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NEWS & EVENTS

May 27, 2020

Dr. Larson’s May 2020 Report to the OCC Board of Trustees

OCC_President Dr. Larson

Commendations/Presentations

  • Congratulations to Ryan Park from Millburn High School for winning first place at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) 2020 National Competition held from April 15 to 17, 2020. Ryan placed first for his Oral Presentation in the Mathematics and Computer Science category, winning a $12,000 scholarship.

JSHS is a collaborative effort between the research arm of the Department of Defense Tri-Services, U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, and nationwide academic research institutes.  The JSHS experience starts with Regional Symposia throughout the United States, and Ocean County College hosts the annual regional Jersey Shore Science Symposium, in which Ryan participated.  Dr. Mary-Ellen Rada, OCC’s College Lecturer II in STEM, serves as the Director of the Jersey Shore region.  Due to the onset of COVID-19, the competition was moved to a virtual environment under the leadership of Dr. Sylvia Riviello, Dean of STEM, and her team, which was a wonderful success.

Ryan’s project was “X-Net: A Deep Convolutional Neural Model for X-ray Threat Detection” wherein he used calculus gradients and linear algebra to develop deep lateral stacks and parallel networks to create “X-Net.”  His invention was conceptualized by incorporating the AI algorithm and machine learning to enhance the screening of passenger luggage at security checkpoints in airports.  His results demonstrate how incredibly more effective X-Net is, 328% more accurate and 91 times faster, compared to a TSA agent.  And his work is not limited to airport security.  This algorithm is applicable to self-driving cars, facial recognition, and medical diagnostics.

Ryan has always been interested in computer science, teaching himself programming and math through MIT video lectures.  He has become fascinated with artificial intelligence and machine learning.  Through an independent science research program, he conducted original research in deep-learning-oriented computer vision.  He has created a high school artificial intelligence organization and is program head and course author.  He leads a team developing facial recognition software to be employed in his school as a security enhancement.  He is a member of his school’s varsity fencing team, recently placing third in State Districts, and also plays piano.

Dr. Riviello will introduce Ryan at Thursday’s meeting, and he will describe his project that won this national competition.

  • Congratulations are extended to Ocean County College freshman David Ripinsky, who defeated Noah Stockton of Patrick Henry Community College, Virginia, on April 30, 2020, to win the Spring 2020 NJCAAE Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Singles) Championship.  David, who amassed a 13-1 overall record in singles play this season, was ranked #2 in the nation heading into the post-season, and he brings home this championship in the inaugural season of OCC’s new Esports program.

David attributed his success to the hard work of his teammates and his coach, John Ruhl, as well as for their encouragement throughout the competition.  He did not give up against many challenging players.

Esports is quickly making inroads across college campuses, reshaping stereotypes about gaming and providing essential workforce skills for both student players and students playing supporting roles.  Like OCC, many colleges are starting Esports programs.

David, Coach Ruhl, and Executive Director of Athletics Ilene Cohen will be with us on Thursday so we can offer our congratulations for being the national champion during OCC’s first season.  OCC Esports will return to action for its second season in the Fall semester.

  • Congratulations to Margaret Maghan, OCC College Lecturer II in Psychology and advisor to OCC’s Psi Beta Chapter, who was elected last month to serve as the Eastern Regional Vice President on the Psi Beta National Council for a two-year term, 2020-22. The National Council will install her during the 2020 national convention of the American Psychological Association on August 7, 2020.

Psi Beta is the national community college honor society in psychology.  The Psi Beta mission is to professionally develop outstanding psychology students at two-year colleges through promotion and recognition of excellence in scholarship, leadership, research, and community service.

  • I received email messages this past week from two students praising Assistant Professor of Humanities Richard Fallon for his creative and flexible efforts to present class material in an inspiring manner notwithstanding the frustrations and limitations posed by the COVID-19 virus and the need to operate remotely in teaching his photography courses. The student comments are attached to my report.

Also attached is an email received by Mr. Ralph Bertini, Television Production Director, from a former student who just graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media Art.  She attributes her passion for media production to taking her first class with Mr. Bertini.  She shared with him the appreciation she has for him and the way in which one college course, with Mr. Bertini as the instructor, had such a huge impact on her life.

The efforts of both Mr. Fallon and Mr. Bertini are representative of the academic excellence offered at Ocean County College.  We are grateful for their dedication to their students.

  • Presenting service awards to our staff is an honor, one that I cherish, and I must admit that I have been especially looking forward to presenting the thirty-year service award to Morris Spector, Adjunct Professor of History.  Sadly, Morris passed recently, and instead I must present this award to his family and his memory.

Morris Spector was a husband, a father, a brother, a WWII veteran, a well-respected member of his religious community, a poet of children’s rhymes, a larger than life character, and an integral part of our Ocean County College family.  Morris was something of a mythological figure at our institution, which is fully fitting considering his historical background and life experiences; however, Morris was more than just an instructor within our ranks.  He was a personality that was humble, caring, and humorous.  He was witty, talented, and beyond dedicated.  Morris had seen things many people could only imagine, and he had a story to relate to every situation.  The smiles he brought to faces were immeasurable, and the effort he put into his trade was something to be revered.

He was simply a good man, with an enormous heart and a magnetic sense of passion.

Morris’ students spoke of his knowledge and thorough instruction. His colleagues looked forward to his presence in their day-to-day schedule.  His wife visited his classes regularly with enthusiasm to hear her husband’s breadth of information.  Morris was present for every Veteran’s service held on campus, and his salute and service to his country added gravitas to every presentation.  Morris’ commitment to his career, his friends, and his family was felt by everyone around him.  His jokes, his poems, his lessons, and his remarkable energy and enthusiasm impacted everyone he encountered.  Thank you, Morris, for your service and for being a special part of the foundation and family of Ocean County College.

Ocean County College Fact Book

The Office of Institutional Research produces an annual Fact Book to keep College constituents informed of pertinent institutional data.  The data provides a historical look at trends and narratives to give readers contextual information.  The figures contained within the Fact Book are official and, as such, many have been submitted to the state and federal government to meet mandatory compliance reporting requirements.

The 2019-2020 Ocean County College Fact Book is attached for your review.

Academic Affairs

School of Arts and Humanities

Within the current remote learning environment, faculty and lecturers in the School of Arts and Humanities continue to excel in creating innovative opportunities for students.  They are also continuing to develop curriculum, presentations, and publications.

