Update from the President
by Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Greetings,
We are in the final weeks of the Spring 2021 semester. The stress of final assignments and exams is in the air. Yet, it is indeed my favorite time of the year. This is the time we celebrate our students who did not let a pandemic stop their purpose! Honors Convocation, pinning ceremonies and Commencement are wonderful ways to recognize the accomplishments of our graduates. This is a time to affirm the “why” our work is so important. Faculty and staff, you are the difference makers! Below are a few updates from the Office of the President:
May Celebration – Mark your calendars for our virtual celebration of our 2021 Retirees and Faculty Emerita for May 10th 1-1:30pm! The zoom link will be shared collegewide by the end of April.
Sharing the Good – There are so many good things happening at Nashville State! In this edition of the Voice, we will be celebrating two SERS grants received and the launch of a new Patient Care Technician program. This is your monthly reminder to use this form to recognize an individual (faculty, staff, or student), department, program, or group that has had a significant accomplishment or made a difference.
Enrollment – Early registration began this month. We are up summer 13.3% headcount, 9.3% FTE and fall 42.7% headcount, 41.8% FTE. While the numbers are encouraging, please remember that we had a significant decrease in headcount/FTE in 2020. In comparison to Fall 2019, we are down 29.5% headcount and 32.7% FTE. New dynamic dashboards are now available for daily enrollment reports. Special thanks to Charles, Safiullah, and TSD for making this possible. The link to the dashboards are: Fall 2021 to Fall 2019 ETR Comparison Dashboard, Fall 2021 ETR Dashboard, Summer 2021 ETR Dashboard
Budget – We are still finalizing the new FY22 Budget (July 1, 2021-June 30,2022). This includes affirming enrollment projections. It has been more challenging to predict this year due to COVID.
COVID Relief Funds – You are encouraged to share your ideas and suggestions on how we can best use COVID relief funds to impact student success and improve operations at Nashville State. Please note there are restrictions to how the college can use these federal funds. Please use this link to submit your ideas.
Responsible Return to Campus – As a reminder, we are planning to move to Phase III of our Responsible Return to Campus plan on June 1st and Phase IV no later than August 11th. Collegewide communication has been distributed with the details of safety protocols for Phase III and IV. We will continue to monitor and adjust our plans with CDC, state and local guidelines.
What a journey we have traveled Nashville State! Our 50th Celebration was disrupted but we are still planning to celebrate the many accomplishments of our college. I am excited about our future because I have seen the work we can do – together we are Nashville State Strong!
New Patient Care Technician Program!
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Nashville State Community College, TriStar Health and the HCA Healthcare Foundation, and Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) have teamed up to create a new accelerated career pipeline to the high-demand healthcare industry. Working together, the three organizations are creating pathways into healthcare through education for roles such as patient care technicians, particularly for residents in historically underserved areas, in healthcare facilities throughout the Metro Nashville area.
The pilot program launched at MNPS’s Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood High Schools on April 12, with the expectation to open opportunities in June, July, September, and October. This program is for area residents ages 18 and older. In the first 10 days, jobs have already been secured by five program students, with more expected.
Executive leaders from Nashville State Community College, TriStar Health, HCA Healthcare Foundation, and Metro Nashville Public Schools officially announced the program at an event on Nashville State’s White Bridge campus, with students and their parents, college administrators, faculty, and staff present.
The Patient Care Technician career program was created to respond to the demands placed on healthcare facilities due to COVID-19, promote diversity in healthcare professions, and open up a new pipeline to a lasting career. “Through this strategic partnership, we are creating a direct and accelerated pathway to careers for those as young as 18 years of age in a high-demand field and industry,” said Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, Nashville State president. “As a workforce solution partner, Nashville State is excited to work alongside TriStar Health and Metro Nashville Public Schools to present opportunities that did not exist previously.”
“The patient care technician program creates a new career pathway for our students into an essential and growing industry, We always want to see our graduates moving into good jobs that make a difference in our community and fulfill a need in Nashville’s workforce, and this program does just that. Thank you to our dedicated teams of educators at Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood and to Nashville State Community College, TriStar Health, and our other partners for all the work they’ve done to make this opportunity possible.”
Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools.
“It is our privilege to collaborate with Nashville State Community College and Metro Nashville Public Schools to launch the Patient Care Technician career pipeline program, Patient care technicians are valued members of the healthcare team and play an important role in providing quality patient care. This new program will open the door to caring and motivated individuals looking for a profession in healthcare. These incredibly bright individuals are our future doctors, nurses, and other professionals that our patients and community depend upon.”
Bryan Sisk, Chief Nursing Executive, TriStar Health.
“We are very excited about this partnership, which is all about expanding access and opportunity to students who desire a career in a professional healthcare field and/or setting, Our first cohort of students from Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood have shown a tremendous level of curiosity and drive. They know this is a wonderful chance to get ahead and start working toward a career while still in high school.”
Cindy Waller, PhD, RN, MSN – Nashville State Dean of Healthcare Professions.
Whether in a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, or a doctor’s office, technicians play a vital role in patient care. Working directly with patients and nurses, technicians typically assist with managing food and liquid intake, monitoring vital signs, drawing blood, serving meals, and administering IVs to name a few of their responsibilities. Being a technician can also serve as a stepping stone to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse.
To be eligible for this free program, interested persons must be at least 18 years old and pass background and drug screenings. Students are taught in a classroom and receive hands-on training in a state-of-the-art simulation lab at Nashville State’s White Bridge Road campus. During the three-week program, students will be assigned to a healthcare facility for clinicals, which will provide hands-on learning experiences in a supervised and structured format, where students acquire the necessary skills. Upon completion of the program, the students will sit for a certification exam and have an opportunity to apply for a full-time position.
The HCA Healthcare Foundation, through the Nashville State Community College Foundation, in addition to federal CARES Act funding, is covering the cost of the training. The full list of partners includes Nashville State Community College, Nashville State Community College’s Office of Workforce and Community Development, Nashville State Community College Foundation, TriStar Health, HCA Healthcare Foundation, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and MNPS’s Academies of Nashville.
Faculty Senate Update
by Derek Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics, Faculty Senate Chair
Faculty Senate held their last meeting of the academic year on April 14. Dr. Rothstein joined the meeting to answer questions related to the tenure proposal and the process for converting a term position to a tenure-track position. After some follow-up discussion, the proposal passed. As a reminder, the proposal aligns our tenure policy with TBR policy so that faculty holding the rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor are now eligible for tenure. Our previous NSCC process required faculty to have the rank of Associate Professor to attain tenure. And it includes a clearly defined appeals process.
At the beginning of the spring term, a Senate subcommittee was formed to examine clarifying the language within the master syllabus. The goal was to present the information in the syllabus in a way that would be easy to understand for the students. The master syllabus proposal passed and will now go before Academic Affairs for their review.
There was also a proposal that passed which edited the Course Leader job description, removing the observation of peer faculty and the responsibility for accreditation standards. Along these lines, a committee of six faculty and one dean will be working with Dr. Rothstein this summer to discuss the implementation plans for having Department Chairs within divisions and reviewing the job descriptions for Program Coordinators and Course Leaders. This work reflects progress on a proposal previously passed by Senate that recommended Department Chairs and increased Program Coordinators.
Finally, a proclamation was passed recognizing the outstanding work of the Teaching Center. They have offered valuable professional development workshops, hosted weekly faculty forums, and have served as an incredible resource to support faculty during a very challenging academic year. Please thank them for their efforts and tremendous contributions!
NSCC Faculty and Staff Awarded TBR SERS Grant!
by Richard Garvin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology
It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce the recipients of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Student Engagement, Retention, and Success (SERS) Grant. Ayesha Keller, Christina Shaffer, and Richard Garvin have been awarded for the fiscal year 2022.
Keller 
Shaffer 
Garvin
The title of the grant they proposed and secured is Envisioning Success for African American Students Through Learning Communities on Community College Campuses. According to TBR’s Black Student Success at Community Colleges: A Best Practice Guide, black students are motivated by “a sense of belonging” and by a college culture of “mutual respect” and “equal treatment”. The guide also poses four pillars of academic success including exposing students to “new environments and opportunities” and providing mentoring relationships.
