NEWS & EVENTS

TO: Members, OCC Board of Trustees

FROM: Jon H. Larson, Ph.D. President

SUBJECT: Items of Interest for the June 28, 2016, Board Meeting

DATE: June 23, 2016

Academic Affairs

School of Arts and Humanities

• At the end of the spring semester, the Fine Arts faculty presented a student exhibit in the Grunin Center for the Arts that was judged by professional artist David Wallace.  Mr. Wallace is a collage artist, painter, and graphic designer living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose work has been shown in many cities in the United States and overseas.
• The Fine Arts faculty were proud to report that their students have been successfulin transferring to prestigious art departments at the following colleges:  Montclair State University, Pratt Institute, Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, Dartmouth College, University of Massachusetts, and Maine College of Art.  Many students received scholarships based on the quality of their portfolios.
• Ceramics faculty member, Ms. Lisa Cecere, Assistant Professor of Humanities, is traveling to China and Japan to participate in a seminar with Mr. Bai Ming, Director of Shangyu Celedon-Modern International Ceramic Art Center.  Ms. Cecere has also been invited to organize the first group of American Ceramic Artists and Educatorsto a residency at the Center and to attend as a resident artist from June 14, 2016, through July 28, 2016.
• The Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company has begun rehearsals for its summer production of “Guys and Dolls,” directed by Mr. Paul Chalakani, College Lecturer II, Communications and Theatre.  Dr. Elizabeth Brierley, Associate Professor, Communications and Theatre, is the choreographer, with set designbeing executed by Mr. Dirk Durossette, Adjunct Faculty in Performing Arts.
• As Chair of the Global Education Committee, Ms. Erica Carboy, Lecturer II in English, has initiated programming for Banned Books Week and other events at OCC, which will be scheduled for Fall 2016.
• The School is reviewing its courses for general education, revising the graphic design curriculum, and compiling English Course-Level Assessment data from Spring 2016.

School of Business and Social Sciences

• The Associate in Science degree in Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism Management was approved by the New Jersey Presidents’ Council at its June meeting and is now an official Business program. Ms. Jennifer Evans, Lecturer II in Marketing, is acknowledged for her significant contribution to ensuring approval of the program.
• The School collaborated with the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in hosting a STEM Day for 35 middle school students from the local community as part of the Investors Bank grant.  Students viewed a mock crime scene, lifted evidence from the site, analyzed the evidence in the science laboratory, and solved a kidnapping mystery.
• Under the leadership of Mr. Jeffrey Lang, Lecturer II of Addictions and Counseling, the Addictions Certificate Program was recently accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission.  A nationally known expert, Mr. Darryl Inaba, PharmD, CADC III, was invited to campus to speak to nearly 140 addictions counselors, specialists, and members of the community about marijuana and opioid use.
• Ms. Jennifer Barnes, Lecturer II of Political Science and Director of the Political Science Institute at OCC, attended the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women’s 86^th Annual Convention and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Mini Conference.  She also chaperoned students attending the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Conference in Atlantic City.  Ms. Evansescorted Criminal Justice students to the Ocean County Justice Complex to view a criminal trial and sentencing proceedings, as well as visited the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office CSI Laboratory.  In addition, she conducted an on-campus presidential political poll of 400+ students.
• Two students who participated in the Honors by Contract program within the School of Social Sciences were awarded $1,000 scholarships at the Scholarly Horizons Honors Conference on May 3, 2016.  Mr. Leo Fasolo, a student mentoredby Mr. Jason Ghibesi, Lecturer II in Political Science, created a comprehensive analysis of issues relating to demographic changes in Asia for his Global Issues class.  Mr. Fasolo explored the impact that overpopulation and aging populations have on a variety of factors, such as the economy.  Ms. Nancy Gray, a student mentored by Ms. Jennifer Barnes, completed a detailed legal brief for her Constitutional Law class.  Ms. Gray analyzed an array of issues pertaining to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments.