Faculty Highlights

  • College Lecturer II in Dance Catherine Mancuso has been addressing her remote dance courses in a creative way. Normally, her students participate in a dance performance that is held on campus.  Since they are unable to do the live performance, Mancuso’s Dance Repertory students participated in creating a remote dance movie and are working in collaboration with College Relations to produce the movie for more widespread viewing.
  • Instructor of Humanities Nat Bard and Assistant Professor of Humanities Lisa Cecere are gathering student art to create a virtual gallery for their annual juried art show. They have been selecting innovative and insightful pieces created by OCC’s talented students for the gallery.
  • Music Instructor Karin Gargone and Humanities College Lecturer II Brian Gilmore are also using an innovative way to address student performance during remote learning. They are collecting videos of their students’ performances to create a virtual recital for the end of the semester.
  • Participating with their students in the Perkins-sponsored Career Day on May 7, 2020, were Assistant Professor Rich Fallon, Assistant Professor Kathleen Basilotto and Instructor Saundra Piscitelli and College Lecturers Renate Pustiak and Lee Kobus, all from Humanities/Fine Arts.
  • Howaida Wahby Eraky, e-Learning College Lecturer II, developed a new course, ESOL:  English to Speakers of Other Languages, which was accepted by the College Senate on May 7, 2020, and is being recommended for approval by the Board of Trustees on May 28, 2020.  This course will be used primarily for OCC’s international students.
  • College Lecturer II in English and Literature Madison Peschock has a recent publication in the Minnesota English Journal called, “Didn’t I See That Before?: Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘Cask of Amontillado’ Seen in Saw & Saw IV.”
  • After completing research on scheduling, College Lecturer II in English Jason Molloy offered a scheduling presentation to Vice President of Academic Affairs Joseph Konopka and Associate Vice President Amir Sadrian.

School of Nursing and Health Sciences

  • Ocean County College’s RN licensure passing rate for the first quarter of 2020 was 93.75%. Of the 53 fall 2019 graduates, 48 completed the examination.  The national scores for this same time period were:  Associate Degree Programs – 86.53%; All Types of Nursing Programs – 89.61%.

Faculty Highlights

  • Nursing Lecturer Erin Vitale, DNP, RN, completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Education Leadership from American Sentinel University on April 30, 2020.  Vitale’s research project was titled, “Student nurse evaluation of educational practice: Using the simulation design scale to identify students’ perceptions of the presence and importance of prioritization within a pediatric simulation when two different simulation designs are used. A pilot study.”
  • College Lecturer II Tamila Purpuro, MSN, RN, has been sewing masks for various health care facilities throughout the area. With the assistance of her son, Omar Purpuro, RN, a recent graduate of OCC’s School of Nursing, Purpuro has distributed masks to Community Medical Center, Barnabas Behavioral Health Center, Ocean Medical Center, and Southern Ocean Medical Center.  She and her son have also provided friends, neighbors, and colleagues with masks.
  • Several School members attended a webinar offered by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare on April 30, 2020, titled “Cleaning and Disinfecting in Healthcare Simulation.” Those who participated were MaryAnn Kaufmann, MSN, RN, Skills, Simulation, and Student Retention Specialist; and Lab Coordinators Marybeth Millan MSN, RN, and Linda Simmons BSN, RN.  The program focused on procedures to follow when cleaning equipment utilized in Nursing skills and simulation labs to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • The Nursing lecturers participated in a webinar titled, “Alternative Methods for Teaching Simulation and Clinical using DocuCare and vSim,” on March 17, 2020. This live webinar, presented by a Nursing Education Consultant, discussed the use of virtual simulation programs as an alternative to live clinical experiences.
  • The School of Nursing lecturers participated in an annual workshop from May 18 to 22, 2020. During the workshop, they completed a systematic review of all Nursing courses and revised curriculum based on licensure test plans.  The School of Nursing’s Systematic Plan of Evaluation, which addresses all standards and criteria required for accreditation, was also reviewed.

School of Business and Social Sciences

  • As part of OCC’s U.S. Census Campaign, Jason Ghibesi, College Lecturer II in Political Science and History, was featured in a campus-produced video entitled, “What is the U.S. Census? Be Counted!” In this three-minute video, Mr. Ghibesi discusses the history of the U.S. Census and explains why it is still so vital for all citizens to participate.  The video was filmed by OCC Television Production Director Ralph Bertini and produced by the Office of College Relations.

As a means to continue to broaden the market reach of OCC’s 2020 U.S. Census Campaign, Mr. Ghibesi was interviewed by Shawn Michaels and Sue Moll of the Ocean County Breakfast Show with Shawn and Sue on 92.7 WOBM.  During the interview, Mr. Ghibesi discussed how the U.S. Census is much more than just a population count and emphasized the need for every household to participate due to the underlying long-term impact that the data will have on the everyday lives of Ocean County residents over the next ten years. The interview is currently featured on Shawn and Sue’s Business 101 webpage:  https://wobm.com/business-101/.

  • Margaret Maghan and the Psi Beta Psychology Honors Club have continued their efforts to partner with Student Life, PTK, and the New Jersey Food Bank to distribute food to students in need on the OCC campus using social distancing practices. This effort led to the successful distribution of 38 boxes of food to needy students and families in under two hours.

School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

  • The School of STEM has been asked to enter into an Education Partnership agreement with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Additional information will be shared with you as it becomes available.
  • Mary-Ellen Rada, Director for the Jersey Shore Junior Science Symposium, is working with the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the Tri-Services, U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, in applying for a one-time funding opportunity to help meet the strategic goals of the Science Symposium. This funding for the 2020-2021 competition year would support local/regional efforts to explore reusable tools or assets that enrich future regional competitions and support JSHS strategic goals.

The strategic goals for JSHS are:

  • Broaden, deepen, and diversify the pool of STEM talent to include, but not limited to, underserved/underrepresented populations and military dependents.
  • Support and empower educators with research and resources.
  • Develop and implement a cohesive, coordinated, and sustainable STEM education outreach infrastructure.

The available funding amounts will be from $1,500 – $10,000.

