SCC Chaz - Spring 2011

Baseball, softball home games scheduled to start Feb. 26

Fans can get to know the students who will be part of the 2011 Cougar baseball and softball campaigns by requesting a guide from the Athletics Department. After an outstanding 2010 Women’s head softball season, returning sophomores coach Jenn Beckmann returns and team captains Aaron for her second season at SCC, Priestes and Jake Spies will after taking over as head coach lead the team offensively and in the middle of the 2010 defensively in 2011. campaign. The Lady Cougars

New soccer coach joins SCC after stint with Athletica Former Texas A&M women’s soccer star Ashlee Slayback will take over as the new SCC women’s soccer head coach for the 2011 season. From 2004-07, the University High grad started a record-high 92 consecutive games and is the all-time leader in goals scored (81) and points (194) at Texas A&M. As a freshman, Slayback was named the 2004 Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Year,

In Memoriam ... 6

ASHLEE SLAYBACK SCC women’s soccer coach and three years later was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In 2008, Slayback received the Honda Sports Award and the UMBRO/Dallas Soccer News Women’s College Player of the Year Award. After graduating from Texas A&M in 2008, Slayback joined the Boston Renegades, a

United Soccer League women’s team, for one season before she signed with the St. Louis Athletica, a local women’s professional soccer team. In 2009, after one season with the Athletica, Slayback hung up her cleats and began her coaching career as head coach of Ursuline Academy’s girls soccer team in Kirkwood. Now living in St. Peters, Slayback said she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to coach the SCC women’s soccer team which, in Fall 2011, will begin its third intercollegiate season. “I’m very excited,” she said. “This area is a gold mine for women’s soccer talent, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

are split down the middle with eight returning sophomores and eight freshmen. “To say I’m excited for this season would be the biggest understatement,” Beckmann said. “The talent and passion from this group surpasses any other team I’ve had before.” Beckmann said the girls have dedicated themselves to not only being prepared on the field, but also to becoming better students and people. “They have learned what it means to play as a team and to lean on each other.” The teams’ first home games are at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26. For a full schedule, visit www.stchas.edu.

What happens on an SCC snow day?........PAGE 3 Anniversary task force needs your help...PAGE 5 Slayback to head SCC women’s soccer .....PAGE 6

ST. CHARLES COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Vol. 23, No. 1 | 2011

Next step will come March 18 for Presidential Search Committee A Presidential Profile, a tool that will assist in the search for the next college president, was approved at a recent SCC Board of Trustees meeting. The advertisement for a new president was placed the first week of February and will run through March 18.

The college is preparing for the search of its third president after President John McGuire announced last fall his plans to retire in September 2011. “The development of the profile enabled the Board of Trustees, college leaders, and the community to take a fresh look at

Inline hockey teams hopeful for return visit to nationals “If all goes well” in March, both SCC Roller Hockey Club teams will be on their way to Middleton, Wisc., April 6-10 to compete on the national stage. Both the “A” and “B” teams have met Head Coach Pat Ramshaw’s expectations this season. So far, the teams have a combined 24-9-1 record. “We’re right on track. And if all goes well, we’ll be celebrating our ninth SCC title in April,” Ramshaw said. Follow the teams online at www.stchas.edu/rollerhockey.

SCC Board of Trustees President William Pundmann welcomes the newest member of the SCC Board, William T. Lohmar, following his swearing-in.

Father and son trade seats on board and bench Former St. Charles County 11th Judicial Circuit Associate Circuit Judge William T. Lohmar Jr. was sworn in as the newest member of the St. Charles Community College Board of

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SCC has been notified of the untimely deaths of two former students. William “Joel” Groves passed away Dec. 28, 2010. Joel attended SCC Fall 2008 through Spring 2009. Brandon Christopher Harke passed away Feb. 15, 2011. Brandon attended SCC during the fall 2007 semester.

Chaz is a publication of the SCC Marketing and Communications Department for students, employees, and friends. To suggest items, call 636-922-8080. Heather McDorman, co-editor/contributing writer • Ben Munson, co-editor/photographer/designer • Peggy Schreiner and Kanna Taylor, contributing writers

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The SCC Cougars men’s baseball and women’s softball teams are ready to hit the ground running in the 2011 season. Both teams are well balanced with a good amount of returning players paired with several newcomers. Head baseball coach Chris Gober, who will be leading the team for his 13th season, says he feels good about this team’s talent and ability. Although the Cougars lost seven pitchers from the 2010 staff, three returning sophomores will be counted on as the foundation for 2011, including Brian Burwell, Ryan Wilkinson and Richie Jackson.