This outline proposes a holistic learning community for African American students that will provide mentorship opportunities, exposure to new and enriching experiences, and a health and wellness component to increase black student success and retention.
Currently, there is a 16-point gap between first-time, full-time Caucasian and African American students earning 0 credits within the first semester at NSCC. This proposal seeks to narrow this gap by providing first-time, full-time African American students with a sub-target population of African American males with a variety of resources and services. Special effort will be made to recruit students with lower ACT scores.
The Envisioning Success Program will: Increase student retention rates. Increase student engagement. Increase student sense of belonging at NSCC. Program success will be determined by student G.P.A., enrollment for second-semester rate, and pre and post-survey results.
Our student’s success is our success. For faculty and staff that would like to assist in making this a success please reach out to Ayesha, Christina, or Richard.
Sharing the Good!
Compiled by Cliff Rockstead, Managing Editor, Nashville State Voice
Submitted by Chris Saunders, CFM, Executive Director of Operations
A little-known fact that took place this past month was the extent of the Flooding in the W – Building after the Big Storm. The barrage of water affected multiple rooms and hallways in areas of the North Wing.
Facilities, Security, Janitorial, BELCOR, Lee Company, Two Rivers Roofing, and concerned office occupants participated in the repairs and refurbishment of the area.
30+ years of rocks, broken drain lines and a Racoon visitor all contributed to the stoppage in the pipes and flooding in the area.
The repairs were extensive and should provide dry hallways – offices for many years to come.
Submitted by Jennifer Rector, VP of Finance
Daniel Parrish graduated from Western Governor’s University with a Master of Business Administration on March 11, 2021. He graduated Cum Laude from NSCC May 12, 2009 with an AS Degree in Psychology, and then earned a BA Degree from APSU. Daniel is the Account Clerk Supervisor over Cashiering and Registration in the Bursar’s Office. Please congratulate Daniel on his new degree!
NSCC and Asurion Apprenticeship Program
by Rob Tudor, Director of IT Partnerships, Economic & Community Development
Nashville-based tech care company Asurion, celebrated their first class of Software Engineering Apprentices in virtual graduation with Asurion executives, federal & state dignitaries, and Nashville State leaders, among others, in attendance on April 7th. The apprenticeship program, launched in May 2020, is Tennessee’s first apprenticeship for software engineers, providing the company’s hourly employees with the opportunity to up-skill into one of the most sought-after professional roles in the metro area. The company’s software engineering apprenticeship program also helps to foster diversity in tech and help build the region’s tech talent pipeline with an eye toward long-term growth.
Over a year ago, the cohort of five Asurion employees were selected to partake in the inaugural class of this innovative apprenticeship program in partnership with Nashville State, program sponsor and technical training provider. The program was implemented for Asurion’s existing frontline customer, supply chain and other hourly employees, providing them with a career path to transition into Asurion’s professional software engineer roles. The first class represented diversity across gender, ethnicity, age, and educational experience.
“We’re proud to invest in our employees by offering another opportunity where they can push themselves to grow in their careers,”
Barry Vandevier, Chief Operating Officer at Asurion.
“As the tech sector continues to grow in Tennessee, there will be an increased demand for software engineers in the region, Asurion’s software engineer apprenticeship program is the first of its kind in the state. This unique program will go a long way in preparing the workforce and will provide high-wage jobs to support future growth in this industry. Congratulations to the graduates!”
Commissioner Jeff McCord – Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
“Nashville State has been busy adding apprenticeship programs, in partnership with business and industry in the region, to its toolbox of high-quality workforce development programs, Our industry partners benefit when employees gain new skills and knowledge that improve their products and services. I congratulate Nashville State and Asurion for this groundbreaking partnership for Nashville.”
Chancellor Flora W. Tydings – Tennessee Board of Regents
“Using the expertise of our Workforce and Community Development team, we are excited to partner with Asurion to help train their employees through this first of this kind apprenticeship program in Tennessee. Nashville State is a key workforce solution partner in preparing Middle Tennesseans for productive and successful careers in high-demand fields like the tech industry.”