  • STEM Power Users created a 2020 Summer Virtual Professional Development Series that will be used across schools as professional development, STEM Power Users Remote Summer Orientation Training. This training session will provide an overview of key learnings and tools that are useful for remote course offerings.  The majority of the session will involve overviews and hands-on activities with CANVAS, Screencast-O-Matic, Webex, and the STEM Canvas Support Team One Drive Directory.  Participants will also be provided helpful hints, lessons learned, updates to STEM department remote course practices, and how to access on-going support from the STEM Canvas Support Team.  The session will conclude with an open Q&A.
  • The Engineering and Computer Science Advisory Boards met for end-of-year celebrations, which included the welcome of new students and congratulations to transferring and graduating students.
  • STEM is working to strengthen and broaden its Cyber Security curriculum offering in the upcoming academic year. A Cyber Security Certificate of Completion is expected Fall 2020.

Finance and Administration

  • Preparations are underway for OCC’s first Virtual Commencement Ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. Because we are unable to have our traditional ceremony, the pre-recorded virtual ceremony will allow us to congratulate our graduates, celebrate their achievements, and reflect on the end of the 2019-20 academic year, even as we continue to live, work, teach, and learn in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

A link was sent to our graduates to order caps and gowns, which will be delivered to their homes at no cost.  The students will be asked to take photos wearing the regalia and submit them for inclusion in the virtual ceremony.  The College is partnering with a third-party company to create a pre-recorded virtual ceremony that will include:

    • Brief pre-recorded Commencement speeches broadcast in accessible video formats.
    • Photos and text announcements of each graduate’s name, degree, and honors.
    • Customized slides featuring personal recognition, photos, and messages from graduates.

We hope to resume our traditional Commencement Ceremony in May 2021, and our 2020 graduates will be invited to return to campus to celebrate in-person.  A Virtual Commencement Frequently Asked Questions webpage will be available shortly to address details not included above.

  • While working remotely, the Finance and Administration Division is implementing a number of software modules within Colleague. Implementation of the Fixed Asset module is close to complete.  This software will automate the identification and tagging of assets in the system, making annual reporting and depreciation more efficient.  Implementation of the Projects Accounting has begun; this software will modernize the budgeting and tracking of capital projects and grants.  Accounting for capital projects and grants has been challenging because they typically cross over multiple fiscal years; this software will accommodate multiple fiscal years.
  • The College has been awarded over $2.4 million in Institutional CARES Act funding. The Vice Presidents are working together to compile a list of eligible expenses.  Many items that were requested but not funded in last year’s PBC process will be considered for funding under CARES.  Funding will also be used for items necessary to prepare the campus for students to return to face-to-face instruction, such as UV lighting that will be installed in HVAC systems to kill surface and airborne pathogens.  Additionally, the funding will purchase more Chromebooks for students to borrow for use at home and then return for use on campus later.
  • OCC is continuing to work closely with the Ocean County Department of Public Health. The County will use the computer lab on the first floor of the Hovnanian Building to conduct employee training while observing social distancing requirements.  The Department will also use one classroom on the first floor where they will conduct contact tracing using their own cell phones.  Dan Regenye, Ocean County Public Health Coordinator, will coordinate the County’s use of the space and will ensure that proper cleaning and sanitizing is done by the County following use.  The County has expressed gratitude for the College’s willingness to allow public health initiatives to take place on the OCC campus.

Ocean County College Foundation

In conjunction with Fulfill, volunteers from Ocean County College have come together while the campus is closed to provide crisis boxes of essentials for students and their families.  Using the OCC app, students are able to register and coordinate a pickup for a box of food that will feed a family of four for four days.  Additionally, beginning this month, the boxes will be accompanied by a care package of artistic activities for all ages provided by staff at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts and the Robert J. Novins Planetarium.

Working together to offer this program are OCC Foundation Director Ken Malagiere; Assistant Director of Events and Advertising Sherry Bray; Psychology Lecturer Dr. Margaret Maghan; Helping Hands Food Pantry Manager and Assistant Director of Student Life Alison Noone; OCC student volunteers Cristina Baldino, Spencer Salas, and Isabella Salas; and members of the OCC Psychology Club.  Additionally, College Facilities, Security, and Student Life teams have provided much needed support.

Most importantly, deep appreciation is expressed to OCC Foundation member Dave Wintrode, whose philanthropic support for this program and the Fulfill organization has been key to their success in serving students with food insecurity.

While this pandemic continues, dates for future crisis box distributions will be promoted on the OCC app and will be available for OCC students and their families as coordinated through the Office of Student Life.  Over 100 boxes will be distributed monthly.

Human Resources

  • The Office of Human Resources continues to operate fully, undertaking staffing activities including recruiting, onboarding, benefits enrollments, managing various types of employee departures, driving the performance appraisal process, coordinating open enrollment for dental insurance, offering a wide variety of training and development opportunities, and handling routine and complex employee relations issues, as well as requests for leaves of absence and accommodations. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a variety of new challenges for employers in regards to leaves and has produced a marked uptick in expressions of stress and/or distress among staff and faculty.

Employee Assistance Resources have been made available in the form of webinars, articles, and the normal access to trained counselors, all through Preferred Behavioral Health.

The Human Resources website has a section devoted to COVID-19 resources.

  • SafeColleges Compliance training was distributed to employee groups for completion by May 15, 2020.
  • Employee Performance appraisals are currently being received to complete the FY 2020 performance year.

Changes being made to the FY 2021 Performance Program include new Security Officer Job Competencies, updates to Core and Job Specific Competencies for administrative and hourly employees and coaches to remove redundancies, and new programs for support staff employees to make self-evaluations optional.

  • The Human Resources team is nearing a pilot phase for an important new process improvement project. The Personnel Action Request process is intended to manage requests for various personnel actions in a way that ensures appropriate approvals have been obtained prior to any work occurring.  This process is similar to the work order processes that exist in IT, College Relations, Facilities, and, to some extent, Purchasing (through the Purchase Requisition).  The team is currently working on making the process as “digital” as possible.
  • The initial onboarding process for new hires has been streamlined and better organized, incorporating critical information through revised materials. Brief but informative presentations given by subject matter experts have been incorporated and will be translated to the remote new hire orientations.  Additionally, Human Resources is exploring the possibility of my welcoming new employees via Webex.  Expansion of the orientation program is underway to involve departments more fully in a systematic onboarding of their new employees.
  • The first stage of a project to transfer employee case files from paper and/or shared drive records to the Maxient case management system is nearing completion. Since the implementation of Maxient, employee cases have been opened within the system and all documents are attached in the cases.  The project is ensuring that older case files, still within records retention rules, make their way to the safer Maxient platform.
  • Human Resources has taken advantage of the remote operating model to revise some forms for digital signature capability. The Absence Request Form and the Memo Invoice Form are two that are now in use with digital signatures.
  • The department has worked with PeopleAdmin to provide position-specific designations that have policy and/or legal implications. The three designations involved are:  Campus Security Authority (CSA), a Clery requirement; Essential Employee; and those positions which require a valid driver’s license.  These designations will appear in the position descriptions and will be communicated to employees at the time of hire and annually.

