|
|
As we roll into November, LSC-Montgomery keeps getting busier. If you thought October was filled with activity, there's much more to come. I challenge you to find a day of the week (Monday-Saturday) that doesn't have an event such as a guest lecture, a music performance, art exhibit/show, theatre production, blood drive, student life event, poetry reading, or something else! I encourage you to take time away from your busy day and support our faculty, staff and students with your presence at any one of these events. Don't know where to start? Glance through the online event calendar as a guide. Glance up at the TV screens in your building. You can even read about them in the restroom! There's no excuse for not getting involved, and the pride that you'll gain in supporting your students and/or colleagues will be immeasurable. |
 Dec. 1 - "LSC-Montgomery Gives Back" Event at Town Green Park
 It is important for the college to show the community how valu able we are to area residents, and how we partner and give back in numerous ways. On Saturday, December 1, the college is renting Town Green Park in The Woodlands for a community outreach event, "LSC-Montgomery Gives Back." This winter-themed event, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., will showcase our programs and services to the community in a fun way - not unlike the 15th anniversary event held two years ago at Market Street. In addition to numerous tables/booths, there will be family-friendly activities (think bouncy inflatables), crafts, an ice sculptor carving an LSC-Montgomery Maverick, music, and winter-themed refreshments for our guests. I also want to use this event as an opportunity to thank all of our faculty and staff and their families for their hard work and dedication throughout the fall semester. So, we will have a catered (warm!) lunch provided for all faculty, staff and student volunteers and their families. An e-mail asking for participation/volunteers has been sent to all program chairs, directors, and non-academic departments. If you have any questions or want to get involved, please contact Steve Scheffler, dean of college relations, at steve.j.scheffler@lonestar.edu. More information will be coming during the next several weeks about this important event. |
MCLatina Inspira
 Did you know that the Hispanic student population at LSC-Mon tgomery has jumped from just 7 percent in 1995 to more than 24 percent this fall semester? Yes, 1/4 of all LSC-Montgomery students are Hispanic. Many of these are female Hispanics, and an event on campus next week will serve to inspire and celebrate this important segment of our student population. The Texas Latino Leadership Roundtable, based in Montgomery County, is holding "MCLatina Inspira!" on Thursday, November 8, from 9:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Theatre. This community event will include a panel discussion of local Hispanic women who have blazed new trails that other women can follow. Other speakers include Alejandra Tapia, director of Chikawa, who will talk about "Roots of the Latina Woman," Marsha Williams, wife of Texas Senator Tommy Williams, and myself. I'm proud for the college to serve as host for this event.
|
New Parking Permits
Have you gone online to order your new LSCS parking permit? If not, please do so right away, as the new permits will be required for all LSCS faculty, staff, students and visitors beginning November 5. The process is simple and quick. Our parking situation at LSC-Montgomery over the past two years has improved dramatically with additional student, faculty and staff parking. Our own parking garage, combined with the shared SHSU garage, have helped tremendously. However, we want to make sure our police officers are able to monitor vehicular traffic and be familiar with those coming to conduct business with-or visit-the college. You should be able to complete this application process with no problem, but if you have questions or run into issues, please work this through your supervisor or via Jim Taylor, vice president of administration (Jim.Taylor@LoneStar.edu). There is also a contact number and FAQ website link listed below:
|
ORDER NOW!
Vehicles must be registered with LSCS to get a valid parking permit and park in designated LSCS lots. To register you will need the following information: Your vehicle's license plate number, make, model, and color.
Vehicles without permits parked in LSCS lots will receive citations beginning Nov. 5, 2012.
Permits are FREE and are easy to obtain online.
Special event parking is currently handled by the Police Captain on each campus.
| | |
|
Communication/Faculty Senate
I would like to congratulate Barbara Eckenfels in her new role as Faculty Senate president, as well as Craig Livingston, vice president. I have met with both of them and, in connection to previous discussions with Faculty Senate, we are working on a joint proposal to create a conflict resolution process. This process will address issues at a lower level before they become grievances or corrective action plans. Additionally, we are exploring employee relations training for faculty, staff and administrators. The new monthly lunch meetings with senate officers, vice presidents, deans and faculty divisional reps is another way we are enhancing our communication efforts. In the end, I know that we will emerge with a process that ensures mutual collaboration and understanding.
