NEWS & EVENTS

Ocean County College Nursing Program

The School of Nursing and Health Sciences is very pleased to report that OCC’s Nursing Program is being recommended for reaccreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).  This recommendation is the result of a lengthy self-study process, a written report, and a site visit that took place February 23-25.

The ACEN site visitors included Margaret Rafferty, DNP, MA, MPH, RN, PMHCNS-BC from NYC College of Technology; L. Jane Rosati, EdD, MSN, RN from Daytona State College; Claudia Stoffel, MSN, RN, CNE from West Kentucky Community and Technical College; and Denisa Talovic, MSN, RN, CNE from Broome Community College.  The evaluators interviewed faculty, staff, administrators, and students, toured the campus, and visited our classes, labs, and clinical sites.  They found OCC’s program to be in compliance with all ACEN standards and particularly remarked positively on the faculty, OCC’s mission, college-wide support for the Nursing Program, the College campus, assessment methods, and positive outcomes.  The site visitors are including in their report an identified area of strength, which was the support the College shows the nursing faculty through the ability to earn a Ph.D. in Nursing Education Leadership at Kean University here on our campus.  They did not find any areas needing development.

The site visitors are recommending the Ocean County College Nursing Program be reaccredited for the next eight years, which is the maximum timeframe.  The report from the site visitors will now be forwarded to ACEN for a panel review.  A final vote by the ACEN Board of Commissioners will take place in July.

I want to recognize and commend Ms. Tracy Walsh, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the Nursing administrators, faculty, Lecturer II’s, and staff for their outstanding efforts preparing for the visit, hosting the site visitors, and ensuring the quality of OCC’s Nursing Program.

Student Affairs

• Student Recruitment

Ms. Lisa Kasper, Director of Admissions, will present to you on Monday a report on the extensive outreach by the Office of Admissions during the past year to both attract and recruit new students and to retain existing students.

In addition to traditional forms of outreach, a number of successful, new initiatives have been undertaken to engage students.  Perhaps the greatest enhancement to the admissions and recruitment strategy is the ability to create and sustain automated, strategized messaging to prospective and current students.  Ms. Kasper will expand upon these and other initiatives on Monday.

• Student Life

The spring 2016 semester is off to a great start for student activities in the new Student Center.  A Club Fair was held on Thursday, February 11, showcasing 25 active organizations on the campus.  The Student Government has recruited a full Student Senate for participation in College Governance across the campus.

Student Life is planning a “Grand Opening” event for the new Student Center on Friday, March 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the entire campus community.

• Advising

• The Advising Office presented nine Orientations this spring semester with 161 students attending.
• Student Planning has been successfully implemented.  This spring semester, 4,167 of 8,048 students registered using Student Planning.  This success is a result of the training provided to all campus departments and advisors during the fall 2015 semester as well as the resources made available by Advising.Feedback was then solicited on Student Planning from advisors:
• 84% indicated they had attended a Student Planning training session or learned to use Student Planning using another method.
• 75% indicated they used Student Planning to advise students.
• 86% rated their overall satisfaction with Student Planning as excellent or good.
• 92% found the degree audits on Student Planning to be very or somewhat accurate.

A survey for student feedback is currently in progress; results will be available soon.

The Advising Office will continue to collaborate with IT and Academic Affairs to improve Student Planning software.  Top priorities for the spring 2016 semester include:

• Making Student Planning training accessible to all departments and advisors who did not receive training in the fall or would like additional training, as well as making sure advisors are aware of the resources available to them.
• Identifying and correcting degree audit issues, with the ultimate goal of correct audits for 100% of students.
• Encouraging advisors to report degree audit issues.
• Ensuring that all functions on Student Planning are working properly.
• Working with Academic Affairs to better coordinate faculty advising at New Student Orientations, which will provide faculty advisors with an opportunity to learn and become more comfortable using Student Planning.
• Working to make Student Planning more functional for pre-nursing students.

Academic Affairs

The Academic Affairs Division continues to focus on initiatives and projects that support our students, staff, and the community.