Facilities

  • Parking Lot 2, including the Facilities Parking Lot, and the Service Road were stripped and freshly paved this month; and new curbing, sidewalks, and islands will add beautiful scenery as well as improve the flow of traffic.
  • With the repaving of Lot 2, the Grounds Department has taken the opportunity to landscape the area. This small project will be completed this month, giving the College a refreshing and vibrant look.
  • The foundation of the new Student Enrollment Building has been poured. Construction is underway to build a one-stop center that can consolidate all major student services to welcome new and returning students to the College.
  • Renovations are underway for the Conference Center, formerly the Bookstore, and the campus will gain large and small meeting rooms as well as open seating for informal collaboration with new lounge furniture.
  • The Security Department has officially moved into its new location, which is a new addition to the existing Security Building. Renovations on the newly departed section of the building will begin work to convert the space to a Crime Lab.  The building, as a whole, will allow for a cohesive flow between the Ocean County College Security Department and the Criminal Justice Department.  The renovations will be completed next month.
  • The new auxiliary gymnasium located on the lower level of the Health and Human Performance Center is complete. The stadium area houses approximately 250 seats and provides women’s and men’s restrooms with ADA accessibility.

The upgrade to the bleachers in the existing gymnasium in the Center is very near completion and expected to be done this month.  The new bleachers will ensure spectators and participants will be safer during large sporting events.

  • The design of the new Administration Building is in progress; a Request for Proposals will be issued to general contractors at the end of this month. The project is currently under review with the New Jersey State Comptroller.  The design calls for a three-story, 33,000 square foot building located adjacent to the Planetarium.

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts

  • On May 8, 2020, visual artist Kevin Reese had a live event on the Grunin Center Facebook page. This event was a culmination of shorter videos engaging the community with visual art.  Reese was able to interact with our community to create a large mobile by listening to videos, reading letters, and speaking directly with members of the community, helping to choose the overall design, including the individual shapes, colors, and sizes.  The mobile will hang in the Grunin Center gallery.

Appreciation is expressed to the New Jersey Council for the Arts for its generosity and flexibility in helping to fund this project.  Sales and Marketing Specialist Victoria Buczynski was instrumental in editing all the videos and working the Facebook live event.

Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Jaclyn Wood helped connect Mr. Reese to a wide range of community members to share their thoughts on “What does community mean to you?” and “Why is community important to you?”

  • The Novins Planetarium team is currently creating a scavenger hunt for children and families to stay engaged while at home. Videos have been developed to teach kids about STEM concepts while making crafts, and resources are posted daily for at-home science learning with the help of the marketing staff at the Grunin Center.

The staff is working with the OCC Foundation to create scientific packets to be included with the 50 care packages that the Foundation is giving to students in need.  These packets will give the students and their families a way to engage with the Planetarium.

Continuing and Professional Education

  • In Workforce Education, CPE is now offering ten free Self-Paced Tutorial courses for learners in our community. The free courses include a mix of hard and soft skills that apply to today’s changing job market.  Students can leverage these courses to enter the workforce or advance their careers, and staff can use this as a professional development opportunity.

Free course titles include:

    • Creating Web Pages
    • Creating WordPress Websites
    • Marketing Your Business on the Internet
    • Fundamentals of Supervision and Management
    • Personal Finance
    • Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search
    • Small Business Marketing on a Shoestring
    • Keys to Effective Communication
    • Managing Customer Service
    • Individual Excellence

The courses can be viewed online.

  • The Ocean County Achievement Center hosted its first Virtual Career Day on May 11, 2020. The event offered nine presenters from the community who covered information on their in-demand career tracks, including why they chose their profession and what keeps them continuing in it.  Careers discussed included education (early childhood education), hospitality (general manager and chef), human services (social work and counseling), IT (graphic design), healthcare (personal trainer), and the trades.  Nine Ocean County Achievement Center students participated in the event.  The second Virtual Career Day is planned for June 11, 2020, and will include five additional speakers representing various career tracks.  Volunteers are always welcome to present to these students.

College Relations

Grants

Although no funding is associated with this opportunity, this competition nonetheless is important to highlight:

Department of Education, Center for Occupational Research and Development:  Pathways to Credentials

The Pathways to Credentials project is designed to assist community and technical colleges in their efforts to embed stackable, industry-recognized credentials within technical (CTE) associate degree programs.  Community and technical colleges are eligible to apply to become part of a cohort of up to ten colleges.  The cohort colleges will receive customized technical assistance to advance their efforts in stackable credential design, including components such as employer engagement, industry certification alignment, and non-credit/credit integration.  Selected colleges will receive technical assistance from subject matter experts and a dedicated coach who will guide them through program/institutional assessments, goal setting, and action planning to meet local needs.

Project Directors:  Dr. Amir Sadrian, Ms. Eileen Schilling

Project Team:  Dr. Joseph Konopka, Dr. Sylvia Riviello, Mr. Lincoln Simmons, Ms. Susan O’Connor, Ms. Kayci Clayton, Dr. Sadrian, and Ms. Schilling

Timeline:  May 2020 – June 2021

Alumni/Advancement

The Alumni and Advancement efforts continue to focus on consistent communication and engagement with OCC’s alumni and donors during this time of limited physical interaction and the absence of events and other programs.  The alumni magazine, Ocean Views, is in development with stories focusing on OCC faculty, students, and alumni; it is scheduled to be mailed in late summer.  There have been consistent outreach and interviews with alumni to share alumni success stories on OCC’s social media channels and web page as well as a new focus to share stories of alumni who are first responders and essential workers and who are critical in the community’s effort to combat the COVID-19 virus.  These stories are part of several social media campaigns the College is spearheading.

The team is also using this time to improve its “data health” in OCC’s alumni database, Raiser’s Edge.  A service was recently completed that returned 17,000 alumni records with updated addresses and contact information.  Those results are being imported into the database and updating the existing records to improve the accuracy of mailing lists to allow engagement with even more alumni.

