We wanted to inform you of a few program updates.

At the January Board of Trustees meeting, three programs were approved for closure.  The programs are Office Management, Automotive Hybrids, and Culinary and Dietary Management.  These three programs have not accepted any new students for the 13-14 academic year, and the Deans of these programs will ensure that the students currently enrolled will be able to complete their degrees.

We are excited to announce some upcoming changes at our Logan Campus.  First, the Information Technology programs currently a part of the School of Arts, Business and Information Technology will become a part of the School of Engineering Technology and will move to the Logan Campus.  Dean Neil Hinton, Dean Jeff Daubenmire, and Associate Dean Sarah Parker-Clever are working with the faculty and staff to create a transition plan with the tentative date of Autumn 2014 to begin classes at the Logan Campus.  The school will now be known as Engineering and Information Technology.  We will keep you updated as the transition progresses.

Finally, the School of Engineering and Information Technology will be introducing a new program in the near future.  Dean Hinton has started the process of opening a Cyber Academy at Hocking College.  Cyber Security is a program area of great opportunity for our students, so we are very excited to add this to our offerings.  Dean Hinton has made several connections with local, state and federal resources to support this effort.  He has also worked with Libby Villavicencio to identify funding sources and grant opportunities.  The OBE for the new program will be held on February 24.

Many thanks to everyone involved in all these efforts.

Hocking College has hired two contractors to begin removing the mercury in the subfloor of the gymnasium within the Student Center on main campus, starting February 18.

As previously reported, the hazardous material was discovered during the course of attempting to repair water damage to the current wooden flooring.  The original structure of the gymnasium dates back to 1976, when mercury was commonly used in flooring.  The remainder of the Student Center was added to the original gymnasium in 2002.

The gymnasium was closed on December 12, 2013, pending the search for a certified contractor to abate the area and clear the hazardous materials.  KEMRON Environmental Services, Inc., of West Virginia, and Environmental Management Specialists, Inc., of Columbus, have been hired to complete the abatement.  The project timeline is anticipated to be from February 18 - March 25, 2014.

Contractors will construct an isolation tunnel in the Student Center lobby encasing the main entry doors closest to Oakley Hall for the purpose of removing the hazardous materials safely.   Members of the campus community are advised to stay clear of this work area. The main facility entry closest to Oakley Hall will be closed for the duration of the project and all traffic will be redirected to the entry closest to Shaw Hall to access the facility.

All other areas within the Student Center, including the climbing wall, will remain open during the repair work, as tests have shown them to be unaffected by the contamination.  KEMRON will provide real time air quality testing outside the isolation tunnel and main work site throughout the duration of the project to ensure ongoing safety for the users of the facility.

Applications for priority housing for current students are due by March 1, 2014.

Current students who want priority on their housing for next year must submit an application, the $50 application fee and the $200 deposit by the deadline. Applications will be accepted after March 1 but will be processed with new student applications. The Housing Application can be found here.

Turn that frown upside down and spread a little thanks throughout the Hocking College community. Join the Hocking College Foundation for the second annual Smile-A-Thon from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 27, 2014 in the Student Center Lobby.

The initiative, organized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), is designed to increase student understanding of philanthropy and grow engagement on campus; nearly 100 educational institutions worldwide participate in the annual Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day.

During the event, students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to thank someone who has made a positive impact on their lives. They will be asked to donate one dollar to the emergency fund for students in need. Then participants may complete a "smiley face" card thanking someone who helped them succeed at Hocking College. The cards will hang on the wall of the Student Center Lobby for one week and then will be delivered to the person being thanked.

"It is so important for students to begin making preparations to be philanthropic leaders within their community," Libby Villavicencio, Hocking College Foundation Executive Director, said. "On February 27, we want to celebrate the value of involvement by expressing gratitude to individuals who have supported them in their educational journey and throughout their lives."

During the two days before the event, the campus community is encouraged to sign a "Random Acts of Kindness" pledge.  Stop by the Light Dining Hall Tuesday and Wednesday, February 25 and 26, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. to sign a banner, committing to making someone smile every day for a week. There will also be cupcakes and other treats prepared by the Culinary Arts and Baking students.

For any questions about the event, please contact Libby Villavicencio at villavicenciol@hocking.edu or 740.753.6088.

The Hocking College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Students will host the Bourbon Street Bash, a Mardi Gras celebration, at Rhapsody Restaurant on February 27, 28 and March 1, 2014 from 4:30 - 10 p.m. each night.  The evening will consist of an authentic four-course meal complete with appetizer, entree, desserts and specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Some of these Louisiana-inspired meals include dishes such as blackened pork loin, chicken breast and redfish; shrimp and Tasso jambalaya, crawfish etouffe, catfish and even gator tail. Special dessert choices, including Piña Colada Bread Pudding with Bourbon Vanilla Sauce and Créme Caramels, will also be offered.

The meal includes your choice of appetizer, entrée, a variety of decadent desserts and fresh baked Cajun bread for $19.95 per person. Additional offerings, priced separately, include Hurricanes, Irish Coffee, Café au Lait, Voodoo Margaritas and New Orleans own Dixie Beer, as well as a raw bar filled with fresh oysters, jumbo shrimp and whole boiled crawfish. See the full menu here.

The public can also sample a selection of Cajun specialties at 36 Public Square during Nelsonville Historic Square's Final Friday on February 28, 2014. Choose from Seafood and Sausage Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice and Jambalaya for just $3.00 a bowl.

Call 740.753.5740 to reserve a seat for this mouth-watering Mardi Gras celebration! Reservations are strongly recommended. For more information or questions contact Chef Dan Weber at 740.753.7609.

Hocking College will host a Seasonal & Natural Resources Job fair on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center Multiplex.

Interested students are encouraged to come prepared to meet with future employers in the natural resources field. They will be given the chance to talk with business employees, including some of our very own Hocking alum, and become educated on the opportunities offered in the field.

For more information, contact Jackie Clark at 740.753.6264. Students can also visit College Central for more information and opportunities for employment.

Scholarship Deadline Approaching

Due to recent weather-related closures, All Employee Learning Day, scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, has been cancelled and classes will be held on that day.

In order to deliver required coursework in the reduced time due to recent closings it has been decided it is in the best interest of students to use February 26 as a class day. Assessment plans and curriculum maps are still due to the provost by end of that day.