The Bottom Line

NEWS & VIEWS FROM COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS • SPRING 2018

Chancellor’s CANYON COUNTRY CAMPUS SCIENCE CENTER R E P O R T

GROUNDBREAKING

Dr. Dianne Van Hook PROPOSED COLLEGE FUNDING FORMULA PROMISES UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

We’re all familiar with the law of unintended consequences – the idea that solving one problem leads to unexpected outcomes that in turn create new challenges.

Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to see those problems looming, giving us an opportunity to adjust and avoid the unintended consequences. That’s the situation we find ourselves in as we look at the budget that Governor Jerry Brown has proposed for the California Community Colleges for 2018-19.

See CHANCELLOR on Page 2

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ore than 120 people attended the groundbreaking event for the College of the Canyons Canyon Country Campus Science Center. The approximately 55,000-square-foot facility will primarily be devoted to physical and biological sciences, housing eight labs and 10 science service rooms. Additionally, the four-level building will also house three computer labs, 24 faculty offices,

seven group study rooms, open study spaces, lab service spaces, as well as seven lecture rooms, including a lecture room with 75-seating capacity. Located at the center of campus, the Science Center will serve as a focal point for students and first-time visitors and will transform the campus landscape. The Science Center will be completed by winter 2019 for a spring 2020 opening.

First-Year Promise Program See BLOCKBUSTER on Page 11

Receives Donations from Local Businesses

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he College of the Canyons First-Year Promise (FYP) program, which offers qualifying fulltime freshman students free tuition and fees during their first year of study, received donations from Logix Federal Credit Union and Scorpion, a Valencia-based internet design and marketing firm, and the Sand Canyon Country Club.

The donations support the COC Foundation’s pledge to raise $500,000 over the next two years to ensure the future of the program.

“College of the Canyons is a valued partner in the community, and this program is a great example of why,” said Logix Executive Vice President Andrea See FYP on Page 7

WE BELIEVE IN TEACHING, LEADING AND STAYING AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE

2 THE BOTTOM LINE ] SPRING 2018

Chancellor FROM PAGE 1 A CHANGE IN PRIORITIES This proposal flips the metrics on which the state’s 114 colleges are funded. Instead of funding access and opportunity, colleges would be funded based on outcomes. That sounds simple enough, but the devil, as they say, is in the details. And those details promise to create unintended consequences that we have the opportunity to prevent – if we speak up now.

The new three-part formula rewards colleges’ progress on improving student success metrics. Enrollment would account for half of a college’s funding. The remaining half would be allocated based on the number of low-income students a college serves and student completion. Completion is defined as the number of degrees and certificates granted and the number of students who complete a degree or certificate in three years or less.

The rationale for the new formula is to align resources with the ambitious goals recently adopted by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors related to increasing degree and certificate achievement, increasing the number of transfers to California State University and University of California campuses, and addressing achievement gaps among under-represented students.

HOW DO WE MEASURE UP? So how does College of the Canyons perform when it comes to student success metrics?

• Our completion rate is the second highest in California among collegeprepared students.

• Nearly 80 percent (79.4%) of our college-prepared students complete a degree or certificate, or are ready to transfer to a four-year university when they finish their studies here.

• And, the percentage of our students who transfer to a four-year university is

among the highest of the 21 community colleges in L.A. County.

Moreover, the Class of 2017 set a new record for the largest graduating class in college history – 2,046 students. That represents an increase of 40 percent over the Class of 2015. And, the number of degrees awarded – 2,531 – increased by 86 percent over the same two years.

Equally impressive are the results from two innovative efforts to reduce the time our students spend in remedial courses. In the Math and English departments, faculty combined two lower-level courses into one condensed class, which saves students time, plus the cost of textbooks and enrollment fees. And, instead of using a standardized test to place newly enrolled students into math courses, the placement process takes into account high school grades. These changes resulted in a 76 percent increase in graduates between 2011 and 2017. For under-represented students, the difference was even more pronounced. Graduation rates increased by 157 percent for African-American students, 113 percent for Asian students, and 193 percent for Latino students over the same period.

IMPROVING OUTCOMES, BUT LOSING FUNDING? HOW CAN THAT BE? With results like these, you would think the proposed funding formula would benefit our college and provide new resources to continue improving student success.

You would be wrong. Projections show College of the Canyons would lose money under the new funding formula.

How could that be?

