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President's Updates
Skyline Shines
March 3, 2006
Student surveys: Thanks so much to the many faculty who are assisting with administration of the student survey we are conducting as part of the college’s accreditation self study. The Accreditation Co-Chairs, Ray Hernandez and Donna Bestock, are asking that the surveys be returned by March 10.
Skylines Shines Awards nominations due April 3: The deadline is in a month, so there is still time to make nominations of individuals or groups who help Skyline to shine in terms of its quality of programs and services and its reputation for quality. Two awards will be made, one to a member or group of the Skyline employees and one to a member or group from the community. Nominations can be submitted electronically or in hard copy, to Linda Ghio in the President’s Office. The criteria and details about making nominations are provided on our website at http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skynotes/.
Hip Hop concert a huge success: In observance of Black History Month, the Black Student Union (BSU) sponsored a Hip Hop concert at the Main Theater on Friday evening, February 24 to benefit Katrina victims. The event drew more than 500 attendees, including young people from the San Bruno/San Mateo area who were happy to be able to attend such an event in their community. The event provided a unique opportunity to attract a diverse group of students and non-students to Skyline. Frank McCoy, BSU, provided overall leadership in the planning and coordination of the event. He was supported by dedicated BSU advisors Dr. Tony Jackson, Professor Pat Deamer, Salah Webb, and Anyta Archer. In addition, the following Skyline faculty and staff also assisted in the planning and were personally on hand to assist with the event: Guillermo Villanueva, Rich Tidd, Amory Cariadus, Kiiasha David, Jon Holloway, Steve King, Steve Cornejo, Shelly Haussman, Thommy Reyes, and officers from the San Bruno Police. Thanks as well to the Facilities staff who conducted the cleanup after the event.
New International Studies Major approved by State Chancellor’s Office: Skyline has received approval from the State Chancellor’s office to offer a major in International Studies starting this fall. This new major was put together by a large enthusiastic multi-disciplinary committee of faculty from Social Science/Creative Arts and Language Arts. It has core requirements that provide the students a common background in such areas as world history, literature, international relations and foreign languages. Students then choose one of four areas for concentration: Asia, Europe, Latin America or the Philippines. There are future plans to add concentrations in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Congratulations to all involved in this project.
Skyline leaders help high school students and their parents "plug into college": I had another wonderful experience of Skyline at its best last Saturday morning at the first annual "Making the Connection: Plug into College" event. With funding from the President’s Innovation Fund, Tiffany Reardon, Erika Torres, Karen Chadwick, and Liza Erpelo hosted a one day event for over 100 high school students and parents consisting of workshops such as Writing a Personal Statement, Careers in Medicine, Women in Higher Education, Filipinos in Higher Education, Choosing a Career Path, Preparing for the SATs, and Overcoming Fears in Math. Skyline’s own Pablo Gonzalez was the frosting on the cake with his keynote address featuring excerpts from his recently published book, The Caterpillar Factor. A special thank you goes out to all of the students, faculty, and staff presenters who devoted their time and talents to this incredible event. In addition to the wonderful workshops, Stanford University’s Arbor Clinic provided free health screenings to all of the participants.
Educational and Facilities Master Planning Project: Yesterday Cathy Hasson sent out the following message college wide, and I am repeating it here just to encourage the broadest possible input to our Planning Assumptions and our Environmental Scan. She attached those documents and now they are on our website at http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skynotes/.
We want to hear from you! Our Educational and Facilities Master Planning Project (EFMPP) is underway and we are seeking your input. Please take a moment to review the information in the attached first drafts of the planning assumptions and the environmental scan. These documents are the first in a series of documents for which we will be seeking your input this spring. The information in the environmental scan is an analysis of national, state, county and service area trends (i.e., demographic, economic, technology and high school grad projections) which will continue to be developed over the next couple of months. The information from the scan along with the currently circulating Program Planning Questionnaire will provide the basis for building planning assumptions. These assumptions are essentially the conclusions drawn from the data found in the environmental scan, which will lead to recommended strategies for maintaining and enhancing college programs, services and resources.
As you review our Planning Assumptions and our Environmental Scan, we would like you hear from you on the following:
Trends that are not mentioned in the environmental scan that you believe should be included and/or trends in the environmental scan that need pieces of information.
Other planning assumptions that should be included in order to help define concrete strategies.
Please direct your questions and comments to Cathy Hasson at: hassonc@smccd.net.
Bay Area Biotech Network receives national honor: The recognitions for this unique project just keep on coming. This latest award was for recruiting skilled biomanufacturing technicians needed in the local area. Bay Area Biotech Network, a partnership of the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Hayward and the San Mateo County Workforce Investment Board of Belmont, was honored as the Second Place Winner of the Theodore E. Small Workforce Partnership Award by the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) on February 26, in Washington, DC. The award represents the highest recognition of workforce investment boards around the nation that advance innovative partnerships with their business communities. The Bay Area Biotech Network grew out of two seemingly unrelated needs — the biotech industry’s need for highly skilled employees and the workforce system’s need to assist workers dislocated by the events of 9/11 and the "dot.com" bust. This partnership of the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board, the San Mateo County Workforce Investment Board, Skyline College and Ohlone College, economic development entities, and businesses beginning with Genentech, has already graduated 110 skilled biomanufacturing technicians and is developing plans to train 300 more. It has placed more than 80 percent of the graduates in well-paying jobs (average $42K annually) or paid internships. It has attracted more than $2.5 million in federal and state resources. The Network is developing plans to expand to include additional WIBs, colleges, and biotech companies.
Student murals to go up on the Student Center fence next week: By next week, the fencing around the new student center will be enhanced by a series of panels painted by students in our Art program. Thanks to Doug Henry of Swinerton for the idea, to Donna Bestock and the Art faculty for making it happen, and to Richard Inokuchi and the Facilities staff for the installation.
Victoria P. Morrow, Ph.D.
President, Skyline College
650-738-4111
morrowv@smccd.net
3300 College Drive
San Bruno, CA 94066