Weekly Update, Jan. 31

Jim Huckestein, VP of Finance and Operations, gave his final state-of-the-budget talk last week, stating that the college is financially on-track for the next budget cycle. According to Jim, the increase in state funding helped to offset any dip in tuition that the college experienced. His near-future forecast for LBCC looks good. Jim's last day at the college was today, Jan. 31. He starts in his new position as VP of College Services at Clackamas Community College Feb. 3.

Approximately 10 LBCC students are conducting a phone-a-thon for the LBCC Foundation to reconnect alumni to the college. The project’s focus is to build a friend network and solicit support for college programs through donations to the Foundation. Results so far show a number of the calls resulting in contributions to the college.

The next meeting of College Council will be Thursday, Feb. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the college boardroom, CC-103. Topics under review include revisions to Administrative Rules 1025-01, Prevention of Workplace Violence, and 6025-01, Tuition and Fee Waivers. Changes to 1025-01 include language to clarify that the on-campus preclusion to carrying firearms or other deadly weapons extends both to work hours and to on-campus time when the employee is not directly engaged in work duties, and to clarify that the preclusion to carrying deadly weapons extends to clearly defined work-time off-campus, such as at graduation, while traveling with students for teaching or learning purposes, or while coaching a college athletic team off LBCC property. Changes to 6025-01 include language changes seek to align the terms and conditions of the tuition waiver for managers / confidential staff, with those of the classified bargaining unit The cost of increasing the benefit for mangers is expected to be nominal. Also recommended are removal of volunteers from the tuition waiver benefit, per the advice of our legal counsel and the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Also up for discussion are Administrative Rules on Articulation Agreements and Grading. If you have questions or concerns, contact your employee group representative to College Council. 

Former LB baseball coach Greg Hawk was chosen to receive the American Baseball Coaches Association Ethics in Coaching award. Coach Hawk, along with an Atlanta high school coach, will receive the award in January of next year at the ABCA convention held in Orlando. Said Coach Hawk about being notified of the award: “It's an awesome award. So many others could have gotten this, and I am honored. I’ve had a great career. It was more than just the sport. Baseball was a tool that I used to teach students about life and how to live.” Greg retired from the college in June 2013.

Retired baseball coach Greg Hawk.

Weekly Wrap-Up

The college web site redesign is scheduled to be ready for preview in August, with a goal of going live by start of fall term. Watch your email for notification to browse a preview of the site and an opportunity to provide feedback before we go live!

Work groups are meeting around three Achieving the Dream initiatives that were selected to help increase student success at LBCC. Three initiatives, and their group leaders, are: Advising (Jenny Strooband); Strategic Scheduling (Jonathan Paver); and Development Education (Pam Gordon).

The Virtual College project is applying for a $2.7 million dollar grant from the Department of Labor, with hopes of hearing by October if the grant is approved. At this time, college administration has not decided if they are going to fund any curriculum development or learning management system, so the Virtual College project is on hold. In order for work to be done this summer, the project needs a piece of strategic initiative money. At this point, no decision has been made.

College Council is considering a new administrative rule that would provide partial support for the purchase of tablet computers. Similar to the administrative rule for cell phones, employees wishing to purchase a tablet for use at work would need to explain how it would benefit them in their work. A maximum of $200, or 50 percent of the purchase price (whichever is less), would be available. Read the entire rule – and see what other issues were discussed – in the June 6 College Council agenda available on paperless office at http://po.linnbenton.edu/collegecouncil/6_6_13CCMeetingFiles/. Contact any council member with your feedback.

Mark your calendar - September 25 is Welcome Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s theme is “Connections.” Join us to help students connect, and reconnect, with the LBCC. Stay tuned for details.

NOTE: This new Insider feature is intended to help staff and faculty keep up-to-date on the discussions and decisions that shape LBCC, and is designed to be a quick read rather than comprehensive report.

Send your story suggestions, information or questions to Insider editor Lori Fluge-Brunker, flugel@linnbenton.edu.