A key reason is we serve a lower number of low-income students, so we qualify for less funding under that metric in the formula. Also, the requirement that students complete degrees in three years ignores

the fact that 64 percent of our students attend part-time. And many, especially those in nursing, allied health, or STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) require more than three years to complete their studies.

AVOIDING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES While these consequences are unintentional, they are very real. But they can be avoided. Instead of rushing forward to implement a new formula, ample time should be given to study what has been proposed, and already-identified flaws in the formula should be changed. For example, the formula should include funding for continued enrollment growth. Also, part-time students should be given more time to complete degrees. A more accurate methodology should be developed to identify students with financial aid. In short, the final formula should benefit all 114 community colleges in California, and the 2.1 million student they serve.

We are sharing our recommendations with our legislators, with the governor’s staff, and with the state Chancellor’s Office. Working together, we can craft a formula that enables colleges to boost student success, and solve more problems than it creates.

Dr. Dianne Van Hook serves as chancellor of College of the Canyons.

How You Can Help!

Write a letter to the governor and our legislators.

Background information and sample letter available at canyons.edu/advocacy

The Bottom Line is published by the College of the Canyons Public Information Office to inform the community of news and events of interest in the Santa Clarita Community College District.

Vice President, Public Information Advocacy and External Relations Eric Harnish

Phone: (661) 259-7800

Managing Director, District Communications John Green

Internet: http://www.canyons.edu Mailing Address Santa Clarita Community College District 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Editorial Team Jesse Munoz Stephanie Corral Layout & Design Evelyn Cox

SPRING 2018 ] THE BOTTOM LINE 3

AUDIT FINDS BOND MEASURES

In Full Financial Compliance T he Santa Clarita Community College District’s independent citizens’ bond oversight committee has accepted the results of an independent audit confirming that, for the eleventh year in a row, the district has properly accounted for all bond expenditures and issued the district an unmodified opinion – the best rating possible – noting no adjustments, audit findings,

questioned costs or instances of bond noncompliance.

Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co. LLP conducted both the financial and performance audit, covering the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2017.

The firm presented its report to the district’s independent citizens’ bond oversight committee at a meeting on Jan. 16.

“Having an independent audit really brings peace of mind,” said Nicholas Lentini, chair of the bond oversight committee, at the meeting. “It enables us to ensure the community that our tax dollars are being used responsibly and effectively.”

The 2016-17 audits confirm approximately $228.5 million in resources from the first five bond issuances, which also See AUDIT on Page 9

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS HONORS

Howard ‘Buck’ McKeon I

with Silver Spur Award

n recognition of his continued advocacy for higher education and decades of service to the Santa Clarita Valley, the College of the Canyons Foundation honored U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (Ret.) with the college’s 2018 Silver Spur Community Service Award. The award was presented during a gala celebration at the Ronald Reagan Library’s Air Force One Pavilion on March 24.

As a driving force behind the City of Santa Clarita’s incorporation, McKeon was elected as the city’s first mayor in 1987, a position he held until he was elected to California’s 25th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992.

Once in Washington, McKeon never forgot the city that elected him into office, especially the city’s only community college.

At College of the Canyons, McKeon played an instrumental role in the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center fundraising campaign as honorary chair. Serving alongside chairs Lou Garasi and Tom Lee, McKeon helped the college acquire roughly $2.3 million in federal funding to help open and equip the college’s Interim University Center, which opened in 2002.

As honorary chair, McKeon also helped the college secure meetings with other potential donors and arranged visits to other University

Center facilities across the country to prove the project’s viability and showcase how this model could be used back home in Santa Clarita.

Four years later, McKeon was elected as Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee in Congress, where he focused on a myriad of issues including teacher quality, school choice and access to higher educa-

U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon

tion. McKeon also worked to increase Pell Grant authorizations, cut student loan interest rates, and streamline the financial aid system for college students. He also demonstrated a continued interest in clearing pathways for veterans to return to college, providing new job training options for local students and

residents, and supporting the college’s Center for Applies Competitive Technologies (CACT).

“Buck McKeon has been a longtime supporter of College of the Canyons and higher education,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “From his time as mayor of Santa Clarita to his tenure as chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, he has made access to quality education a top priority.”

After retiring from Congress in 2015, McKeon established the McKeon Leadership Forum, a speaker series that promotes civic engagement through personal involvement, at COC. Thought leaders from politics, government, and military engage community members and inspire them to become involved in current issues.

McKeon also donated an array of personal items and official documents from his service in Congress to the college in an effort to help inspire the next generation of civic leaders.

