SAN JACINTO TIMES Vol. 24, No. 10
All SJC campuses to attend one grad ceremony
Spring forward: Applause closes Central’s dance season e student publication of the San Jacinto College District
Randi Crowder Staff Writer
For the first time, all three San Jacinto College campuses will participate in a single graduation ceremony at NRG (formerly Reliant) Stadium. In the past, each campus hosted its own commencement activities at different venues holding two separate ceremonies for students receiving either academic degrees or technical certificates. Joanna Zimmermann, Student Services Interim Vice President, said the purpose of this collaboration was to provide a larger venue for graduates and attendees. “Over the last several years, San Jacinto College has been outgrowing the facilities where we have held commencement ceremonies,” Zimmermann said. “Outgrowing our commencement ceremony space is a great problem to have. Because of this, the College felt it was the right time to begin looking at combining the ceremonies into one.” At previous ceremonies, the number of guests allowed to attend was limited, South Campus Dean of Enrollment Services Kerry Mix said. “Commencement is the most time that we can show students we appreciate the time, energy, and effort they have given in their academic studies,” Mix said. “In the past we’ve had to tell students you can only bring three to five guests and we want to be able to say that whoever you want to come to commencement to see you shouldn’t be limited.” Last year, for the first time in the College’s history, more than 5,000 students graduated from San Jac, Zimmermann said. “This shows that we are graduating more students each year, and we wanted to make sure that each student’s family has an opportunity to see them walk across the stage and receive their college diploma,” Zimmermann said.
See Graduation on Page 4
Jeannie Peng-Armao San Jacinto College Marketing, Public Relations, and Government Affairs Department
Small blaze erupts on North campus Jordan Fuller performs a split leap during rehearsals for the spring dance show.
A fire broke out during the morning hours of April 2 in the Northwest corner of the San Jacinto College North Campus Vocational Technology Welding building. Despite initial reports the building was “engulfed in flames,” the fire was relatively small, North campus Interim Provost Bill Raffetto said. No one was injured, and damage was minimal in the shortlived blaze. According to Raffetto, the fire resulted from a malfunction in a large portable fan. A student walking by the building saw flames in the window and alerted first responders. Shortly after the fire was extinguished, crews were on-
scene to assess, clean up, and repair the damage. “Most of the damage is from smoke and [firefighters’] water,” Raffetto said. “[First responders] were here very quickly to put the fire out…. They did a fantastic job.” An SJC Alert, distributed at approximately 7 a.m., indicated classes on North campus would be suspended until noon that day. Shortly thereafter, a second Alert announced the fire was extinguished and everyone should report to North campus as regularly scheduled. Classes resumed in the welding building April 7. - Bradley Croman
See full story on Page 3
Bradley Croman San Jacinto Times
April 21, 2014
Board okays tuition hike
The San Jacinto College Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase set to take effect at the beginning of the fall semester. The decision was made at the March 31 Board meeting. According to a released statement, the College said the increase aims to help the school system provide the best possible experience for current and prospective students. “To ensure your degree or certificate from San Jacinto College remains valuable,” the release stated, “we must initiate programs that will help our students successfully complete and move on to a university or into the workforce.” This fall, in-district students will see a $6 increase per credit hour, resident out-of-district students $5 and non-resident students will see an $8 increase in rates. Additionally, the Board approved internal and external fees for exams related to Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) and an increase in the exemption for dual credit and early college high school students from 55% to 70%. Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer said, in an email distributed to College employees, the dual credit exemption hopes to strengthen the College’s commitment “to partner with our independent school districts to instill a college-going culture and mindset early in the education process.” The College’s statement indicated the rise in tuition rates will not affect San Jac’s status as one of the more economical options for higher learning in the Greater Houston area. “It is important for students to know that San Jacinto College tuition and fees,” the statement noted, “remain lower than the majority of community colleges across the State of Texas and in the Gulf Coast region. San Jacinto College continues to be one of the best values for your education.” This is the first tuition hike since 2012. - Bradley Croman contributed to this report
South library nears completion San Jac expands RN program
Brandon Peña Staff Writer
The Parker Williams Library at San Jacinto College South Campus is nearing completion of renovations that will give the facility an updated look. South campus Reference Librarian Jane Stimpson said the renovations began May, 2013. “They’re really close to being done. Right now, it looks like all they’re doing is mostly cosmetic work,” Stimpson said. Along with the addition of bright and colorful design elements, Stimpson said the library expanded in several ways. “One of the great things is now we have more study rooms,” Stimpson said. “Previously we had about, maybe, seven study rooms and they were really small. Most of them could only fit about
one or two people.” Now, Stimpson said the library has about a dozen study rooms that can accommodate up to six people, in addition to new spaces dedicated to student instruction. “One of the things I’m happiest about is we have a new library classroom,” Stimpson said. According to Stimpson, the old classroom used for teaching students how to conduct research was just a room with chairs. “But now we have this nice new room,” Stimpson said. “It has computers for everybody. There’s lots of natural light in it, so it’s a really nice classroom space.” Moreover, South campus Library Director Richard McKay said the updates should accommodate students’ needs into the foreseeable future. “We’re already seeing lots more students in the building than we
Contrary to initial reports, the April 2 fire caused minimal damage.
did before the renovation,” McKay said. “The project was a complete success, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.” However, South campus’s library is not the only one undergoing a makeover. “Central had a much more extensive renovation than we did,” Stimpson said. “We have stayed in this building while it’s been renovated. The Central campus had to move totally out of their building.” Central campus’s Lee Davis Library was relocated to the second floor of the Frels Building during construction. Head of Public Services for Lee Davis Library John Brower said, “The renovation is almost complete. We anticipate reopening on June 2.”
See Library on Page 4
Robert Harris Jr.
Staff Writer
San Jacinto College North Campus will begin a new ADN-RN program in the fall semester as an extension of Central campus’s existing program. ADN-RN, an acronym for Associate Degree Nursing-Registered Nursing, is a program offering graduates entry into the nursing profession as a Registered Nurse. Vocational Nursing Department Director Rhonda Bell said, “The North Campus has never had an ADN-RN Program. We have had the Vocational Nursing Program since 1974.” Furthermore, she said the program will help alleviate the nursing shortage in the area while providing “quality care for a diverse population.” The community voiced an interest in creating
such a program several years ago and San Jac worked to get it going, Bell added. “Once the various approvals (were given) by the Texas Board of Nursing, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and our Board of Trustees,” she said, “the program leaders began to finalize the information and plan for the implementation.” Meanwhile, Bell said the program encourages students pursuing a nursing career to, “succeed with perseverance, purpose, and passion.” “We believe that success is possible with perseverance; the ability to keep going even when the going gets tough,” Bell said. “A sense of purpose: nursing is a notable profession whereby we have a positive effect on so many people…. Passion is what we love to do, so we continue to press for ex-
cellence.” Moreover, Bell said the addition of the program offers health science students more educational and career options. “The students, who are currently enrolled in a degree plan for nursing and are completing the prerequisites, will now have the opportunity to apply to the RN program and continue their education at San Jac,” Bell said. Serita Dickey, Dean of Natural Sciences, said the program will be the “crown jewel” of North campus’s health science offerings. “I am so excited for our community and future students to be able to meet their educational and career goals by attending the North Campus.” “I cannot wait for the first class to be accepted and seated,” Dickey said. “It will be a very emotional day for me.”