Content Management Systems & Open Source Software – Part I by Paola Garcia Cardenas, Computer Studies Adjunct, pgarciac@sunyrockland.edu
In the past, in order to build a website, web developers would start by writing individual HTML (HyperText Markup Language) pages, and then connect them together through links. This was perfect for small websites, but as new and complex technologies developed and websites turned into bigger and more robust systems, writing individual pages started to become more complicated. Content Management Systems (CMS) were created with the idea of simplifying web tasks. What are Content Management Systems? A Content Management System is a software application that centralizes tasks such as creating, publishing, editing, deleting, organizing, and managing content in a collaborative environment. The content can then be presented to the user in a variety of ways.
Carol King Berkman was recently appointed as an adjunct in History.
When did you first get interested in teaching? I’ve been interested in teaching ever since I can remember. My parents, who weren't born here, had a profound amazement and respect for teachers. That has always stayed with me.
CMS not only provides tools for collaboration but also administration of large websites, making it easy for everyone – technical and nontechnical people – to maintain and add content to these sites. Some of the most widely used Content Management Systems today are: • Drupal • MODx • Wordpress • Plone • Joomla! • Concrete5 These Content Management Systems can be used for different purposes, but they have one thing in common: they are Open Source Software. What is Open Source Software? In Open Source Software (OSS), the software’s source code is made available to anyone to freely use, modify and/or share. This software is created and maintained by a community of collaborators
What is your philosophy of education? I don’t know if I have a single philosophy of education. I think learning, both within and outside the classroom, is a powerful force that can change lives; it can change the world. I love teaching because it is so dynamic. I learn so much from my students; they learn so much from each other. In my recent Western Civilization class I had each student present an individual, artist, writer or musician, and how they affected and were affected by the time and circumstances of their lives. My students would also acknowledge my emphasis on using their knowledge to impact their world. How would your students describe you as a teacher? I think my students would describe me as interested in who they are as individuals
worldwide. It is distributed under licenses complying with the Open Source Definition. One of my favorite Content Management Systems is Drupal, which uses Open Source Software. It’s easy to install and you can choose from more than 30,000 modules to implement different functionalities for your website(s). There are currently more than 37,000 developers worldwide collaborating on this project and constantly updating, fixing bugs and developing new modules, so you are always bound to find new things with Drupal. I encourage you to join the Drupal Rockland County group (https://groups.drupal.org/rocklandcounty-ny) and the Meetups (http://www.meetup.com/RocklandCounty-NY-Drupal-Meetup/)
to learn more. Anyone, technical and non-technical alike, is welcome to join and learn! and committed to their personal success. Every student offers a unique background and history that impacts their understanding of the material we cover and enhances the learning experience for the entire class as well. What are a few of your proudest professional accomplishments? My proudest moments as a teacher are when my class becomes so passionate about something that they engage and dialogue with each other and I become an arbiter or observer. I am also very moved when I meet up with past students who tell me how a class I taught had an impact on them.
WELCOME TO THE RCC COMMUNITY, Carol!
THE BRIDGE Connecting adjunct faculty to Rockland Community College
Burton Louis-Charles, Coordinator, Evening & Weekend Programs • blouis@sunyrockland.edu • Editor
Summer 2015
RCC & Middle States Forging the way for our students’ future Rockland is currently engaged in the process of Middle States Re-Accreditation. This process is important for our College community, our students in particular. In the highly competitive employment market, students who have a degree from an accredited institution have a distinct advantage. What is Accreditation? Accreditation is a process of validation in which colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning are evaluated. The standards for accreditation are set by a peer review board whose members include faculty from various accredited colleges and universities. The board aids in the evaluation of each potential new school accreditation or the renewals of previously accredited colleges/ schools. At RCC, we do a complete self-study every 10 years for accreditation. Who is in charge of Middle States? The Middle States Commission on Higher Education oversees the pre-accreditation and accreditation of colleges, schools, and online universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. Top-ranking schools accredited by this body include Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Pittsburgh.
Who are the people responsible for RCC’s Accreditation Board? Martha Rottman and Kevin Barrett are co-chairing the committee and are responsible for the self-study of our campus. Kevin and Martha formed a Steering Committee, which consists of 14 team leaders for each of the 14 standards of excellence.
Their goal for this semester is to complete the design of the selfstudy, which is basically the outline of the self-study report. This includes the research questions, the list of documents to be consulted, a list of people to be interviewed, the members of the working groups, the timeline, and other information essential to the final report.
This design will be submitted to Dr. Andrea Lex, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Dr. Lex visited the campus on April 27 and met with various groups on campus to provide information and guidance. Dr. Lex stated that she is prepared to focus on the following: • Issues facing the institution and appropriate means of addressing them via self-study; • Responsibilities and expectations of those who will have crucial roles in the self-study process; • General questions regarding the role of self-study and peer review. How can you help in the Accreditation of our College? The Steering Committee will need to collect information from your department for this study. If your department needs information about your course – for example, syllabus, LAP – then please provide this material.