The McKeon Collection, archived in the college’s library, includes official documents, as well as numerous awards, plaques, and photographs acquired over McKeon’s political career.

Last year, McKeon donated $10,000 to seed the McKeon Scholars scholarship fund through the College of the Canyons See SILVER SPUR on Page 8

4 THE BOTTOM LINE ] SPRING 2018

’Just Jazz’ DAZZLES AT JEN CONFERENCE C ollege of the Canyons jazz ensemble Just Jazz started 2018 with a bang by heading to its first national convention in January. The award-winning ensemble performed at the 9th annual Jazz Education Network (JEN) conference, the largest educational/performance conference in the global jazz community.

COC’s ensemble was selected to perform at the conference in Dallas, Texas, based on a live recording Julie Lawson, the ensemble’s director, submitted from a recent concert.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Lawson. “Being selected to be showcased at a national convention was overwhelming and exciting” The vocal jazz ensemble performed a 50-minute set that included a variety of tunes, such

as songs composed by Al Jarreau, Thad Jones, Harry Connick Jr. and an Afro-Cuban arrangement of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia.”

Accompanied by Lawson, the team of 13 students also traveled with a professional rhythm section: Alex Nizzoli (piano), Emilio Terranova (bass) and Brijesh Pandya (drums).

Established by a group of jazz leaders in 2008, JEN was created to foster the jazz arts community through promoting performance, advancing education, and inspiring new audiences. Since then, JEN has grown to boast thousands of members across the nation and around the world.

“I’m so grateful for the ongoing support from Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook, my colleagues Lori Marie Rios and Dr. Bernardo Feldman, my Dean, Dr. Carmen Dominguez, and the Patrons of the Arts,” said Lawson. “Without their encouragement and generosity, this trip wouldn’t have been possible.”

COLLEGE NAMED AWS ACCREDITED TESTING CENTER

FOR ROBOTIC ARC WELDING T he American Welding Society has designated College of the Canyons as an Accredited Testing Center (ATC) for Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW), making the college one of seven programs in the nation, and the only one in California, to have this prestigious status.

CRAW certification demonstrates that an individual possesses the technical knowledge required to perform robotic arc wielding in an efficient, economical, and safe manner.

Individuals seeking CRAW certification can choose to become a Certified Technician (CRAW-T) or a Certified Operator (CRAW-O).

“We are definitely ahead of the curve,” said Tim Baber, department chair of

welding technology at the college, who became CRAW-T certified in 2017. “As automation and robotics becomes more prevalent, the need for highly skilled and trained robotic welding technicians will increase.”

Individuals seeking CRAW certifica-

tion must pass a closed-book written exam based on various welding codes, welding processes, specifications, and robotic kinematics, in addition to performing a robotics programming and operation performance exam.

In order to become an ATC, a facility must prove that it has the necessary facilities, equipment and support personnel. A certified CRAW-T is required to administer the CRAW test and conduct the necessary destructive testing of the hands-on test sample.

The college’s first CRAW certification test administration is expected to take place in fall 2018.

For more information about the college’s welding technology program, please visit canyons.edu/weld.

SPRING 2018 ] THE BOTTOM LINE 5

SCVi HONORS

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CHANCELLOR DR. DIANNE G. VAN HOOK & WENDY RUIZ AT BENEFIT DINNER

wo College of the Canyons leaders were honored by Santa Dr. Van Hook’s results-oriented leadership has also translated into Clarita Valley International School (SCVi)/iLEAD Schools at strengthened community ties, collaborative business partnerships, their recent “Vision in Education” benefit dinner. and the development of more opportunities for students of all ages.

College of the Canyons Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook was Never satisfied with the status quo, she is always looking toward the presented with the 2018 Vision in Education Award, while Wendy college’s future for ways to stay ahead of the curve.

Ruiz, faculty member The college passed at the Early Childhood three bond measures in Education (ECE) Cen15 years totaling $480 ter at COC, and her million that enabled the family were awarded growth of facilities and the Founders Family programs to accommoVision Award at the redate its growing student cent event. population. The college “I am so honored served fewer than 5,000 to have been selected students when Dr. Van as the recipient of this Hook arrived, and today year’s Vision in Educaenrolls more than 32,000 tion Award,” said Dr. each year. Accordingly, (Left) SCVi co-founders Amber Raskin and Dawn Evenson presented Dr. Van Hook with Van Hook. “It is an im- the COC has increased facilVision in Education Award. (Right) College of the Canyons Early Childhood Education mense privilege to work ities square footage more Professor Wendy Ruiz and her family received SCVi’s Founders Famiy Vision Award. to meet the needs of the than four-fold under Dr. Santa Clarita Valley as College of the Canyons Chancellor.”