TV Studio

The OCC Virtual Open House on May 20, 2020, was a collaborative effort with College Relations and various departments across the campus.  A total of 15 video segments were produced for inclusion on the College Open House web page.  The video highlights the many benefits and services available to prospective students who are not able to visit the campus in the conventional way.  The videos include:  A campus tour, building highlights, department highlights and services provided, Advising, Financial Aid, Athletics, Student Life, Nursing, and the Schools of Business and STEM.

College Relations

  • The College Relations team has launched a “We are Ocean” television campaign across Ocean County. This campaign will provide OCC with 950 live television ads per month and more than 18,000 streaming ads on some of the most popular television networks, which will run through May and into September.  This campaign is designed to inform Ocean County residents that remote classes and student services are continuing, and OCC is here to help in this uncertain time.
  • OCC has partnered with Townsquare Media to become the primary sponsor of its virtual job fair. The virtual job fair will be promoted heavily across Townsquare properties in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, including 3 The Point, WOBM, and 105.7 The Hawk. OCC’s sponsorship of the job fair provides the College with multiple radio spots throughout the workweek, as well as prominent ad positioning across Townsquare Media’s web properties.  This sponsorship is a great way to promote the support and services available at OCC as the remote environment continues.
  • Similar to commencement, virtual ceremonies will be conducted for the Nurses Pinning and the Awards Ceremony.  Speeches for each ceremony have been recorded in advance.  For Nursing, each graduating student will receive a pin in the mail and will be asked to upload a video and a photo.   For the Awards Ceremony, students who have been selected as award winners will be notified in advance.  The students will then be asked to upload a video/photo accepting the award and thanking the donor.

The student submissions will be pulled together by the vendor into three separate ceremonies to be broadcast on June 16, 2020, as follows:

    • Virtual Nurses Pinning Ceremony at 2:00 p.m.
    • Virtual Awards Ceremony at 4:00 p.m.
    • Virtual Commencement Ceremony at 6:00 p.m.

Security

  • In accordance with New Jersey Public Law 2015, Chapter 220, and College Policy #2332, Reporting of On-Campus Criminal and Fire Events, attached is the monthly statistics report of crimes, fires, and other emergencies on campus for the reporting period April 21, 2020, through May 14, 2020.

Student Affairs

Advising

Transfer Coordinator Laura Wills organized the remote administration of all transfer services in order to help students connect with partner institutions, such as Stockton University, NJIT, Kean-Ocean, Montclair University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Thomas Edison State University.  Partner colleges are collaborating with OCC to offer more instant decision days with waived application fees, as well as pre-advising, open houses, information sessions, and virtual tours for students.

Financial Aid

Ocean County College has received authorization and funding through the CARES Act to disburse federal emergency grants to students.  In an effort to make CARES Act funding available to students whose academic pursuits are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 virus, the Financial Aid Department, along with the CARES Act Committee, are actively reviewing and processing applications received on a daily basis.

As of Monday, May 18, 2020, a total of 1,241 Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) applications were received, and 442 students were awarded $400,314.

Admissions

  • Over the past month, Admissions has taken on multiple recruitment initiatives, including continued work with College Relations on a Virtual Visit to take the place of the Spring Open House. Prospective students and members of the community will be invited to learn more about Ocean County College’s Academic Schools and programs, take a Virtual Tour of campus, learn about Financial Aid, Scholarships, Student Services, and other services.  Additionally, there will be opportunities for answers to questions from our Virtual Assistant, Reggie.  OCC’s Virtual Campus Visit page is designed to offer an experience similar to a traditional campus visit, but from the comfort of home.

The page was launched on May 20, 2020, at the Virtual Campus Visit page.  We are proud of this effort and commend all who had a part in its development.

  • Another initiative for recruitment/marketing is the “Stay Home, Stay Safe, We are Ocean” postcard. The postcard was sent to approximately 9,000 Ocean County households with highlights promoting Fall semester enrollment at OCC, utilizing affordability, safety, and transferability messaging.  The HUB will be tracking leads from the postcard through a dedicated phone number for this campaign.
  • Admissions, in collaboration with Academic Advising, the HUB, Registration, and Financial Aid, is assisting new students with Fall and Summer 2020 registration. Under the current circumstances, many students are being overwhelmed with new technologies and learning platforms from their employers and high schools.  To help simplify and mitigate our enrollment process, after applying for admission, students simply submit a short survey that asks them typical first-year advising and availability questions and agree to allow Admissions to register them into their first semester of classes.  As of May 18, 2020, over 600 new first-time students have been registered for Fall classes through the survey.

The HUB

  • The HUB worked to create a partnership for Ocean County College with Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health to offer online science courses to its employees who are participating in three health-related programs, Medical Lab Technician, Paramedic Professional, and Certified Nursing Assistant. These employees are part of the GAINS grant, which offers educational opportunities for professional development in the healthcare field.  Due to COVID-19, only one program, Medical Lab Technician, is running currently; 11 students have enrolled in Summer 2020 courses at OCC.  RWJB anticipates additional students enrolling under multiple programs in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.
  • The HUB, working remotely, is answering approximately one call every minute each day when open during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8 :00 p.m. and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The number of calls reported only includes incoming calls that are answered; it does not count voicemails and calls after business hours.  This very high volume of calls demonstrates the strong community interest in OCC, as well as the success of working remotely.
  • Working with College Relations and Success, a third-party marketing company, the HUB is seeing a matriculation rate of 99% cumulatively for inquiries to enrollment for these specific campaigns. The campaigns include Math/Science online, the Community College Opportunity Grant, and Kean-Ocean, all of which are targeted to non-traditional students.  The HUB receives inquiries via an online form as well as dedicated phone lines.

Ms. Sheenah Hartigan, Director of Enrollment Services, will give a presentation at Thursday’s meeting about the HUB’s activities during this remote environment and the creative methods being used to not only reach out to potential students and answer incoming calls, but also to assist current students in any way they can.

