The Digest
What’s Happening at KVCC
What’s below in this edition
Diversity speakers (Pages 1/2)National ‘pub’ (Pages 8/9)
Kudos from D.C. (Page 2)Solons at ACC (Page 9)
‘Emergency Tuesday’ (Pages 2/3)KAFI ‘kamps’ (Pages 9-11)
KVCC in finals (Page 3) Special spas (Page 11)
Dean on TV (Page 3)A piece of excellence (P-11/13)
Animal Tech (Pages 3/4)‘Cougar Town’ (Page 13)
Swap Meet (Pages 4/5)Health-care leader (Page 13)
Honors 4 (Page 5)‘The Living Planet’ (P-14/16)
Sustainability (Pages 5/6)Oral histories (Pages 16/17)
Hospitality III (Page 6) Paper chase (Pages 17/18)
Auto Academy (Pages 6/7)And Finally (Pages 16/17)
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Some air time for Diversity Conference speakers
The remarks and commentaries of the two main speakers at KVCC's sixth annual Diversity Conference have been booked for televising by the Public Media Network this month.
Jane Tallim, co-executive director of the Media Awareness Network, spoke about the clout of the media in shaping perceptions while David Pilgrim, chief diversity officer at Ferris State University, enlightened a packed audience in Dale Lake Auditorium about the not-so-subtle messages that enhance negative stereotyping.
Here is the schedule for Tallim's airings on PMN's Channel 22 on the Charter Communications system: Sunday (June 7) at 9 p.m.; Wednesday (June 10) at 9 p.m.; and Sunday, June 21, at 9 p.m.
Pilgrim's presentation will be viewable on Channel 22 -- with all starting at 9 p.m. as well -- on Sunday, June 14; and Wednesday June 17.
Tallim discussed the influence of the media in shaping a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors about members of both genders, gays and lesbians, racial and cultural groups and persons with disabilities.
In Pilgrim's “Not So Subtle Message,” he believes that Martin Luther King, Jr. was right when he said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," and that diversity is more than a racial issue.
Pilgrim traced these messages from posters advertising the sale of slaves, to caricatures in cartoons to portrayals of Barak Obama as a monkey in his candidacy for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party.
U. S. Energy Department lauds wind efforts
KVCC’s initiatives in wind energy and their workforce-development ramifications have again gained some notice in Washington.
The U. S. Department of Energy distributed on its news-and-information webpage an article headlined“Community College Begins Windsmith Certification.”
It reported that KVCC’s Wind Energy Center, based at the M-TEC, is already moving toward national leadership in wind turbine-related training since becoming fully operational last January.
Beginning in October, the department stated, the center will provide the only certification program in the United States for wind-turbine technicians, also known as "windsmiths,” who are trained to work on the enormous, utility-sized units that are clustered on wind farms.
The 26-week academy is based on a German program that is recognized as the international standard in the training of technicians to work on these huge turbines located around the world.
The KVCC center has also signed a two-year agreement to become the sole provider of training on turbine installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance for Entegrity Wind Systems, Inc., a major North American manufacturer of commercial wind turbines, like the one in operation on the Texas Township Campus.
These initiatives complement the college’s for-credit, one-year certification program that is under way, with the targeted turbine-training courses set to be offered in the fall semester.
Campus to host emergency responders on Tuesday
To successfully cope with a disaster, catastrophe and all levels of emergencies, a well-thought-out reaction plan is required to turn chaos into relative calm.
On Tuesday (June 9), a large number of emergency vehicles and personnel will gather on the Texas Township Campus from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to continue to prepare themselves for all kinds of emergencies.
Among the groups gathered in the northwest corner of the parking lot will be bomb squads, SWAT teams, fire and rescue units, paramedics and other genres of emergency providers.
This will be a function of the 5th District Medical Response Coalition, a diverse group of hospitals and public-health, emergency-management, EMS, public-safety, and human-service organizations from nine Southwest Michigan counties.
This event will include demonstrations, joint training activities, and displays. Recently, this organization and Southwest Michigan was designated by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a "Model Community for Emergency Preparedness."
"This event is notable for health-care students, fire science, law enforcement and others," said Jim Taylor said. "Members of the college community are invited to stop by."
Taylor can be contacted for more information at extension 4208 or .
Wind Energy Center in line for magazine’s state award
KVCC’s foray into the arena of alternative-energy production via its Wind Energy Center based at the M-TEC has been included in the first round of finalists for Michigan Business Review magazine’s annual Innovation Michigan awards for 2009.
Expanding the event to include entries from across the state, magazine staff members weaned the field to 26 finalists. A second phase of will be announced later this month, including all statewide finalists.
Innovation Michigan winners will be announced during the exposition and awards event Thursday, July 16, at Grand Valley State University's Pew Campus in Grand Rapids scheduled for 4:30 to 9 p.m. The exposition will include displays of finalists' innovations.
Dean’s presentation booked for 4 airings on PMN
Howard Dean’s remarks at the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation’s annual fund-raising dinner for scholarships in May will be broadcast four times by the Public Media Network this month.