Van Hook’s leadership, from 199,000 square feet on one campus to The award is given to community leaders who have made signifi- 881,855 on campuses in Valencia and Canyon Country. The new cant contributions to public education and have demonstrated dedi- classrooms, labs, and other spaces allowed the college to not only cation and vision toward increasing educational opportunities. serve more students, but also offer a variety of new academic proEffective July 1, Dr. Van Hook will have served as the CEO of the grams such as automotive technology, culinary arts, and medical lab Santa Clarita Community College District for 30 years, making her technician. the current longest-serving community college CEO in California.

Ensuring that any student who desires education has an opportuHer career at COC has been distinguished by her strategic, innova- nity to enroll, Dr. Van Hook has focused her efforts on reducing one tive leadership that has expanded access to higher education in the of the most common barriers students face – the cost of college. She Santa Clarita Valley, and created unique opportunities for students to championed the adoption of open educational resources, learning reach their full potential. materials designed to be freely shared as an alternative to traditionSee SCVi on Page 10

College to Launch ‘Uniquely Abled Academy’

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ith the purpose of creating career and job opportunities to individuals on the autism spectrum, College of the Canyons launched the Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA) this spring.

The program provides advanced training and support for highly functional autistic individuals to work as Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machinists.

“The nature of the job is detail-oriented, which needs a great amount of focus,” said Mike Bastine, director of the Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) at College of the Canyons. “Furthermore, machining tasks can be repetitive, which

lends this career to be ideally suited for the high-function uniquely abled population.”

The UAA CNC machining course at COC is a 12-week program that provides 420 hours of training and instruction to participating individuals, which includes soft skills, open laboratory, job readiness, and 21st century skills training. After completing the not-for-credit course, graduates will be qualified for entry-level positions as CNC operators, machinist apprentices, and machine trainees.

“This CNC machining program is only the beginning,” said Bastine. “This is a pilot program, which can evolve and be

replicated at other locations and into other manufacturing career fields, such as robotics, CNC programming, manufacturing assembly, and industry maintenance.”

UAA launched in collaboration with multiple local businesses who will provide employment to UAA graduates.

Created by Ivan Rosenberg, UAA was first implemented at Glendale Community College, where 17 participants have undergone training.

For more information about the Uniquely Abled Academy, please visit www.uniquelyabledproject.org.

6 THE BOTTOM LINE ] SPRING 2018

Astronomy and Physics Club students Brandon Gelfand, Daniel Tikhomirov, Nicole Arango, Kyle Strickland, McKinley Wilson, Adrian Estrada, Andrew Ramirez, Daniel Olvera, and Patrick Gagnon designed and built a device to collect cosmic particles during a flight on a NASA science balloon.

STUDENTS LAUNCH PAYLOAD ON NASA BALLOON F or the second year in a row, NASA’s High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) carrying a College of the Canyons payload successfully launched from New Mexico. The payload, designed to trap Interplanetary Cosmic Dust Particles (IDPs), was developed by Astronomy & Physics Club students.

The team of 12 students improved upon last year’s prototype designed to collect IDPs in the upper stratosphere, but the payload experienced some in-flight challenges when its enclosure was activated during the flight.

However, the team, led by COC student Daniel Tikhomirov, worked together to trou-

bleshoot the problem and found a way to keep the payload’s enclosure open as a passive collector.

College of the Canyons is one of only five community colleges ever chosen during the HASP’s 11-year history. The team’s second HASP experience has given the team of COC students invaluable hands-on experience and insight into the fields of science and physics.

“These students are getting graduate student-level project experience at the community college level,” said Teresa Ciardi, a physical science professor at the college who, along with Greg Poteat, an adjunct manufacturing instructor, served as coadvisors on the project. The HASP platform

is carried aloft by a scientific balloon, which measures 79 feet in diameter and traveled to an altitude of 108,000 feet.

When the final payload launched, a camera was attached to the science balloon, which allowed the team to view the launch and the scene from above during the flight on the NASA HASP webpage.

After the science balloon’s launch, the NASA HASP recovery team followed the team’s specific checklist to retrieve, detach, pack, and send the team the box that was designed to trap IDPs. Funding for the payload, clean room cleaning and equipment for payload testing was provided by the COC Foundation.