Southern Education Center

  • The Student Services Office of the Southern Education Center continues to respond to student inquiries seeking assistance. Whether students reach out via a phone call to an SEC extension, send an email to sec@ocean.edu, or correspond through any of the online registration applications, the SEC advising staff responds and assists.  In a year-to-date comparison, correspondence efforts through remote channels are up 6% as compared to last year’s efforts.
  • Additionally, and in collaboration with the Admissions Office, emails were sent to all the Guidance Counselors of Pinelands Regional High School, Southern Regional High School, Barnegat Township High School, Lacey Township High School and MATES (OCVTS) outlining the procedures for high school students to avail themselves of the Early College Program, including a listing of potential classes that have been demonstrated by IR data as popular among high school students. The specifically identified SEC-based classes are scheduled at 8:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
  • The SEC staff will also begin to reach out to prospective students living in the southern part of Ocean County to create awareness of courses that have been added to the Fall 2020 schedule. Both the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory and face-to-face discussions have determined students are looking for an expansion of class offerings at the SEC.

Student Life

Virtual student engagement has continued into May through Student Life.  Thanks to the hard work and leadership from Faculty Advisor Jayanti Tamm, the Spring day release of the Seascape magazine for this academic year was able to happen.  The student editor-in-chief of this year’s magazine is Trevor Baluski.  We are extremely proud of the publication and what it represents to the campus community.  Student Life hosted a virtual release party, and Seascape was shared with the campus community on May 7, 2020.  A special thank you goes to College Relations for working with Student Life to develop a dedicated landing page for this effort, go.ocean.edu/seascape.

The number of unique daily users on the OCC app continues to average around 478 per day, and the app continues to be a vital means of communicating with the campus community.  An example of this is the recent effort through Helping Hands, with the support of the OCC Foundation, to distribute crisis relief boxes from Fulfill to our student population in need.  Another fifty boxes were distributed to the OCC community on Friday, May 22, 2020, using the app to facilitate the sign-up for pick-up times.

Both the Director of Student Life and Assistant Director of Student Life, Jennifer Fazio and Alison Noone, were recently interviewed by the President of Ready Education, Danial Jameel, and Eric Gudmundson, Sr. Campus Success Consultant, for inclusion in a promotional piece highlighting OCC’s transition to virtual student engagement as a best practice for their app platform as campuses pivot to online.

Ms. Fazio and Ms. Noone will provide additional information to you on Thursday on the importance of the OCC app in outreach to students.

Career Services

Career Services continues to serve our students and alumni through online assistance and career events.  On May 19, 2020, in co-sponsorship with the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, an online presentation was hosted regarding careers and current employment opportunities in New Jersey State government.  On May 21, 2020, Career Services co-sponsored with Hackensack Meridian Health an online employment event geared toward hospitality-focused positions available in the medical industry.

Counseling Center

  • The Counseling Center hosted a virtual Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training, conducted by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. This was the first time the Division conducted a virtual QPR session.  Fifteen students, faculty, and staff participated in the training.  Additional virtual sessions are planned through the Fall semester.
  • Counselors continue to respond to CARE reports. Since March 13, 2020, there have been 315 CARE reports submitted for 322 students.  Although many of the reports submitted by faculty were prompted by student academic performance in the online environment, an increase is now being seen in the number of CARE-related situations, and CARE reports are being received for students who have applied for CARES Act funding.

The various student situations include significant increases in mental health concerns, lack of access to external mental health providers, homelessness/housing concerns, home and family issues, COVID-19-related health issues, deaths of family and friends, and financial problems.  As appropriate, information is being shared about the CARES Act funding, SERF funding, and community resources.  Counseling is provided through videoconferencing and/or telephone, and follow-up calls are being been made and emails sent to all students.  At the request of the CARE Team, the Center conducted a comparison of students with CARE reports to students who filed CARES Act applications and determined that, as of May 8, 2020, 19 students with CARE reports had filed applications for CARES Act funds.

  • The Supporting Students in Recovery program has expanded its virtual services, conducting weekly virtual support meetings and an active discussion board for students enrolled as participants in the Canvas course.
  • The Displaced Homemakers Program anticipates a renewal contract for the upcoming program year. The program has served 71 new clients, nearly achieving the goal of 90 new clients, and is serving 33 continuing clients.  The program year was extended to September 30, 2020, by Governor Murphy.  Clients are participating in job search, resume, interview, and computer skills classes.

Educational Opportunity Fund

  • Current students have been supported through online advising via Webex and ZOOM. Applicants are being interviewed in the same way; five interviews have been completed, three are scheduled, and three more applicants have been invited to interview.
  • EOF is hosting e-recruitment and information sessions with local high schools; to date, Central Regional, Lakewood, and Toms River South and East high schools have had sessions.
  • The season was celebrated online with EOF’s first-ever ZOOM Awards Recognition. Twenty-four students participated.  A web-based Power Point highlighting student success is almost ready for publication; it will be available soon on the EOF webpage.
  • FY 2021 budgets are in development. Final contract awards are pending the Governor’s revised budget. The department is actively engaged in outreach to State representatives to support level EOF funding.  EOF State trainings began in March; each staff member is participating in at least one.  Ongoing weekly team meetings keep the staff moving forward and busy.
  • A new Math Tutor, Ms. Kim Caballero, began this month; training was facilitated by Diane DeFilippo, Academic Support Specialist.
  • EOF First Experience is in development; this first virtual orientation is tentatively scheduled for the last week of August.

Veterans and Military Resource Center

  • Two marketing and program radio interviews were conducted recently with the Veteran Affairs of New Jersey and the Regional Office of Wilmington, Delaware, on how the Veterans and Military Resource Center is contributing to the success of remote access learning for military-affiliated community members. Topics included OCC’s transition to remote learning, graduating numbers of veterans, mobilization and activation of student service members, and activity and program development for the Summer and into the Fall semester.
  • The Center networked with regional partners on continued development of the “Battle Buddy Check-in” for educational institutions with military and veteran students and how the Veterans Administration can access hardships, struggles, and concerns through their outreach coordinators who are assigned to specific areas of the State.
  • Additionally, the Center was requested to assist in legislation development for Congressman Andy Kim’s office that supports the extension of education benefits and compensation from physical class attendance to e-Learning participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Office of Disability Services

Since April 2020, the Office of Disability Services reports the following:

  • 32 students applied for and received reasonable accommodations.
  • 276 individual requests for assistance were processed.
  • Five remote sessions were conducted providing technical assistance to faculty. The focus of the training sessions included strategies for captioning social media audio/video and short videos within Canvas.
  • Adaptive Services Specialist Jamie Arasz Prioli continues to serve as Chairperson for the Ocean County Core Advisory Group, providing guidance for promoting inclusive emergency management by encouraging collaboration and partnership among Ocean County government agencies, non-profit disability agencies, and emergency managers. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the advisory group meets remotely on a weekly basis to address disability-specific concerns throughout Ocean County and reports weekly to FEMA.

