A Healthier You Thanks to the Wellness Committee

The District-wide Wellness Committee consists of eight site representatives who have dedicated their free time to provide a variety of health and nutrition services to all benefit-eligible employees and retirees.

Anna Hanlon, chair of the committee and a physical health educator at Orange Coast College, discussed the positive responses the committee has received from employees and welcomes additional feedback and ideas.

"I encourage employees to give us feedback on what they liked and didn't like as well as what activities benefit them the most," Hanlon said.   "We are listening to what you want."   

In fall 2005, the committee held flu shot vaccination clinics at all four District sites and administered 489 vaccinations!   They also provided osteoporosis screenings with 330 respondents.   Out of the 330 respondents, 33 percent of them tested medium risk for problems associated with osteoporosis and 25 percent tested at high risk. These screenings help provide employees with infomration to maintain a healthy lifestyle.   

The committee also produces the "Healthy You" monthly newsletter covered with health-related articles, medial findings and helpful tips for an overall improved lifestyle.

The first Brown Bag seminar, a meditation yoga session called Qi Gong with Ginny Fereira, took place in February. There are many more exciting activities and Brown Bag seminars planned for this spring including, Weight Watchers "6 Steps for Better Health," Hoag Hospital's "Breast Cancer 101," 24-Hour "Fitness for the Busy Professional," Employee mental health, "Dealing with Life Stresses," fitness assessments including blood pressure, skin folding for body fat testing and strength and flexibility.     

Listed below are the discounted 24-Hour Fitness membership rates.   There are no enrollment fees or contracts to sign--you only pay the month-to-month fee.     

Enroll online at www.24Hourfitness.com/corp/CCCD (Passcode: 18299)

For more information regarding wellness activities contact a committee representative.

DIST- Paula Brady x84790, Martha Coyne x84724 and Donna Waldfogel x84708
CCC- Shirley Spencer x16145 and Randall Warwick x16114
GWC- Sylvia Worden x58382
OCC- Anna Hanlon x25012 and Pat Arfsten x25784

A Message from EHS

Assembly Bill 75 Requires Annual Reporting of Waste Stream Reduction

April 1, 2006 is the deadline for each of the four sites of the Coast Community College District to submit their annual reports to the state regarding solid waste disposal and stream diversion, in accordance with Assembly Bill 75.

AB75, enacted in 1999, requires all state agencies and large state facilities to develop an integrated waste management plan, in consultation with the Integrated Waste Management Board, which would culminate in the diversion of solid waste disposal to area landfills. AB75 also requires each community service district, which provides solid waste services, to report disposal and diversion information to the city, county, or regional agency where that district operates.

There are several ways the District sites have continually reduced waste generation. Electronic messaging and two-sided copying have eliminated hundreds of tons of wasted paper. Recycling grass trimmings has had a huge impact on waste reduction. Obsolete computers, monitors, audio-visual devices, furniture, and equipment has been picked up as "surplus" by contracted vendors, all equating to tonnage diverted from the waste stream. The state provides formulas to establish weights for diverted waste, and methods and procedures for continued waste diversion are also described in detail on the report. "While it's our duty to comply with these regulations, I am always proud of our Districts conservation efforts," said Chancellor Ken Yglesias.

Changes in guidelines establishing what is permissible to dispose of in state landfills have also had an impact.   It is no longer permissible to dispose of household items such as fluorescent light bulbs or batteries. Electronic devices like computers, monitors, television units and cell phones can't be thrown out either. Those interested in finding a complete list of items not approved for general disposal to the landfill can access www.ciwmb.ca.gov/HHW/Info/ . The public is now responsible for using designated hazardous waste disposal stations to get rid of what was once considered trash. To find a nearby drop off location for hazardous materials, go to www.ciwmb.ca.gov/HHW/Info/ and click on your county.

The District and all three sites must comply with AB75. Re-using items such as envelopes, paper and packaging materials can really make a difference in the amount disposed of over the course of a year.

Faculty and staff can contribute to the overall compliance of AB75 by understanding the Waste Reduction Hierarchy of "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle." A realization of the implications and the effect of AB75 on California's landfills can be made when one takes into account that during 2005 alone, the Coast Community College District diverted more than 5,532,000 pounds of solid waste--a tremendous amount of material that would have been dumped into a landfill.