• The School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
  • The Investor’s Bank STEM Academy grant began on February 16 with a kick-off assembly at Toms River High School South.  The one-hour presentation conducted by the Liberty Science Museum focused on material science and was attended by 400 high school juniors.  In the three weeks following the event, Mr. Vijay Ramdeen, Science Department College Lecturer II, conducted weekly hands-on chemistry experiments and demonstrations to High School South chemistry students.  On March 10, the grant will support an on-campus event for 65 High School South students, who will have the opportunity to choose from among four scheduled activities.  This will be followed by a second on-campus STEM Academy event planned on May 14 for students associated with non-profit organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Girls Scouts.
  • The School hosted an annual mathematics competition for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade students from across the state.  Teams from Ocean County fared well.  The event was sponsored by the Ocean County Society of Professional Engineers, with volunteers from the OCC Mathematics Department.
  • Dr. Angel Camilo, Lecturer II of Biology, and Mr. Eric Antonelli, Assistant Professor of Science, have been selected to present at the NJEDge. Net Faculty Best Practices Showcase on March 23 at Stevens Institute of Technology.  Their presentation will focus on using digital technology in the classroom.  The showcase is an excellent venue to highlight work/projects to the New Jersey higher education and K-12 communities.
  • Dr. Angel Camilo and Mr. Edmond Hong, Lecturer II of Computer Science, are involved with the regional chapter of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Mini Engineering Academy at Neptune High School, presenting on February 24 with the assistance of OCC students and the OCC Makers Club and Computer Science Club.  High school students from Ocean and Monmouth counties are participating.

• The School of Business and Social Sciences
  • March is Women’s History Month, and several activities have been planned under the leadership of Ms. Lynn Kenneally, Professor of Social Sciences and Chairperson of the Women’s History Month Committee:
    • On March 1, New Jersey State Police Sergeant Lisa Nieves, an Ocean County College graduate, will speak on “Women in Law Enforcement.”  Her presentation is open to the College community.  It will be held in Room 203 of Bartlett Hall at 11:00 a.m., with lunch following her address.
    • On March 15, New Jersey State Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno and Ocean County Freeholder Virginia E. “Ginny” Haines will address the College community in the Gateway Building Lecture Hall at 11:00 a.m.  Lunch will follow. Lieutenant Governor Guadagno will discuss her roles as both Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State in New Jersey government.  She will speak about her experiences as a female in the world of politics and explain the importance of participating in government. Freeholder Haines will talk about her various roles in county and state government, highlighting her experiences as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Lottery, a Legislative Assemblywoman for the 10^th District, the New Jersey General Assembly Assistant Majority Whip, a National Republican Committeewoman, and co-chair of the Republican National Committee’s Northeast Region.
    • On March 18, Professor Jason Ghibesi’s Women and Politics class will screen the documentary film, “Salem Witch Trials,” from the History Channel. This program will provide a comprehensive account of the actual events and causes for this well-known event in American history. The film will be shown at 8:00 a.m., after which there will an opportunity for discussion. Breakfast will be available.

• Dr. Rosann Barr, Dean of the School of Business and Technology, is serving on the Toms River Chamber of Commerce Strategic Planning Initiative.  She is joining other members of the Chamber in developing the future direction for Toms River.

• The School of Arts and Humanities
• The History Club has scheduled several events during this month.  On March 15, Senior Archaeologist Sean McHugh will speak on “The Truth about Archaeology,” including the ongoing changes occurring within the archaeology field.  His presentation will be held in Room 115 of the Technology Building at 11:00 a.m.
• The History Club and Seascape, with the leadership of Mr. Robert Marchie, Lecturer II of History and Advisor to the History Club, and Ms. Heidi Sheridan, Assistant Professor of English and Seascape Advisor, are offering students and the public an opportunity to spend “A Day in Philadelphia,” on March 19.  They will visit selected sites in this historic city.  The first 25 registrants will also visit Edgar Allen Poe’s house.
• On March 30, as part of Women’s History Month, Brookdale Community College Professor Jane Scimeca will discuss the role of Women’s History as it is woven into the larger context of the discipline.  The discussion will be held in Room 115 of the Technology Building at 11:00 a.m.
• During the week of March 9, the Music Club will host a series of events, including a lecture by Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts Peter Stravinskas on the music of Holy Week; a lecture by Dean of e-Learning Jack

• Irish Heritage Celebration

• Ocean County College’s Global Education Committee is presenting a celebration of Irish heritage that marks the 100^th anniversary of the Easter Rebellion and celebrates Irish culture.  More than 30 events will focus on the art, landscape, history, literature, and politics of Ireland, highlighting the influence the Irish have had on the sciences and American culture, as well as the resilience, spirit, and heart of the Irish people.  During the month of March, the following events have been scheduled:

