Monthly Archives: May 2013

Learning through leading: Remembering Terry Calaway’s time at the college

May 2, 2013

Gripe-Calaway — *Photo by Mackenzie Gripe*

By Stephen Cook

Six years ago, when Terry Calaway first came to the college, it was during a time of “uncertainty” when people had no idea what the future held for the college.

“The environment here wasn’t as positive as it should be and he turned that around in a very short period of time by being transparent and being direct and implementing policies, procedures that contributed towards a more positive environment,” Jon Stewart, board of trustees member said.

When Calaway first stepped in, he recognized the problems and did a lot to correct the campus environment immediately, according to counselor Jeff Anderson.

“He changed the culture of the campus for sure,” Anderson said.

Now, Calaway said the college is having conversations around students instead of buildings.

“I think when I arrived here we were assessing how good we were by how beautiful our buildings were,” Calaway said. “But after all’s said and done, buildings are bricks and mortar. Colleges are places that have heart and soul, and the heart and soul is around students and should be around those who are helping students be successful.”

This is important to him because, while he doesn’t remember the buildings of the college he attended, he does clearly remember his professors and the people there.

During his six years at the college, Calaway said he’s learned more from students than he’s probably ever taught or provided.

“I guess the thing that I would take away is it doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the business, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing what you’re doing, you can learn something new every day,” Calaway said. “I think sometimes people become desensitized to the power of what a college can do and be for students and for all of us too as employees.”

Although the college is not perfect, Calaway said what is important is that they are working hard every day to be better than the day before.

“I think the talent that we have at this institution, from the perspective of the students as well as faculty and staff, is just so abundant here,” Calaway said. “I just love our college, I’m going to be our biggest cheerleader after I leave.”

Not only will Calaway be missed at the college, but also within the community, said Dennis Day, VP Student Success and Engagement.

“He’s provided not only leadership for higher education but leadership for the community,” Day said. “That doesn’t happen with everybody.”

One thing Calaway has avoided is having what he calls an “I love me wall” where plaques, awards and certificates would be displayed.

“I came here saying this isn’t about me, it’s about us, it’s not about me, it’s about students,” Calaway said. “I’ve probably gotten a hundred plaques and certificates and ‘you’re wonderful’ things. It’s not because of something I did; it’s because of the work that you all do. I get a lot more credit for what happens here than I deserve.”

Calaway once had an opportunity to take a job at a district office for a college but decided against it because it was not on a campus, it was away from where students were.

“I can honestly say this, I’ve never walked on this campus where I wasn’t like really happy every day,” Calaway said. “A lot of that comes from I really love what I do, I really do, I mean I love working with students, and I love being a part of being on a college campus and I know I will miss that.”

After his extremely busy time as college president, Calaway said he is looking forward to being with his wife, traveling and spending time together.

“I’ve been very, very blessed to be married to a wonderful person,” Calaway said. “We just want to spend more time together and so I’m really looking forward to that, probably way more than she is. I was joking: my intruding now on her life is going to be a challenge for her. It’s going to be great for me, it’s going to be a challenge for her to have to put up with me.”

One part of his job he will not miss is giving speeches.

“By nature I’m actually a pretty introverted person, but unfortunately because of the nature of what I do I have to do a lot of public speaking,” Calaway said. “It’s not in my nature to be comfortable doing that, that’s why you never see me do power points in my speeches because I’ve kind of moved towards let’s just have a conversation with people.”

Calaway’s ability to listen and communicate has been helpful to the college, according to Stewart.

“He listens, but he’s a very good communicator and he’s very direct,” Stewart said. “I think that transparency was really what was needed and what he brought, but that’s one of his strong attributes is, I think, his vision and his ability to communicate that vision.”

In Anderson’s 32 years in higher education, he said that Calaway is the best president he’s served under.

“He’s willing to take on issues that sometimes are more comfortable to avoid,” Anderson said. “He doesn’t really shy away from controversial topics.”

Another aspect Calaway will be remembered for is his articulation work, according to Stewart, seeing that credits transfer to other colleges and universities in Kansas.

