|
|
 An Open Letter from ED MAP
As you know, for the past few semesters, Hocking College has been in a pilot program testing e-textbooks from ED MAP.
During the course of the pilot program, some faculty and students have shared concerns about this change. Our partners at ED MAP wanted the opportunity to address some of these concerns and provided the letter linked below.
ED MAP currently works with more than 100 institutions, and uses their technology and services to help schools like Hocking lower the cost of education by lowering the high cost of course materials. This is just one of the goals set by Hocking College in our partnership with ED MAP. While change can be difficult, we remain confident that the e-textbook initiative will help control costs for students and ultimately provide them a more consistent, successful experience.
Please read the open letter from ED MAP for more information.
|
|
Federal Tax Withholding on Retroactive Pay Increases
A number of individuals received retroactive pay increases on Friday, increases that went back to the beginning of the academic year or to the beginning of the fiscal year, and were concerned about the amount of money withheld for federal income taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) includes retroactive pay increases in its definition of "Supplemental Wages." The IRS also tells an employer what options they have to calculate the federal income tax withholding on those supplemental wages. The college chose the option which reads, "Withhold a flat 25% (no other percentage allowed)."
One option the college did not select was to include the retroactive pay increases in with the regular bi-weekly pay, which could have resulted in an even greater federal income tax withholding for some, based on inaccurate assumptions of annual earnings.
Be careful not to confuse federal income tax withholding with federal income tax liability - they are not the same.
|
|
Employee Excellence Awards Committee Accepting Nominations
Nominations for employees exhibiting excellence in instruction, vocation, administration and community service are now being accepted. All nominations must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2014.
This year the nomination process for three of the awards is online. Think about the 2013-14 academic year and the employees who are worthy of a nomination for each award, then click on the link for each award and make your nominations. The nomination process for the Curtis Miles Award will continue to be through a traditional nomination form.
The Excellence in Instruction Award is given to the nominee that exemplifies the best practices of teaching performance and student advising/counseling. Excellence in Instruction Award Nomination
The Excellence in Service Award is given to a non-instructional employee who exhibits exceptional service in their job performance, professionalism and interpersonal skills. Excellence in Service Award Nomination
New this year, the Beth McKenzie Award is meant to honor Beth McKenzie and recognize notable work in administration. This award will go to the most helpful administrator. Beth McKenzie Award Nomination
The Curtis Miles Service Award is given to the employee that has completed a service project that greatly benefits the community. Fill out the Curtis Miles Service Award form and submit to Linda Deeds at deedsl@hocking.edu.
Previous recipients will select winners in late April. The awards will be announced at the all staff luncheon on the Monday of autumn Start Week. For more information, contact Linda Deeds.
|
 Graduation Display Photos
Giles Lee is now collecting photos for a PowerPoint presentation that he is creating for this year's commencement ceremony. Please submit any good photos from the last two years to Giles at leeg@hocking.edu. |
|
Department Reorganizations
In order to make optimal use of technology and employee talent, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), under the leadership of Chief Information Officer Ben Dalton, was recently reorganized.
Employees have been moved within the department to different positions and some now have different titles. These changes will help the OIT better meet the needs of the Hocking College community, position the department for future growth, and will help provide enhanced services in the future. More emphasis will also be placed on Help Desk operations and response time.
The Physical Plant Department has also been reorganized. Andrew Freeman is now the Director of Physical Plant Operations, and in this newly created position oversees landscape operations, building maintenance and repair, and custodial operations. Two custodial supervisor and one maintenance supervisor positions were eliminated. Within the new organizational structure, three new Support Bargaining Unit Crew Leader positions were created: Crew Leader Custodian, Crew Leader Maintenance and Crew Leader Campus Greens. These three positions will report directly to the Director of Physical Plant Operations.
This reorganization will improve efficiencies and will ultimately help the department provide better response times and service. In the short term, the Physical Plant Department will be adjusting to these changes and will need to fill open positions. Please be patient during this process.
|
 Help Hocking Proud Name the Mascot!
The Hocking College Proud School Spirit Club is ready to rally around the "Hawk" as our official school mascot. We just need a name!
If you have an idea for a name for our hawk mascot, please complete the linked survey by April 25, 2014. Finalists will be announced during autumn semester, with the official naming ceremony to take place during Hocktoberfest.
Feel free to pass along the survey to any member of the campus community who may be interested in responding.
Submit your name suggestion
|
|
Tuition to Increase for 2014-2015 Academic Year
Under Resolution 2014-09, the Hocking College Board of Trustees passed the FY 2015 Tuition (Instructional and General Fee) schedule at the March 25, 2014 Hocking College Board of Trustees regular meeting.
Beginning Autumn 2014 semester, tuition will increase approximately 2.3% or $100 per academic year ($50 per semester) for a full-time student. The number of credit hours for a standard, full-time load will change to 12 to 16 hours, and there will be a change in the mix of instructional and general fees.
For additional information, see the Tuition and Fees page on the website.
|
 Inventory Reduction Sale at the Bookstore
The Hocking College Bookstore is having an Inventory Reduction Sale April 14 through May 9. All clothing is 50 percent off. There are no guarantees on size or style; no additional discounts apply.
The Bookstore is located on the second floor of Davidson Hall and is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Stop by soon for the best selection!
|
 Culinary Arts Students Take Gold at ACF Knowledge Bowl
Hocking College recently sent a team of five Culinary Arts students to compete in the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) Knowledge Bowl, where they battled with other culinary scholars and scored a gold metal rating of over 500 points taking second place.
The Knowledge Bowl took place at the ACF Northeastern Conference at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island on April 13, 2014. During the competition, participants were quizzed on culinary terms, history, classical methods of cooking, science of ingredients and ingredient identification.