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson – President of Nashville State Community College
The program started with 5 apprentices and concluded 12 months later with the graduation of 5 apprentices! Congratulations to our first software engineer apprentices graduating to become Associate Software Engineers at Asurion: Barbara, Eric, Megan, Vallory, & Xavier. Asurion and Nashville State could not be prouder of them!
Increasing Enrollment of Hispanic/Latinx First-time, Full-time Freshmen
by Jamica Hines – Southeast Campus Director
In an effort to work with an underserved Hispanic/Latinx population, I, along with Belkis Barrios and Dr. Patricia Armstrong put together a proposal to TBR’s Student Engagement, Retention, and Success Grant for 2021-2022!!
The success gap for Latinx students is an area of concern for Tennessee’s completion agenda for higher education. We are seeking support to develop and implement a long-term strategy to significantly increase the enrollment, retention, & graduation rates for people of Hispanic, Latinx, & Spanish-speaking backgrounds in the Middle Tennessee region. The emphasis for this grant will be on recruitment, admissions, & enrollment.
This ties directly to Nashville State Community College’s ATD Retention Goals of increasing Fall to Fall retention rates for first-time, full-time students and decreasing the number of first-time, full-time students earning zero credits hours during the first semester from 18% to 10% over the next 3 years.
This project will also have a direct impact on Nashville State Community College’s Strategic Enrollment Management Goal 3: Improve student experience from recruitment to enrollment. It relates directly to TBR’s Access priority and to the mission of the TBR Office of Organizational Effectiveness to build and sustain equity by “creating a diverse and inclusive environment that welcomes and values each person and their unique and common elements. Inclusiveness leads to engagement and engagement is a critical factor in an individual’s success.”
We plan to recruit and enroll 150 full-time, first-time Hispanic, Latinx, and Spanish-speaking students for enrollment! We will partner with local high schools (Antioch, Cane Ridge, Glencliff, and Overton) and community organizations (Conexión Américas and Casa Azafrán) to recruit students and build strong relationships with the Hispanic/Latinx community. We are excited and ready to start this dynamic project!!
Spring Forward With Early Advising
by Jessica Rabb, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
This April, I helped pilot “Advising Chat.” Modeled after our library’s “Ask a Librarian,” the Advising Chat provides students a chance to “Ask an Advisor” in real time. The chat widget is embedded in the home page of NS Online and has been available Monday to Friday, April 5 to April 30, usually from 9am to 4pm. As of April 23, we have had over 300 student chats.
I am grateful to the volunteer faculty, staff, and administrators from multiple campuses that have staffed the chat: Dawne Moore, Emily Bush, Eric Limbird, Marla Perry, Mary Womack, Eli Nettles, Jessica Luna, Lindsay Hager, Mark Helm, Sharley Ross, Jaclen Christian, Yvonne Simerman, Desiree Genter, Quincy Rhoads, Jesmin Akther, Patricia Armstrong, John Knox and Aggie Mendoza. The most common Advising Chat question is “Can you help me register for my classes?” Our most common answer to that question is, “Have you contacted your advisor?” However, we do try to answer quick questions and help students connect with the advisors and people that can answer their questions if we can’t or if this question deserves more time and discussion than Advising Chat permits.
Here is a sampling of some questions we have received in Advising Chat.
| How can I change my Major? |
| Can you tell me more about the e-campus courses? |
| How many hours are considered full-time for summer? |
| Could I drop my English Class, will it affect my financial aid? |
| I am needing to find out what math support class I need to sign up for. |
| Could you explain what it means by online yet combined with lecture and lab? |
| I was wondering if it is not too late to fill out FAFSA and register for a summer class? |
| Will simmer classes still be virtual or are they intending on doing on-campus and off-campus? |
| Can you register for classes right now and can you change them later on if your schedule changes? |
If you just like helping and being appreciated, Advising Chat is great for that. Here is what students had to say:
Ok thank you so much! | Thank you. Have a good day. | Fantastic. You were a great help. | Thank you! That would be great! | Thank you so much. Have a great day. | Thank you so much this will help a lot. That’s what I needed for now. Thanks! |Thanks for the input. I do appreciate it. | Ok sounds good, thank you, ma’am, I appreciate it. | Thank you for the help, this chatbox is really helpful.
