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January 2012 Volume 2, Issue 1
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Happy New Year from Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges!
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(Left to Right): Grossmont College President Sunita V. Cooke, Chancellor Cindy L. Miles, Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic, and Vice Chancellor Business Services Sue Rearic.
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Dear (Contact First Name),
Happy New Year! It's hard to believe we've already turned the corner on 2012. We know more budget challenges are ahead, but our District is well prepared for whatever turmoil may come our way, thanks to our smart, diligent, and creative faculty, staff, administration, and board members
But the state has slashed our funding for students. There's no way around it. To hold the rationing of education to a minimum, we are reducing spending in every way possible, focusing on grant development to provide alternative funding sources, and combining separate college foundations into the single Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges to enhance and streamline our efforts.
We're facing some tough times, and it's hard to predict when things will get better. But I assure our community that every one of us is dedicated to doing our best for our students no matter what happens. This will never change!
Cindy L. Miles, Ph. D.
Chancellor
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District |
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SLOs: Improving how students learn
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Grossmont College is working with its instructors to determine how well students are learning by assessing the measurable, big-picture skills students should know by the time they finish a course. 
By measuring student learning outcomes (SLOs), faculty can determine what teaching methods and materials work and what needs to be changed. SLOs provide a way to figure out what skills are most important for students to learn, and whether students successfully learn them.
For example, Grossmont College's history department determined that when a student finishes one of its courses, they should be able to analyze primary and secondary sources and explain how the sources support a thesis statement. Throughout the semester, students in history classes will have assignments that help develop this skill.
This spring, Grossmont College will be looking at student satisfaction surveys and further assessing some of the most popular general education courses to seek more ways to improve student learning outcomes. Click here to learn more about this important effort. |
Kruger Bros. bring American music tradition to Cuyamaca College on January 24
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 World-renowned bluegrass band The Kruger Brothers will perform at the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theatre on Tuesday, January 24, at 7:30 p.m. The Kruger Brothers play original music composed by Jens Kruger. It's called "unpretentious, cultivated, and delightfully fresh." The Kruger Brothers are known for their remarkable musicianship and unique take on the American Songbook. Through their numerous CD releases, radio and television performances, lectures, and collaborative efforts, the Kruger Brothers have inspired and enlightened their audiences since they started performing 15 years ago. Don't miss this fantastic night of some of the most incredible acoustic music you will ever experience. General Admission is $25; student admission is $10. Get your tickets online here. Cuyamaca College is located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. Call (619) 660-4288 to learn more about the show. For more information on this and other performing arts events at Cuyamaca College, call (619) 660-4288 or visit the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts web page.
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Graduation starts today at Cuyamaca College
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 Cuyamaca College has embarked upon an effort to proactively promote college graduation. From the first time students walk on campus, they are greeted by signs that read,"Graduation Starts Today."
The idea is for new students to "begin with the end in mind," and to approach their first year and beyond with graduation clearly on their minds. Realizing that the graduation process itself could be complicated, Cuyamaca College has taken additional steps to reach out to students to demystify the process.
This new degree outreach initiative reaches out to students who have accumulated enough or almost enough units to obtain a degree or certificate at the college. In addition to receiving a link to a comprehensive graduation website, the students are invited to conduct a degree audit with a counselor. Those who have met the requirements are guided through the graduation petition process.
The efforts are paying off. In fall 2011, the college reported an 18 percent increase in the number of degrees and certificates awarded from the previous year. "We are very excited about our 'Graduation Starts Today' effort, and believe that our students are finding our proactive efforts to be helpful in achieving their goals," said Julianna Barnes, Cuyamaca vice president of student services. Based on the successful fall effort, the college will embark upon the initiative again this spring. We look forward to seeing the students walk across the stage on Commencement Day. |
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