ADJUNCT ACHIEVEMENTS SPRING 2015 Kaoru Miyauchi, adjunct faculty, Performing Arts, performed her 11th piano recital at Carnegie Hall on February 22 during the Artists of the Alexander & Buono Masterclass Series. Christopher Thiesing, adjunct faculty and business advisor, Small Business Development Center, was elected to the Board of Directors at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum (CFFC&M), for which he is media director. Additionally, about 100 of his photos are included in a book, Fly-Casting Finesse, by John L. Field, which was published this spring. Thiesing also presented a photo display, “Catskill Rivers,” at the CFFC&M in the spring. Collette Fournier, adjunct faculty, Art, exhibited photography works in “Advancing the Frame,” the first joint exhibition of art photography groups Kamoinge, Inc. and EnFoco, Inc., at the Nathan Cummings Foundation in NYC through March 26. Rabbi Dov Oliver, adjunct faculty and Director of the Center for Jewish Life/Hillel, and Andrea Winograd, Director of the Holocaust Museum & Study Center, were honored at the Town of Ramapo's annual Jewish Heritage Night celebration. Ronald de Ramon, Discipline Coordinator of Accounting and Business and adjunct faculty, Accounting, was honored with an award by the Stony Point Fire Department’s Wayne Hose Company for providing pro bono accounting and tax preparation services for the past several years. Sherrill Wilson, PhD, adjunct faculty for Pluralism & Diversity, presented the keynote speech, “Celebrating Freedom,” at a Kwanzaa event at the Rochester Museum of Art in Rochester, NY, on December 30, 2014. Joseph Falco, adjunct faculty, Psychology, moderated a group discussion, “Reaching Milestones: Promoting Adulthood during the First-Year,” at the New Jersey Association of New Student Advocates (NJANSA) meeting at Seton Hall University on October 17, 2014.
Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), a product and service of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, is a well-established tool that helps institutions focus on good educational practice and identify areas in which they can improve their programs and services for students. Administered during the spring to mostly returning students, CCSSE asks about institutional practices and student behaviors that are highly correlated with student learning and retention. CCSSE serves as a complementary piece to the Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE), with a broader focus on the student experience. RCC and many other community colleges across the nation have had the chance to share their views by completing the CCSSE. Survey items focused on how students spend their time; the nature and quality of their interactions with faculty members and peers; what they have gained from their classes; and other aspects of their college experience.
CETL – Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning CETL offers a professional development program with a variety of workshops and presentations throughout the year. • We strongly encourage adjunct faculty to attend faculty development workshops and to offer them as well. An adjunct faculty member who offers a CETL workshop will receive a small honorarium of $50. • We are interested in knowing what types of workshops would interest our adjunct faculty. • If an adjunct faculty member wishes to offer a workshop during the semester, he or she should contact Lynn Aaron, Professor of Computer Studies, at laaron@sunyrockland.edu, or Dr. Elaine Padilla, Professor of Social Science, at epadilla@sunyrockland..edu
The CCSSE (SessEE) is conducted in the classroom with students for a randomly selected sample. The CCFSSE (FessEE) is conducted online and all faculty have the opportunity to participate. CCSSE/CCFSSE facts: • CCSSE - Community College Survey of Student Engagement • CCFSSE - Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement • CCSSE was established in 2001 and is associated with the four-year school survey NSSE. CCSSE builds on this research and asks students about their college experiences — how they spend their time; what they feel they have derived from their classes; how they assess their relationships and interactions with faculty, counselors, and peers; what kinds of work they are challenged to do; how the college supports their learning; and so on. CCFSSE elicits information from faculty about their perceptions regarding students' educational experiences, their teaching practices, and the ways they spend their professional time—both in and out of the classroom. Other CCSSE facts: • 14 community colleges are participating in CCSSE this year; • The last time RCC participated was 2009. RCC surveyed approximately 60 to 70 sections, randomly selected by CCSSE. RCC does not pick the sections.
TART= Tasty Adjunct Recipe Tips
Please join us for our
Fall 2015 Adjunct Faculty Startup
Wednesday, August 25 Location TBA RSVP
Burton Louis-Charles 845-574-4789 or blouis@ sunyrockland.edu
Question of the day:
What is your opinion of this policy: If a faculty member does not arrive within 15 minutes of class start time, students have the right to leave class? Please email Burton Louis-Charles, blouis@sunyrockland.edu with your feedback.
Recipes from our own adjunct faculty
POT ROAST
Ingredients 1 roast: about 3-6 pounds 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 jar of peach or orange jam or marmalade 1 bottle of Coke (has to be regular Coke - not Pepsi or Diet Coke) 1 bottle of smoky-flavored BBQ sauce (whichever brand you like) Directions Mix the ingredients in a large crock pot. Put the roast in the mixture in the crock pot and let cook on low for 7 hours, Natalie Tuzzolino, Adjunct, EMT
ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients 4 cups flour (white, whole wheat or spelt) 8 eggs 1 1/3 cup oil (olive oil is fine) 2 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 cup cocoa (or carob) 2 cups water 2 1/2 cups sugar (or 1 1/2 cup honey) 2 tsp vanilla sugar 1 tsp salt Directions Mix the ingredients well. Pour batter into two 9x13 oiled pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Yaffa Zager, Adjunct, English
College ID
College ID pictures can be taken in the lobby of the Tech Center, Security Booth. Please call 845-574-4217/4227 for days and hours of operation.
Adjunct Lounges Academic I, Room 1224 Academic II, Room 2330 Technology Center, Room 8302