College of Choice" for Latinos, Javier's Fellows designation will provide access to a network of people that the college can call upon for best practices, providing access to people who have been tackling this work and getting results.

Art faculty member Analee Fuentes’ work is featured in the September/October issue of “1859 Oregon Magazine.” In the article, Analee shares how her past history and Latino-American heritage have influenced her art. The article also includes beautiful photos of Analees' work and of her studio in Coburg. Read the full story at: www.1859oregonmagazine.com/artist-in-residence-analee-fuentes-skeletons

LBCC Women’s Basketball team, along with head coach Deb Herrold, volunteered to help with the annual Linn County Alzhemier’s Walk held at Timber-Linn Park Sept. 20. The team helped with set-up, take down and cheering-on the walkers. Volunteering were team members Madi Baum, Rianne Tupper, Coach Deb Herrold, Kyia Duvall, Coach Stehanie Charves, Nicole Magnuson, Jordan Miller, Bailee Tally, Breanna Bronson, and Kaylee Buhrkuhl (left to right in photo). Go Roadrunners!

College News Week of May 22

Bond building project updates: The college has completed the programmatic design phase for the Health Occupations Center building project, and almost through the schematic design phase. As reference, the four phases of design include programmatic, schematic, design development, and construction drawing. The Benton Center and the Albany Campus projects will start the programmatic design phase at the end of May. Also for the Benton Center, the college is still in negotiations with Good Samaritan Hospital to purchase a portion of the hospital’s parking garage that they are planning to build. For the Advanced Transportation Technology Center project, the invitation to bid for the new Innovation Center has been canceled in response to the most recent independent estimate, which showed some redesign is required to bring the project back into budget. The college plans to restart the bidding in June. Keep on top of the latest building project updates at: www.linnbenton.edu/faculty-and-staff/administrative-information/building-projects

Achieving the Dream coaches visited the college in April, and showed strong support for LBCC’s application to become a Leader College. The coaches noted that the college has significantly shortened the time it takes students to complete developmental writing classes and complete WR121, the gatekeeper college-level writing class, but noted frustration in our ability to show we are “moving the needle” on measures of student progression through their programs to earning degrees. While we have made significant progress in writing, we are not seeing significant changes in developmental math and education completion, gateway math completion, term-to-term retention and fall-to-fall retention. The goal is to become more focused on these indicators to help move our students forward. In addition, project/initiative evaluation continues to be an issue, with project teams so focused on implementing activities that they lose sight of the college-wide metric the activities are designed to change. The college is considering dedicating a position to project/initiative evaluation, to help steer project teams to be immersed in a continuous improvement cycle. Compiled from Academic Affairs and Workforce Development board report, May 20. http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/5_20_15BoardPacket/ 

Kudos to Brian Trice and the Advanced Transportation Technology Center team for bringing together more than 400 transportation industry representatives to attend the first LBCC Green Transportation Summit and Expo, held April 20-22 in Portland. Organized by Brian, manager of Alternative Fuels Transportation at the ATTC in Lebanon, the summit focused on local and regional issues and trends in alternative fuels, including education tracks presented by industry experts on bio-fuels, compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, renewable natural gas, and electric vehicles. The summit also included a one-of-a-kind “Performance Ride and Drive” at the Portland International Raceway. In addition to making valuable industry connections for the college, the summit provided automotive students who attended a chance to connect with industry representatives in their field of study. Brian is in the process of organizing the next Green Transportation Summit and Expo, to be held in Denver, Colorado in August.
http://www.katu.com/news/local/Transportation-summit-spotlights-alternative-fuels-300856391.html

Dana Emerson, right, and Analee Fuentes.

Living Our Values: Dana Emerson & Analee Fuentes Combine Forces for the Greater Good
Opportunity, Excellence, and Inclusion
What happens when two people have two separate but good intentions of helping students, and find their good intentions have stalled for lack of money? When art faculty member Analee Fuentes and communications faculty member Dana Emerson found themselves in this very dilemma, they knew exactly what they needed to do, and a win-win solution was born. After establishing separate scholarship funds a few years back, with the goal of raising the $15,000 each that was needed to fully endow the funds, each found their accounts seemed to languish at around $6,000 and not really benefiting students. Combining resources made perfect sense, and the fully-endowed “Emerson/Fuentes Scholarship for Oregon Latinos” fund was born - the first of its kind at LBCC that specifically helps Latino students. Both Analee and Dana are dedicated to advancing the education of people of color, and hope the establishment of the endowment will benefit students for years to come. “Education is power,” said Analee. “That is what this scholarship hopes to promote.” The fund has a deeper meaning for both Analee and Dana, who view it as a way to pay it forward: “I was a single mother taking care of an aging parent and could not have worked enough to take care of my family and attend college,” said Analee. “I received the Underrepresented Minority Achievement Award scholarship, which allowed me to continue my education and attend the University of Oregon. Without this assistance, I could not have gone on to receive my master’s in art from the University of Arizona.” Analee and Dana are are continuing their efforts to build up the fund, with the goal to provide as many scholarships to Latino students as possible and help make our college a “Latino College of Choice.” The first applications for this new scholarship will be accepted starting fall term through the Financial Aid scholarship process, with funds to be awarded for winter term 2016. If you would like to help Aanlee and Dana build their fund for Latino students, you can make a contribution to the Emerson/Fuentes scholarship fund through the college Foundation office, ext. 4209.