Please give Barbara and the other officers your support during this time of transition. Likewise, I encourage all faculty to attend senate meetings to, among other things, hear about our plans to enhance communication and work together on behalf of our college. |
Avoid the Stampede
 You can almost hear the mad rush! It begins on Wednesday, November 7, with the start of Spring 2013 registration. Once again, a collaborative effort between our faculty, staff and administration is underway to encourage our students to register early - to ensure that they get their best schedule of classes. Likewise, when students register early, it helps our faculty better prepare for the semester ahead, knowing that their sections are filling up. The two big days of Avoid the Stampede are Wednesday, Nov. 7, and Thursday, Nov. 8. A combination of faculty, advisors, and counselors will be on hand in Bldgs. B and G from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. to advise students and help them with registration. Incentives? You bet! Free pizza and soft drinks throughout the events. T-shirts (while supplies last) for those who register on the 7th and 8th. Daily prizes, including bookstore items, a Kindle reader, and an iPad. All students who register by Nov. 30 will be put in a drawing for free tuition for the Spring '13 semester. So, please encourage every student to register during Avoid the Stampede.
|
Mavericks Give Big!
 Congratulations on making LSC-Montgomery the biggest contributor (in terms of number of employees) to the LSC Foundation "Your Gift is the Key" campaign. Anyway you look at it, our faculty and staff gave big time from the heart. Before the campaign, the college had a total of 31 donors to the Foundation, compared to 129 after the campaign. That is the most donors of any campus in the Lone Star College System! We had an 87 percent increase in the number of employees giving via payroll deduction, and a 367 percent increase overall. Our original goal was to have approximately 1/3 of all full-time employees participate, and we exceeded that goal significantly.
Specifically, I want to congratulate the Facilities department and the Business & Social Sciences (BASS) division for achieving an incredible 100 percent participation. Way to go!
Most important, our gifts to the Foundation will go toward student scholarships, designated program funds, or assistance for our own employees in need. Congratulations on making this a truly successful campaign!
|
Deans Search Update
Last week, a series of phone interviews for the NaSH dean position took place, with the committee continuing the process of narrowing down the field to several finalists. These finalists will be brought to campus in November to interview with various campus constituencies, including faculty, staff and administrative groups. The TEAM dean search committee met earlier this week to conduct phone interviews with the top candidates, and the committee is in the process of determining finalists for on-campus interviews. As soon as the finalists are named for each search, I will communicate the names and the schedule for each campus visit. Our initial search timelines included start dates of January 2013 for each of the finalists chosen, and we are still on track for this to happen. If we are unable to find the best candidate for each position, we will continue the search with the committee following the same process.
|
Open Forums on the Horizon
My next open forum will be held next Thursday, November 8, from 3-4:30 p.m. in G102. As always, this is an opportunity to hear about important college information, and to ask questions. refreshments will be served. Also, the next VP/Dean open forum will feature Becky Gustamante and the BASS division, and will be held on Thursday, November 15, 3-4:30 p.m. in G102. |
Faculty/Staff Spotlights
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT:
Pat Sendelbach, Professor of Accounting
 Pat Sendelbach has been teaching for more than 25 years, 18 of those at the college. To her, LSC-Montgomery's smaller class sizes create the best learning environment.
"It allows for instructors and students to know each other and learn from each other," she said. "This leads to student success and lasting relationships with students."
Pat is a certified public accountant (CPA), and recently, she assisted J.R. Moore, Jr., Montgomery County's tax assessor-collector, in creating an orientation course for new tax assessor-collectors in Texas. The course will help new deputies understand the liabilities and responsibilities of their position.
At the college, Pat stresses to her students the importance of critical thinking to solve an accounting problem.
"A student should have a deeper appreciation for the subject matter and its usefulness to them," she said. "They succeed when they leave the course better off than when they began."
STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
Brandy Ugent, Program Coordinator for Web Content and Design
Brandy Ugent has served LSC-Montgomery for the past three years as program coordinator, web services, in the office of college relations. She loves her job!
"I enjoy the challenge of communicating via not only our web site, but also via other electronic media," said Ugent. "This includes social media like Facebook and Twitter, as well as our on-campus TV messaging system, e-newsletters, and other things."
Brandy has a background in graphic design in addition to her web skills. She formerly worked at LSC-North Harris in its faculty and staff center, and has taught as an adjunct instructor at both LSC-North Harris and LSC-Montgomery.
"So many of our current and prospective students are coming to us because they learned about the college via the website or from social media. I know that it's important to put the college's best image forward as these communication tools become more and more popular."
|
|
