This week's update is about changes to the 2014-15 academic calendar. 

First, last week the Board of Trustees approved changes to our 2014-15 calendar.  Our original intent was to stagger the start of the autumn semester to allow us time to serve the needs of the students who started at Ohio University, but opted not to attend. Unfortunately, that plan was not very successful.

I also received feedback about how close the deadline for grades was to the holiday season, which caused administrative challenges with grades and SAP.  Our calendar will now align with the Ohio University academic calendar. Our start date for autumn semester will be August 25, 2014. August 25 is Welcome Day and August 26 will be the first day of classes. This means Faculty/Staff Start Week will begin Monday, August 18. If there are any challenges for you with this change, please contact your supervisor. Also, we will be working directly with OU to set up programs to serve students who may not be ready for the four year experience.

Since our switch to semesters, our calendar has not been aligned with the Spring Breaks of our community school districts. I have heard feedback that not having those dates aligned causes challenges for our faculty, staff and students. Moving forward, I will review the local district calendars and attempt to align our Spring Breaks. For spring 2015, our Spring Break will be March 2 - March 6. This is a change from the previously approved calendar.  Therefore, for 2015, our Spring Break aligns with the OU Spring Break and the breaks of the community school districts. However, the split in our term will be unequal, with seven weeks before Spring Break and nine weeks after, but I believe it's well worth the benefit.

Finally, to minimize confusion about calendars and dates, we are implementing the use of the Hocking Calendar in Google. All relevant campus dates will be posted on this centralized calendar to which everyone with a Hocking email address has access. The directions on how to load the Hocking calendar are attached. We will also post these directions on the intranet. When there are dates that need to be posted on the calendar, please send them to Registrar Judy Bowie. Please only submit dates that are relevant to Hocking College events. 

As always, if you have questions contact me.

Effective January 1, 2014, all new and re-entering students must show proof of high school completion. 

Proof may be in the form of an official high school transcript, GED or official documentation of an approved homeschool program. These documents must be submitted to the Registrar's Office before the start of classes. For documents to be considered official they must be mailed directly from the school or agency attended.

Tyler Reiser of Deshler, Douglas Ott. Jr. of Shreve, Leigh-Ann Sarkis of Columbus, Hannah Gilmore of Toledo, Michael B. Butorac of Lorain, Ian Zollars of Bay City, Ethan Bingham of Wauseon, William Scott Bower of Southington and Corey Suttles of New Carlisle have each been awarded Hocking College Employee Funded Scholarships for the 2013-14 academic year.

Reiser selected Hocking College because of its highly regarded Fire and Emergency Service Program. He plans to join the Ohio Air National Guard upon graduation. Ott. Jr. is an Emergency Medical Technician pursuing his Paramedic Certificate. Sarkis is in the Opticianry program, with hopes of opening an eyeglass lab with her husband in Columbus, Ohio.

Gilmore is pursuing her dream of becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant and would like to work at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus upon graduation. Butorac is in the GeoEnvironmental Science program with the desire to teach children about the environment. Zollars hopes to start his own farrier business after earning his degree in Farrier Science and Business. Bingham, Wildlife Management major, plans to become a wildlife officer for the State of Ohio upon graduation. Bower, Fire and Emergency Services major, is a fourth generation firefighter in his family and feels honored to be able to continue this tradition his great grandfather started back in 1949. Suttles, Associate in Technical Studies, has always wanted to work outdoors because his family owns a tree business.

Each year, many Hocking College employees donate a portion of their paychecks to fund scholarship awards to deserving students. The scholarships are given to students from every discipline who exhibit scholastic achievement and financial need.

Reminder that faculty/staff are not permitted to park in the designated Student Handicap parking spaces behind Light Hall. Hocking College Police Department will tow unauthorized vehicles.

Do you know of a graduating student with a fantastic story? Giles Lee is looking for student speakers for the upcoming graduation ceremonies.

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. this Thursday,  February 27, 2014 in the Student Center Lobby.

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.

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.

Last fall, Julie Gee and Natural & Historical Interpretation students in the Interpretive Facilities and Displays class visited the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus. The trip focused on the Ohio History Center exhibits, followed by a tour of Ohio Village by two historical interpreters.

One of several buildings visited during the tour was the dressmaker's shop, where students tried on a variety of hats and posed with one of the Ohio Village interpreters.

At its last regular meeting, the Hocking College Board of Trustees approved Resolution 2014-05, which modifies the Board bylaws to change the sub-committee structure of the Board. The Resolution creates a Committee of the Whole structure that includes all current Trustees. The Committee of the Whole will meet prior to each Regular meeting to discuss any and all business and then make recommendations to the full Board.

The Resolution further reduced the number of regular meetings required for the Board each year. The Board will now hold a minimum of five regular meetings per year plus one organizational meeting in January. Below is the meeting schedule for the rest of calendar year 2014. The Board will determine future regular meeting schedules at its organizational meeting each January. The bylaws still allow for the Board to call special meetings as needed to conduct business in between the regular meeting schedule.

Hocking College Board of Trustees Calendar Year 2014 Regular Meeting Schedule
Each open meeting will begin at 4 p.m. with a Committee Meeting of the Whole  followed by the Board's regular business meeting at 6 p.m.

• March 25, 2014, at the Inn at Hocking College
• May 27, 2014, at Hocking College Perry Campus
• July 22, 2014, at the Inn at Hocking College
• Sept 23, 2014, at Hocking College Logan Campus
• December 2, 2014, at the Inn at Hocking College

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.

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 Stuart's Opera House 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.

The February Final Friday is February 28 from 5-9 pm., with a "DIY Mardis Gras" theme. Honey for the Heart Puppets will make a special appearance to lead a Mardi Gras Parade, along with the New Basics Brass Band. The parade starts at 6:45; join the parade in costume or mask!

Scholarship Deadline This Week

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.