Library

• The Library is currently undertaking an inventory project to assess its holdings and to align cataloging metadata records with the materials on the shelves.  Mr. James Marshall, Library Lecturer II, who is overseeing the project, is using Sirsi MobileCirc software, along with the Library’s tablet and portable bar code scanner, to inventory shelf material.  As of June 10, 2016, Library staff have completed 38% of the inventory and estimate that the Library currently holds approximately 80,028 volumes.  Side projects resulting from the inventory will include weeding the collection, metadata reconciliation, and collection development analysis.  The Library staff will complete inventorying shelf materials by mid-July.
• In partnership with the Center for Access and Equality, the Library has begun developing a designated space and collection for LGBT materials and resources, named LGBT C.U.E., which stands for Collection Uniting Everyone.  This area reflects the College’s commitment to develop a safe, open, and inclusive environment.  Design and furnishing of the space is in progress and is slated to be completed in time for the Fall semester.  The Librarians will be reaching out in the Fall to the Ocean County K-12 schools to provide sessions for their students in the OCC Library.
• Library teams are also curating pull-out collections to promote expanded interest in its resources and to create a more thought-provoking path through the space.  Starting with a generous donation of materials from Adjunct History Professor Richard Trimble, Mr. James Marshall is developing the Military History Collection.  Mr. Torris Andersen, Reference Services Librarian, is creating a Mystery Nook in a secret spot on the second floor.  Library staff create rotating displays of materials on the first floor of the Library, and Library visitors enjoy seeing the frequently changing displays throughout the year.

School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

• On May 4, 2016, Dr. Angel Camilo, Lecturer II of Biology, and Mr. Edmond Hong, Lecturer II of Computer Studies, presented at an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) training program for K-12 teachers held at Brookdale Community College.  Their presentation was based on the use of the Scribe Pen for teaching electricity, electric circuits, and Ohm’s Law.  The evening event provided Mr. Paul Silberquit, Dean of the School, to have a conversation with an IEEE representative and to learn about IEEE grant opportunities for OCC.
• The Science Club and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Club held two fundraising events to assist with projected expenditures for a July HOSA Club trip and competition in Washington, D.C.  The two fundraising events were a Blue Claws baseball game on May 19, 2016, and a breakfast at Applebee’s on May 22, 2016.
• The Makers Club continues to meet each Wednesday during the summer where student club members work on building a robot and exploring electrical items, such as Raspberry Pie and the Scribe Circuit Pen.
• On June 16, 2016, a Tech Prep meeting was held with participating Ocean County schools and the STEM staff who will work with the Tech Prep schools in the 2016-2017 competitions.  The attendees had a positive response to the Unique Robotics Competition held in the Spring, which allowed students to expand their abilitiesafter the Fall Robotics Competition.  Dean Silberquit shared his vision for the Spring 2017 competition to include students who are not robotics, computer, or electronics oriented.  He recommended a Cardboard Bridge competition that would include students outside STEM and would not require costly equipment.

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

• The School of Nursing hosted the Pinning Ceremony for the classes of December 2015 and May 2016 on Tuesday evening, May 24, 2016, in the Grunin Center Theatre.  The total number of graduates for the academic year was 145, and 126attended the ceremony.  Over $21,000 in scholarships and awards were presented to current students and graduates during the ceremony.
• Graduating students were provided with a three-day licensure review course by the HURST Company from May 4, 2016, through May 6, 2016.  The review course prepares the graduates for the examination required to obtain licensure to practice nursing.  The course includes test taking strategies, a review of Nursing Program content, and practice examinations to prepare for the actual exam.
• The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) Evaluation Review Panel met on June 6, 2016, and recommended the OCC School of Nursing for full accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for an eight-year period.  This was the third of four steps required for completion of the accreditation process; the fourth and final step is approval by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, which is scheduled for July 2016.
• Ocean County College was listed as one of the top five blood donor groups from colleges and universities by New Jersey Blood Services, a Division of the New York Blood Center.  The School of Nursing was recognized at a reception held on May 25, 2016.
• The Nursing faculty participated in an annual workshop from May 17, 2016, through May 20, 2016, and May 24, 2016, through May 25, 2016.  During the workshop, faculty completed a systematic review of all Nursing courses, revised assessmentand outcome data collection tools, and reviewed licensure test plans and outcomesto update curriculum content.  Faculty also reviewed the School’s Systematic Plan of Evaluation, which addresses all standards and criteria required for accreditation.
• Ms. Maryann Kaufmann, MSN, RN, who is OCC’s Skills, Simulation, and Student Retention Specialist, and Ms. Laura Skrable, MSN, RN, Assistant Nursing Skills Specialist, attended the Simulation User Network conference in Atlantic City on May 23, 2016.  The focus of the conference was to discuss best practices, discover innovative strategies, learn new techniques, and interact with nurses and industry leaders involved with implementing simulation within nursing programs.
• Faculty attended a presentation titled, “Interactive Education: Strategies to Engage Student Nurses,” presented on May 25, 2016.  The presenter was Dr. Marian Nowak, DNP, RN, MPH, EdD, PN, CSN, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Rowan University.  Dr. Nowak discussed techniques that faculty can utilize within the learning environment specific to the nursing program.
• On June 3, 2016, ten members of the School of Nursing, including faculty and administrative staff, attended the New Jersey Council of Associate Degree Nursing Programs’ Annual Workshop titled, “Managing Difficult Students: From Conduct to Crisis.”  Mr. Christopher Jeune, MA, and Mr. Brian Oland, MA, LAC, presented the workshop, which was held at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe, New Jersey.  The workshop focused on tools to utilize during interactions with students, strategies to resolve conflict and de-escalate tense situations, and implementation of plans to collaborate with resources provided by the College.