e-Learning and Learning Enterprises

Instructional Design and Technology

  • The team continues to move forward with course development for the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, with 17 new online course offerings. Included are courses for the Special Programs project in Egypt.  The unit continues to seek Open Educational Resources (OER) and low-cost course materials when designing new courses and updating existing courses.  Costs have been reduced by removing unused course software in select courses, as well as by transitioning some course materials from hard-copy textbooks to eBooks.  Starting Fall 2020, College Lecturer II for Student Success Laura Manresa in the Center for Academic Excellence will be working with an Instructional Designer to remove Cengage MindTap from STSC-150 and transition to OER.  Additionally, the requested DL Master Course shells for face-to-face for the 2020 First Five-Week and Ten-Week Summer terms have been reworked and delivered.
  • The Design Team continues to build and add new content to both the Center for Instructional Empowerment and the Campus Closure Resource Shell. Eric Daniels, Educational Technologist, will be presenting on “Using Webex in Canvas” as part of the 2020 Summer Virtual Professional Development Series.  Academic Affairs and e-Learning are also exploring VoiceThread, which is a learning tool used to enhance student engagement and online presence for use in both online and traditional face-to-face courses.  The VoiceThread software is used to enhance student engagement by creating interactive presentations, assignments, and discussions.  Instructors and students are able to upload documents, presentations, images, audio files, and videos and leave comments throughout the material.  This allows instructors and students to interact with the materials as well as with each other.  At this time, e-Learning and the Academic Deans have participated in a demonstration with the vendor and are currently discussing if the tool should be piloted in both distance learning and remote courses.
  • Associate Director of e-Learning Rachel Doss-Block has been working closely with Enterprise Applications Director Anthony Jordan and Programmer Analyst Nick Tyler in IT to automate the “Incomplete” process for online and traditional courses. Effective immediately, instructors are no longer required to send an email request to the e-Learning Department for a course copy to permit a student to complete pending assignments. A backend script was created to automate the process by reopening and extending dates for the courses where an incomplete grade was assigned to a student.  Instructors will still be required to complete the Grade Change Form and route it through the proper channels for approval.

Academic

  • From the academic area, Dean of e-Learning Vivian Lynn represented OCC in a new initiative with the New Jersey Community College Distance Education Affinity Group. She participated in the professional development webinar, “Engaging Students in a Virtual Environment,” on April 28, 2020.  Over 180 educators from throughout New Jersey participated.  The webinar provided curriculum and learning outcome strategies for remote and online instruction.
  • On May 15, 2020, the e-Learning Department hosted a virtual Kick-off General Meeting, which provided updates from the International, Design, and Academics Over 60 online instructors attended the meeting.
  • In collaboration with the Finance Department, e-Learning is working on a Request for Proposals for a proctoring solution. A Proctoring Committee has been established to select a vendor for the College.

The Academic team continues to work closely with Assistant Athletic Director Patricia Carroll to use Dropout Detective, student retention software.  During the Spring 2020 semester, the department implemented Dropout Detective for all athletes to monitor and communicate with automated email and early alert notifications.  With the assistance of the e-Learning Department, Ms. Carroll was trained and is now able to retrieve real-time data on every athlete’s academic progress.  In addition, course instructors can instantly alert the Athletic Department of potential student problems, which allow for fast responses for students to receive resources and services to assist them with their coursework.

  • The e-Learning Dean is working in collaboration with the Academic Affairs Deans on a 2020 Summer Professional Development Series. The entire College community is welcome to participate in the trainings.  The training Webex login and remote access information can be found on the Center for Instruction Empowerment webpage at ocean.edu/cie.

The following e-Learning webinars were or will be hosted as part of the 2020 Summer Professional Development Series:

  • Detecting and Addressing Academic Dishonesty – Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at 12:00 noon.
  • Using WebEx in Canvas – Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at 12:00 noon.
  • Creating Interactive Discussions – Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at 12:00 noon.

International

  • Coordinating the Current Program with Ain Shams University and Kean University

Cohort 1 of 41 students is scheduled to graduate this month from Kean University.  Dr. Howaida Wahby Eraky, College Lecturer II in e-Learning, and our Egyptian employees developed an exit survey for this cohort.

Cohort 2, with 38 students, is scheduled to graduate from OCC in May, and the 32 students in Cohort 3 will be graduating in August.  Cohort 4’s 40 students finished the first year at OCC and are scheduled to graduate in Summer 2021.

  • Preparation for Special Programs

Appreciation is expressed to Ms. Eileen Schilling, Executive Director of Academic Assessment, for her efforts to expand affiliate four-year university collaborations.  Articulations are currently being developed with Colorado State University, Maryland Global Campus University, and Southern New Hampshire University.  OCC’s team and representatives from New Jersey City University have been working diligently on program mapping for piloting these programs.  As a part of the preparation for Special Programs, Dr. Eileen Garcia, Vice President of e-Learning and Learning Enterprises, and others have been working with Vice President of Finance and Administration Sara Winchester on a finance model and with Ms. Rachel Doss-Block on course developments needed for an additional ten special programs.

  • Improving Services to Students

Improving services to Egyptian students has been the focus of Egyptian OCC employees as they re-organize their task requirements.  OCC’s Egyptian team has been attending virtual weekly training sessions with OCC’s onsite staff to expand their knowledge of related tasks to international programs.  The sessions included information on how to add and track opportunities in Recruit, how to make calls to students through Recruit, as well as how to send emails.  The training enables OCC employees in Egypt to retrieve student information on Colleague as well as register or remove students from classes.  In preparation for the upcoming cohort, the team members attended a three-session training and were certified as proctors for ACCUPLACER test administration.

Services are also being improved to students through language training.  As mentioned earlier in the report, Dr. Howaida Wahby Eraky developed ENGL 096, English to Speakers of Other Languages, as an OER course to replace developmental English.

Finally, Dr. Wahab Eracky and Foreign Programs Academic Administrator Alexis Crosta are working on a standard operating procedures document that was initiated by Mr. Hatem Akl, Associate Vice President of International Programs – Operations.

  • A note from Mr. Hatem Akl to the members of the Board of Trustees:

“I accepted a position with Ellucian and will be leaving my current position as the Associate Vice President for International Programs – Operations on June 5, 2020.  Dr. Garcia and I have been working on a plan to transition my duties.