• March 10-12 and March 18-19 – Brian Friel’s, “Dancing at Lughnasa,” will be performed by the OCC Repertory Theatre Company.
• March 15 – Dean of Academic Services Maureen Reustle will present on the “Murals of Northern Ireland” in Room 104 of the Gateway Building at 7:00 p.m.
• March 17 – Dr. Madison Peschock, English College Lecturer II, will discuss “The Irish-ness of Eugene O’Neill” in Room 115 of the Technology Building at 2:00 p.m.
• March 23 – Genealogist and author Maureen Wlodarczyk will present “Past-Forward: A Memoir of the Search for Irish Roots” in Room 104 of the Gateway Building at 1:00 p.m.
• March 28-30 – Chrysalis Staging will present “Terminus,” an award-winning contemporary production by young Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe in the Lecture Hall of the Gateway Building at 8:00 p.m.
• March 29 – World-renowned Irish Famine expert Dr. Christine Kinealy, founding Director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, will discuss “The Great Hunger, 1845-1851” in Room 104 of the Gateway Building at 12:30 p.m.
• March 30 – English College Lecturer II Erica Carboy and Adjunct Professor of History Rich Varenick will present “A Fanatic Heart:  Poetry of the Easter Rebellion and A Brief History of the IRA.”  This will be held in Room 104 of the Gateway Building at 9:00 a.m.
• March 30 – The month-long activities will conclude with an Irish Tea that is being facilitated by Ms. Christine O’Neill, Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.  It will take place in the Student Center from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Advance reservations are requested if you are interested in attending.

Appreciation is expressed to Ms. Erica Carboy, Lecturer II of English, who is serving as Chair of the Global Education Committee, and Dr. Marilyn Kralik, Lecturer II of Humanities and Fine Arts, who is the Committee Events Coordinator, for their efforts in developing this array of events.

• International Partnership Spotlight: Ocean County College and IMI Dr. Maysa Hayward, Dean of Instructional Outreach, and Mr. Jeff Harmon, Associate Vice President of e-Learning and Learning Enterprises, recently traveled to Cairo, Egypt, to conduct the inaugural training for OCC’s first international partner, the IMI (International Company for Human Resources and Management Development) Group.  Dr. Hayward and Mr. Harmon trained 13 IMI facilitators on technology and pedagogy and developed the infrastructure needed to commence language training for IMI trainees this fall. Dr. Hayward and Mr. Harmon will make a brief PowerPoint presentation at Monday’s meeting to apprise the trustees of the efficacy of this training endeavor and detail ongoing and future partnership plans with IMI.

• Study Abroad Seminars Ocean County College offers exciting Study Abroad opportunities to promote cross-cultural understanding and awareness of global perspectives.  They are led by OCC faculty members and lecturers and are open to students and community members.  OCC Foundation scholarships are available to students for participation in these opportunities. Two seminars were offered during the recent winter intersession:
  • History in France, “Battlefields of Europe,” took place from January 4 through 14.  Led by Mr. Robert Marchie and Mr. Stephen Downey, both Lecturer II’s of History, the seminar was a nine-day historical and cultural adventure throughout France and Luxembourg with visits to numerous cities, museums, and memorials, a cruise on the Seine River, and dinner at the Eiffel Tower.  Sixteen students traveled to France for this seminar.
  • The Theatre in London seminar was offered for the 37^th time, from January 6 through 17, under the leadership of Mr. Gary Shaffer, Assistant Professor of Communications and Media Studies.  In addition to students, this seminar welcomed participation by members of the community on a non-credit basis.  This year, 23 participated in the London trip, where they attended ten plays at the Royal National, the West End, the Fringe, and other venues.  They also had the opportunity to meet and talk with actors, directors, and technical staff.

  At Monday’s meeting, Mr. Marchie, Mr. Downey, and Mr. Shaffer will discuss these popular and successful seminars, the ways in which they benefit the students, and their plans for future seminars.