Finance and Administration

• Ms. Sara Winchester, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, has been participating in negotiations with the Players Development Academy (PDA), a local soccer organization, in order to allow it to use the Ocean County Stadium turf field for five years in exchange for purchasing and installing lighting for the stadium.  Use of the turf field by PDA will primarily occur during evening hours when the turf field is not in use by OCC.  In addition, PDA has an affiliation agreement with the Toms River Futbol Club (TRFC).  TRFC may occasionally utilize unused time by PDA.  However, Ocean County College athletic teams and academic programs will have priority at all times over PDA and TRFC to use the turf field.  This agreement will bring many young Ocean County athletes and their families to the campus and allow them to become familiar with the many athletic and educational opportunitiesavailable at OCC.

Accounting

• OCC has contracted with Duff and Phelps (formerly known as American Appraisal), a property valuation consulting firm, to perform a full on-site physical asset inventory.  The field work is occurring this week.  Duff and Phelps will be searching for any item that had an original acquisition cost of $500 or more, which should have a bar-coded OCC inventory tag, such as furniture, media, IT, and lab equipment.  The company will also be valuing College buildings. The last physical inventory performed at the College was in 2009.
• Ocean County College is serving as a beta site for Web Time Entry Self-Service.  The implementation is in the very early stages and should take approximately one year to complete.  This system will assist tremendously in both Affordable Care Act reporting and the new Fair Labor Standards Act guidelines that will be released in December.
• As an incentive for early registration for the Fall 2016 semester, the College has been offering half-price fees on payment plans since April 2016.  To date, 481 payment plans have been established for the Fall term and many more are expected.

TV Studio

• Digital Mass Media student Alex Podolyanchuk won the National Association of Broadcasters New Jersey Chapter’s Don Brooks Scholarship for his work on the Viking Video Club’s production of “Currents,” the student magazine show.  The program features OCC students, faculty, and Student Services staff.  The summer production will soon be recorded and will feature a roundtable discussion on the challenges facing foreign students who attend OCC and another on the NJ STARS program.  The air date for the show is planned for August.

College Relations

• The New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival took place from June 1, 2016, through June 3, 2016, on campus.  Ocean County College worked in collaboration with the Arts and Education Center to host this wonderful event.  The festival provided an opportunity to bring exceptional students to the College to showcase their talents in visual and performing arts.  Over 1,500 students attended the event with adjudicators and guests from all over New Jersey.

Human Resources

• Ms. Tracey Donaldson, Associate Vice President of Human Resources, attended the regular monthly meeting of the New Jersey Human Resources Affinity Groups (NJHRAG) on May 26, 2016.  Topics included the State budget status as related to higher education, which was presented by Dr. Stephen Rose, President of Passaic County Community College, and an in-depth discussion regarding the revisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act that will be effective December 1, 2016.  Additionally, the group voted on revisions to the NJHRAG bylaws for approval by the college presidents.

Employee Learning and Development

• The new OCC Summer 2016 Training Catalog was distributed to all employees via a broadcast message on June 8, 2016.  The training offerings cover a wide range of categories, including compliance, soft skills, technical/software, safety, and managerial skills.  By giving advance notice, managers and staff will be able to planthe scheduling of employee training in order to ensure coverage for their areas.  This initiative aligns with Strategy 3, Develop Leadership at All Levels, and Strategy 5, Create a Challenging, Supportive Work Environment, of Charting Our New Course.

Emotional Intelligence Workshop

• On June 15, 2016, Mr. Earl Haddad of Skillpath presented a full day of training, focusing on understanding how our expressed emotions contribute to or detract from performance and professional success.  Future workshops on this topic are being planned and will be offered to all OCC employees.