IN THIS ISSUE ...

Trustees at the Board’s Jan. 17 meeting. William replaced his son, Timothy Lohmar, who left the SCC Board at the end of 2010. On Nov. 2, Timothy was elected

where we have been and where we are going as an educational institution serving an everchanging community and student base,” said William Pundmann, Board president and chair of the Presidential Search Committee. Pundmann said the Board seeks the candidate who can best

lead SCC in the continued achievement of its mission and “will be selected on his or her ability to address the challenges and opportunities, characteristics, and qualifications identified in the profile.” The profile and ad are available for review at www.stchas.edu/ presidentialsearch.

as a judge in the 11th Circuit, the position from which William retired at the end of year. William’s appointment will continue through April 2012 when the remaining two years of Timothy Lohmar’s elected seat will be on the countywide ballot. “In an unusual twist of fate, the college lost a valuable Board member in Timothy Lohmar, but we will benefit by the appointment of another respected member of the community, Judge William Lohmar, Tim’s father,” Pundmann said. To learn more about William Lohmar, visit www.stchas.edu/ about-scc/board-of-trustees/ william-lohmar.html.

Scholarship apps due April 1

SCC.

GREAT! Tell us your story.

stchas.edu, then click “Tell Us Your Story”

More than $60,000 in Foundation scholarships is available for the Fall 2011 semester. Paperwork is available online and in ADM 1113 or ADM 1119. Scholarship funds come from community members, businesses and organizations interested in making education affordable.

Feb. 28 is deadline for SCC Distinguished Alumni nods Do you know a former SCC student or graduate who has become a leader in his or her profession or the community? Nominations for SCC’s 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award will be accepted through Feb. 28. Download a nomination form at www.stchas.edu/foundation.

Same college.

Different points of view.

stchas.edu/Facebook

stchas.edu/SCCBlogs

The first place team from Francis Howell’s Barnwell Middle School displays their robot for the judges at the Robotics Challenge at SCC.

Students check out the latest General Motors vehicles during the 13th annual Robotics Challenge at SCC on Feb. 11.

Future engineers combine science, math and teamwork Students from area high schools and middle schools gathered for the 13th annual Robotics Challenge at SCC on Feb. 11. The competition is a partnership between the college’s Workforce Development Department, the General Motors Wentzville Assembly Plant and the Mid Rivers Tech Prep Consortium.

General Motors Wentzville Assembly Plant. Steber has written the challenge for the last three years. “This competition introduces kids to potential careers in science and engineering fields.” “This event helps students make the connection between business and education,” said Tammie De Los Santos, manager of workforce development initiatives at SCC. Throughout the competition day, students toured the St.

Student teams were challenged to build a robot using Lego Mindstorms modeled after a real-life version used at General Motors. “The students are given the guidelines and are challenged to think outside the box and work together as a team,” said Brian Steber, senior manufacturing engineer at

Community support increases student success in math The Math Department is tackling math competency head-on. But they’re not doing it alone – support for a special program is coming in from MasterCard Worldwide, Emerson Climate TechnologiesFlow Controls, Commerce Bank, the St. Charles Rotary, Addie Lissner and other donors. SCC’s Achieving Success With Math program reduces the number of entering students who need developmental math in college, and increases the number of students who will complete the college-level math required for a degree. “By entering college prepared, or by moving quickly through developmental coursework, students will save

the time and money needed for up to three extra semesters of coursework,” said Joyce Lindstrom, SCC professor of mathematics. Achieving Success With Math addresses math readiness challenges by allowing SCC math faculty members to reach out to students attending area high schools through presentations with an important message: take math your senior year. SCC Math Department data have shown that students who take math their senior year have a higher assessment score on average than students who did not. After hearing the presentation, more than 85 percent of students who heard the SCC presentation are taking

math their senior year, and twice as many of those students are placing into college-level math as those who did not hear the presentation. The program also assists current SCC students taking developmental math classes through the purchase and use of technology. “We’re thankful for the generosity of the community members and organizations who support the college’s mission and its programs,” said Kasey McKee, executive director of Foundation and alumni relations. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu/foundation or contact McKee at 636-9228472 or kmckee@stchas.edu.

