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President's Updates
Skyline Shines

March 10, 2006

"Shaping our Future":  educational and facilities master planning update:  This week we held our second Strategy Session with Rick Voorhees, our educational master planning consultant.  The focus was on a review of his draft "internal scan"–key data about the college, its students and programs. The second strategy session Power Point slides are now posted at on the EFMPP website. The EFMPP Task Force (Educational and Facilities Master Planning Project) will meet this afternoon with Steinberg Architects to begin work on the facilities part of our master planning.  The deadline for submission of the program planning questionnaires is today, and we will begin compiling that information immediately for use in this important work.

WOW! Women on Writing Conference a huge success:  Many Skyline faculty, staff members and students contributed to the inspirational program and great turnout at this year’s WOW!  Women on Writing conference on Saturday, March 4. This year, we had more than 340 guests in attendance.  After three years of President’s Innovation Fund support, WOW! is now self-sustaining.  Thanks to all of these WOW! creators, organizers and supporters:                                               

Skyline’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter recognized:  There are 80 Phi Theta Kappa chapters in the Nevada/California Region; 75 chapters in California. The 2005 Nevada/California Regional Awards were given out this past weekend.  Our Beta theta Omicron chapter President, Lacey Slattery, received the Regional Outstanding Scholar Award for 2005.  During 2005, chapter officers and members developed, implemented, and evaluated comprehensive Leadership and Scholarship programs. And, in December, officers wrote 1250-word essays describing these programs and their outcomes.  Beta Theta Omicron won the Leadership Hallmark and was in the top three for the Scholarship Hallmark.  Additionally, the Chapter won the website award and Chapter member William Taira won the International Honors Topic Essay Award.  Please congratulate our Phi Theta Kappans and join me in thanking Christine Case for her leadership for this work.

Smoking Policy Forum next week:  Please plan to join us for the forum on smoking which is being sponsored jointly by the Academic Senate, the Classified Senate and the Associated Students. 

Diversity Days:  As I mentioned in a message to you last week, our SEEED Committee is planning a two-day event next fall that would focus on issues of diversity.  A name for the event has not been identified, but we plan for a theme that incorporates the sentiment of our new inscription on the student center–"You must be the change you wish to see in the world"– and links it to issues of awareness, tolerance and cultural proficiency.  We envision a close link between the event and the curriculum. There might be one or more books on which we would all focus, with appropriate speakers brought to campus related to the books. Thanks to the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, we have some funding to assist us with this. There might be films, food, entertainment, club activities and vendors.  We intend for the event to take place in the period between mid-September and mid-October, to take advantage of the weather and allow some outdoor events, while still allowing last-minute planning time after the fall term begins. This event is not designed to supplant other related events throughout the year, but rather to supplement them and enrich our students’ learning experience here. We would appreciate your ideas about this event, and your specific suggestions about possible speakers, books, films or other components of this event. We would also like to know if there are ways in which you would like to engage with us in the planning of the event.

Please email, send, or phone your ideas and interests to Belinda Ho in the Office of the Vice President for Student Services at hob@smccd.net, (650) 738-4322.  The SEEED Committee will be meeting to refine plans for the event on March 20, so please share any ideas with Belinda by Friday, March 17.

President’s Breakfast:  The annual President’s Breakfast will take place on March 23.  It is a vital activity in terms of building understanding of the mission and values of the college and generating support for our President’s Innovation Fund.  The event will be at 7:30 am at the South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Blvd.  If you would like to attend, please or email Roxanne Brewer at brewer@smccd.edu or 650-738-4325.

Skyline Shines Awards nominations:  The deadline for nominations is April 3, 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/.          

Coming up:  This is a new element of Skyline Shines designed to supplement other information published about events in the forthcoming week.  Thanks to Shelley Hausman for compiling it.

 For more on this week’s events, see the event calendar at www.smccd.net/accounts/skypio/calendar.html   

To add events to the calendar, visit www.smccd.net/accounts/skypio/events.html   


Victoria P. Morrow, Ph.D.
President, Skyline College
650-738-4111
morrowv@smccd.net
3300 College Drive
San Bruno, CA 94066