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts

• Ocean County College and The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts will be presenting a Humanities project called, “Beyond the Classroom: Global Education for Girls.”  The project is a joint effort between OCC, Georgian Court University, and the Toms River Library.  Other key sponsors include Kean Ocean, the OCC Global Education Committee, Middle Eastern Studies Program, Ocean Pride, EOF, Writing Center, Girl Scouts of Jersey Shore, and Toms River NOW.
• Beginning October 3, 2016, people from diverse backgrounds will be brought together in conversations through lectures, artists-in-residency, artistic reflections, panel discussions, documentary films, and Q&A sessions, all focusing on the importance of educating girls around the world.  The project will offer opportunitiesto support the education of all girls as well as highlight the obstacles that prohibit it.

• Speakers will include:
  • Ms. Joan Osa Oviawe, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Grace Foundation-Nigeria, an international nonprofit that provides programming to support the empowerment of children, youth, and women.  Ms. Oviawe will share her experiences about gender, leadership, and education issues.
  • Ms. Mary Mihelic will serve as the artist-in-residence inspired by all the people around the world who risk their lives in order to be educated.  She has been making artwork, aptly titled “53 Running Girls,” about the courage of the schoolgirls who ran for their lives and escaped from the Boko Haram terroristsin Nigeria when they attacked their school on April 14, 2014.
  • Ms. Mihelic will continue her work on the Running Girls series on campus in a studio space where she can easily interact with students through an open and inviting studio environment.  All students will be welcome to visit to her; if desired, she will also collaborate with students on artwork.
  • Tunisian singer/activist Emel Mathlouthi will share her story as a singer/songwriter living in Tunisia during the Arab Spring.  This will be a first-hand account of how her music helped change the movement.  Dean of Instructional Outreach Maysa Hayward will serve as moderator.
  • Ms. Lisa Gazzara, Community Affairs Liaison, Providence House Domestic Violence Services of Ocean County, which provides domestic violence servicesto help end the cycle of abuse, will share information that is important in order to identify domestic violence in relationships and provide information on counseling services.
  • Dr. Elizabeth Brierley, Ms. Jayanti Tamm, Assistant Professor of English, andMs. Stephanie Shestakow, Lecturer II, Humanities and Fine Arts, will share the history of women’s education in the fine arts, the meaning of the “woman artist,” and how women have had to consistently justify their work and make it relevant.  This event will be moderated by Dr. Amy Gilley, Dean of Arts and Humanities.
  • Ms. Caridad De La Luz, aka “La Bruja,” was born and raised in The Bronx, New York.  She is regarded as one of the world’s greatest poets and has traveled the world performing her poetic rhyme skills on television, film, theater, and radio.  Ms. De La Luz will perform a melting pot of urban rhymes on October 19, 2016, and October 20, 2016, during which the audience will be encouraged to interactand ask questions in both English and Spanish.
  • Also on October 20, 2016, Ms. De La Luz will work with a creative writing classand share her favorite personal tips and techniques that she has used throughout her twenty-year career.
  • Ms. Patty Caneda, owner of Caneda’s Restaurant in Toms River, will share her life experience as a woman who found herself married one minute and alone the next.  Her story is about the cruelty and fear she faced as she found inspirationand purpose in the eyes of her children.  She will offer her thoughts on what it takes to find strength in loss and power in the art of staying focused.
  • Ms. Jenny Nordberg, author of the “Underground Girls of Kabul,” tells the unlikely story of how she first discovered that Afghan girls and women disguise themselves as boys and men in one of the most secretive, closed nations on Earth. The story follows her work to find, document, and win the confidences of Afghan women and girls who eventually decide to speak openly about sexuality, religion, and society in the war-ravaged country named the world’s worst placeto be born a girl.
  • “He Named Me Malala” is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Mr. Davis Guggenheim.  The film presents the young Pakistani female activistand Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who has spoken out for the rights of girls, especially the right to education, since she was very young.  The film recounts how she miraculously survived and has become even more eloquent in her quest after being hunted down and shot by a Taliban gunman as part of the organization’s violent opposition to girls’ education in the Swat Valley in Pakistan.  The title refers to the Afghani folk hero Malalai of Maiwand, after whom her father named her.
  • After the audience watches his film, “To Educate a Girl,” Mr. Oren Rudavsky, documentary filmmaker, will speak of his experience in Gulu and Abim Ugandaand his partner’s experience in Nepal.  Mr. Rudavsky will share details of “Time for School,” his other project about the girl he followed for twelve years in Rajasthan, India, as well as other girls from Benin, Afghanistan, and Romania.