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Louis Community College Mobile Technology Center, participated in breakout sessions and got a first hand look at the latest General Motors vehicles and the technology included in them. “It’s refreshing to see some of the designs the kids come up with,” said Rick Crockett, a retired engineer from General Motors. Crockett helped start the robotics competition in 1998 and was a judge this year. General Motors provided the top two teams with Lego Mindstorms robotics kits. In the Middle School Division, the top two teams came from Francis Howell’s Barnwell Middle School and St. Paul School. In the High School Division, Fort Zumwalt South and Fort Zumwalt West took the top spots. For more information, contact De Los Santos at tdelossantos@stchas.edu.

SCC 25th Anniversary Task Force seeks old photos, college memories Have a favorite photo or memory of SCC? The 25th Anniversary Task Force wants to hear from you. SCC will soon mark 25 years of providing quality education to St. Charles County and beyond. The celebration begins April 1, 2011 (25 years since voters created SCC in the April 1, 1986 election), and will continue through June 2012.

To submit a photo or memory from your department or personal experiences to be included in upcoming commemorative projects and events, contact Peggy Schreiner at pschreiner@stchas.edu.

Stories and images shared with the task force may also be used in future displays and publications or online at flickr.com/stchas, in addition to historically signficant items stored in the college’s archives, to highlight and commemorate the college’s milestone birthday.

Photos and memories will be a major part of the 25th Anniversary celebration website, which is set to go live soon after Chaz press time.

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In Memoriam ... ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION

THEATER, AUDITORIUM, GALLERIES OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN SPRING ‘11 SEMESTER

BOB CLOBES Robert (Bob) Clobes, age 77, passed away on Jan. 3. He was granted the title and prestigious status of Senior Faculty and was one of SCC’s original faculty members in the Business Department, full-time from August 1987-August 1999. Clobes, of Chesterfield, is survived by his wife, Sylvia Clobes, a son and daughter, and two grandchildren.

No day is a slow day on the SCC campus. Missed a few recent events like Comedy Night or a Lunchtime Entertainment concert? Not to worry – SCC is a key spot for educational and cultural events and entertainment, and there is a lot of activity on the horizon. The FAB Theater neared capacity on Jan. 28 for the hilarious comedy acts of Butch Bradley and Jessica Kirson. The show, sponsored by Student Activities, was the third of its kind at SCC since January 2010. 1

For its intimate size and high-traffic nature, the Café-Bookstore is an ideal setting for the free Lunchtime Entertainment Series. Hosted by the Cougar Activities Crew, February featured the sounds of Texas-born singer-songwriter Jason Ramsey. ENTERTAINMENT: A LOOK AHEAD

The SCC Painting Invitational is on display through March 4, and the Master of Fine Arts Invitational opens March 14.

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& 5 Singer-writer-actress and slam poet Shanelle Gabriel will perform a free public show at 1 p.m. March 1 in the SSB auditorium. Later, at 7 p.m., Jean Kilbourne, creator of the film series “Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women” and the author of “Can’t Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel,” will give a free lecture and sign books. 4

Gallery coordinator Christine Holtz, SCC adjunct art professor, helps ensure not more than a few days go by without fascinating, original art on display in the FAB gallery. 3

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History will come to life March 2-6 in the FAB Theater with Sheryl Lauro’s A Piece of My Heart. The play is based on the true stories of six American women who served in the Vietnam War. When the women visit the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., 10 years after the war, they are forced to reevaluate their traumatic past. Through their lives, the play commemorates the courageous service of an estimated 11,000 women who were irrevocably transformed by that war. 6

Tyrell Jones and Julie Pullian of the SCC grounds department scrape and shovel a path near the Campus Services Building – the last stop on their chilly clean-up rounds for the day.

BEHIND THE SCENES ...

When the campus closes for snow, there is still much work to do The weather is showing a warming trend, and soon, many will have forgotten one of the hardest winters since SCC opened its doors in 1987.

of facilities, typically wakes up around 3 a.m. to check the news, the Missouri Department of Transportation website and highway cameras and to test drive the roads.

