Community Connection | September 2014

Maricopa Community Colleges • Office of the Chancellor • Community Advisory Committees • Vol. 10 • September 2014

Chancellor’s Update In his “State of the Union” message this past January, President Obama charged Vice President Joe Biden with leading “an across-the-board reform of America’s training programs to make sure they…train Americans with the skills employers need, and match them to good jobs that need to be filled right now.”

As part of Vice President Biden’s response, this summer I joined him and U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez on a panel of experts to speak to the President’s challenge by creating and sharing replicable, scalable workforce training ideas.

Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Rufus Glasper, and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez

The panel convener, Washington-based think tank Third Way, identified seven key traits of successful programs, which include actively engaging local businesses, making data-driven decisions, and providing support services to students. Third Way highlighted a series of innovative and highly effective case studies. I’m pleased to say that Third Way featured Maricopa Community Colleges Corporate College as an innovative way to increase funding in the face of budget shortfalls.

In line with with state and federal efforts, helping Arizonans get new or better jobs is one of the cornerstones of Maricopa Community Colleges’ mission. Our colleges offer training programs in 95% of the highest demand industries in the Valley. Community colleges are critical to the success of job training in this country. We are proud to be continuing to take important steps to ensure that the workforce is properly educated and trained to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow.

APS Gives $300,000 to Support Student Success The Arizona Public Service (APS) Foundation has created a fund at the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation to support a new i2Teach program at Rio Salado College. The intensive program, which launches this fall, will establish mentor relationships for Rio Salado Teacher-inResidence interns who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-teacher education area to achieve teacher certification while being employed as a pre-K-12 teacher statewide.

Research on this model has proven to increase job retention within the first two years of pre-K-12 classroom teaching. The APS Foundation funds will give priority preference to those teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

“Developing well-trained teachers in the STEM area is an important part of the future of our workforce and our community” said Julie Coleman, APS Foundation Executive Director.

Chancellor Update 1 Coyote Center Opens 2 New Faces at MCCCD 3 New Committee Chairs 3

News Briefs Governing Board Highlights Board Changes

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Community Connection provides news and information about the Maricopa Community Colleges and the Chancellor’s Community Advisory Committees to the community. Community Connection is published and distributed quarterly.

To read it online, visit https://chancellor.maricopa.edu/advisory-committees

Chancellor Appointed to Higher Learning Commission

New Fitness Center for Students, Employees, and Community Residents

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) – a regional agency that accredits more than 1,000 degree granting higher education institutions including the Maricopa Community Colleges – has appointed Dr. Rufus Glasper, to its Board of Trustees. Among other things, the Board deliberates on and decides official actions for institutions placed on notice or probation and responds to requests for change of institutional control, structure, or organization. Dr. Glasper’s term begins on September 1, 2014.

“Rufus Glasper brings to the Commission Board the wisdom of his extensive experience in education,” said HLC President Sylvia Manning. “He understands accreditation from the perspective of a chancellor and also from the perspective of a peer reviewer.

He has helped the Commission explain the role and process of accreditation on Capitol Hill. He will be a terrific addition to a distinguished Board.”

Meet Aaron Fajardo Police Officer, Fire Fighter, and a graduate of a Maricopa Community College

Which colleges did you attend? I went through the Fire Science program at Estrella Mountain and took my hazardous materials classes at Glendale.

What is your current job? I’m a police officer on patrol and have been with the Goodyear Police Department for six years.

Why are you switching to Fire Safety? It’s a more demanding job physically. It’s more of a challenge and something new.

Why did you go into public safety? I always wanted to do something to help people. I’ve had some tragedies happen and I want to be there for others.

What’s one word to describe yourself? Loyal.

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New Fitness Center at the New Coyote Center and CGCC

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) finished construction of its new Coyote Center in July. Named for the college’s mascot, the center now includes a 4,000-square-foot fitness facility that offers a full line of cardiovascular equipment, resistance training machines, a complete free weight section with Olympic lifting platforms, and an outdoor turf field. There is also an 1,800-square-foot group fitness room.

Employees pay $25 per semester for access to the facility (they can seek a scholarship to cover the cost); noncredit students and community residents pay $80. People who sign up for a two-credit course or more are able to attend any open group classes such as yoga, pilates, tai chi and zumba. They will also be able to get help designing a personalized exercise program, which includes preventive blood pressure checks, and assessments of body composition, heart health, and strength/endurance.

The fitness center is open 8:00am – 8:00pm (MondayThursday) and 8:00am – 5:00pm (Friday). Currently it is closed on weekends, but that may change in the future.

The Coyote Center is located on CGCC’s Pecos Campus (2626 E. Pecos Road in Chandler). For more information, call 480-732-7200.

Maricopa Matters Vol. 2 Coming in October The District will issue the second issue of its newsletter Maricopa Matters - in October.

To view previously reported stories, visit maricopamatters.blogspot.com.

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Rio Salado College Dental Clinic Offers Affordable Services to the Public You may know about Rio Salado College’s extensive options for online learning, but did you know the college also owns and operates a teaching dental clinic? It opened at its new location in Tempe in July 2013. It features 20 patient chairs, six X-ray units and an instrument processing room and serves as an instructional lab where dental hygiene and dental assisting students gain practical experience.

“Patients are very happy when they leave our clinic because they know they have had the best treatment possible,” said Holly Harper, Rio Salado’s Faculty Chair of Dental Programs. “Rio Salado has one of the best dental hygiene programs in the nation.

Our Clinical Dental Assisting Program is a unique combination of online and in person instruction. It is one of three programs in the State of Arizona that is accredited.”

