COCONEWS
Friday, Jan. 4, 2008
CCC Open House and Registration Celebration Thursday
FRIDAY, Ariz. – Coconino Community College is hosting an Open House and Registration Celebration at the Lone Tree Campus in Flagstaff from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 10.
Students can find out what programs and services are available to them. In addition, the Career Services Department will have information available for students interested in pursuing internships or finding jobs.
Representatives from local banks, Sam’s Club and the Mountain Line public transit system also will be participating and explaining their services to CCC students as they begin the new semester.
Local radio stations are scheduled to broadcast live from both the Lone Tree and Fourth Street campuses during the afternoon inviting students to register for the spring semester. Pepsi drinks, food and prizes will be available.
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COCONEWS
January 9, 2008
CCC Celebrates Spring Registration through Live Radio Broadcasts
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – CCC’s Lone Tree and Fourth Street campuses will be sharing its Spring Registration Celebration through live remote radio broadcasts tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, Jan. 10.
This is a great opportunity to focus on individual courses and programs. Thus, faculty and staff are encouraged to send brief appropriate messages to Bonnie Stevens and Brian Harris that they’d like to have broadcast.
At the Lone Tree Campus look and listen for KAFF and KMGN (The Mountain) from noon to 4 p.m. and KQST (The Q) and KVNA (Sunny 100) from 1 to 4 p.m. At the Fourth Street Campus look and listen for KOLT, The Wolf and The Canyon from noon to 3 p.m.
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COCONEWS
January 10, 2008
County Workforce Investment Board Hosts WorkKeys Presentation
—Thursday, January 17—
Flagstaff, Az. – On Thursday, January 17, the Coconino County Workforce Investment Board is hosting a presentation on WorkKeys, a work skills assessment system that is currently being used by a variety of organizations across the country. The presentation will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Coconino Community College sites in Flagstaff, Williams and Page. There is no charge to attend the presentation and lunch will be provided.
WorkKeys is a workforce development tool used by high schools, one-stop centers, employers, colleges, and a variety of other organizations across the country to assess and certify the work skills of their students, clients, job applicants and employees. It is the basis for the National Career Readiness Certificate now launched in over 15 states.
This WorkKeys presentation will provide an opportunity for participants to see firsthand the benefits of adopting this effective workforce tool.
Benefits for Business include an increase in your bottom line; reduction of turnover, overtime and waste; and, more importantly, it can help take the guesswork out of your hiring process.
Benefits for Employees include building your confidence in knowing that your skills meet the needs of your employer; help determine skill improvement and training needs; and improved opportunities for advancement.
Benefits for Educators include the identification of skills gaps between students’ skills and employer needs; help align curricula to meet the job skills employers need; and enable students to see a reason to take coursework seriously.
Take the challenge! Learn how you can help us become a “WorkKeys Friendly Community!”
Seating is limited, so please call to reserve your seat TODAY at the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce at (928) 774-4505, the Williams Chamber of Commerce at (928) 635-1418, or in Page, call Mike Twyfold of CAVIAT at 660-8837.
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COCONEWS
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008
APS Brightens New Year with a Gift to CCC
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – APS is brightening the New Year with a $10,000 gift to energize Coconino Community College’s Early Childhood Development program. Officials with the utility company presented a giant check to President Leah L. Bornstein and the CCC Foundation this afternoon on the Lone Tree Campus. The story is expected to air on KNAZ-TV, channel 2, this evening at 6 and 10 p.m. It may also appear in the Sunday Neighbors section of the Arizona Daily Sun.
The Early Childhood Development program trains and certifies teachers to work with children from toddlers to age 8. It is one of CCC’s most popular programs and reaches students in some of the most remote areas of northern Arizona including in the Supai Village at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and in isolated communities on the Navajo Reservation.
“This donation will provide the support to develop and deliver much-needed curriculum to an underserved population of the county,” said CCC Department Chair of Business, Education and Development Paul Holbrook. “With new federal mandates requiring associate degrees for employees of the child care industry there is a great need that could not be met otherwise. The future is brighter today than it was yesterday and the students of CCC and the community will certainly benefit with these new efforts in workforce development.”
APS is a long-time supporter of CCC. "In the spirit of partnership to achieve outstanding economic performance and grow healthy communities we are proud to offer this grant,” said APS Community Development Manager Cindy May. “We are confident that the Early Childhood Development program will provide the necessary skills to build a healthy and caring society."
President Bornstein said community partners such as APS make a difference in lives and add strength and reach to the programs CCC is able to offer. “We are grateful to the people at APS for their support of our community and education.”
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COCONEWS
January 25, 2008
Sustainable Living and Hot Soup Coming Next Week to Lone Tree Campus
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The CCC Sustainability Task Force is serving up soup and a week of activities starting Monday, Jan. 28 in conjunction with the national initiative Focus the Nation.
“This Focus the Nation initiative is an opportunity for the community to come together to learn more about global warming,” said Information Resources and Library Services Coordinator Debbie Holbrook. “Bringing diverse perspectives and viewpoints allow for critical thinking and problem solving skills, which can benefit our local and global community. These discussion sessions highlight the mission of the Sustainability Task Force to encourage our community in learning, living and working sustainably.”
The week starts with a PowerPoint presentation in the Lone Tree Campus Commons throughout the day Monday, Jan. 28. Voter registration cards will be available.
From 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 29, the task force will host a brown bag luncheon. Hot soup will be available and CCC President Dr. Leah L. Bornstein is expected to sign a Letter of Endorsement on behalf of the college supporting Focus the Nation. Facilities Director and task force chair Mark Easton is scheduled to talk about CCC’s green initiatives. Phi Theta Kappa’s Beta Gamma Chi Chapter President Cynthia Pardo will be speaking as well. “We students can cut global warming pollution by getting involved today,” she says.