Animation Students Create Holocaust Film

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group of 25 advanced animation students at College of the Canyons brought to life the memories of Holocaust survivor Leon Malmed, resulting in the animated documentary “The Promise,” which was screened at the COC Library on Friday, Dec. 8.

During Nazi occupation of Northern France, between the years of 1940 and 1945, Malmed and his sister lived in hiding and were saved by a French family in the city of Compiègne.

The film documents Leon’s experience as a child during those years of the Holocaust.

“Artistically, the film’s paint-on-glass

technique beautifully illustrates Leon’s story using a fluid style and a subtle color palette,” said Jeff Baker, chair of the college’s Media Entertainment Arts department. “Students have successfully used the evocative nature of animation to bring out the memories and emotions of the past.”

See LEON MALMED on Page 10

SPRING 2018 ] THE BOTTOM LINE 7

Members of the College of the Canyons Foundation Chancellor’s Circle gathered for a presentation

by Scorpion Internet Marketing’s Corey Quin (left) on how to maximize the effectiveness of their websites and social media.

Chancellor’s Circle Chair Jill Mellady kicked off the event, and Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook provided an update on the college.

FYP FROM PAGE 1 Carpenter. “We recently toured the COC campus and were impressed by the outstanding facilities and resources available to students of all walks of life. We want to be part of sharing First-Year Promise with the college and we look forward to helping further this program.”

The credit union’s pledge will provide 10 FYP students with a $1,000 scholarship in 2018 and 2019.

Logix also donated $2,000 in proceeds from a recent Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce mixer event held at Wolf Creek Brewery toward FYP. Designated as the Scorpion Scholars contribution, Scorpion’s two-year commitment will financially support 24 FYP students with a $1,000 scholarship.

“We are so grateful to Logix and Scorpion for their generous donations to the First-Year Promise program,” said Murray Wood, the college foundation’s chief development officer. “Their donations will help ensure the academic success of future First-Year Promise students at College of the Canyons.”

Scorpion presented a check at the COC Foundation Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28. In addition to this FYP donation, Scorpion also joined the Chancellor’s Circle.

“It is our honor to support an institution in our local community that has played such an important role in many of our employees’ lives,” said Rustin Kretz, Scorpion CEO. “Our donation toward the First-Year Promise program will give more local students the opportunity to attend COC and pursue their educational and career goals.”

Sand Canyon Country Club, a 27-hole desert course located in Canyon Country, donated $50,00 toward the program, which will financially support 50 FYP students.

“Obtaining an education can open doors and lead to success,” said Sand Canyon Country Club CEO Steve Kim. “It is my honor to support College of the Canyons in its goal to make high-quality education accessible to all students, regardless of their financial situation.”

Kim presented a check to Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook on Thursday, Feb. 22.

“The First-Year Promise program owes a great deal of its success to the overwhelming support from local businesses such as the Sand Canyon Country Club, Scorpion and Logix,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “We are very excited to see how this exciting program changes the lives of our students.”

Aside from receiving free tuition, FYP students enroll in a oneyear sequence of courses with priority registration, preceded by summer orientation to learn about majors and receive academic guidance. FYP courses are offered with the benefits of Open Educational Resources (OER) textbooks and other learning community elements.

Participating students also benefit from ongoing counseling and student support to help them reach their academic goals.

In addition, each student receives a $100 voucher per semester that can be applied toward other supplies and instructional materials.

To ensure the continued success of FYP, which launched in the fall, the COC Foundation has committed to raising $500,000 over the next two years.

For more information about the FYP program and how to make a donation, visit canyons.edu/promise.

8 THE BOTTOM LINE ] SPRING 2018

SILVER SPUR FROM PAGE 3 Foundation. The annual $500 award is given to students majoring in political science and/ or pursuing careers involving public service and civic engagement.

“Buck is most deserving of the Silver Spur award, our highest accolade we can bestow upon an individual who has contributed to the betterment of life in the Santa Clarita Valley and whose actions reflect a distinction and interest in the college,” said Van Hook. “College of the Canyons owes a great deal to his tireless behind-the-scenes efforts in Washington and we are truly honored to count Chairman McKeon among the college’s most passionate supporters.”

In 2000, McKeon was granted an honorary associate of arts degree from COC for his commitment to education.

A Los Angeles native, McKeon attended Brigham Young University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. This proved useful when he went into business with his four brothers. The family-operated company, Howard and Phil’s Western Wear, went on to become the largest western wear retailer in the nation.

