Campus Memo for September 26, 2008

Awards and Congratulations

Earlier this month, thanks to the efforts of International/Intercultural Studies Dean Duane Kubo and IIS instructor Mae Lee, De Anza was awarded a grant for $1.2 million from the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program of the U.S. Department of Education. The funds will be used for programs to meet the needs of AANAPI students, such as:

• Expansion and development of cohort-based Summer Bridge sessions
• Creation of multilingual breakout sessions for AANAPI parents at college orientation
• Expansion of SSRS center as hub for student assessments, referrals and information about college services
• Expansion and development of First-Year Experience tailored to AANAPI students
• Development of new learning communities tailored to AANAPI students

Other reasons to celebrate De Anza's success:

• Dining Services was named the finest college or university dining services in the United States by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS).
• The Kirsch Center won awards for the most environmentally friendly building in the country and was the country's first Platinum LEED certified community college building.
• The Athletics program was named the best comprehensive program in the Coast Conference.
• More than 20 Film/TV students transferred into top universities.
• Two De Anza students placed fifth in the Beijing Olympics in Synchronized Swimming Pairs.

Around Campus

Voter Education Series
The Institute of Community and Civic Engagement (ICCE) and Generation Engage (GenGage) invite you to participate in a number of election events and activities during the month of October. All events will be held in Campus Center Conference Rooms A & B.

What: Faculty Panel on 2008 Presidential Elections
When: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 12:30-2p.m.

What: Andale Welcome Event for New Students & Parents
When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 9:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

What: Voter Education on Immigration Legislation
When: Monday, Oct. 20, 1:30- 3 p.m.

What: Film Screening and Community Dialogue: Brett Morgen's CHICAGO 10
When: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 1:30- 4 p.m.

For more information on these events and other election activities on campus, contact ICCE staff at ext. 8349 or communityengagement@deanza.edu. Watch for weekly "Youth Vote 2008" e-mail bulletins on election events.

Election Night Event
You're invited to attend this event sponsored by the Office of the President on Nov. 4 in the Campus Center. More details to follow!

Faculty and Staff Art Exhibition at the Euphrat
The De Anza and Foothill College Art Faculty/Staff Exhibition presents a variety of artwork created by full-time and part-time art faculty from De Anza and Foothill. Sculpture, painting, drawing, prints, mixed media, photography, ceramics and more will be on display.

When: Sept. 30-Oct. 30
Where: Euphrat Museum of Art
Museum hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Reception: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Call Jan Rindfleisch at ext. 8836 for more information.

Fujitsu Planetarium Free Shows
The Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College (www.deanza.edu/planetarium/) welcomes all De Anza employees to enjoy a show that is out of this world. Presentation is free of charge but seating is limited to 135 and is on a first-come first-served basis. Please be prompt to minimize disruption--no late seating.

"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity"
There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to end. In this show you will zip through otherworldly wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and witness the violent death of a star and subsequent birth of a black hole.

When: Friday, Oct. 24, 11:30 a.m. (30-40 minutes)
Where: Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College

"Extreme Planets"
This newest original production explores what makes a planet "Earth-like" and takes you on a full-dome tour of several worlds that just might fit the conditions we're looking for. From water worlds to molten landscapes, inhabitable moons to planets with multiple suns, these exotic worlds aren't just science fiction anymore!

When: Friday, Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m. (30-40 minutes)
Where: Fujitsu Planetarium at De Anza College

Fall Job Fair
De Anza's Career Center will host a Job Fair for about 45 employers on campus. Please remind your students to bring several copies of their resume to the event.

When: Thursday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: Campus Center Conference Rooms A & B

For more information, contact Cindy Lister at ext. 5716 or listercindy@deanza.edu.

Enjoy "A Night of Magic"
You are cordially invited to join President Brian Murphy and the De Anza College Commission for the 15th annual fundraising benefit for Auto Tech and MCNC. Discount faculty and staff tickets are available through Oct. 6 at www.nightofmagic.org.