Business and Administration

• College Relations In cooperation with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, two anti-drug video messages were completed.  The spots, using OCC students from the Performing Arts Program in a “THE MORE YOU KNOW” format, are targeted toward high school and college students through a “by students for students” presentation.  The messages will be added to the Prosecutor’s website as well as circulated to the schools and aired on Ocean TV20. A video editing workshop will be conducted with Donovan Catholic High School on March 3 as part of the TV test drive initiative.  In the four-hour session, students will learn basic editing skills on the ADOBE Premiere video editing software.  Topics will include file management and navigation, project creation, audio, and effect creation. Comcast Newsmakers completed the first of five studio recording sessions in OCC’s TV Studio.  Newsmakers is Comcast’s news magazine program featuring topics and guests from the communities in their viewing areas.  One OCC student in the Digital Mass Media Program will be selected to participate in the production as a paid intern.  Tapings are scheduled for April, June, September, and November.  In addition, Comcast has invited OCC faculty and staff to appear as guests on the show to promote new campus initiatives.  The show will air on Comcast’s website and our own Ocean TV 20.

• Facilities On Monday, a recommendation will be made to approve the 2016 Ocean County College Facilities Master Plan.  The plan is the result of a year-long comprehensive analysis that encompassed all aspects of facilities planning, including a review of the College’s historical development since its establishment.  The process also included consideration of technical information, evaluation of the condition of current facilities and landscaping, and the College’s vision for the next ten years.  The 2016 Ocean County College Facilities Master Plan will guide the College on capital renewal, renovation, and construction as it moves into the future.  It will also serve as a guide for the continuous improvement of the College to successfully meet the future needs of its students.

• Human Resources
  • PeopleAdmin is a leading cloud-based talent management system used in education and government.  Its software enables organizations to improve operational efficiencies, minimize risk, and manage employment with a wide array of Human Resource processes, from recruitment strategy and talent acquisition to developing and retaining valued employees. At Monday’s meeting, Ms. Tracey Donaldson, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources, will introduce Ms. Carol Appleby, Recruiting Operations Administrator, and Ms. Cindy Fallon, Staff and Recruitment Technician, who will present the College’s updated, branded applicant portal as well as the new and improved features of the re-engineered PeopleAdmin Applicant Tracking and Position Management Tool.

• The 2015-16 Leadership Academy cohort and invited guests participated in a day-long workshop on February 4 entitled “Presenting with Polish,” which was facilitated by Ms. Janice Coleman of Janice Coleman Corporation.  Each participant prepared a short presentation, which was then evaluated by the facilitator and fellow participants.  The feedback given to speakers in the practice environment enabled them to develop their presentation skills and build upon this key competency, a must-have in any leadership role.  Each participant had the opportunity to consider the comments received as well as additional teachings and presented again later in the day.  Evaluations indicated that participants found the workshop to be fun, useful, and relevant, both for their current positions and potential future roles.
  The members of this cohort are currently participating in a 360 Degree Feedback Process.  Ten raters were carefully selected for each cohort member to provide input on the cohort member’s performance in thirty leadership competencies.  Reports are scheduled to be released by the end of February.  As a follow-up, four personal coaching sessions will be scheduled for each cohort member to build upon identified strengths that will help them in current and future leadership roles as well as to correct or eliminate areas of weakness creating impediments to leadership success.

• Continuing and Professional Education
  • Allied Health
    • All Allied Health fast-track training career programs show strong enrollment for spring 2016.
    • Allied Health successfully implemented a new Veterinary Assistant Certificate Program at OCC; the first class will begin in this spring.
    • Allied Health successfully implemented an evening Medical Assistant Program for the first time.  The program provides an opportunity for students to continue working while attending evening classes to train for a career in health care.

• Customized Training/Workforce Development
  • CPE will be hosting Ernst & Young’s 10,000 Small Business Workshop on March 21.  The workshop will discuss a free education opportunity at Wharton or NYU and the process to apply.  Two area businesses that completed the program will be featured.
  • Customized training responded to manufacturer customer input about upward mobility and the tourism industry about training seasonal workers by developing two courses: an Upward Mobility Managerial Development Workshop Series and Supervisor Training – Customer Service for Seasonal Visiting Student Employees.