The first airing is slated for Sunday (June 7) at 10:30 p.m. on Channel 22, one of PMN’s five stations on the Charter Communications cable system.
The other broadcasts – all three of them on Channel 22 – are set for Wednesday (June 10) at 8:30 p.m., Sunday, June 14, at 8:30 p.m., and Wednesday, June 17, at 10:30 p.m.
Dean, the former governor of Vermont and one-time frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s 2004 presidential nomination, was named his party’s national chairman. He fashioned the 50-state strategy that many political pundits said paved the way for the political success of Barack Obama in his 2008 campaign against Hillary Clinton and then John McCain.
Commenting on that “political earthquake,” Dean said: “The last election changed America in a way many people don’t understand yet. For the first time in my life, more people voted who were under the age of 35 than those over the age of 65.”
He said politicians of his generation have been more confrontational in their actions. He believes the younger cadre of voters is more pragmatic, less ideological, and less likely to affiliate with a party. In other words, they want more action in Washington and less clamoring in uncooperative ways.
In that light, Dean expressed his support for President Obama’s health-care plan, but no matter what its final form, something must be done because too many Americans are vulnerable. It is reminiscent of President Dwight Eisenhower’s approach to issues. He brought in the leaders of both parties and basically told them – “I don’t care where or from whom the answers come from. Just give me some.”
Animal Tech Academy to debut Sept. 8
The training of technicians who care for animals used in research is next in the stable of Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s workforce-development academies.
Slated to begin in late February but delayed because of the economic doldrums that affected the biotech and research industries in Southwest Michigan, the first Animal Technician Academy has been rescheduled to begin Sept. 8 and produce its first graduates on Oct. 16.
The Animal Technician Academy is designed to provide pre-employment training to students interested in entering this phase of medical and bio-technology research.
This initial class is limited to 15 enrollees.
“While we already have received 15 applications,” said Lesa Strausbaugh, director of career academies at KVCC, “people can still apply until the Aug. 14 deadline because academy selection is a competitive process.”
Over the six-week period, enrollees will learn the basic skills and knowledge associated with the care of animals in research laboratories.
The training will cover career paths in the industry, veterinarian terminology, animal health and behavior, medical recordkeeping, sanitation and disinfection, standard operating procedures in a lab, knowledge of animals, data collection and analysis, species anatomy and physiology, animal welfare, the ethical care and use of animals, and critical-thinking and communication skills.
“Successful completion of the academy,” Strausbaugh said, “prepares students for an entry-level position as a lab-animal caretaker within a research or laboratory facility. And, of course, it can serve as a springboard to additional training and a college degree.”
Classes will be held Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the M-TEC of KVCC located on the Groves Campus, while the lab training will be based at the Western Michigan University Research Laboratory in partnership with the university’s department of psychology.
Acceptance into the growing number of KVCC workforce-development academies is competitive and is based on a written application, feedback from references, and interviews. The interview phase is slated for the end of August.
Those who complete the animal-tech academy requirements will receive certification of competencies in the field. Infused in each program are components provided by the KVCC Student Success Center that enhances job-search and employability skills.
The fee is $900. Financial assistance is available through Michigan Works!’ “No Worker Left Behind” initiative.
Entry-level wages can range from $19,000 to $25,000 annually. An experienced animal technician can earn from $25,000 to $41,000 per year.
For details about applications and other information, call (269) 353-1282, e-mail or go to this website:
Think of ‘Swap Meet’ as college’s ‘garage sale’
The Office of Human Resources’ web page contains a want-ad system to link KVCC folks with their colleagues in the sharing of talent, knowledge, skills, goods and services.
The “KVCC Swap Meet” provides a forum to barter goods (made or grown) and to post information about services that can be provided -- painting, sewing, computer assistance, etc.
It can also be used to post an announcement about services or goods that are being sought.
There are four categories on the site: Services for Hire, Goods Wanted, Goods for Sale, and Miscellaneous.
This site is for KVCC employees only and is intended as a way for employees to network with each other for trade or sale purposes.
KVCC will not be responsible for any transactions or the satisfaction of either party, and will not enter into dispute resolution.
“KVCC Swap Meet” is housed on the Human Resources website under Quick Links.
To post a service or item, just click Post Ad, select the appropriate category, complete the online form and click submit.
Co-workers will be able to view the posting by the next business day.
It is requested that the postings be made during non-working hours.
Among the currently posted “swaps” are resealing asphalt driveways, providing music for events, dog training, sewing, home-maintenance and landscaping projects, dog boarding, carpet cleaning, residential painting, staining and drywall repairs, and baseball and softball lessons for youths.
For sale are a set of crutches and a walker, German shepherd puppies and a bike rack, while summer cottages can also be rented. “Wanted” are a tank for a pet lizard and a heavy-duty snow blower.
4 Honors Program grads seek additional honors
Four KVCC Honors Program students have chosen their transfer destinations for the fall semester, according to director Stephen Louisell.