“The students now today [are] probably not very familiar with what it was like six years ago, but they’re benefitting from the environment that he’s created,” Stewart said.

Stewart believes Calaway will be remembered for his focus and his striving to be better, changing the campus.

“I think his legacy will be he took over a very difficult situation and turned it into a very positive situation, steered us through a very difficult financial time, weathered that storm and kept the college providing excellence and serving the community,” Stewart said. “It may take awhile for people to understand that legacy but I think when we look back we’re going to say, ‘Wow, he did a fantastic job of getting us through a very difficult period.’ He’ll be missed.”

Contact Stephen Cook, editor-in-chief, at scook35@jccc.edu

Tennis team sets sights on nationals

May 2, 2013

Flores2-Tennis — Michael Draper, sophomore at the college, gets set up to hit a forehand during practice on April 30, 2013. *Photo by Esaul Flores*

By Sydney Studer

Spring sports teams are on a winning streak this season. The golf team just won a conference championship. The baseball team prepares for their sub-regionals and the track team continuously has first place finishes. The men’s and women’s tennis team specifically, are readying themselves for a run at Nationals.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams have a tradition of going to the National tournament. In 31 seasons, the women have gone 26 times and the men have gone 30, according to head coach Glen Moser. He said their goal is to make it into the top ten. They will have a good shot considering the women’s top doubles team is ranked number one in the country; the duo of Shannon Beckett of Australia and Erika Castillo Lopez of Mexico.

“[Being number one] gives us confidence,” Beckett said. “This season, we have proven to ourselves that we can be there. It’s the biggest tournament of the year, so obviously there is a lot of pressure being number one. We are just going to try and play really well… because we know what’s on our shoulders and not only the tournament coach’s, but ourselves, our team, we know what we want to do.”

The idea of being ranked number one at something is exciting and surreal to Castillo Lopez.

“Everyone is going to try and beat us,” Castillo Lopez said. “We are the ones to beat. I feel pressure, but at the same time, I feel happy to be the ones to beat this year. It doesn’t happen all of the time, all of the years that you play, that you’re the one to beat.”

In addition to the pressure on the duo because of their top ranking, the entire team faces weather challenges as the women prepare to compete in Tucson, Arizona starting May 4 and the men on May 11 in Plano, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.

“We are looking for good weather right now,” said Glen Moser, head tennis coach. “We haven’t had any. We will hope that it gets warmer so that our transition is easier because when we get to Tucson, for example, it’s going to be 92 degrees every day.”

The weather can affect the team tremendously if it isn’t what they are used to.

“The difference is that it’s very dry in Tucson, so the girls don’t realize they’re sweating and they don’t feel as tired,” Moser said. “It’s going to be more humid in Dallas, which is very noticeable when you’re sweating like crazy.”

The team prepares for the difference in weather by keeping up with conditioning.

“We do wanna keep he kids running, […]so that when they get in a 3-set match, they aren’t tuckered out by the end of the third because of the weather,” Moser said. “In terms of body language and not looking like you’re uncomfortable, that’s half of the battle.”

Once the teams arrive to their destination, it’s all about staying focused.

“Just hanging out with the teammates, really [is how I stay focused],” said men’s duo member Daniel De Zamacona*. “We all stay together in the hotel or we go hang out, walk around in the city. As long as we are all hanging out together, we stay focused and in the zone.”

Beckett also has a plan to stay focused during her time at nationals.

“I think we have to go in there positively,” she said. “Throughout the season, we have beat the top ten doubles teams in the country […] I think we have to keep calm and not be overwhelmed by the situation.”

*Editor’s note: Daniel De Zamacona is the Photography Editor for The Campus Ledger.

Contact Sydney Studer, reporting correspondent, at sstuder1@jccc.edu

The man behind the smile

May 2, 2013

DZamacona-CStoreGuy — Aaron Crook, merchandise assistant, happily works at the C-Store on April 26, 2013. *Photo by Daniel De Zamacona*

By David Hurtado

The shop is lined with shelves of various bright snack foods. A quick glance around the room reveals many of the hallmarks found in a local convenience store; a well-stocked cooler, sizzling coffee machines and the hustle and bustle of paying customers.