Before serving as mayor of the City of Santa Clarita, McKeon had already proven his passion for civic engagement. He was elected to the William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board and served as chairman of the board for the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. Always a strong supporter of local businesses, McKeon helped create Valencia National Bank, which gave local businesses access to small

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business loans, resulting in more jobs within the community. He also served on the Santa Clarita Valley Small Business Development Center Business Survival Committee in 1992.

Since retiring from Congress, McKeon has continued to advocate for a variety of education issues with his team at the McKeon Group, which is a consulting firm that provides advocacy, public relations, strategic analysis, and government relations for clients. He and his wife of 55 years, Patricia Kunz, have six children, 31 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Views and opinions expressed by College of the Canyons are not necessarily shared by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation.

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1. Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook and her husband Roger greet Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon and his wife Patricia.

2. COC Foundation Board Member Kevin Holmes and his wife Isabel attended. 3. Congressman McKeon accepts the Silver Spur Award.

4. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Air Force One Pavilion. 5. Dr. Van Hook presents the Silver Spur Award to Congressman McKeon.

6. Past Silver Spur recipients attended (top row, left to right), including Dr. Barry Gribbons (representing his late mother, LaVerne Harris), Tom Dierckman, Wayne Crawford, Skip Newhall (representing his parents Scott & Ruth Newhall and The Newhall Family), Doreen Shine, (bottom row, left to right) Michael Berger; Harold and Jacquie Petersen, Charlotte Kleeman, and Myrna and Gary Condie. 7. Congressman McKeon is joined by his brothers Monte, Tim, and Joe; Dr. Van Hook presents the Silver Spur Award to Congressman McKeon.

WINTER SPRING 2016 2018 ]] THE THE BOTTOM BOTTOM LINE LINE 99 Construction of the Canyon Country Campus Science Center is under way and will be funded

by Measure E. It is scheduled to open for the Spring 2020 semester.

Audit FROM PAGE 3 includes earned interest and net premium in the bonds. Of that amount, more than $152.3 million has been expended on authorized bond projects, leaving the District with a Measure M bond project fund balance of $26.3 million and a Measure E fund balance of $49.9 million as of June 30, 2017.

“I appreciate the commitment of the chair, Nick Lentini, and members of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee for their work in reviewing the expenditures on a regular basis to confirm they met the criteria of what the voters had authorized,” said Sharlene Coleal, assistant superintendent, vice president of business services at the college.

“I would also like to thank Jim Schrage, vice president of facilities and Fiscal Services staff for their work to ensure fiscal oversight and compliance.”

Measure M was approved by Santa Clarita Valley voters on Nov. 7, 2006.

Since its passage, the $160 million bond measure has helped fund a wide variety of major facilities and campus expansions at the college, such as the construction of the Mentry Hall Expansion, The Learning Center (TLC)/Library Expansion, Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, the Canyon Country

campus, the College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education (iCUE), and the Canyons Hall student services/administration building.

The final Measure M issuance of $20 million will go toward the construction of the Science Center at the Canyon Country campus and a 1,659-space parking structure at the Valencia campus. Measure E, the $230 million general obligation bonds approved by voters in June 2016, will provide the remaining funding necessary for the completion of those two projects and future construction projects.

“The success of any project is due in large part to the community that it is part of,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook.

“College of the Canyons is very fortunate to have the support of the Santa Clarita Valley community as the college continues to build to accommodate our growing student population at both campuses.”

The Science Center will be located at the center of the Canyon Country campus, serving as a focal point for students and first-time visitors.

The approximately 55,000-square-foot facility will primarily be devoted to physical

and biological sciences, housing eight labs and 10 science service rooms. Additionally, the four-level building will also house three computer labs, 24 faculty offices, seven group study rooms, open study spaces, lab service spaces, as well as seven lecture rooms, including a lecture room with 75-seating capacity. It is expected to be completed by 2020.

The Student Services/Learning Resources Building will be the new home to Student Services and The Learning Center (TLC). The four-story building will be opposite the Science Center at the center of campus and will provide office and library space.

Following quickly behind that will be the Arts/Lecture Building, which will house the fine arts, including a combined music, dance and theatrical performance space, as well as an art gallery. The building includes six classrooms and 11,000 square feet of instructional lab space.

Visit http://www.canyons.edu/Offices/ PIO/BondOversight/Pages/default.aspx for more information about the independent citizens’ bond oversight committee.

10 THE BOTTOM LINE ] SPRING 2018

SCVi FROM PAGE 5 al commercial textbooks. Their adoption at College of the Canyons saves students more than $3.5 million in textbook costs each year.