What will not be forgotten is the hard work that has gone into keeping the campus in tiptop shape through it all. “Grounds and maintenance will be at the college working to clear the snow all weekend, so hats off to them for all they do… it is not an easy job,” said Louise Tannehill, SCC housekeeper, on the SCC Facebook wall on Feb. 5. SCC student Jennifer Shoemaker followed by saying she appreciates the people at SCC who clear the walkways and parking lot so that she won’t have to miss any more school. And that’s the main goal for the SCC grounds and

Armed with shovels and salt, grounds and maintenance crews must always be on the lookout for danger spots on campus during inclement weather. maintenance crews: making the campus safe and available for students to continue learning.

While the groundskeepers are doing their jobs, the maintenance crews are busy clearing off the parking lots and roads at SCC.

“The students are our future,” said Julie Pullian, SCC groundskeeper. “So we do whatever we possibly can to make sure all of SCC’s sidewalks, stairwells and doorways are clear and safe for students.”

Both teams will usually get a phone call around 4:30 a.m., depending on the day. If there is a chance for snow or inclement weather, Al Koehler, SCC director

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“The most common question we get is why we stay open when the local school districts are already closed,” said Koehler. “But the truth is, we don’t have buses taking students to and from school, so our conditions for closing are different from grade schools and high schools.” After an hour or so of researching weather and road conditions around the area, Koehler calls the SCC president, Dr. John McGuire, to discuss the options. After careful

See “WEATHER,” p. 4

REFRESHED AND READY TO SERVE

WEATHER CONTINUED FROM P. 3 deliberation, a decision is reached. If they decide to close SCC, the president then calls Heather McDorman, SCC vicepresident of marketing and communications, who notifies the local TV and radio stations, and updates the SCC phone message, website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Koehler calls the vice-president for administrative services at SCC, Todd Galbierz, who informs the maintenance and grounds crews. So while the rest of the SCC faculty, staff and students stay snuggled up in bed, the maintenance and grounds crews are trading off 8-14 hour shifts, doing everything they can to clear the campus of ice and snow. Surprisingly, they say they enjoy snow days, even though they have to work when everyone else doesn’t. “We take pride in what we do,” said Dan Porter, SCC grounds supervisor. “There’s a method and a science to maintaining a safe campus, and we do our jobs as efficiently as possible to keep SCC open for students to learn.”

Guests who have not been to the Paul and Helen Schnare Library on campus for a while will still recognize it, but some recent changes have given it a new look. Besides new carpeting, the circulation desk was rebuilt and is now better suited for today’s library technology and the needs of staff and students. “The new construction allows us to serve an increasing number of students with accessibility needs, and it’s a far more ergonomic setup for our staff,” said Stephanie Tolson, dean of Learning Resources. “We are especially pleased with how well it matches our existing furniture.”

Self-Study activities increase as November team visit nears SCC faculty and staff have been working for months to prepare for the accreditation team visit that is less than nine months away.

the word out to faculty, staff and students about the Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association, the SelfStudy process and reinforcing the importance of the SCC Mission, Vision and Values.

Criterion subcommittees have completed drafts of chapters, while the other subcommittees are preparing the Resource Room and getting

The first draft of the Self Study is expected to be ready for review and editing in May.

The accreditation team will visit the campus Nov. 7-9 but before then the Self Study will be published and sent to the team some 8-10 weeks prior to their visit. In the next few issues of the Chaz, readers will find information that may prepare them for the team’s visit.

GLOSSARY Accreditation – A process that helps to ensure high academic quality in accredited institutions. HLC/NCA – SCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)/North Central Association (NCA), http://www.ncahlc.org. The NCA region covers 19 states. Self Study – A summary of findings written by an institution that provides evidence to the Commission that it fulfills the Criteria for Accreditation and identifies strategies for continued improvement. Criteria for Accreditation – The five areas the HLC/NCA uses to evaluate institutions are: Mission and Integrity; Preparing for the Future; Student Learning and Effective Teaching; Acquisition, Discovery and Application of Knowledge; and Engagement and Service. FOR MORE INFORMATION ... SCC NCA Self-Study 2009-12 – www.stchas.edu/about-scc/accreditation/nca-self-study SCC NCA Self-Study FAQs – www.stchas.edu/about-scc/accreditation/nca-self-study/frequently-asked-questions.html SCC Mission, Vision and Values – www.stchas.edu/about-scc/mission_vision_values SCC Strategic Plan – www.stchas.edu/about-scc/mission_vision_values/college-strategic-plan.html