Spring Writer Slam: An Evening of Spoken Word
by Heidi Blaisdell, Associate Professor of English and Writing Support
NSCC partnered with Southern Word to host their second Writer Slam, a literary competition of spoken word performances, on Thursday, April 15th. Unlike the last Writer Slam in Spring 2019, which was held in the White Bridge campus’s auditorium, this slam was live streamed on YouTube. Even in its virtual form, the Writer Slam was a community-binding evening, full of student voices, musical talent, and uplifting energy from the audience.
Fifteen NSCC students competed in the Writer Slam, offering a range of spoken word styles. Student performers showed incredible vulnerability and heart, sharing poetry reflecting on personal experiences, traumas, and faith. The top three performers received bookstore credit provided by the NSCC Foundation. If you know any of these students, please congratulate them:
First place: Bex Olesek, AA in Art (Studio)
Second place: Dhruvi Patel, (Dual Enrollment)
Third place: Alexis Neal, AS in Psychology
In addition to the student competitors, student musicians, organized by the Director of Music David Edgington, provided entertainment with a variety of pieces. Emcee Tia of Southern Word kept the audience’s energy up all evening, reacting to student performers and engaging the audience.
Rather than the snaps and applause that usually accompany such events, the audience kept up a constant and supportive stream of live chat throughout the evening, quoting lines from the performers, exclaiming their reactions, or sharing emojis. The chat allowed NSCC students, faculty, administrators–and their friends and family—a space to connect with one another. Several of the competitors were performing for the first time, so it was great to see such encouragement and validation from the audience.
Special thanks go to several people who worked to find resources or coordinate the Writer Slam: President Shanna Jackson, Dean Patricia Armstrong, Director Evelyn Hadley, and Executive Director Benjamin Smith of Southern Word and his team. Tom Hayden, AVP of Marketing, and Lauren Turner, Library Assistant, served as judges.
If you missed the Writer Slam, you can find the video, as well as past performances, on the “Southern Word at NSCC” libguide. Select the YouTube icon to watch the chat as well. NSCC and Southern Word host the Student Showcase in the fall and the Writer Slam in the spring. For information on similar future events, please follow NSCC and Southern Word’s social media pages:
Twitter: @NashvilleState
Facebook: @NashvilleState @SouthernWord
Three Spring Break Stories
by Cliff Rockstead, Managing Editor Nashville Voice
As most of you know, I usually do not contribute an article, but occasionally something happens that just has to be shared. I am most fortunate to have had three “somethings” happen during our recent spring break.
SB Story 1
Received an email message from someone who was a previous student who had graduated three years ago. They are trying to take an Excel course and cannot find one and no one is available. Did I mention it was spring break?
Interesting I thought, why would they want to take a 2nd 7-week Excel course? After researching the spring schedule, I confirmed to myself we do not offer the Spreadsheet course in the 7-week format. But their message stated: “I need your help please.” So, I sent an email reply explaining we do not offer a 7-week course and to contact me if they had any questions.
Soon received a text message: “Can I call you in 15 minutes plz” and I replied back yes. The student called and started apologizing for bothering me, but needed my help. As we talked I found out that they were still in the MBA graduate degree program at Trevecca University and needed some Excel assistance for some of their courses. When I asked what kind of assistance, they stated needing help with building spreadsheets and crunching data. When I asked further they explained that they had been in an accident, had suffered nerve damage and while recuperating were trying to complete courses while only able to lay on their back and look at the computer screen and type with two fingers!
What, oh no! This cannot be true, but it was and is true. Time to shift gears, so I asked if they had contacted TU to determine if there were any student resources available? No, they had not. Went to the TU web page and sent links to the student. Thankfully the student found what they needed. A simple request about a class actually was a plea for help with an impossible situation. Fortunately, I was able to help.