• Camps/Youth/Community Programs
• Over 50 families attended a Kids on Campus Summer Camp Open House for summer 2016 programs.  This response was primarily due to the outreach efforts in local middle and elementary schools.  The summer brochure will be distributed by March 10.  Some of the camps include science and technology, sports-related activities, enrichment such as yoga, cheerleading, arts, and career exploration.  A second Open House will be held on April 21.
• Senior Communities A successful program has begun with the Senior Coalitions for Community Boards.  A four-hour program on the Overview of Laws and Regulations brought out over 55 community board trustees.  A request has been made to develop a series of training opportunities that would result in their obtaining certification in homeowner association management.
• CFO Meeting/NJCCC Cloud Consortium Discussion On February 19, Ms. Sara Winchester, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, held a meeting on the OCC campus for Chief Financial Officers of the 19 community colleges to discuss the potential consortium procurement of an ERP system in the cloud to be made available to all New Jersey community colleges.  The focus of the discussion was on the financial implications of a consortium arrangement, rather than on the technical aspects of the system.  There was great interest in the establishment of a governance body that would guide the development of the system as a compilation of “best in breed” functions currently in use at the various colleges.  The meeting was well attended and helped gain the support of the CFO’s, which will be critical as we move forward in the development of the consortium cloud system.
• OCVTS Performing Arts Academy. During the month of February, several meetings took place between College staff, Ocean County Freeholders, and staff and representatives from the Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS).  The discussions centered on the desire of all three entities to relocate the Performing Arts Academy on the OCC campus.  Several options to finance the building were discussed.  There was great interest in the possibility of developing an Early College High School program for the Performing Arts Academy students, creating synergies between OCVTS and OCC that would benefit all parties.  I will keep you informed of the discussions about the possibilities of expanding the OCC campus to include the Performing Arts Academy.

• The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts
  • • Marketing for The Jay and Linda Grunin Center

  As planning for the 2016/17 season begins, the Center is working with Professor Jennifer Evans’ marketing class to create marketing goals to reach students on campus.  There are also discussions regarding the creation of a structure to reach out to various segments across Ocean County with focus groups.

  An email communications plan was developed with College Relations for the remainder of the 2015/16 season, including “This Month at the Grunin Center” blast, “This Week at the Grunin Center” blast, and Flash Sale email.

  Ms. Jessica Zawerczuk, Marketing Coordinator for the Grunin Center, has been busy since her arrival at OCC:

  • Created a Twitter account: @GruninCenterOCC
  • Assisted in obtaining an additional 127 likes on the Center’s Facebook page (as of February 23, the number increased from 486 to 613)
  • Proposed and implemented Facebook ads to promote events and has increased reach with ads being seen by over 106,000 people to date
  • Contributed to the redesign of the Grunin Center website, grunincenter.org
  • Provided additional content to the ticketing site which enables the customer to use online coupon codes
  • Added embedded videos to event pages

• Highlights from February performances:
  • Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul, and Mary) had 421 patrons and 27 for the Meet and Greet
  • Broadway’s Next Hit Musical had 209 patrons
  • Home Free, winners of NBC’s Sing Off, had 460 patrons, 25 for the Meet and Greet, and 56 for the pre-show dinner

• Upcoming performances include:
  • De Temps Antan on March 4 – It takes a special blend of musical flair to create memorable songs of yesteryear.  Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, guitar, bouzouki, and a number of other instruments, these three virtuosos blend boundless energy with the unmistakable joie de vivre found only in traditional Quebec music.
  • Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus on March 5 – The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus entertains audiences, supports communities, and fosters acceptance through exceptional musical performance.  Its repertoire includes a broad range of styles, including art music from the 17^th century to the present, spirituals, sacred music, holiday tunes, love ballads, comic pieces, pop and rock songs, Broadway and Hollywood, opera choruses, folk songs from around the world, the LGBT empowerment music, and other newly commissioned LGBT works.
  • Cameron Carpenter on March 16 – A virtuoso composer-performer unique among keyboardists, Cameron Carpenter’s approach to the organ is smashing the stereotypes of organists and organ music while generating a level of acclaim, exposure, and controversy unprecedented for an organist.
  • Aaron Neville on March 18 – Since his first hit single in 1966 (“Tell It Like It Is”), Neville has been known for crossing musical boundaries–effortlessly switching from R & B to soul, country to pop, and gospel to jazz.  This time, he brings his incomparable style to doo-wop.  Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to see Aaron Neville in concert

Barnegat Bay Partnership

Dr. Stanton Hales, Director of the Barnegat Bay Partnership, will attend Monday’s meeting to report on the recently received 2015 Program Evaluation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  The primary purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether programs included in the National Estuary Program are making adequate progress toward implementing their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMP).