Georgian Court University and OCC will offer this event on November 7, 2016, in two sessions; the first will be at 6:00 p.m. and the second at 7:30 p.m.

• To celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the Visiting Writers’ Reading Series at Ocean County College, Mr. Stephen Kay and Ms. Piper Perabo will host an engaging discussion about navigating through the television and film industry.  Mr. Kay and Ms. Perabo will share their insights into creating compelling characters as well as the unique challenges of filming abroad.  There will be a session for audience questionsand a special film screening.  This event is free and open to the community.

Continuing Education

• The next Active Adult Program will be held August 2, 3, and 4, 2016, with programs featuring jazz; an all-day writing workshop on creating autobiographies by Dr. Jayanti Tamm; and a program by Mr. Richard Trimble on Contentious Elections in the United States.
• The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant Program Grant funded a two-year membership in NROC/EdReady Remedial Math and English.  EdReady is an online program that can be used to check mastery in a course of study, to plan for college and career opportunities, and to prepare for commonly used placement exams, such as AccuPlacer.  Membershipwill begin on June 20, 2016; many students will benefit from the program.
• Continuing and Professional Education will partner with Rutgers University to respond to the request for proposals from the Transitional Education and Employment Management (T.E.E.M.) Gateway on Youth Success Network of Ocean County.  The program focuses on connecting local workforce development resources, education and training, and student services for out-of-school/at-risk youth aged 16 to 24.  The grant award for the first year is expected to be approximately $500,000.
• OCC is collaborating with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development as part of the Career Connections Initiative, for which all New Jersey community colleges have been tapped to deliver training beginning in June.  OCCwill be responsible for training the One Stop Centers, public libraries, and all organizations that service job seekers and receive State funds.  To date, OCC has trained over 60 employees.

Information Technology

New Jersey Regional Users’ Group (Ellucian)

• Mr. Hatem Akl, Chief Information Officer, Ms. Lee Manning, HRIS Supervisor, Ms. Karen Papakonstantinou, Executive Director of Strategic Projects, and Ms. Elise Barocas, Controller, attended the New Jersey Regional Users’ Group (NJRUG) meeting at Brookdale Community College on June 15, 2016.  The general purposeof NJRUG is to advance technology use in support of New Jersey higher education.  The specific purpose is to advance professionally the work and expertise of technical and functional users of Ellucian products, services, and related issues.

OIT continues to work on the following initiatives:

• Barnes & Noble Implementation – OIT continues to work with Barnes & Noble to build an interface between the OCC student system and the B&N system.  The Barnes & Noble system will be updated with relevant student aid information multiple times a day, and a daily file will be received from Barnes & Noble of all transactions from the previous day to update the College’s General Ledger.
• InsideTrack Implementation – OIT is working with eLearning to integrate into Recruiter contact information on students who have contacted InsideTrack representatives.
• Canvas Implementation – Starting with the first summer session, Canvas is being used in all face-to-face courses.  OIT will continue to provide Canvas faculty workshops throughout the summer.
• Student Success Experience – OIT installed Self-Service version 2.12, the latest version of Colleague self-service in a test environment.   Key end users are working to complete their testing by the end of June.  The new version will go live on July 5, 2016.  By completing this upgrade, Financial Aid will be positioned to introduceFinancial Aid Self-Service to students and Accounting will have the ability to begin setting up student payment plans in the new environment.
• Analytics Solution Beta – OCC is participating in the design efforts of the new Ellucian “Cloud Analytics,” a Software as a Service (SaaS) reporting and analytics solution.  Recruiter Analytics is the first module to be implemented, which is scheduled for September 2016.  The necessary resources from the various departments will need to be committed to participate in the beta.
• Campus Infrastructure Improvements – OIT continues to work with the TV Studioand Security to update their technology and develop maintenance plans to ensure that the technology stays relevant and operates efficiently.
• New Health Sciences Building – The Cambridge Construction trailer has been connected to the campus network for phone and computer access, which will remain active until the completion of the new building.  The video surveillance solution currently recommended for the building is being re-evaluated to ensure that it will be scalable and compatible with the new technology direction planned for the Security Department.

Bookstore
On June 3, 2016, the College contracted with RGIS to conduct a full physical inventory of all textbooks and merchandise.  The report provided a current value of the inventoryat $1,172,163.60.

