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 Visioning Sessions
Give us your vision!
 Have you signed up to attend one of our visioning sessions? If not, you should do so...and fast. Seats are filling. The first session is on Thursday, September 29, and the second session is on Friday, September 30. You just need to attend one or the other-not both. These will take place at the Lone Star College System Conference Center at 5000 Research Forest Drive in The Woodlands. A session for community members will be held on Thursday, October 13, but it you can't attend on the 29th or 30th, we can reserve a spot for you on the 13th.
All participants on Thursday and Friday will be entered into a drawing for an iPad2, so hurrry before all spots are filled.
Each day begins with a breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by facilitated small group sessions, large group gathering, lunch, and more small group sessions in the afternoon, concluding at around 4:30 p.m. It's a great day for faculty, staff and students to provide input and help LSC-Montgomery reach new heights! Oh, and you'll have a lot of fun in the process.
If you attended two years ago, you know how important it was to provide your input to the future direction of the college.
The college's senior administrative team took the results from the visioning sessions and acted on them in the months that followed the sessions. It will be no different this time around.
If you know of students, colleagues or community members that also would be interested in participating, please let them know to sign up right away. I look forward to receiving your visioning input on the afternoon of each session.
Please RSVP with DeAlva Engelhardt (DeAlva.L.Engelhardt@LoneStar.edu) or 936.273.7232.
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Faculty/Staff Lounge
Grand Opening
 In fact, one of the priority items that came from the 2009 visioning sessions was the creation of a faculty/staff lounge. And, thanks to recent renovations, it has become a reality. Located on the 2nd floor of the Administration Building (E), in E201/212, the lounge will officially open with a brief ceremony on Thursday, September 22, at 2 p.m. I invite all faculty and staff to attend. We will have a brief ribbon-cutting and light refreshments. The room is furnished with nice, comfortable couches and chairs, two televisions, dining tables, kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, toaster, etc.), and more. A committee composed of staff from PSSA, as well as faculty members, is being formed to provide ongoing direction for the lounge. When you need a break from your hectic day, put the faculty/staff lounge on your schedule. Or, join your colleagues for a relaxing lunch or snack break. |
Renovation/Construction
Update
 While some work continues in the Health Science Center (building B), the construction punch list has shrunk to just a few remaining items. Recent renovation completions, in addition to the aforementioned faculty/staff lounge, include a doubling of the dark room space in D200 to accommodate 12 students from previous 6 students per Photography class. A large (18-person) conference room, plus a smaller conference room for eight, have been completed in the Administration Building (E). New furniture is due to arrive in F104 this Friday, which will provide a very nice meeting space for groups of up to 30 people in the Library Building.
For those who frequent the Wellness Center, an expansion that includes A116 provides more room (700+ square feet) for treadmills and stretching. New student organization offices/meeting area in A229 is now in use, and our student leaders are very thankful for this long-awaited space. The college's new Organic Chemistry lab in B209 is still under construction with an anticipated completion date of October 10. I encourage everyone to check out these much-needed new campus spaces. |
Best Start  Here's a pop quiz: What is our QEP? If you said "Best Start," you get an "A." Bonus question: What are the four components of Best Start? How about...Set a Goal...Make a Plan...Get Connected...Get Involved. By now, everyone on campus should be familiar with our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which is tied to the upcoming SACS accreditation visit on October 3-5.
Nothing is more important than getting our students off to the best start possible. While Best Start includes all of our students, there is a particular emphasis on students who've placed into more than one developmental course. For these students, statistics show that when they are engaged in campus activities and are actively working toward a goal, they have a much greater chance for success. Best Start gives them tools to be successful.  Last week, we kicked off Best Start with a hamburger/hot dog cook out, and many of you showed up-not only for the free lunch, but to pick up a Best Start t-shirt and other items. Another Best Start promotion was held today in conjunction with the Activities Fair for students. Best Start items such as backpacks, blue books, shirts and more were given out to attendees. Students could also register for the "Best Seat in the House"--free front row tickets to the upcoming BuzzFest concert.
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Enrollment Recap...and Thanks!
Final enrollment numbers for the fall show that our headcount increased 5.5 percent over last year, with more than 13,352 students taking at least one class at LSC-Montgomery. More than 500 of those are taking classes at LSC-Conroe Center. Our contact hour growth was two percent above last year's number. No one worked harder during the recent enrollment period than our Student Services and Business Office personnel. They worked above and beyond to make sure that our students were well-equipped for the start of the semester. When you see them, please give them a heartfelt thanks on behalf of our students. They deserve it! A special thanks also goes to our faculty and divisional staff, who also made sure that our students were well taken care of and in the right place on the first day of class. |
2011-12: A Year of Planning
As we settle into the new academic year, the college's senior administrative team is launching and/or enhancing a trio of plans that will keep us moving toward new heights of excellence. These three plans include the recently-adopted Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan, a new Campus Master plan, and an Academic plan. All three will feed into the overall college strategic plan, with additional initiatives developed during the Foundations of Excellence (FoE) and the upcoming visioning sessions. In early 2012, these plans will be completed and presented to the entire college. |
Oh, Say Can He Sing!
 One of our very own, LSC-Montgomery Maverick student Enrique Tamez, was chosen to sing the National Anthem prior to the Houston Astros game versus the Phillies earlier this week. Enrique was nominated for this honor by Dominick DiOrio, professor of music. Not only did Enrique provide a fantastic kickoff to "Lone Star College" night at Minute Maid Park, he also spurred the Astros to a convincing victory over the National League-leading Phillies. Way to go, Enrique! |
Open Forum
Don't miss the first President's Open Forum, set for next Thursday, September 22, at 3 p.m. in G102. This is your chance to hear the latest news that I have impacting LSC-Montgomery, and to ask questions that are on your mind. This is a come-and-go session, so if you have to leave early or arrive a little late, don't worry. Cookies and punch will be provided. |
Faculty Spotlight
 Her smile says it all-Dr. Karen Buckman has a big heart for life and learning and truly finds joy in teaching.
"I try to make my courses educational and engaging, sharing with students that psychology is all around us," said Buckman, professor of psychology and a recipient of the 2010-11 faculty excellence award. "I also try to enjoy life and encourage humor in my classroom."
In addition to teaching, Buckman, who has been with the college for more than 10 years, works diligently as a chair for the behavioral sciences division, serves as a liaison for the Foundations of Excellence initiative, and is a part of the behavioral sciences division's professional development committee. She is also an advisor for the college's Psychology Club and chapter of Psi Beta, the national honor society for psychology students.
"It is a joy to come and teach, because at LSC-Montgomery, we have such great students and a positive atmosphere," she said.
Buckman holds a doctorate degree from Texas A & M University and a master's degree in counseling from Central Missouri University. |
Staff Spotlight
 It's been quite a year for Phyllis Ocheltree, who joined the LSC-Montgomery family last August as our director of financial aid. Not only was she immersing herself into the new job, but significant Systemwide changes in the financial aid process created frequent opportunities to show her strengths. Indeed, Phyllis's positive attitude and expertise in all things financial aid have made a significant difference in way her department is viewed-not only by students, but by faculty and staff as well. Her previous experience working in the LSC-North Harris financial aid office provided a natural springboard into her current role.
"I love the beautiful campus," she says. "But I really love how we all work together as a team. In Student Services, we help each other out in order to make our students successful. It's been a whirlwind with all of the changes in the past year, and we couldn't have done it without everyone involved." |
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