The C-Store, wedged in between the Book Buyback Lounge and Bookstore, stocks essentially everything a student could need in the short intervals between classes. In addition to snack foods and drinks, students can find school supplies, cards and clothing emblazoned with the college’s logo.

Aaron Crook, merchandise assistant, Bookstore, is one of the many faces behind the checkout counter. Crook has been working at the college for about fourteen years now, and has served the last three inside the C-Store.

“I really like the social part of it, getting to talk to various customers that come in,” Crook said.

Before coming to the college, Crook worked for Kohl’s and taught tennis at the Topeka Country Club. When Cook began his employment at the college in 1999, he started in the Success Center and worked there for seven years. In 2009, Crook said he became interested in teaching and went through a teachers program at UMKC, but didn’t feel it was the right match.

“I started looking for jobs back at the college, and there was an opening in the bookstore,” he said. “I worked in the bookstore for maybe about a year before I switched over to the C-Store. I really enjoy working for the college, and luckily there was an opening in the bookstore and eventually that led to the C-Store.”

Jill Johnson, bookstore clerk, Bookstore, said she enjoys working with Crook because he likes to sing and always keeps it interesting.

“He’s fun and upbeat and positive; he cares about everyone and he definitely goes above and beyond to know his customers,” Johnson said. “He’s a breath of fresh air.”

Crook grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and lived there until he was 18 before heading out to Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, working toward a Bachelors of Arts and Sociology. Crook went to Washburn for four and a half years on a tennis scholarship which helped pay for some of his schooling, and was a player on the Ichabod tennis team.

Crook is a self-described easy going individual who’s kind, has backbone and has a few quirky habits. One of which is drinking a can of pop through a straw for dental reasons.

“I do that because my dad mentioned that if you do that, you get less sugar on your teeth,” he said. “It’ll go down your pipe quicker and won’t linger on your teeth. I kind of worry about my teeth and cavity issues.”

Mikayla Porter, student, said one of the reasons she frequents the C-Store is because she enjoys talking to the employees. Each time she stops by, she usually buys a bag of Goldfish and a can of Arizona Tea, peach flavor.

“I like going in there because they have really fun people to talk to and everybody there is really positive,” Porter said. “If I ever need advice on something they give me advice, and the food’s good too. […] Pretty much everything that a convenience store would have is in there.”

Crook estimates around 900 people visit the store daily. He also said the busiest day of the week for the C-Store is Monday, when the food shipment arrives. Crook said it can be challenging to put away all the food items in one day, adding no other day of the week stacks up to Monday.

Despite the many years of being in the workforce under his belt, Crook said he hasn’t worked at another convenience store.
“That may be a good thing; the clerks get shot at a lot outside of JCCC,” he said. “This is a great conve¬nience store to work at.”

Contact David Hurtado, staff reporter, at dhurtado@jccc.edu

The responsibility to protect

May 2, 2013

By Jon Parton

My sister’s friend committed suicide last week. She had family, friends and a fiancé. What she didn’t have was the professional help needed to improve her mental health.

She couldn’t afford it.

The greatest mark of a civilization is how it treats its citizens with the least advantages; the poor, the young, the physically handicapped, the mentally handicapped, the minorities.

I never understood those people who claimed to be religious in one breath and then complain about freeloaders on welfare with the next.

Having read the entire Bible, the behavior I see in these people does not match up to the religion they claim to follow. For reference, look at Luke 12:33-34, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

It’s wrong to say that every Christian is a hypocrite. That’s the point. Generalizations about a religion are just as wrong as generalizations about the sick and needy.

As a nation, we have the moral obligation, the responsibility to protect the least of our citizens. It’s not a matter of money; it’s a matter of providing for those who can’t afford mental health care for themselves.