From 5:30 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan.30 there will be a showing of the Focus the Nation Webcast “2% Solution” and a brown bag supper with hot soup.
Another brown bag luncheon with hot soup is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan 31. CCC Instructors are expected to be talking about the science and economics of being “green” with a showing of "The Story of Stuff." Community members are invited.
From 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, community leaders will be sharing perspectives of a green future in Flagstaff and Coconino County during a brown bag lunch. Community members are invited.
For more information, log on to www.coconino.edu/library/focus.
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COCONEWS
Friday, January 25, 2008
CCC District Governing Board to Meet Wednesday
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Coconino Community College District Governing Board is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30 in the Lone Tree Campus Board Room. Arizona Community College Association Executive Director Kathy Boyle is expected to review tax initiatives being considered by state lawmakers that may affect higher education. The meeting is free and open to the public.
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COCONEWS
Monday, Jan. 28, 2008
Astronomical Gift Aims CCC for the Stars
Presentation in the Commons at 10 a.m.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The U.S. Naval Observatory is expected to hand Coconino Community College—home of the Comets--a key to the heavens in a Telescope Presentation Ceremony at 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 31 in the Lone Tree Campus Commons in Flagstaff.
The DIMM Telescope, currently housed on Anderson Mesa, is valued at half-a-million dollars and represents the single largest gift to the CCC Foundation, the fundraising branch of the college. “Not only is this an incredibly generous contribution to CCC, this telescope has the potential of stirring that sense of discovery in our students and cultivating a new generation of astronomers,” said CCC Foundation President Christopher J. Bavasi.
CCC Department Chair of Math and Science Maxie Inigo says the telescope will be useful in courses currently offered and may lead to new partnership opportunities that will enhance science education in northern Arizona. “The primary demand for time on the telescope will stem from the Introduction to Astronomy class,” said Inigo. “Access to a research grade telescope will enhance general laboratory experience by exposing students to ongoing astronomical research and thus developing inquiry-based learning skills.”
Officials from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C. will be formally presenting the telescope to the college. “The telescope was used for collection of “seeing” data, which is essentially the measurement of air turbulence. It has outlived its mission with us but it makes good sense to transfer it over for public use,” said U.S. Naval Observatory Superintendent Captain Steven W. Warren. “My understanding is the community college plans to use it for visible observations where students can take high-resolution images of planetary objects. It will also allow visual and photographic inspection of thousands of remote galaxies across the sky and other celestial observations. So it has a bright future.”
CCC District Governing Board Member and astronomer Dr. Nat White was instrumental in cultivating the relationship between the U.S. Naval Observatory and the college. “The transfer of this fine, professional grade telescope to CCC supports and continues the historic Flagstaff traditions of research and education in the field of astronomy. This instrument has the potential of not only being an unusual teaching tool, but also a superior student research instrument.”
CCC President Leah L. Bornstein says that partnerships such as this are critical for launching the college’s shining stars. “This is an opportunity that few universities and even fewer community colleges offer to their introductory astronomy classes. What a fabulous tool to have available in such an appropriate place for astronomical study.”
U.S. Naval Observatory officials say they are honored to be able to help by providing this telescope to CCC. “The people of Flagstaff and Coconino County have been very supportive of preserving dark skies to maintain northern Arizona's status as a preeminent astronomy location for the Navy, for Lowell Observatory and for the enjoyment of all who live in and travel to the area," said Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station Director Dr. Jeff Pier.
Thursday’s ceremony is free and open to the public. The telescope and dome are expected to be transferred to the Lone Tree Campus during the summer.
COCONEWS
January 31, 2008
District Governing Board Discusses Tax Initiatives,
Tuition Increases and Financial Aid
The initiatives
are being promoted by two groups, Arizona Tax Revolt and Prop 13
Arizona, to decrease the amount of property taxes Arizonans pay.
The Arizona Tax
Revolt is calling for a levy limit rollback and valuation growth
limit. If passed by the voters, these two initiatives take place in
FY 2010. To show the effects of the initiatives on community
colleges, an analysis was done using an average of previous property
tax levies. The analysis showed if these initiatives were to take
effect in FY 08 the impact would be a $700,000 loss to Coconino
Community College, 12 percent of its property tax revenue. To
compensate for the loss, Boyle says tuition would have to increase
by 13 percent.
Prop 13 Arizona
places a cap on primary and secondary taxes and thus limits total
property tax collection. Of the total $6 billion collection of
primary and secondary property taxes, half of the money would
disappear. Under Arizona’s constitution, the state must fund K-12
education. The remaining funds would have to be decided by the
legislature
and directed toward counties, cities and towns, community colleges
and the state. With fewer dollars available from property taxes,
residents would see dramatic changes in services offered by these
entities including public safety, roadwork, jails and higher
education.
“A similar
situation occurred in California in 1978 and it had a devastating
impact to the state’s community colleges,” said Boyle. “They became
more dependent on the state and lost their local authority over
their budgets and programs.”
The board also
heard a report on tuition. Discussed were the possibilities of
two-year increases in tuition, the elimination of the flat-rate
tuition plateau, fee changes and technology fees. CCC currently
charges $65 per college credit, among the highest tuition costs
among Arizona’s community colleges. During the discussion, Financial
Aid Director Bob Voytek talked about funding options for students.
He said the national trend is for students to incur more debt in
student loans, which he said CCC is trying to discourage.
In other reports,
Human Resources Director Lyman Locket shared a preliminary report
with the board from the CCC Compensation Committee. The committee is
researching a possible 5.1 percent salary increase for CCC
employees.