HELLO: MEET THE NEW VICE PRESIDENTS, PAGE 5
NOV. 1, 2011
VOL. 72, NO. 3
THROWN FOR A LOSS Jaymason Lee, No. 7, passes past defensive lineman Alfredo Ayala, No. 33, against Hartnell College in Salinas on Oct. 22. The Jags suffered a defeat, 41-6, but they will have a chance to win against Monterey Peninsula College at 5 p.m. Nov. 5.
Aid checks on their way Increase in applications, combined with staff shortage, leads to frustrating delays STEVE HILL TIMES STAFF
Financial Aid disbursements were sent to more than 1,400 students Oct. 25. The next disbursement will occur the week of Nov. 7. “We havenʼt disbursed what we would have like to since we have limited staff and an increased number of applications,” said Takeo Kube, financial aid director. The District Office will deposit student funds into their HigherOne or personal checking accounts. For those students who did not elect to have the funds directly deposited, HigherOne will attempt to contact them. In the event that no contact is made, paper checks will be mailed 21 days from the disbursement date. The financial aid office has been sending disbursements every few weeks since the beginning of the semester. However, some students have not
STEVE HILL/ TIMES STAF
received their disbursement yet. “Itʼs taking a couple of weeks longer then I expected,” said Victor Mong, 22, Early Childhood Education Major. “The schools need more people to work financial aid.” Because of Californiaʼs economic situation, more people are turning to financial aid to further their educations, and the financial aid office is receiving more financial aid applications compared to previous years. “We received a total of 10,628 applications for the 2010/11 school year. In the first six months of the 2011/12 school year, we have received 8,114 so far,” Kubo said. Despite delays and limited staff, some students have received their disbursements on time. “I changed my financial aid status, but I still got it on time,” said Lina Trac, 17, undeclared major. Financial aid applications are accepted from June 30, 2011, through June 30, 2012.
Construction of arts building enters final stages Officials on hand for topping-off ceremony BY LARRY L. HARRIS TIMES STAFF
The San Jose-Evergreen Community College District placed the last steel girder into the Fine Arts and Multidisciplinary construction project Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. This project is part of the $185 million 2004 Measure G Bond projects passed by 65.39 percent of the voters in November 2004 for the construction of: ■ Building art, science and math classrooms and labs; ■ Expanding healthcare job training facilities; ■ Upgrading, acquiring, constructing and equipping facilities, sites and classrooms. “The project consists of two buildings; the two-story Fine Arts building and the three-story Multi-Disciplinary building,” said Ken Fruen, onsite superintendent for Blach Construction. “The project will total over 53,000 square feet. The project broke ground in April of this year and is scheduled for completion by the end of summer 2012.”
The last 31-foot-long, 16-inchhigh, 7-inch-wide and 1,300-pound beam was hoisted and set firmly in place by two of the projectʼs iron workers during the ceremony Vice President of Administrative Services Greg Nelson gave a brief history of the topping out ceremony, saying “The custom is credited to the Vikings as a ceremony of thanks and respect to their Norse gods. The ceremony was probably imported to the United States by Norwegian iron workers.” Regarding the budget, Nelson said, “The cost of the building is 28.9 million. We are under budget and have reinvested the savings back into solar panels for greater energy efficiency.” The building was “awarded the Public Civic project of the year 2011 by the San Jose Business Journal,” Said Barbra Kavalier, San Jose City College president. “The construction of this building signifies our commitment to creating quality learning environments for our students ... The Fine Arts and Multidisciplinary building have a unique and environmental design, and I am proud to
say we anticipate it to receive the leadership in energy and environmental design gold certification.” SJEVCCD Chancellor Rita Cepeda reminded the audience, “buildings are not merely structures of brick and mortar but they are vessels of the transmission of knowledge designed with the learner and teacher in mind. This structure is worthy of the talents of its students and faculty.” This project “is a once-in-a-lifetime event, it is something special. It will advance the Fine Arts for the benefit of our students and the community.” said Pat Gerster, dean of Humanities and Social Science. “Where many districts are struggling to find money to keep their existing buildings maintained, we have money to build a fine building,” said Nicholas Akinkuoya, vice president of Academic Affairs. “We got a new building going on, we have a lot to be thankful for.” “It truly has been fun to become a partner (with SJCC) and see dreams ANDY NGUYEN / TIMES STAFF and visions come to completion,” said Ken Schroeder of Blach Construction. A construction worker maneuvers a “It is a joy to see excitement of faculty girder into position on the new arts and students.” building during a ceremony Oct. 19.
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