SB Story #2
I received a thank you card postmarked from Utah. I opened it and it was from a person I had not heard from or about since 1967, but have wondered about often. It started out, “You may not believe it but you are the 2nd most important person in my life.” Wow, you do not read them every day! How could this be?
“Oh that’s just Stu, he is a fraternity brother of mine,” I said to a classmate after our secondary education teaching methods class when she asked me who he was. (Yes, this is a story from my undergraduate college days.) Anyway, later I shared with Stu that Tina had asked about him. He was shocked that such an incredible person could be interested in him. She had just returned from a year in France studying and he was a self-described “sad-sack” with no charm. What could she see in him he stated?
We are in the last class meeting of the term and our professor announces that Stu will be taking the final exam early as he is leaving for military duty in Vietnam the day after tomorrow. As fate would have it, Tina was also taking the final exam early due to another engagement. Stu decided he had to act quickly or he may never have this chance again. After the exam, he asked Tina if he could talk with her. She said yes and he knew he had only this short afternoon to convince her he was the one for her because he knew she was the one for him. So, in his words, “I picked her up in my beat-up ’59 MG, one headlight, no 1st gear or reverse, and we drove to the park below campus where we spent a wonderfully sunny spring afternoon getting to know each other.” The next day Stu was on his way to Vietnam. His plane had a fuel stop at Wake Island where he wrote and posted a letter to Tina asking her to wait for him, that he was madly in love with her, and he was the one for her and she was the one for him.
Stu returned from Vietnam and Tina had waited for him. To make a long story short, Tina and Stu got married in 1968, have four children, 19 grandchildren, and two very successful careers in teaching from which they are now retired. And he stated it was all because I said to Tina, “Oh that’s just Stu.”
P.S. we have had a few phone calls, text messages, and letters to get caught up and it has been just great to be in contact with an old missing friend.
SB Story #3
We (wife two dogs, and the cat) drove to Florida on December 23 to take care of my 94-year-old mother-in-law who was getting out of rehab after a 5-day stay in the hospital for non-Covid related treatments. The next day, Christmas Eve, we checked her out of the rehab facility and took her to her home in Stonecrest.
This is a 2000+ home, 55-year old or older gated community where she has lived the past 15 years. We also have a “snow-bird” home in Stonecrest. The interesting thing about this community is first everyone is obviously old, but also of the generations, where if you are told to do something, you did it.
When Covid hit, they closed the swimming pools, golf courses, club house, restaurants, community center, cancelled club meetings, and told everyone to stay home unless they had to go grocery or medicine shopping, wear a mask (or two) and social distance. They did. Results, only 10 people from the same church group got Covid and nobody died. Very Interesting!
Saturday, March 20th my wife says, they have a beach for dogs in New Smyrna Beach which is about a one-and-a-half-hour drive due east of us to the Atlantic coast. She adds, and with Covid, there should not be many people there. Hmmm . . . I am thinking isn’t this “Spring Break” in Florida?
We load up the dogs (cat stays home) and drive to New Smyrna Beach. 12 miles from the town the two lanes come to a complete stop. Must be a wreck. Nope, just takes an hour to get into the town where the traffic is moving at 0.5 MPH. The sidewalks are packed with people of all ages, most not wearing masks and definitely not social distancing. Same in the open-air patios of the restaurants, packed with people and mostly only the wait staff wearing masks. Is there no Covid here?
We leave town go to the dog beach. Surprise, there is a one-hour traffic line to get in. We wait. We get in. We park. We take the dogs to the beach which is not packed with people or dogs, lots of space and social distancing, and with a 10-mph breeze who needs a mask. Dogs play in the ocean, we walk in the ocean, get to feel the sun-warmed sand against our bare feet, and pretend the world is not in Covid-crisis for a few hours. . Life is good!
Missed lunch, so drive back into town. Still packed with people, check out a few restaurants that all have at least a 1 to 1&1/2 hour wait. So, give up, head home, but now the road is backed up with people trying to leave New Smyrna Beach. Make a U-turn at the first available place (illegal, but bumper-to-bumper traffic so no one cares) drive to a gas station, get gas, dog treats, people snacks, and drive north to Daytona Beach where we find the alternate route to get home in record time. The question still is where was Covid in New Smyrna Beach?