The suicide rate in the U.S. jumped 31 percent from 1999 to 2010, meaning about 105 people committed suicide a day. My sister’s friend had a future, but she’s just a statistic now because of her inability to receive mental health care.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in self-interest. People have plenty of problems in their own lives to fix, let alone the problems of others. However, it’s this line of reasoning that has led to the situation we face today.

Look at all the mass shootings that have occurred within the past few years. No one thinks mental health care is a problem until something traumatic occurs.

The American Psychological Association ran a survey in 2008 that found many Americans with mental illness were forced to pay out-of-pocket for their own psychiatry sessions. What about those who can’t afford to do so?

Another major problem is the stigma associated with mental health care. We’re a nation that can talk openly about sex and guns, but mental health is seen as taboo. A person who seeks help for mental illness is often looked down upon in our society.

Beyond our responsibility to provide for those less fortunate, we need to lose our negative connotations regarding mental health care. We have to say as a nation, “It’s OK to seek help. It’s OK to talk about what’s wrong.”

We already know what our silence has cost us. It’s time to break through our comfort zone and have a discussion about things that
matter.

Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu

What a semester it’s been!

May 2, 2013

By Stephen Cook

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems that with each month time goes by faster and faster. Although a lot has happened this semester, it seems like it has just flown by in a matter of days!

Although these last four issues as editor-in-chief have gone quickly, I’ve learned a lot about myself and newspaper production and journalism as well.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Maria Antonia and Tim Twyman, who were chosen as the recipients of the college’s Headline Award. One piece of thought-provoking advice that I took away is that you should never be satisfied with your work as a journalist. You should never become comfortable or grow to become attached to a certain piece, thinking that it is perfect. The truth is that there is always room for improvement.

Although I may be happy with the overall way a story or an issue comes out, I do always feel that there is a way that we can advance and become better.

This semester, though there have been rough patches and challenges along the way, I feel that we have succeeded. I say we, because I am referring to the entire staff of the Campus Ledger. This paper would be impossible to produce if it wasn’t for the combined efforts and hard work of everybody listed on page 10.

I am happy to announce that I will be returning as the editor-in-chief of the Campus Ledger for the 2013-14 academic year. Looking at next year I only plan on us getting better as a publication, with each of us learning how to improve and be the best journalists we can be.

No matter how crazy things may get, each time I sit down to write an article or interview somebody, I remember why I am into journalism in the first place. I enjoy writing because I enjoy telling the stories of individuals around campus. The best part about my job is constantly getting to meet new people and learn new things.

No matter how many stories you write, there is always something else to discover and take away from the experience.

I am incredibly grateful for this position and am greatly looking forward to next year. I’ll see you in the fall!

Contact Stephen Cook, editor-in-chief, at scook35@jccc.edu

Sociability on the spectrum

May 2, 2013

By Hannah Davis

The Autism Spectrum Support Club provides social interaction for autistic students.

“We do a bunch of different activities,” Miranda Gilmore said. “Last week we went mini golfing, this week we’re going to Buffalo Wild Wings to have dinner together.”

This group sounds like friends having a good time, and that’s exactly what the Autism Spectrum Support Club at the college is intended for.

“We’re registered with the Center of Student Involvement and the club consists of students here that are on the spectrum, the autism spectrum, also we have student mentors –anybody that wants to volunteer in a club,” said Karen Miller, Access Services adviser and faculty adviser to the club. “And the great thing about having student mentors is that students on the spectrum sometimes have problems with social skills, social interactions, just kind of knowing what the appropriate social place is to stand, things like that […] We’re really kind of geared toward social interaction, so we usually meet, have a short meeting, and then we do some sort of social activity, whether that’s on or off campus.”

The club started three years ago when Ben Edwards, a student on the autism spectrum, advocated for it.

Sean Swindler, director of community development for the Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, helped Edwards achieve his goal of forming a small organization at the college.

“Ben’s vision for the club was that he wanted a club that allowed students on the spectrum and typical students to meet,” he said. “They come to the club together.”

Gilmore, a peer mentor for the club and student at the University of Kansas, plans to work with autistic children when she graduates. She began working with children on the autism spectrum in college.

“I always left feeling rewarded by having the experience that day, and I always wanted to go back to see the changes they made,” Gilmore said.

“It’s really rewarding seeing their progress. One example, I used to work with a little boy who was non-verbal, and seeing him just talk in the slightest way was just a huge accomplishment for him and me.”

Some students with autism have what Swindler called a “hidden disability.”

“You may not recognize the challenge [autistic individuals] have sometimes with people because they may not have those social skills,” Swindler said. “Somebody may have a wonderful vocabulary or memory, but they don’t know how to act socially.”

Miller said something similar about misconceptions people have about those on the spectrum.

“Because of those sometimes missing social queues, students may not think they’re very friendly,” Miller said. “They do want to be social, part of a group, but they don’t know how. That’s why I think the mentors are good, because they’re able to kind of show them ‘This is people’s space, you stand here, not here.’ And I think that they’re not always listening, but they are listening.”

Those involved with the club hope to raise awareness about autism to the community.

“I think raising awareness is important because a lot of people don’t know what it is,” Gilmore said. “I think people just assume that its worse than it is. A lot of kids are completely different. Every case is different. You can’t generalize that at all.”

Just like in other diseases, autism can be minor, severe or somewhere in between.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 88 children have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

“In general, if a faculty member was teaching three classes, they would statistically have one person in their classroom that’s on the spectrum,” Miller said.

The club meets every other Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Gilmore said. “It’s definitely something I enjoy being a part of.”

Contact Hannah Davis, news editor, at hdavis18@jccc.edu

Gabrielle Fitzgerald, features editor, contributed to this article

World events: May 2, 2013

May 2, 2013

Factory crash in Bangladesh kills more than 230

At least 230 workers died when an eight-story garment factory came crashing down early in the morning on April 24. The disaster came less than five months after a fire killed 112 people also working in a garment factory in Bangladesh. Rescue workers searched throughout the night, cutting holes through the concrete and passing water and flashlights to survivors. Despite deep, visible cracks in the walls of the building the day before, factory owners chose to ignore police warnings and kept more than 2,000 people working.

Newborn baby sold on Facebook

A newborn Indian boy born in a Ludhiana hospital was sold on Facebook to a Delhi-based businessman for 800,000 Rupees. Early reports indicate the child was sold at least two times before the deal with the businessman was finalized. Police raided the businessman’s home on Tuesday and recovered the child. At least five people have been arrested, including the child’s grandfather, who allegedly first sold the child to a nurse for 45,000 Rupees. Police say this case is the tip of the iceberg of child-trafficking; estimates indicate tens of thousands of children are trafficked each year out of India alone.

American citizen on trial in North Korea

North Korea has announced their plan to begin a trial against a US citizen detained there last year, according to state media. Pae Jun Ho stands accused of committing crimes against the country and aiming to topple the Kim regime. Ho was arrested last November when he entered the northeastern city of Rason. He was with five other tourists, but was detained when a computer hard disk was found in the groups belongings.

12th-century minaret destroyed in ongoing Syrian Civil War

The minaret, a tall spire commonly found in Muslim architecture, at a 12th-century mosque in Aleppo has been obliterated in the heavy fighting between regime and rebel forces. Reports indicate it is unclear which side destroyed the UN designated World Heritage site, which has stood since 1090. Although rebel forces place blame on the regime, government officials claim terrorists from Jabhet al-Nursa were responsible for detonating explosives. The jihadist al-Nusra Front in Syria has been linked to al Qaeda in Iraq. Other parts of the mosque have been badly damaged by artillery and gunfire.

US Marine rapid response force deployed to Spain base

As part of a rapid response force tasked with responding to threats against U.S. citizens, government personnel, or installations in Africa, 500 Marines have been deployed to Spain. The new task force is based at the Morón Airbase in southern Spain, with more troops expected to arrive. The unit will be responsible for protecting diplomatic compounds in danger, protecting U.S. citizens, rescuing downed pilots and assisting the U.S. military as needed. Spain gave the final approval on Friday, April 26.

Compiled by David Hurtado, staff reporter, dhurtado@jccc.edu

Reductions to affect technology division

May 2, 2013

By Stephen Cook

The hours for the technology division chairs will be reduced this fall in an effort to save money. The 60 hour reduction is estimated to save the college $50,000 to $60,000 a year.

Andy Anderson, Interim Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs, said he decided to do this, seeing how the technology department still had two assistant deans in addition to chairs. There will be a remaining 75 hours of chair time divided amongst the 19 programs in the technology division, according to Anderson.

The number of hours from division to division vary based on factors such as the number of faculty and adjunct faculty, Anderson said.

“As we were looking at the budget and trying to assess how much time, how much money in fact was being spent on release time to assign chair duties,” Anderson said. “We had to look at those numbers more carefully and see if [we could] be more efficient and economize in a way.”

Anderson said the allocation of the remaining hours is up to the dean of the division.

Concern has been raised amongst those who are a part of the vocational training and technology programs.

Before the current reduction, hours were previously cut from six to four. Automotive technologies professor Steve Carr resigned from the position of chair shortly thereafter.

“I frequently worked evenings and weekends to get everything done,” Carr said. “After I resigned, my blood pressure dropped 25 points, my blood sugar returned to normal levels – I am diabetic – and I was able to sleep through the night. I felt human again.”

In addition to whether or not people will continue to step up and become chairs, Carr is concerned why the technology division received cuts, especially during a time when vocational training is being promoted elsewhere.

“Why not level the playing field and cut all other chairs across campus to four hours of release time and leave the technology chairs with four hours?” Carr said. “The savings would be greater than just cutting technology chairs.”

Richard Fort, assistant dean of Industrial Technology programs, said it becomes a difficult situation because not all chair duties can be easily given to the assistant deans. For example, ordering parts and supplies is something the chairs are most familiar with and know everything that is needed in a specific classroom.

“The problem that you’ve got with that is there’s a number of those things that just can’t be put onto me,” Fort said. “The instructors know more about their program than I know.”

Carr believes that it is unfair to compare the technology division chairs to other divisions, such as English, because there is a unique list of duties that have to be done for labs and career planning.

“Do they have inventory to manage?” Carr said. “Do they counsel students? Do they visit local high schools to recruit? Do they visit local businesses to promote their students? Do their students do supervised work for other faculty and staff? Do they have safety concerns that must be addressed? Do they ensure that labs are run where safety and quality work are demanded? […] I doubt they do any of these.”

In addition to the reduction in the technology division, Anderson said eight hours have been removed from the business division.

Although there will be less hours, Anderson believes that there is still enough time to complete the necessary work.

“The formula would suggest that they have enough time to get the job done,” Anderson said. “They will be getting less time than they were getting before and then it becomes a judgment call. But the formula, if you consider the assistant deans in the mix, then they had 60 hours on top of what the formula said they should have.”

However, the challenge of trying to work within reduced hours creates a roadblock, according to Fort.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me,” Fort said. “We’re not going to try and increase classes, that’s for sure.”

If students don’t enroll in technology courses, then they won’t enroll in the general classes either, according to Carr.

“When we cut our classes it’s also going to impact classes on campus because every one of our students has to take [general classes],” Carr said.

Additionally, Fort believes this will affect what the division will be able to do in the future.

“Basically, what’s going to end up happening is that we’re just going to start saying no to a lot of things,” Fort said.

Contact Stephen Cook, editor-in-chief, at scook35@jccc.edu

Budgetary cuts to be implemented

May 2, 2013

By Hannah Davis

A decrease in revenue has resulted in budget cuts for next fiscal year.

“Most of the cuts will be in salaries and benefits,” Don Perkins, associate vice president of financial services, said. “They will include, to a large extent, full time positions, say for retirees that won’t be filled, or will be filled with adjunct, in the case of faculty it will be adjunct, and this also includes the corresponding benefits.”

Salaries and benefits make up 79 percent of the general fund expenses. The general fund is the primary operating fund, which is financed by local taxes, state aid and tuition, according to Perkins.

The “Board of Trustees Budget Workshop for Fiscal Year 2013-2014” demonstrates that almost two million dollars are expected to be cut from the general fund.

“The budget process now is getting to the point where we really need to have a solid understanding of what our expenses are going to be and what our revenues are going to be, so we can begin the fiscal year,” Joe Sopcich, executive vice president of administrative services – chief financial officer, said.

Another strategy to cut spending is what Perkins calls “basic reconstruction” when employees leave the college and their duties are dispersed to other employees, rather than hiring an individual to fill the position.

“We want to make sure that services aren’t affected,” Sopcich said. “We want to do things as efficiently as possible to keep the same level of service.”

There have also been proposals to raise the mill levy tax to increase revenue at the college.

“They still have some flexibility regarding the mill levy,” Perkins said. “They have to consider very seriously what the impact of that would be if they would not raise the mill, or if they would raise it a different amount. Nevertheless, there are some things we’re only estimating at this point. What will assessed valuation actually be? What will the state actually do? They’re working on it. So that would have some impact.”

Although the mill levy tax may be raised, nothing will be certain until August.

Another decrease in revenue is the declining enrollment at the college. In the 2009-10 fiscal year enrollment increased more than eight percent, due to the economic downturn, but in the fiscal year 2011-12, enrollment decreased almost three percent, and the following fiscal year 2012-13, enrollment decreased three percent. A continuation of this decrease has been projected for next fiscal year, falling another three percent.

“[Declining enrollment] does have an impact on revenue, but it does have an impact on expenses as well,” Perkins said. “So the net of those two is what affects cash. Still, it definitely has an effect in where we need to set the budget for coming years […] We are reducing staff, planning to reduce staff next year, and some of that is reaction to reduced enrollment, some of it is just looking for more efficiency with our operations.”

The changes made will be internal, Perkins said, which shouldn’t affect the experiences of the students.

“I think you always have to remember why we’re here, and we’re here for students, and we’re here for education that will help students advance themselves, be it going onto another institution, getting a job in the workplace, or simply just making sure the student can advance in the direction the student wants to advance,” Sopcich said. “That’s the most important thing. That’s what we do. All this other stuff, all these numbers, goes toward that aim, goes toward that objective.”

Contact Hannah Davis, news editor, at hdavis18@jccc.edu

Three candidates vie for presidential seat

May 2, 2013

By Jon Parton

Declining enrollment and calls for budget cuts from legislators are some of the issues facing the leadership of the college.

With the upcoming departure of Terry Calaway, the college’s current president, the school has been searching for his replacement since December of last year.

That search resulted in three candidates: Edward “Ted” Raspiller, president, Blinn College’s Brazos County campuses; Richard Shrubb, president, Minnesota West Community and Technical College; and Joe Sopcich, executive vice president of administrative services – chief financial officer, Johnson County Community College.

Over the course of a few weeks, the presidential candidates were brought to the campus to speak to the Board of Trustees, the presidential search committee, community members, and the Student Senate.

The candidates engaged in conversation with the Student Senate, asking and answering questions about the college.

Raspiller has a doctorate in Adult Continuing Education and has served at a number of two-year colleges as both faculty and an administrator, including departmental chair at Old Dominion University and Waukesha County Technical College.

Although he did not have a specific plan for addressing budgetary concerns, he said he would like to look at what programs could be merged in order to save money for the school.

If the opportunity presented itself, Raspiller said he would love to teach a class at the college if it would not interfere with presidential duties.

“Community college is about teaching,” Raspiller said. “As long as that’s our guiding principle, we can’t go wrong.”

Shrubb received a doctorate in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. He previously served as vice president of Terra State Community College and dean of general education at Southern State Community College.

Shrubb recently travelled to Russia thanks to a Fulbright scholarship. Shrubb said his trip was an eye-opening experience and helped him learn about farming communities in Russia.