Team coach Chef Katie McGushin and assistant coach Chef Anthony Adami led the team to place second out of eight teams in the regional finals. This is the second year in a row that the Hocking College team has received second place and is the only school representing the state of Ohio. Team captain Abigail Cole and team members Whitney Lumley, Brandon Schilling, Eric Allchin and Courtney Kaleal worked hard to prepare for the event and were honored to be rewarded the second place gold prize.
|
|
Reminder: Two Transfer Events Planned
University Center Transfer Fair
Hocking College University Center will be hosting its second annual Transfer Fair for graduates and current students wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the lobby of the Student Center.
Attendees will have the opportunity to gain information from university representatives regarding academic programs, application processes and financial aid. For more information about the Transfer Fair, or other transfer opportunities for students, contact Kerry Hagerty at hageryk@hocking.edu or 740.753.7063.
OU Transfer Application Event
Ohio University will hold a free Transfer Application Event for Hocking College students who will be transferring this fall to either the Ohio University Athens Campus, or to one of OU's online completion programs.
The OU application must be completed and submitted during the event from 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, in the Oakley Hall Learning Lab, Room 306. Students can pre-register for the event at http://www.ohio.edu/admissions/appnight/
|
 Community Art Project Collaborates with Hocking Students
Honey for the Heart, a collaborative community art project, will be working with the Hocking College Art, Design and Marketing students to turn "trash into treasure" and create giant puppets out of repurposed materials for two weeks beginning April 28, 2014.
Artists Wendy Minor, Patty Mitchell, Robert Lockheed and Daniel Polnau will collaboratively work with large groups of students to utilize materials such as paper, fabric, cardboard, plastic and perceived junk to construct giant living sculptures of whimsical creatures. This collaboration allows artists to build new artworks, share ideas and combine methods to create innovative and unique works of art.
Hocking College Art Coordinating Instructor Mark Hackworth shared, "We are really excited to have these professional artists with us for two weeks. They will be working side-by-side with our students and encouraging the entire Hocking College community to participate. We believe this is the beginning of introducing community art residencies to our students, and providing hands on experience of how to use their artistic and organizing skills in developing community connection and encouraging cultural development."
This collaboration is the beginning of a larger community project. Artists will be transferring their work to the Nelsonville Square and settling within the Majestic Gallery to continue building the puppets and inviting the community to join.
The puppets will make their first appearance at the Nelsonville Music Festival on May 29, 2014.
For more information, go to the Honey for the Heart Facebook Page or visit www.CollaborativeARTInternational.com |
 Evening EMT Advanced Certification Class Offered
Hocking College School of Public Safety Services will offer an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Advanced Certification class beginning May 19 from 6-10 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings during summer semester. Current students waiting to begin Paramedic training and professionals already in the field that desire to upgrade their certification level are encouraged to enroll. Ohio Basic EMT certification is a prerequisite for the Advanced Certification class. This class is designed to provide instruction in the Department of Transportation (DOT) National Standards Curriculum for Paramedics. Hocking College also offers different levels of fire training at a certificate level, as well as a degree program. In the future, the college plans to offer various types of Emergency Medical Services and Fire classes in the evening in order to meet the needs of non-traditional students. Curtis Martin, Hocking College EMS Coordinator, stresses the benefits and importance of this program stating, "The Advanced EMT course gives the EMT student or practicing professional the opportunity to enhance their skills and better serve their patient and community. The course offers advanced skills in IVs, medication administration, and increased knowledge in all aspects of EMS. It is the goal of the EMS staff at Hocking College to make the student successful in class, be able to successfully pass the National registry Exam, and become a confident and integral part of the health care system." Contact Curtis Martin at 740.753.6473 / martinc@hocking.edu for more information about the EMT Advanced class or the Hocking College Fire and Emergency Services Program. |
Hocking Grad Nominated as Hero
Shawn Wilkin, Hocking graduate, has been recognized for his strong commitment to community service throughout his time as a masonry instructor at the Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development Center.
Over the past 16 years, Wilkin and his students have done dozens of projects to improve their communities. The Clinton and Highland County Office of the American Red Cross has nominated Wilkin as a Hero for his support of non-profit and community organizations across the region.
Wilkin first gained experience in masonry about 40 years ago at the Laurel Oaks campus of Great Oaks, where he became part of the first graduating class in 1973. After graduating, he chose to pursue a career in masonry and worked in the field for more than 20 years. He was encouraged to further his education after being offered the opportunity to return to Laurel Oaks as a teacher. He earned his teaching certificate at Wright State University and received an Associate of Individualized Study in December of 2004 from Hocking College. He spent a majority of his time at Hocking taking classes in the Construction Management Program focusing on carpentry.
Projects completed by Wilkin and his students include a veterans memorial, a foundation for Habitat for Humanity, and dugouts for community and high school baseball fields. He continues to lead and inspire his students to embrace their passion for the field and utilize their skills to help and evolve the area.
Read more about Wilkin's honor here.
|
|
Mission
Hocking College provides a unique, innovative, and quality education in a supportive experience- based learning environment, preparing students for employment and transfer education opportunities, while teaching the value of lifelong learning, promoting diversity and developing citizens who are engaged in their local and global communities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 
ESL Class Completes Service Learning Project
Kudos to Jennifer Creque-Blackburn's English as a Second Language students on their recent service learning project.
On April 8th, some of the ESL students helped clean, till and plant flowers in a newly designed Victims Garden in front of the Athens County Courthouse. The garden was made to honor children and adults who have been victims of crimes committed in Athens County.
Some of the students also attended the official unveiling ceremony for the garden on April 9th.
Great job, students! We appreciate your support of the community.
|
|
|
|