Aaron Cook, who has served with the 10th Mountain Division in both Iraq and Afghanistan, is headed for the psychology department at Western Michigan
University. He plans to pursue his interest in post-traumatic-stress disorder at WMU and is currently working as a teaching assistant for Louisell in child psychology.
Anthony Saucedo is also bound for WMU’s program in psychology and serving as a teaching assistant in child psychology. He may pursue a dual major in philosophy.
Jenna Wyatt will major in theatre at WMU. Wyatt served as a teaching assistant for Louisell in introductory psychology. She was homeschooled untilher transfer to Portage Northern High School for the 11th and 12th grades.
Kalamazoo College will be home for Jessica Zwalua, whose interests include ancient languages and theatre. She served as ateaching assistant for Scott Myers in a course on modern culture and the arts. Zwalua becomes the second KVCC student in two years to be accepted atK-College where she may play softball for theHornets.
College part of ‘sustainability’ accord
KVCC has aligned itself with an umbrella organization dedicated to an improved quality of life in this part of the state through actions and collaborations that promote environmental, economic and social responsibility.
It is among the 17 pioneer signees of what is called the “Southwest Michigan Regional Sustainability Covenant” that has been in the works since a Feb. 26 gathering initiated by Western Michigan University President John Dunn.
Other covenant originators include the cities of Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Portage, Kalamazoo College, Borgess and Bronson hospitals, the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the Kalamazoo and Portage school districts, the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, the Kalamazoo Nature Center, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
A key component in improving the quality of life for future generations is the concept of sharing ideas and innovations regarding recycling, energy conservation, and purchasing agreements that address economic, environmental and social issues.
The idea is to share programs and projects that work instead of each of the members trying to re-invent the wheel.
The first step is the spread the word about the covenant so that area residents and businesses can get involved. That will lead to the group blueprinting an organizational structure that identifies sustainability issues, the methods for monitoring progress, and how to share “best practices.”
There is no timetable to reach these accomplishments, other than to get started and open the door to future signees.
July 7 deadline for Hospitality Academy III
The third edition of KVCC’s academy to train personnel for the hospitality industry is scheduled to begin on Aug. 3 in Anna Whitten Hall at the college’s Arcadia Commons Campus.
Lesa Strausbaugh, director of career academies, reportsthat 15 students will be enrolled in the academy. The application deadline is July 7
The hospitality-training sessions will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 4 at KVCC’s downtown-Kalamazoo campus. The fee is $800.
During 157 hours of instruction, students learn the workings of the rooms division and food-and-beverage division in hospitality, which includes front-desk management, reservations, housekeeping, bells services, restaurant service, and banquet organization. A major component will be job shadowing and an in-the-field training practicum.
Those who complete the academy receive a certificate in hospitality from KVCC and a globally recognized certificate from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
“It’s been proven that certificates and diplomas from the educational institute of the association open doors to graduates looking for careers in the lodging industry,” Strausbaugh said. “We’re excited to offer students this opportunity.”
Infused in the five-week academy are components provided by the KVCC Student Success Center that enhances job-search skills, resume development and interviewing.
According to a 2006 survey conducted by WageWatch Inc., the median salaries for personnel throughout the industry include: front-desk associate, $20,300; reservations associate, $25,000; executive housekeeper, $45,000; front-office manager, $40,000; sales manager, $38,500; chief engineer, $61,000; catering sales manager, $65,800; executive chef, $65,300; personnel director, $61,600; controller, $73,800; sales and marketing director, $80,400; and general manager, $100,000.
Strausbaugh can be contacted at 353-1253 or for more information.
A dozen slots open for Auto Academy III
Just like the high-tech vehicles that it trains prospective mechanics to maintain, the third edition of the KVCC Automotive Academy is being fine-tuned.
The minimally retooled training program will be shorter in duration, smaller in size, and slightly redesigned in instructional format.
The application process, which is under way now for the academy that begins Nov. 2, has been altered and the brunt of the training will be staged in the KVCC M-TEC, located on the college’s Groves Campus off 9th Street along I-94, instead of at the Texas Township Campus’ automotive facilities.
“There will be no textbook either,” said Cindy Buckley, director of training and development at the M-TEC. “Instead, each student will have access to a laptop computer that they can use to surf the Internet for the online maintenance services offered by automotive manufacturers and suppliers.”
Under lead instructor Hector Orlandi, there will also be a shift in instructional format. The first two academies, which ran for 42 weeks, featured a third segment that had enrollees, in effect, running their own repair shop under the guidance of their instructors.
“The new format,” Buckley said about the switch to a 33-week program, “will, instead of a separate auto clinic per se, have that kind of training integrated throughout the instructions. When the students are being trained in brake work, that’s the kind of repairs they will be making right then and there instead of waiting to the end.
“Hector believes that will be a more effective and hands-on way of learning and training,” she said, “because the students will be applying that knowledge quickly instead of waiting until later when there could be a tendency to forget.”