“I truly enjoyed working at Ocean County College for the past fourteen years, and I will always cherish many successes, fond memories, and real friendships throughout our great institution.   I want to thank the members of the Board for their support and guidance.  And I wish my OCC family all the best.

“I prefer to think of this as “See you later” instead of “Goodbye.”  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at hatem_akl@hotmail.com if you’d ever like to get in touch.”

Center for Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education

Center Director Dr. Ali Botein-Furrevig is developing interactive exhibits for the Center.  This new direction will not only address the space limitations in the Center, but virtual museum-grade exhibits will reach a wider audience of OCC students, local schools, teachers, and the community, all of whom can access exhibits remotely or from the Center.  It also allows for multiple PowerPoint exhibits with more robust narratives and with links to documentary clips, scholarly articles, artifacts, survivor testimony, and other resources.  Dr. Botein-Furrevig conducted research on the technical needs and estimated costs and shared them with Library Director Donna Rosinski-Kauz for follow-up.  These exhibits will not interfere with the Center’s continued commitment to face-to-face lectures/workshops for students, local schools, and the community.

Dr. Botein-Furrevig is also working on two oil paintings for the Center: 1) An expressionistic representation of the Night of Broken Glass (Kristallnacht) and 2) an expressionistic portrait of a young girl in Auschwitz concentration camp.

May 28, 2020, Board of Trustees Meeting

Appreciation Expressed to Assistant Professor of Humanities Richard Fallon

From: Lisa Elrick
Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2020 11:11 AM

I would like to extend a letter of appreciation on behalf of Professor Fallon for the Spring 2020 Intermediate Photography course.

Midway through the semester, Professor Fallon rose to the challenge of providing continued instruction via remote learning despite the shocking onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following his syllabus handed out during the first class, weekly instruction continued, consisting of supplemental videos, adjusted assignments in light of the new restrictions and access to Lightroom Classic on home computers. Questions and concerns continued to be addressed via weekly group emails, and online chats via Canvas.

Thank you so much for keeping us focused and providing a challenging but fun pursuit.  I look forwards to future classes whether remotely or in class.

From: Gretchen Turner
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2020 10:39 AM

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to Professor Richard Fallon, for his dedication and hard work throughout the spring semester.

This past semester was my second photography course with Professor Fallon, and he continued to challenge us to expand our creativity, as well as our skills using Lightroom and PhotoShop.  When Covid-19 forced OCC to continue our courses through online learning, he patiently guided us through setting up our home computers with the programs we needed to continue downloading photographs and necessary files, to him for his review and grading.  Through all of this, he continued to push us to use our resources and creativity to photograph what was available to us, and to look for different perspectives and angles to capture.  He made himself available online continually and presented challenging material and ideas for us to work with.  We shared our photographs each week, with each other online, and at the end of the semester,  we were able to present wonderful portfolios.

I look forward to attending his Lightroom/PhotoShop course in the fall.

Appreciation Expressed to Mr. Ralph Bertini, Television Production Director

From: Kate Borowski
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 12:49 PM

My name is Kate Borowski and I took your class 4 years ago as a freshman.

I wanted to reach out because I just finished my undergrad degree at Montclair State University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Art. But I truly owe a huge thank you to you for helping me discover the love of production.

I took your class on a chance because I had a slight interest in the field and to be honest, your class scared me. I was so nervous to present, to direct, technical director, host, ANYTHING. I was new to the production world and my classmates knew more than me so I felt very stupid because I needed to take baby steps. But you always pushed me to try new things in the studio, and I even went to help with events on campus when that is something I would have never done. You never made me feel stupid and you allowed me to explore my talent in the studio in all different aspects.

When transferring to Montclair, I didn’t know what direction to go in. I felt you had taught me everything I needed to know in the studio, and you helped me grow this passion for all parts of media. I ended up choosing Montclair’s communication and media arts program because I knew I could explore every industry. One of our final projects for your course, besides the short skits we had to produce, was the production bible, and I took everything I learned from that in every class. I ended up having to make multiple production bibles and it actually helped me land several interviews with Walt Disney and Marvel. All the positions I was to be interviewed for were cancelled due to corona but I plan to reapply once things open back up.

But throughout my time at Montclair, I’ve taken several production classes; in film, broadcasting, television… EVERYTHING. I’ve written my own short film script, played small parts in short films, met with directors and so much more.

I frequently talk to Mike Thullner about you because you were a true inspiration to me throughout my college career. I don’t think I would have found a passion for this field if it weren’t for you because you made it seem so easy and possible. I just knew I had to reach out because I never gave you the true thank you for the confidence you gave me and the mentor you became in my life.

I’ve had many great professors at Montclair, but it was not until this spring semester when my screenwriting professor, Joseph Gilford, reminded me of your class. It was every Tuesday 5:30 – 8:50, I believe it is as long as your class was. But similar to your course, I never dreaded being on campus so late and being in class for so long. He made me feel that passion that I had felt in yours back as a freshman. You are a great professor and I will continue to admire the hard work you continue to do for your students.

I just wanted you to know my appreciation to you and how much one college course and you as my professor had such a huge impact on my life.

I am moving to Florida in August to work with Disney in their college program for the time being. But once things go back to normal, I will be reapplying for jobs with them in California so I hope some day in the future, I will be able to update you on my endeavors in the golden state!

But, I hope to connect sometime in the future.

Required Reporting Statistics 

Board of Trustees Meeting  

May 28, 2020

The following has been prepared for presentation to the Ocean County College Board of Trustees, for its regular meeting. This report consists of all offenses defined as reportable crimes under the federal Jeanne Clery Act, fires, and other emergencies, which occurred on campus during the reporting period of 4/20/2020 through 5/14/2020.

1. A count and classification of all criminal incidents (defined as reportable crimes under the federal Jeanne Clery Act) which occurred on campus and which were recorded by campus security, campus security authority (CSA) or local police departments.
Date Crime Summary Status
Occurred:

Reported:

 *** NOTHING TO REPORT ***
Occurred:

Reported:

2.   A list of campus alerts, threats, or emergencies which occurred on campus.
Date  Alert/Threat Summary Status 
N/A NONE
3.   A count and classification of al departments.   l fire incidents which occurred on campus and which were recorded by campus security and local fire
Date  Fire Incident  Summary Status 
N/A NONE

Respectfully submitted,

John A. Lopez, Director of Security

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