And, in a continued effort to reduce college costs, College of the Canyons launched the First Year Promise (FYP) program earlier this year to provide increased opportunities for new full-time college students to achieve their educational goals.

The addition of the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, named in her honor, in 2009 has enabled more than 3,000 students to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from partnering universities while attending classes in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“College of the Canyons and Dr. Dianne Van Hook are just leaders in innovation,” said Amber Raskin, founder and executive director of iLEAD Schools. “They follow the latest trends and really think far ahead about what’s needed in education, schooling and training.

SCVi has the same mission.”

The Family Vision Award honors an SCVi family who has demonstrated a deep commitment to the philosophy of SCVi and iLEAD schools and who has influenced its growth of culture, community and educational vision.

“My family is truly honored to have been given this award,” said Ruiz. “SCVi has been a major part of our lives and I feel so privileged to have been involved with the school from the beginning.”

The Ruiz Family has been involved with SCVi ever since Wendy was

the preschool teacher for iLEAD co-founder Amber Raskin’s daughter at the ECE Center at COC. The two bonded when Raskin decided that she wanted to duplicate the ECE philosophy for school-age programs. Once SCVi was launched, the Ruiz family enrolled their son Riley at the school’s Castaic location. Their son, Ramsey, currently in 7th grade, has attended SCVi since kindergarten. Wendy and her husband Robert have always been deeply involved in SCVi activities. In 2011, Wendy joined the SCVi Board of Directors and now serves on the LEAD Schools Development Board.

“I am so proud of Wendy and her family for their long-rooted commitment to education in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said Dr. Van Hook. “This award is a testament to Wendy’s passion and dedication as an educator, which is palpable through her work at the Early Childhood Education Center at the college.”

Founded in 2008, SCVi is a charter school based in Santa Clarita and specializes in project-based learning for grades K-12. The school values the whole child and encourages lifelong learning, critical thinking, problem solving and global citizenry. SCVi later launched other school sites, known as iLEAD schools.

For more information about SCVi, please visit ileadsantaclarita.org.

Photos courtesy of Renee Bowen

Leon Malmed FROM PAGE 6

Leon Malmed (left) shares his experiences as a child during the Holocaust. Faculty and students who created “The Promise” based on Malmed’s life join him after the screening.

The MEA 265 Animation Production class offers students the opportunity to work as a team to create an animation for a client or project. Taught by Masha Vasilkovsky, the students also had the guidance of Ruah Edelstein, a filmmaker-in-residence. “’The Promise’ is a student-created, instructor-led example of project-based teach-

ing,” said Baker. “Students learned, through firsthand experience, a part of human history. They heard and had to understand and empathize with Leon’s history in order to successfully create the movie.”

The film also features a musical score composed by Bernardo Feldman, chair of the college’s music department, and was

mixed by Jon Amador, a sound arts professor at the college.

“It was truly a collaboration of the School of Visual and Performing Arts,” said Baker.

Production for “The Promise” was made possible through a grant from the College of the Canyons Foundation.

SPRING 2018 ] THE BOTTOM LINE 11

Takeda FROM PAGE 12 and lab and many different courses challenging. It took him several years until he found his stride in the classroom.

“Community college is different from a university,” said Takeda. “You don’t have the uniformity of 18- or 19-year-olds in the classroom.” There were many older students. To be able to reach and motivate the diverse groups of students with their varied educational and experiential backgrounds added to the teaching challenges.

Fortunately, Takeda found sound guidance from Boykin, the college’s first biology professor, who would become his mentor and close friend.

Together, they built the college’s biology department and created a robust curriculum that would help students successfully transfer to four-year universities. “Jim would just sit down at a typewriter and churn out a course curriculum with hundreds of objectives with articulation to the UCs in mind” said Takeda.

When Takeda was overwhelmed by how much course content needed to be covered in class, Boykin invited him to sit in on his classes to learn from his teaching approach. Observing his teaching of ‘what,’ as well as, ‘how’ enabled an insight of what is meant to be a true teacher.

Additional valuable lessons Boykin imparted to Takeda were the importance of respecting student diversity and to acknowledge the lasting impact of excellent education. “Students are people, not sponges” Boykin would say, said Takeda. “They have sensitivities and you have to adjust accordingly.”

Takeda and Boykin watched their two-person department grow and move from modules to the permanent L-Building which was renamed the James D. Boykin Laboratory Center in Boykin’s memory.