When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m.
Where: De Anza College Main Gym

News Briefs and Updates

Interim Appointments, Reorganization and Administrative Searches
Christina Espinosa-Pieb has accepted the position of interim vice president of Instruction, which she also held during the 2003-04 academic year. Her former position of dean of Academic Services has been reclassified as associate vice president of Academic Services.

Filling the position of interim associate vice president of Academic Services is language arts instructor Lydia Hearn, who last year served as interim dean of Language Arts.

Finance & College Services, led by Vice President Jeanine Hawk, has been renamed Educational Resources & College Operations. Donna Jones-Dulin's position as director of College Services has been reclassified as associate vice president of College Operations, reflecting the area's new name and the level of collegewide responsibility and breadth of duties her position encompasses.

Searches for permanent appointments to the positions of vice president of Instruction and vice president of Student Services have been renewed with the hope of filling those positions by the end of fall quarter.

Measures E and C
The construction of the new Visual and Performing Arts building is nearing completion and will give the campus a wonderful 400-seat theater, a 50-seat multimedia classroom and a new home for the Euphrat Museum of Art. The building is expected to open for classes beginning winter quarter 2009 and we will have a gala opening event at the end of February. Congratulations to the entire team that worked on the building, from Jeanine Hawk to Nancy Canter and the faculty in Creative Arts, as well as the extremely talented construction teams who brought the building in close to schedule and budget.

The Big Game is Back!
The Foothill vs. De Anza Homecoming, Tailgate Party and Football Game returns this quarter sponsored by the Associated Students of Foothill College (ASFC).

When: Saturday, Oct. 4
Tailgate Party: Foothill Parking Lot 1 at 5 p.m.
Game: Foothill Stadium at 7 p.m.

RSVP by Oct. 2 for free BBQ & game admission with OwlCard or Staff ID--$5 without. Only 200 available. For tickets/info: Student Activities Office, Room 2009, 650.949.7282 or davorentricia@foothill.edu.

Distance Learning Fall Training
A new training program for faculty in using Catalyst for their courses is available through the Distance Learning Center. Also offered are brown-bag lunch sessions on topics such as communicating with students, course enhancement using online technology and free educational resources. For more information on this comprehensive training series, see www.deanza.edu/pdf/dc-fall08-training-flyer.pdf

Faculty and Staff News

The Employee of the Month Committee Needs Your Help!
The Classified Employee of the Month Committee is still seeking new members. Candidates should be flexible, creative team players with energy and enthusiasm for fun celebrations, interested in receiving PGA credit. The committee meets a minimum of once a month to plan for upcoming EOM celebrations and to select EOMs.

If you can't serve on the committee, it only takes a few minutes to express how a Classified Professional has made an impact or impression on you with his or her hard work and dedication to the job. Please pass along this very important message to keep the Employee of the Month committee alive! Contact: Patty Jobs at jobspatricia@deanza.edu or ext. 8711.

Congratulations to De Anza Employees
The Board of Trustees has approved the following personnel actions since the beginning of the calendar year.

New Hires--Veronica Aparicio, Admissions and Records; Blue Barela, College Services; David Byars, Library Services; Emigdio Cervantes, College Services; Adam Contreras, College Services; Tammy Ehle, Technology Resources; Olga Evert, Academic Services; Ilan Glasman, Creative Arts instructor; Esther Halwani, Disability Support Services; Lucy Hirata, Child Development; Linda Koyama, Child Development; Gary Lewis, College Services; Ram Subramaniam, Chemistry instructor; Stephen Fletcher, Assessment Center supervisor; Mehrdad Khosravi, Math instructor; Iaroslav Kryliouk, Math instructor; Phong Lam, Diversity Office; Mark Larson, Applied Technologies instructor; William Madden, Counseling; Christine Magnin, HOPE; Tram Mai Nguyen, Counseling; Ellen Miller, Workforce Development; April Qian, Distance Learning; Susan Roberts, Special Education; Michelle Sampson, College Services; Maura Vidal, College Services; Rosilyne Wright, Special Education