New hires, separations, promotions/transfers, leaves of absence, and retirements from human resources: http://po.linnbenton.edu/boardmeeting/5_20_15BoardPacket/HR%20Board%20Memo%205-14-15.pdf


College Values
Opportunity
Excellence
Inclusiveness
Learning
Engagement

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 

Weekly Update, Feb. 28

Nominations are open for LBCC's Distinguished Alumni Award, accepted through April 1. Awards honor alumni who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in their profession or through service to their community. Nominees must have completed at least 36 LBCC credits. Nomination forms are available at linnbenton.edu/distinguished-alumni. Nominees will be honored at a reception held in their honor May 7. For more information, contact the LBCC College Advancement Office at 541-917-4784.

It was announced at the Feb. 19 Board of Education meeting that Dave Henderson would serve as the interim vice president of finance and operations until a replacement can be found for outgoing VP Jim Huckestein. Henderson, from Bend, comes to the position with 13 years of experience working on major programs with the state legislature, and four years with Marion County working on capital and IT projects. Henderson will work three days a week, mostly on college operations, while Betty Nielsen, director of accounting and budget, will be in charge of finance. The meeting also included discussion on the status of a potential bond measure for capital projects.

The LBCC Chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges is accepting donations to help Annette Easdale’s family with expenses for her grandson, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Feb. 14.  An anonymous donor has offered to match the donations up to $100. Donations will be taken through March 7, at which time a VISA gift card will be purchased for the family to use. If you would like to donate, please give your donation to any AAWCC Executive Board member: Linda Hobson, Vickie Keith, Karin Magnuson, M’Liss Runyon, Gwen Cox, or Jeanine Howell. Checks should be made payable to AAWCC. 

The 5th annual LBCC Unity Celebration was held at the Diversity Achievement Center Wednesday, Feb. 26. The event included presentation of the Analee Fuentes Unity Awards to honor LBCC students, staff and faculty members for their contributions to diversity and social justice. Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa and Chris Equinoa with the Albany Human Relations Committee attended along with a large group of LBCC faculty and staff. This year’s recipients were student Jordan Hagle, Admission staff member Christine Baker, and Welding and Fabrication faculty members Fred Stuewe and Dean Dowless. In addition, a new award was established in honor of former art faculty member Gary Westford. The Gary Westford Community Connection Award was presented in Gary’s name for his many contributions to our community and LBCC. The first recipient will be announced at next year’s Unity Celebration. LBCC communications faculty member Dana Emerson introduced the award, and put it best by saying “When you feel like you're having a museum experience on campus, you’re actually having a Gary Westford experience.”

Former art faculty member Gary Westford was honored with the
first Gary Westford Community Connection Award at the
recent Unity Celebration in the DAC.

Analee Fuentes Unity Awards Given at Unity Celebration

Analee Fuentes is honored at the Unity Celebration.
Photo by Jeanette Emerson.

The Diversity and Civic Engagement Committee at LBCC held the first Unity Celebration in the Diversity Achievement Center Feb. 27.

The celebration honored recipients of the Analee Fuentes Unity Awards for Diversity and Social Justice, given to students, faculty and staff members who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity and social justice at LBCC. 

The awards were named in honor of art faculty member Analee Fuentes, who dedicates much of her time to raising awareness of social issues and injustices.

Fuentes has served as advisor for the Latino Club, and she coordinates countless art exhibits that direct our attention toward opportunity and self-expression, such as the Diá del los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit on campus.

Contribution certificates were given to students Frazier Thurman, Nora Palmtag and Cheryl Wolverton, and to staff member Jeanette Emerson and faculty member Chareane Wimbley-Gouveia.

Certificates for the Analee Fuentes Unity Award were given to students Eric Noll and Jorge Canales, and to staff member Valerie Six and faculty member Margarita Casas.

For more information, contact Javier Cervantes in the Diversity Achievement Center.


by Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement