COM Experiences Largest Enrollment Increase in Over a DecadeCollege of Marin’s spring 2009 enrollment is up 5 percent compared to spring 2008 semester. As of today, 7,139 students are enrolled in credit classes compared to 6,770 enrolled at this time last year. In addition to an overall increase in headcount, the number of credits that students are taking is up 9 percent compared to last year.

COM Seeks New Bond Oversight Committee MembersFive committee members are being sought to serve on the College of Marin Measure C Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee for the Measure C bond program. The committee is seeking applications for members representing the community at large, a bona-fide taxpayer’s association, a student enrolled and active in a community college support group, and a member active in a business organization representing the business community located in the district.

New members will be appointed by the College of Marin Board of Trustees at its April meeting. Applications are due March 28, 2009. Oversight committee members cannot be employees, officials, vendors, consultants, or contractors of College of Marin. Application and application information can be found online or by calling the Office of the Superintendent/President at (415) 485-9502.

The College of Marin Board of Trustees passed a resolution on Dec. 14, 2004 establishing the independent Measure C Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The committee is responsible for ensuring the College of Marin’s financial accountability for projects funded by a $249.5 million bond earmarked for facilities modernization and passed by Marin County voters in the November 2004 election with more than 63 percent voter approval. Measure C was a Proposition 39 bond that required the formation of a citizens’ oversight committee.

FAQ: Impasse, Mediation, and Fact-Finding ProcessQ: Has the faculty contract expired?
The previous contract remains in effect until a successor agreement is signed, even though the UPM/MCCD contract expired on June 30, 2007. Faculty salaries and benefits continue status quo. Step and column pay increases also continue status quo for both full and part-time faculty.

Q: Last year, UPM submitted a unilateral declaration of “impasse” to the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). What is impasse?
A party may end contract negotiations by declaration of “impasse” to the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). A neutral mediator is then appointed by the State Mediation and Conciliation Service to assist the parties in facilitating an agreement. If the mediator is unable to help in reaching an agreement, the dispute is then referred to “fact-finding” under PERB’s process oversight.

Q: How does fact-finding work?
A three-person fact-finding panel will review the arguments and proposals from both sides and issue a set of non-binding recommendations for a settlement. Management and the union each appoint one member to the fact-finding panel. They mutually agree on a neutral, independent fact-finding chairperson from a list of qualified labor relations professionals supplied by PERB. The panel holds a hearing where both sides present their respective positions. The hearing is not open to the public. The panel issues a recommended decision.

Q: Is the fact-finder’s report binding on the parties?
The fact finder’s report is advisory only.

Q: Can the district implement its “last, best, and final offer” if fact-finding doesn’t work?
If a negotiated agreement cannot be reached, then the District can implement a proposal that it previously made. However, the District is not required to implement its last, best, and final offer. They can also pick and choose which items they wish to implement. None of these unilaterally imposed terms are allowed to supersede the law (i.e., the Education Code).

Q: Will faculty be able to vote on whether to strike?
Strikes are legal in California, but they cannot occur until all steps in the fact-finding process have been exhausted. It would be a legal violation for the union to engage in any concerted work stoppage prior to the fact-finder’s final report being made public.

DSPS Open HousePlease join DSPS in celebrating their new location on Feb. 11 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in LC 136 and LC 115. Refreshments will be served.

Club FestThe Associated Students of College of Marin (ASCOM) will host Club Fest on Thursday, Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Learning Center Quad. There will be music and food, so take a break and enjoy the festivities.

AlertU: Emergency Notification SystemSign up for AlertU, the emergency notification system used by College of Marin. The college uses the text message alert system to send emergency information and updates to the mobile devices of participating students, faculty, staff, and community members in real time.
AlertU is a web-based emergency text alert notification platform that delivers secure communications to subscribers’ mobile devices designed for K-12 schools, college and university campus communities, and enterprise facility management. Friends and family are also able to receive alert updates. There are no fees to subscribers for enrolling in the service; however, standard text message rates apply.
There are two ways to subscribe to this service:

From a computer:
1. Go to www.alertu.org/mccd
2. Enter your cell number and indicate if you are staff, faculty, etc.
3. On your cell phone, you will receive a welcome text message: Please join MCCD’s Emergency Alert System. No spam. Reply Y to sign up…
4. >From your cell phone, reply “Y” (only the letter “Y,” nothing else)
5. That’s it