Promotions-- Rich Schroeder, dean of Physical Education and Athletics; Rob Mieso, director of Office of Outreach and Relations with Schools; Joan Penna-Ferrick, Admissions & Records coordinator; Kim Te, Academic Services technician, senior; Nina Van, Financial Aid outreach coordinator

Professional Growth Awards--Eloise Alvarez, Silvia Bichler, Larry Bloom, Mary Browning, Pisamai Chamkasem, Mi Chang, Larry Ching, Mary Clark, Max Gilleland, Melissa Ingalls, Norma Johnstone, Bachmai Kha, Lisa Kirk, Keri Kirkpatrick, Cindy Lister, Krista MacCubbin, Rob Mieso, Blanche Monary, Jennifer Nguyen, Henry Nguyen, Thao Phuong Nguyen, Irene Niazov, Kelly Pettit, Janet Schmidt, Cynthia Smith, Binh Thai, May Thai, Judy Ting, Nina Van

Service Recognition Awards--Rudy Carranza, Miguel Ordaz, Jose Reyes

Longevity Awards--Ed Breault, Nancy Chao, Nancy Cole, Frances Frazer, Patty Jobs, Bachmai Kha, Lu Joy, Krista MacCubbin, Lesley McCortney, Joe Ngo, Henry Nguyen, Olivia Patlan, Ivan Roderiques, Amelia Sanchez, Lori Susi, Ryan Tao, May Thai

Administrative Achievement Award--Caron Blinick, for recognition of excellence in her work for three consecutive years.

Administrative Development Leave--John Swensson

Distinguished Educator Awards 2007-2008

Spring 2007--Richard Lopez

The inspiration to bestow the Distinguished Educator Award on Richard Lopez came with the thunderous applause that greeted him at the Math Performance Success celebration in 2007. The affection and respect expressed by his students and colleagues were compelling testimony to his brilliance as an instructor. Read more...

 

Winter 2008--Eugene Rodriguez and Julie Phillips

 Eugene Rodriguez says that when he started teaching, he had a very different approach from his current teaching style. "When I first started here I was largely using what I learned from graduate school," he recalls, "lots of information but not really that in tune with where the students were coming from." But art and times change, and Rodriguez has adapted well. "I have met some amazing people who have helped me grow into my own regarding pedagogy and methodology," he says. Read more...

 Winter 2008--Julie Phillips

Julie Phillips, environmental studies instructor and Morgan Family Chair in Environmental Studies, is passionate about teaching and stewardship of the earth. "We have to change the way we teach and motivate our students. We must work in teams -- both faculty and students -- to learn about environmental stewardship. The skills of leadership, team-building and stewardship must be taught to every student who enters De Anza College," says Phillips. Read more...

 

Spring 2008--Pauline Yeckley

Librarian Pauline Yeckley was hired in 1986 to convert the card catalog to computers. "Not an easy task," says Yeckley. But she knows her hard work paid off, and so does anyone else who has ever used the library computer database or website. Yeckley's nominators and staff say her approach to her job is a simple one: "Think of the students." Read more...

 

Summer 2008--Bill Nagel

 Bill Nagel is one of those professors who could act very proud of his years of experience, but always approaches students with a simple and positive attitude. "My assumption is that students take graphic design classes because they have experienced some level of enjoyment or success with art, the computer, the creative process, problem solving or any type of visual communication," Nagel says. "I try to teach the fundamentals of graphic design in a context that respects this enjoyment and builds their confidence." Nagel believes that student mistakes and errors are not so much "wrong" as they are opportunities to learn how to be better designers. "I choose to enjoy myself in the classroom and I feel this helps create a non-threatening environment for the students." Read more...

Next Issue of Campus Memo

Check back for Employee of the Month and other awards in the next Campus Memo. Send submissions for the next issue to Lois Jenkins at jenkinslois@deanza.edu.