At the helm of the biology department, Takeda played a pivotal role in upgrading molecular-cellular biology and organismal biology courses, developing a biotechnology program, and re-emphasizing field studies that provide broad and diverse life science educational opportunities for all students.

“It’s been amazing,” said Takeda of the college’s growth and evolution, that is, starting off with a few bungalows, moving to permanent buildings; and then, increased funding. “This is where Chancellor Van

Hook has been proficient,” said Takeda, who was on the interview committee that hired Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook in 1988. “Her reputation to generate funding preceded her.”

Chancellor Van Hook supported the department’s pursuit of a National Science Foundation instrumentation grant for a proposed certificate in biotechnology program in 1995.

“NSF grants for community colleges were not highly supported back then,” said Takeda. “But she said, ‘Let’s try for it.’”

The grant was not awarded but funding was realized for remodeling an existing lab to accommodate the innovative program.

Takeda provided oversight for the remodel of the biology classrooms and laboratories in Boykin Hall and, later, was instrumental in the design and development of Aliso Hall and Aliso Lab. At COC, Takeda not only found his calling as an educator, but it’s also where he met his wife, Cindee Robinson, in an explosive manner – almost. As a newly hired lab technician, Robinson found crystallized picric acid, a highly explosive compound,

during a safety check of the central lab.

Knowing the safety concerns to students and college personnel, she immediately called the fire department that brought out the hazardous materials team and averted potential harm. Robinson’s quick-thinking impressed Takeda.

What Takeda is proudest of are the students who were inspired by his biology classes to pursue biology-related professions that include many registered nurses at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital (HMNH).

When his mother broke her hip and was transported to HMNH, many of his former students thought it was he when they saw ‘Takeda’ on the hospital admittance log. “When I got there, they were disappointed because they thought they were going to get their revenge,” said Takeda. “But when it turned out to be my mom, she received the best of care.”

During his tenure at COC, Takeda has worked under the leadership of five different Superintendent-Presidents and has witnessed the transformation of the Valencia campus and is looking forward to the development of the Canyon Country campus. He has also seen the biology department grow from a two-person department to one that now includes nine full-time faculty, six full-time technical staff, and more than 30 adjunct instructors.

Takeda served as lead faculty/chair of the college’s biology department for over 25 years before passing on the baton to professor Miriam Golbert in 2008 so that he could again focus on teaching. He plans to teach microbiology as an adjunct instructor at the Valencia campus and in the future Science Building at Canyon Country.

Takeda’s retirement plans also include spending time with his family and attending the college graduations of his daughter Phoebe (B.A.) from Kent State University and son Cameron (M.A.) from CSULA. Both are former COC students.

“It’s been challenging but stimulating; and with terrific students, colleagues, and friendships – enjoyable!” said Takeda of his career at COC. “There hasn’t been a day that has not been active. What keeps you going and why 45 years can go by in a flash is based upon how engaged you are. If the days are tedious and cumbersome, then it truly becomes a job.”

Santa Clarita Community College District 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edel Alonso Michael D. Berger Michele R. Jenkins Joan W. MacGregor Steven D. Zimmer Tabitha Kumar, Student Trustee

Longest-Serving Faculty Member,

Don Takeda, Retires After 46 Years at COC

F

Don Takeda (center), the college’s longest-serving faculty member, credits students, colleagues and friends with keeping him inspired during 46 years of teaching.

or many, Dec. 31, 2017 simply marked the end of a year, but for Don Takeda, it marked the end of a 46-year teaching career at College of the Canyons.

As the college’s longest serving faculty member, Takeda was hired as a biology and math instructor on Jan. 1, 1972, which he chalks up to pure serendipity.

“I wasn’t looking for a job,” said Takeda, whose love for biology began on his family’s raisin farm in California’s Central Valley.

Takeda had just finished his graduate botanical science studies at California State University, Los Angeles at the end of the fall quarter when his major professor encouraged his application to the position at COC, “for the experience.”

COC, then only a 3-year-old campus, was made up of modular buildings. “I initially thought, ‘Would I want to work here?’” said Takeda; and with no teaching experience to speak of, he had little expectation of securing the job.

“The way it happened was unlike today’s procedures,” said Takeda, who came in for a single interview on a Friday afternoon. The committee consisted of Gary Mouck, vice president and assistant superintendent of instruction, Mildred Guernsey (mathematics), and Jim Boykin (biology). To his surprise, Mouck called Takeda Saturday morning with the job offer.

With COC’s winter quarter set to begin and only one week to prepare before classes started, Takeda found teaching both lecture See TAKEDA on Page 11