Committee on Committees Update
by Donna Whitehouse, Associate Professor, OTA Program Coordinator, NSCC Achieving the Dream Project Manager, Office of the President
The Committee on Committees has been diligently working to revises processes and procedures for NSCC committee work, which is foundational to our shared governance process.
Members of the COC are: Donna Whitehouse, Jamica Hines, Amy Bryant, Jeff Green, Evelyn Hadley, Robin Jones, Lisa Fletcher.
By the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, all can expect the following:
- A published list of all committees, including committee purpose, activities, and membership (by role/function, not by individual name).
- Posted policies and procedures manual with standardized forms and committee processes.
- Committee orientation and leadership training for all committee chairs and secretaries/recorders (required – max one hour).
- Common internal web-based location for posting committee goals, rosters, meeting minutes, and other pertinent information.
Staff Assembly Updates
by Drew Kovacs, Chair for Staff Assembly, 2020-2021
Please join us in congratulating our Employee of the Month for April, Howard Ivy.
Howard’s nominator had this to say about his service to the college:
We would like to nominate Howard Ivy for this important Award.
Howard is in the WBR Mailroom and Receiving areas. His attributes that we feel qualify him for this award are:
Superior quality of work: Howard has been with NSCC for we believe 40 years +.
Good punctuality and dependability: Howard is like a well-oiled Clock. Here on time and never misses a day. Positive attitude: Howard always goes above and beyond in his work, taking care of all the NSCC Campuses mail and packages. This function could be subcontracted out, but it could never be done the way Howard does it. He possesses a thorough knowledge of the job; he receives all the shipments every day from all the drivers. His quality of work is outstanding; he works through any problem he may have till he finds a solution then finishes his tasks.
Excellent communication skills: With peers, students, and faculty, he is recognized on all campuses for his communication skills with the campus family of Employees and Students.
Has good rapport with peers: Howard is much more than most, he is a pleasant, helpful, hardworking, soft spoken, kind man, who helps everyone who seeks solutions.
Demonstrates efficiency at their job: Howard has been a huge help to Maintenance, taking care of our specific needs, shipments, mail that otherwise we may have missed.
Goes above and beyond the call of duty: Howard is great help to all at NSCC. We are so very lucky to have someone like Howard working with us, we feel he is so deserving of this honor!
Thank you, Howard, for your service to the college. We are all happy to honor you for your continued efforts!
NSCC Foundation Newsletter
by Lauren Bell, Executive Director of Development, NSCC Foundation
Greetings,
This month we are repeating our newsletter within a newsletter!
Foundation articles this month are:
- The Big Payback
- The Campus Cupboard
- Meet April!
- Amazon Donor Spotlight
- SOAR Award
To view this month’s Foundation Newsletter just Ctrl Click this link:
https://NSCC Foundation Newsletter April 2021
Hope you enjoy it!
Digging Deeper
by Christopher Saunders, CFM, Executive Director of Operations & Facilities
In the beginning, last March, no one knew the magnitude of the Pandemics effects on NSCC, the world or our families. There was no road map as to how to do anything, no direction to take in providing a safe environment for our Students, Faculty, and Staffs. It was very close to being the Titanic in the Ice fields of the Atlantic. A big difference was that our Captain, Doctor Jackson, took on the challenge, as she says we learn from every misfortune. We all had to perform new tasks in order to guide us to the other side of the unknown.
ZOOM was our rudder; we have spent this past year away from the comfort of our campus environments. The kitchens became the conference rooms, our casual dress was a robe and pajamas. Some of us were essential to the campuses and never left the empty buildings.
As spring comes again, the flowers and birds are back into our lives, however, none of us are the same as we were last March. If we have learned anything, it needs to be compassion for others. The knowledge contained in our own bubbles, can now help support the greater good of the NSCC Family.
In this educational year ahead, we should welcome each other and our students back as part of this new journey together. Every road has its potholes, we can learn from this experience.
Not a normal departmental update, but we all can dig deeper to find out who we really are for ourselves and for our students.