Based on the visit, the Program Evaluation Team was pleased to report that it found the Barnegat Bay Partnership continuing to make significant progress in implementing its CCMP and is, therefore, eligible for funding authorized by the CWA.

The Barnegat Bay Partnership is among the 28 congressionally designated National Estuary Programs throughout the United States working to improve the health of nationally significant estuaries.  The program is sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and Ocean County College.

Ocean County College Foundation

The OCC Foundation has scheduled a Networking Reception for the 100 Women Campaign on Thursday, March 3, in the Gallery of the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts.  This initiative was launched in May 2015 for the purpose of bringing together dynamic, innovative, and accomplished women of Ocean County who will support each other’s life and career goals, share their insights and experiences, and encourage women’s education through Ocean County College.  The participants are contributing $100 per year for five years, which will allow the Foundation to provide annual scholarships to deserving OCC students in two categories:  women entering STEM disciplines and women entering general academic disciplines.

The March 3 reception, planned by Ms. Heather Barberi, Executive Director of the OCC Foundation, will bring together all of the participants for an evening of networking and information-sharing about the program.

Ocean County College Athletics

Ms. Adelle Hickman was honored as the Ocean County College Woman of the Year at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration on February 7 at Seton Hall University.  It is a great accomplishment to be chosen as the recipient of this award as only one woman athlete from each college is selected each year.

Sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and the Star Ledger, the 30^th annual, statewide celebration theme was “Leading the Way.”  The recipients were honored in a room full of hundreds of athletic administrators, coaches, athletes, parents, and supporters.  The collegiate athletes were also honored at halftime of the Seton Hall Women’s basketball game on the floor of the Walsh Gymnasium.

Adelle is a standout volleyball and softball player for the Vikings.  She helped the volleyball team to the 2014 and 2015 Garden State Athletic Conference Championships playing the very important libero position.  This past season, she was named to the All-Region XIX and All-GSAC teams.  In softball, she helped the team reach the 2015 NJCAA Region XIX Championship game last season and was named to the All-GSAC team.  Adelle is also a serious student earning numerous Academic All-Conference and All-Region honors as well as President’s Honor Roll.   Adelle will attend Monday’s meeting so we can congratulate her on this outstanding honor.  Also attending will be Ms. Ilene Cohen, Executive Director of Judicial Affairs and Athletics, and Mr. A.J. Trump, Director of Athletics.

New Jersey Council of County Colleges

Ocean County College is hosting the next New Jersey Council of County Colleges’ Trustee Seminar on Thursday, March 10, in the Gateway Building.  The afternoon will begin at 4:00 p.m. with a Trustee Orientation Session, “Building Good Relations between Community College Presidents and Their Boards of Trustees.”  A Networking Reception will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m.

The Trustee Seminar will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the topic “Charting Our New Course:  Ocean County College’s Transformation Initiative.”  Dr. Don Norris and Dr. Tim Gilmour, Strategic Initiatives, Inc., will lead a presentation and discussion on the progress OCC has made and the benefits we will enjoy as a result of the dedication and commitment to this initiative by the College community.

The announcement for the seminar, which you should have already received, is attached.

ACCT Legislative Summit

The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) held its annual Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., from February 8-10.  The purpose of the event is to highlight the importance of the nation’s community colleges for Congress and the Administration.  The New Jersey Council of County Colleges hosted a reception on Tuesday, February 9, as well as a breakfast on Wednesday, February 10.  I attended this event and will be scheduling separate meetings with Congressman Tom MacArthur and Congressman Chris Smith at a time convenient for them here in the district.

Mr. Jeff Harmon and Dr. Maysa Hayward accompanied me to Washington, taking the opportunity to meet with the State Department’s Head of the Egypt Desk, Candace Putnam, and Mr. Robert Smith of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), regarding potential funding for our several partnership plans for the MENA region.  We were received warmly and invited to submit proposals for up to two pilot programs.  We also visited with two of our grant providers, the coordinator of our student travel program to Morocco, America-MidEast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST), and the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program (UISFL), which funds the grant opportunity through the U.S. Department of Education.

Board of Trustees Town Hall

An invitation has been extended to the College community to meet with the trustees on Tuesday, March 1, at 3:30 p.m. in the Larson Student Center.  My hope is that a number of faculty, administrators, staff, and students will take advantage of this opportunity.