The AAWCC Helps Women Achieve Continued Professional Growth

The American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) is an organization that is dedicated to the achievement and continued professional development of women in community colleges nation-wide.

Cheryl Tittle, president of the board for the Coast District chapter, said, "This organization has a strong commitment to education and professional excellence as well as provides an opportunity to be apart of a strong network at the District and nationally in the community college system."  

The AAWCC is always looking for new members.   They have quarterly meetings--two in the fall and two in the spring.   Membership opportunities are available to anyone interested in professional growth and meeting new people.  

According to Cheryl, "the AAWCC is open to everyone and if you are new to the District, it is a great networking opportunity."  

Three women currently working in leadership roles at the Coast District and are strong supporters of the AAWCC are Dr. Ding-Jo Currie, Erin Curtis and Margie Bunten.       

Karen McLucas, region IX director of the AAWCC, currently holds the position of vice president of the Mentorship Program, "Women Hold Up Half the Sky." This was created by a group of women in the Southern California local AAWCC chapter as a way to put on a special event that all Southern California members could attend .   This year's event will focus on risk taking and will be held at the Cerritos Library on April 28.

For additional information about the AAWCC, contact Cheryl Tittle at x58358 or Karen McLucas at x16440.

Susana Gonzalez Remembered

On Jan. 26, 2006, Susana Gonzalez, a Spanish and education professor at Golden West College, passed away at the age of 60.   She died at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo three days after collapsing at her home from a ruptured artery in her brain.  

Susana also taught DahnHak, a mind-and-body training program designed to help people improve their health and reach spiritual achievement. She also started a peace studies program at Golden West.

Susana is survived by her husband Ron, daughter Christine, and son Zach.   The family has requested that any donations be sent to the Susana Nakamoto-Gonzalez Peace Education Fund. Information is available at www.oconnormortuary.com .

Project Voyager Update

The Project Voyager team hit the ground running in 2006. Conference and training rooms are set up at the District offices for each of the functional teams. District Information Services (DIS) installed the hardware and SCT installed the Banner and Oracle software. The Finance Team has already had Chart of Accounts training on the new system and is geared up to go live July 2006. Human Resources will go live with People Admin in July 2006 and is very excited about the ability to process employment applications and paper screen online. Financial Aid and student Business Process Analyses (BPAs) and trainings have been well received. The Steering Committee supported the Luminis Teams' recommendation to implement Luminis version 4.0 after its release in the second quarter of 2006 (please see the Voyager website at www.cccd.edu for more information on the Luminis policy decision and other news). The CCCD and SCT teams are proving themselves to be very capable and professional. The project has encountered a few of the usual bumps, but is off to an excellent start overall. Thanks to your support for Project Voyager, we will soon be able to better serve our students.

Coming and Going - HR News

The District would like to welcome these new employees to their positions:

Dorman, Angela M. , OCC, Banner Special Projects Assistant
Johnson, Daniel J. , CCC, Instructor, History
Marshall, April A. , OCC, Banner Special Projects Assistant
McLaughlin, Richard G. , GWC, Instructor, Physical Education
Remy, Jon T. , DIST, Graphic Designer

Congratulations and best wishes on your retirement to the following employees:

Morrill, Noreen A. , DIS, Information Systems Technician II

Noreen Morrill is retiring from the District Information Services Department after more than 22 years of service to the Coast Community College District.   Noreen started working at DIS as an Office Coordinator. She then joined the Telecommunications Department as a Telecommunications Assistant, where she assisted District personnel with support issues, maintained the call management system, and verified phone bills.   When the new phone system was installed in 1996, Noreen played an instrumental role by directing phone calls and helping staff.   Noreen continued to build on that knowledge and joined the Technical Support Department, where she has been an Information Systems Technician II, assisting the District's computer users with their systems.   She has been instrumental in assuring that the administrative computing needs of the District Office continue to operate smoothly.   Her "can-do" attitude, hard work and rapport with the users she supported will be missed.   In retirement, Noreen plans to do more of what she loves -- boating, fishing and traveling to Las Vegas to visit her granddaughter.  