He previously travelled to China and said he would like to continue sending students there as part of the school’s partnership with its sister school Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xian, China.

Shrubb said he wanted to talk to Gov. Sam Brownback and Kansas legislators in order to help keep the school financially stable.

Colleges are often too alike, according to Shrubb.

“I think the big strategy is to be unique,” Shrubb said. “Any college can offer an education. I want to sell the unique experience.”

Sopcich earned a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from KU. He previously worked at the Chicago Historical Society and Metropolitan Family Services.

Sopcich was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2011, allowing him to travel to Russia and study how the education system in Russia differs from that in the United States.

Public and private partnerships are a priority for the school, Sopcich said in regards to the school’s Sustainability program.

“Those are the types of relationships that are really important to this college and you can see some of the things that can happen through philanthropy,” Sopcich said.

Contact Jon Parton, managing editor, at jparton@jccc.edu

Police briefs: May 2, 2013

May 2, 2013

MISSING IPHONE

Campus police were dispatched on April 17 when a black iPhone 3 went missing in the CSB. The iPhone was attached to the victim’s computer with its charger when he left his desk. When he returned five minutes later, the iPhone was gone.

TWO THEFTS IN THE GYM

A student contacted campus police when his backpack, duffle bag, car key and wallet were taken from an unsecured locker from the men’s locker room on the first floor of the gym.

While the police canvassed the area, the police were contacted again by a second victim, who reported that his backpack had been stolen.

The officers received information that the second victim’s backpack was recovered in a stall in the men’s restroom in the gym. Nothing had been taken from the backpack.

The officers conducted an area canvass with negative results for the first victim’s missing items.

INTOXICATED PARTY IN PARKING LOT

Campus Police were called when a woman was reportedly consuming alcohol in a parked vehicle. The officers arrived in the sports parking lot to find a female laying horizontally in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

The female had slurred speech and acted disoriented. When the officers asked her to get out of the vehicle she seemed confused and struggled to get the door open. Upon exiting the vehicle, she became unbalanced and the officers had to assist her in standing up.

She stated that she was picking up her son from the college, and began drinking since her arrival on campus due to personal problems. She told the officers that she had a bottle of vodka in her vehicle and asked the officers to remove it.

She was arrested for consuming liquor in a public place and was issued a Notice to Appear. A family member responded to the scene at the request of the police.

A bottle, which was three quarters empty, was recovered from the vehicle and is being held for evidence.

Compiled by Hannah Davis, hdavis18@jccc.edu

News briefs: May 2, 2013

May 2, 2013

CULINARY BUILDING UPDATE

Construction of the new culinary and hospitality academy is right on schedule. Executive director of campus services, Rex Hays, says the building is slated to open on August 1, 2013. The roof is complete, utilities are in place, and windows are being installed, according to Hays.

“It’s beautiful, it’s spacious, it’s going to be a great facility for the college and the campus community, and I can report right now that it is on schedule and on budget,” Hays said.

RETIREMENT PARTY FOR CALAWAY

Dr. Andrea Broomfield, vice president of the faculty association, and an English professor at the college said plans are underway for a retirement party for President Terry Calaway.

“We will do our best to make it memorable. You will be very missed, President Calaway,” Broomfield said.

Compiled by Olivia Fox, ofox@ jccc.edu

NEW COURSES OFFERED IN FALL 2013

The college will offer 44 new classes this fall. Thirteen of these classes involve game development. Other classes include courses in anthropology, such as “Archeology of Ancient North America” and computer classes such as “Survey of Google Apps.” A new associate’s degree in information systems technology is also being offered at the college.

For more information on new classes, visit the college’s website under course catalogs, or visit the counseling center on the second floor of the student center.

IMPORTANT SUMMER SEMESTER DATES

The payment deadline for summer classes is on May 28 at 5 p.m. Web enrollment will reopen the following morning at midnight.

The first day of class for the eight week and four week classes is June 3.

The second round of four week classes begins July 1.

Compiled by Hannah Davis, hdavis18@jccc.edu