Under the supervision of licensed dentists, registered dental hygienists and certified dental assistants, as many as 20 students can work on patients at a time during clinic hours. Services offered include blood pressure screening, oral examination, X-rays as needed, cleaning and polishing, fluoride application, gum disease screening, oral hygiene instruction, and other selected services, including sealants and dietary counseling. For other dental needs such as major restorative work and surgeries, patients should visit their family dentist. The clinic can also provide patients with a list of community dental clinics if they do not already have one.

The dental clinic is open to the public. Children must be 4 years of age or older and are generally seen during the summer semester.

In addition to the quality services provided by students, patients benefit from an affordable pricing structure. Currently, fees range from $25-35 depending on the age of the patient. The Rio Salado College Dental Clinic is located at 2250 W. 14th Street in Tempe.

Clinic hours and appointments vary. All new patients must have a screening visit prior to a dental hygiene appointment. To schedule a screening appointment, call (480) 377-4100. For more information, visit www.riosalado.edu/locations/dh.

Chancellor Recognizes New Committee Chairs David Evans determined that through his Investment Advisory Firm, Q Financial Design Workshops, LLC, he could have a greater impact on students’ lives by linking philanthropic organizations and family foundations with educational institutions. He spent 5 years teaching workforce math David Evans and ESL to high school dropouts and community college students. Mr. Evans is an elected governing board member on the Chandler Unified School District. He is the founder of the Black Caucus of the Arizona School Boards Association, and Pacific Region Director on the National School Boards Association.

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Julie Roberts

Julie Roberts, originally from Oklahoma, earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater and spent the first 20 years of her career practicing, teaching and training in Western Classical Theater and Japanese theater forms. She and her partner, Laurel, moved to Phoenix 10 years ago and both have been very active in local LGBT

organizations. She has served on the Chancellor’s LGBT committee for 7 years, been on staff for Equality Arizona, and worked with the Maricopa Community College Foundation to create and initially fund the OUT & UP Scholarship for LGBTQ Youth.

Dr. Bob Fernie served as the Chair of Phoenix College’s Department of Psychology from 1995 – 2002.

He worked with the Maricopa Psychological Society to help make it easier for the community to obtain psychological services. He, along with other Maricopa faculty and staff, Dr. Bob Fernie created the Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Association (GLHRA) of the Maricopa Community Colleges. GLHRA became the officially recognized District group for supporting the rights and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered District employees and students. Bob resides in Phoenix with his husband Dr. Conrad Egge. After being joined in a “sacred union” in 1992, Bob and Conrad were legally married in San Francisco, November 5th, 2013.

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News Briefs

Governing Board Highlights

Hot Jobs: Ophthalmic Assistant

Maricopa Celebrates Student-Athletes, National Champions

(AZ Family 3, Jul. 25) The Maricopa Skill Center’s Ophthalmic Assistant program was featured on AZ Family (Channel 3). It’s a six-month program, and the only one of its kind in the state. The job remains in high demand.

Arizona Historian Marshall Trimble Retires (Arizona Republic, Jul. 6)

In June 2014, Marshall Trimble announced his retirement from a teaching position at Scottsdale Community College (SCC). It marked the end of a teaching career in high schools and colleges in the Phoenix area since the late 1960s. But Trimble, author of more than 20 books about Arizona and its history, will continue in his volunteer position as Arizona state historian, will maintain his office at SCC and will guest-lecture on campus.

Samantha Ezell, Paradise Valley Athletic Director and John Mulhern, Mesa Athletic Director, reported to the Governing Board on the athletic and academic achievements of Maricopa’s student-athletes and their leaders. In 2013-14, 98 studentathletes were recognized for academic excellence, with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher. During the same period, 35 Maricopa teams received recognition for a team GPA of 3.0 or above. MCC’s Women’s Golf team was the top team in the nation, with a team GPA of 3.62.

In athletic news, Maricopa teams captured both Men’s and

Women’s Basketball National Championships in 2013-14.

Mesa Community College (MCC) won the women’s championship, while Phoenix College (PC) won the men’s basketball title. The PC win marked the first national championship for any men’s basketball team in the history of Arizona community colleges. MCC also won the national baseball title.

2015 Brings Changes to Maricopa Commmunity Colleges’ Governing Board Throughout its history, the Maricopa County Community College District has been overseen by a five-member Governing Board, one elected from each of the county’s five districts. Starting with the results of the November 2014 election, the Governing Board will expand to seven members. Two at-large members will be elected by voters throughout Maricopa County, and will be sworn in at the Board’s January meeting.

The plan to expand the Board was approved by Arizona’s legislature several years ago but didn’t take effect until a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision cleared the way for the election of the additional members. After the validity of the new seats was challenged, a judge ruled in favor of allowing the at-large seats but the state Appeals Court ruled the law creating the seats was unconstitutional. More recently, the state Supreme Court vacated the Appellate Court order, allowing the election to proceed. Four candidates have qualified to run for the at-large seats.

Three district seats also are the subject of elections. For information about the Governing Board visit www.maricopa.edu/gvbd.

The Chancellor’s Community Advisory Committees purpose it to: • Provide community-inspired counsel and advice to the Chancellor • Work with the Colleges to strengthen their relationships with the community • Serve as a conduit of information between the Colleges and the community • Help the Colleges identify community issues and proactively address concerns, and • Work on projects that advance the Chancellor’s objectives.

Populations represented by the CACs: African-American, Asian Pacific Islander, GLBT, Latino, Native-American, and people with disabilities.

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