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OCC Student running for State Assembly

Learning Resource Center Ground Breaking set for March 14th

20-Year-Old OCC Political Science Major is Republican Candidate for 69th District Seat

Twenty-year-old Orange Coast College freshman political science major, Ryan Gene Williams, is running for State Assembly in the 2006 midterm elections.

Williams, a Santa Ana resident, is running for the 69th District seat that has been vacated by incumbent, Tom Umberg, a Democrat. Williams, a Republican, was recently endorsed by Cypress mayor, Mike McGill.

"I'm the only candidate for the Republican nomination," Williams says. "Filing deadline is March 10, and I don't expect any other Republicans to jump into the fray. I expect to be the Republican candidate running for the office in the November election."

California's primary is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6.

Williams became involved in the Los Angeles mayoral campaign. He volunteered for Republican candidate, Walter Moore. Democrat, Antonio Villaraigosa, won the election.

"Villaraigosa won because the media loved him and because he was charismatic," Williams said. "For the most part, the media ignored Walter Moore."

Williams attended debates and met the candidates in the race.

Williams enrolled last June in summer classes at Orange Coast College. Though initially a film major, he switched to political science.

"I came to Coast because I heard it was one of the finest community colleges in the nation," he said. "I've been very impressed since my arrival. I love it here."

Williams has been involved in student government on campus, serving on several committees.

He decided to run for office last fall when he attended a presentation at the college by 69th District Assembly member, Tom Umberg. Williams challenged Umberg during a question-and-answer session on a particular issue. Umberg told him to check his facts.

"I did check my facts, and I felt I was right. I discovered that he was termed-out and would not be running for reelection. I decided to file papers to run for his seat."

Four high-profile Democratic candidates will be running in the June primary: Santa Ana City Council members, Jose Solorio and Claudia Alvarez; private citizen Armando de la Libertad; and Anaheim mayor Richard Chavez.

Orange County's 69th District is located in portions of Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Anaheim.

"I'm young, and a college student, struggling to make it. I feel I can represent the residents of the 69th District. Realistically, I feel that I have a 50/50 chance of winning the race. I know it would be a shock to many, but I believe it's possible."

Williams admits that some say he is too young and too inexperienced for the position.

"I don't accept that," he says. "In the eyes of the Constitution of the State of California, I'm qualified. I don't have a degree from Harvard, but I know the issues that face Californians. I want to do what I can to help the situation."

Williams says he wants to see that certificated teachers in California are granted an exemption from paying state income tax.

"It's a way for the state to give back to people who work in a noble profession. Teachers provide a great service to this state, and they are underpaid and under-respected."

Whether he is elected to office or not, Williams plans to graduate from Orange Coast College. He expects to remain in Orange County and earn a B.A. degree in political science from California State University at Fullerton.

"Orange County is the utopia of California," he says unabashedly. "There is no better place to live. I plan to remain here."

OCC Hosts Ground Breaking March 14 for $33-Million Learning Resource Center

Orange Coast College will conduct ground breaking ceremonies on Tuesday, March 14, for its $33-million Learning Resource Center.

The two-story, 88,777-square-foot center will replace the college's Norman E. Watson Library, which closed down more than five years ago. That facility is currently undergoing renovation and will become the campus' new Watson Hall Student Services Building. It will open next summer.

OCC has temporarily relocated its library to a 25,000-square-foot facility - consisting of 32 portable structures - situated on the northern perimeter of the campus.

The Learning Resource Center ground breaking ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the building's site, west of the Arts Center. Featured speaker will be retired charter OCC faculty member, Dr. Giles Brown. Brown was chair of OCC's Social Sciences Division from 1948-60. Dr. Brown's late wife, Beth Cosner Brown, was the college's first librarian.

Brown, OCC president Robert Dees, and Claudia Jackson, wife of the former dean of the OCC Library, the late Donald Ackley, will wield the first shovels of dirt.

Construction on the facility will get under way shortly thereafter, and the building is expected to open during the fall semester of 2007. Architect for the project is tBP Architects of Newport Beach. C.W. Driver is managing construction.