The renovation work by Barnes & Noble for the new Bookstore located in the Jon and Judith Larson Student Center began on June 13, 2016.  While the Bookstore space was new, Barnes & Noble needed a few changes to ensure the best possible student experience.  A few examples of those changes for the student experience are:

• Moving the text book stacks to the open floor from behind the counter so students can see the various pricing for new, used, rental, and digital books
• Providing a pick-up window for online orders
• Allowing Financial Aid students to pre-order online
• Designating areas where students can sit and plug in their electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops)

The renovation work is expected to be completed by July 1, 2016; however, the existing space will remain open to accommodate book sales for the Second Summer Five-Week Session until July 7, 2016.  The current store will shut down at 5:00 p.m. on July 7, 2016.  At that time, Barnes & Noble will conduct a complete inventory of OCC-owned text books and merchandise to determine what they will be purchasing from this inventory.  The new OCC Bookstore will open for business on Monday, July 11, 2016, at 8:30 a.m.

Mr. Justin Holder has been appointed as the Manager of the OCC Bookstore; he comes to OCC with over ten years’ experience with the Barnes & Noble College organization, where he has held various management positions at two- and four-year institutions.  Mr. Holder is very excited about this opportunity and is looking forward to working with our students.

e-Learning and Learning Enterprises

Kaiser Permanente

• OCC has been sought out by the healthcare insurance provider, Kaiser Permanente (KP), to submit a proposal to serve as KP’s exclusive partner in providing online education to KP employees sponsored through the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust.  OCC would serve as the provider of online science education to KP employees, co-mingling KP employees with OCC students.

Canvas, Marketing, Recruitment, and Retention

• The e-Learning team is finalizing the migration to the new LMS Canvas by Instructure and simultaneously launching the new recruitment and retention campaign with InsideTrack and marketing initiative with Kiosk beginning July 1, 2016.

In collaboration with College Relations and Admissions, e-Learning will be launching myriad campaigns:

• Accelerated 16-Month Online Degree
• Spotlight on the Four Most Desirable OCC Online Degrees
  • Liberal Arts
  • General Education
  • Engineering
  • Business
• Online Science Disciplines
• Foreign Language Courses

These campaigns will be intertwined with campus and hybrid, as marketing efforts are aimed both inside and outside the county and state.

Student Affairs

Academic Advising

• New Student Orientation has moved to the Jon and Judith Larson Student Center.  The new venue showcases OCC’s beautiful new building, providing the ability to host students in a more welcoming, pleasant environment.  The program has been reformatted from a lecture format to a small group advising session.  Student response has been excellent, with 97% of students thus far indicating they understand how to plan and register for courses, and 95% indicating their questionsand concerns were addressed at orientation.
• Three Parent Orientations have been hosted with approximately 100 parentsparticipating to date.  Speaking at the programs were representatives from Academic Affairs; the Center for Student Success; Career, Employment, and Counseling Services; Academic Advising/NJ STARS; and Financial Aid.  Two additional orientations are scheduled this summer.

Student Life

• Ms. Kathy Dillon, Associate Professor of Business and Advisor to Phi Beta Lambda, will be travelling with 12 students to Atlanta, Georgia, to compete at Phi Beta Lambda’s National Leadership Conference from June 23, 2016, through June 28, 2016.  These students all competed at the state level in March in order to earn the ability to compete at the national level.  The students participating are Danielle Wittman, Janelle George, Samantha Toll, Nicholas Leight, Leticia Adames, Matt Yostpille, John Lauria, Nicole Murphy, Nina Rogers, Amanda De Sombre, Gabe Belyayev, and Kenneth Rapsas.
• From June 21, 2016, through June 27, 2016, Ocean County College’s chapter of Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) will be sending three students with Mr.  Scott Farrell, Lecturer II of Chemistry, to Nashville, Tennessee, for HOSA’s International Leadership Conference.  Students traveling are Adrienne Merchant, Steven Jones, and Christina Fichner.
• At HOSA’s State Conference, the top five winners of each event win an award, and the top three for each event are entered to compete at HOSA’s National Conference.  Six OCC students competed at the conference against other schools across New Jersey, including Rutgers University and NJIT.  The impressive results of the students in the first year of HOSA competition were:
  • Steven Jones won first place in Biomedical Laboratory Science
  • Christina Fichner won first place in Job Seeking Skills
  • Adrienne Merchant received the Barbara James Service Award for having over 160 hours of community service in the health field

Athletics

• On June 29, 2016, OCC Athletics will induct seven of its former student-athletes at the 2016 Hall of Fame Ceremony, which is being held in the OCC Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m.  Mr. Kevin Williams, local radio announcer, will host the event.