Approximately $21 million of the funding is coming from state capital outlay funds. Slightly more than $12 million will be provided by Measure C, which was approved by local voters on the November 2002 ballot.

The new facility will include a large study area, computer labs, a 100-seat lecture hall, an archive storage area, book storage, and faculty and staff offices.

A free workshop on goal setting will be offered by the Orange Coast College Re-entry Center on Wednesday, March 8, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“Live Life on Purpose, Create and Achieve Your Goals” will help participants identify achievable goals, create an action plan and initiate changes in their personal and professional lives.

Ginger Neel, workshop presenter, is a professional life transformation coach. She specializes in personal empowerment, relationships and health, diet and nutrition coaching. As a catalyst for change, Neel encourages individuals to discover their hidden brilliance and live a more fulfilling and fearless life.

OCC’s Re-Entry Center helps students who wish to return to school following a break in their academic careers. The center, located in Room 106 of OCC’s Counseling and Admissions Building, is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For information about the center’s services, call (714) 432-5612.

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Focus on Coastline Programs

Focus on Coastline Programs

Informatics Program

What do you get when you combine mathematics with information science? An exciting new career choice! Coastline's new Informatics Program studies the design, application and impact of information technology and how it is used. Computer science is the study of computers, whereas informatics is the study of computers and people.

Software engineering, information retrieval and management, programming languages, human-computer interaction, computer-supported collaborative work, ubiquitous computing, privacy/security and the effects of technology on society are all core subjects within Coastline's Informatics Program. Those who study informatics build successful careers as software engineers, information architects, IT consultants, e-commerce specialists and digital artists.

The Informatics Program at Coastline Community College was arranged in conjunction with UC Irvine, and students participating in Coastline's program can transfer directly into UCI's Informatics Program to complete their degree in the major. For more information on the new Informatics Program at Coastline, call x17513.

Biotechnology Program

If you or someone you know is looking for a new take on a traditional science career, Coastline has developed a Biotechnology Program that combines the physical sciences and biology with today's demand for technology.

The Biotechnology Program provides laboratory skills training along with training in quality assurance and quality control for those seeking careers in a laboratory setting. Those who complete their studies in Biotechnology go on to work in diverse fields such as agriculture, food science, basic research, pharmaceutical manufacturing, genetic engineering and more. The Coastline Biotechnology Certificate Program will be the first offered in Orange County. The county is ranked as a major biotech community by the California Employment Development Department, which reports a shortage of experienced job applicants for this job classification. In the entire LA/OC area, only Pasadena City College currently offers a forward-looking program of this type. "This program has great potential to expand rapidly and help promote a positive image for Coastline," stated David Licata, Science Department Chair at Coastline. "Pasadena is turning away students every semester; and a Bay Area program coordinated with high schools serves more than 250 students yearly," he continued. In addition, companies like Adecco have shown interest in offering employment opportunities to Coastline Biotech students. "Several local companies in the Biotech industry have agreed to consider our graduates for employment opportunities," remarked Dr. Shanon Christiansen, Dean of the program. For more information on the new Biotechnology Program at Coastline, call x16184.

New course delivery methods put classes in the palm of your hand!

Can you imagine taking a college class on your PDA or cell phone? The Distance Learning department at Coastline Community College already has this technology available for some courses, and is working to make even more classes PDA and cell phone compatible in the near future. These innovative course-delivery options make it even easier for students to complete their college coursework while maintaining a busy lifestyle. For more information on distance learning options at Coastline, call x16216.

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Bits Patton into Basketball Hall of Fame

Elizabeth "Bits" (Sirchia) Patton is arguably the most successful women's basketball player to ever play at a California community college. During her two-year career at Golden West College, Bits led her team to a 72-2 record and is the only player ever to win back-to-back state championships and to be named 1st Team Kodak All American. Over the years, several have won two state championships and a few have been named 1st Team All American. Bits is the only player ever to accomplish both!! Bits was inducted into the California Community College Basketball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, March 8 in Fresno.

Annual College Preview Day a Success

Golden West College welcomed more than 980 high school students at its annual College Preview Day event held on March 8.  Participating school districts were Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Newport Mesa and Los Alamitos.