From your cell phone:
1. With your cell phone, text “MCCD” (your campus keyword) to 253788 (ALERTU)
2. You will receive a welcome text message: Please join MCCD’s Emergency Alert System. No spam. Reply Y to sign up…
3. >From your cell phone, reply “Y” (only the letter “Y,” nothing else)
4. That’s it

RECOMMENDATION: To make it easier for you to recognize emergency messages, store the number 253788 in your cell phone’s phone book as “AlertU”

We value your privacy as students and staff at Marin Community College District and can promise:

• You will never receive any mobile spam
• No personal information will ever be shared with anyone
• Only MCCD College Police will have access to the alerting system
• The AlertU system will only be used in the event of an emergency/crisis
• The service is free, though the user’s standard text message rates/plans apply

It is expected that in the event of a crisis or emergency, AlertU will greatly help minimize both risk and damage for our students, faculty, and staff. While this service is only one of the many methods that may be needed in getting the word out in a crisis, it should be the most immediate.
For more information contact Sgt. Darryl Kesecker at (415) 485-9478, or visit AlertU.

Mailroom will be closed for a few hours for carpet installationThe mailroom carpeting has been rescheduled to Saturday, Feb. 14. Please note that there will be no access to mailboxes or the copier during installation. Thank you for your patience and understanding as improvements to the LRC continue.

Tutoring CenterThe Tutoring Center currently has forty-five peer tutors offering drop-in tutoring for more than fifty credit courses. The schedules are posted in the Tutoring Center and additional hours and subjects are being added every day.

Please remind students that tutoring is not just for students who are struggling in their classes. Tutoring is for all students who are interested in gaining a better understanding of the material they are learning in class. Tutoring presents an opportunity to engage with fellow students in a collaborative and supportive learning environment. Please encourage students to come by and complete an application.

Upcoming

Don’t Miss Unetaneh TokefThe College of Marin Drama Club presents a student written, directed, and performed thriller in the Studio Theatre at the Kentfield Campus. Performances will be Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. Directed by David Abrams, who previously helmed Brownstein’s one act Goodnight Daniel at College of Marin last Oct., this thriller is guaranteed to deliver. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $10 at the door. All proceeds benefit the College of Marin Drama Club and the Carla Zilbersmith Fund. For those who love the nail-biting twists of a psychological thriller, Unetaneh Tokef is a must!

Black History Month Film NightThe Black Student Union (BSU) will be showing a film for Black History Month Thursday, Feb. 19, in Olney Hall 96 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. More details to follow in the next President’s Monday Briefing.

African American College Information DayCollege of Marin and the Office of Outreach and School Relations will host the first annual African American College Information Day Thursday, Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kentfield Campus. The event, which revolves around a Black History month program on campus, is expected to draw 150 African American students from local high schools. Students will hear a keynote speaker, receive academic program information and enjoy a catered lunch with entertainment before taking a campus tour and hearing presentations by each Student Services office.

West Coast Premier of Jackie O!College of Marin Performing Arts department presents the West Coast premier of Jackie O! at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28, Mar. 6 and Mar. 13 and at 2 p.m. on Mar. 8 and Mar. 15 in the Fine Arts Theatre. The performance is a 90-minute chamber opera in two acts composed by Michael Daughtery to a libretto by Wayne Koestenbaum. The production is directed by James Dunn with musical direction by Paul Smith and choreography by Sandra Tanner. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students, seniors, COM staff, and alumni. For more information, please send an email.

Community Clay Sculpture ExhibitCome and view a survey of works by local community college instructors through Feb. 19 in the Fine Arts Gallery. The exhibit has been curated by Bill Abright and Andrea Antonaccio.

Featured artists include:

College of Marin
    Bill Abright
    Al Widenhofer
    Logan Wood
Cosumnes River College
    Yoshio Taylor
Cabrillo College
    Kathryn McBride
    Gail Richie
Diablo College
    Mark Messenger
    Karl McDade
SF City College
    Oliverio Quezada
    Don Santos
    Chris Unterseher
Laney College
    Susannah Israel
Merritt College
    Ericka Clark
San Joaquin Delta
    Joe Mariscal
    Gary Carlos
Solano Community College
    Mark Lancet
San Jose City Community College
    Michelle Gregor
Foothill College
    Andy Ruble
Skyline College
    Tiffany Schmierer

International Film FestivalCollege of Marin Modern Languages Department presents the second annual College of Marin International Film Festival, with films featuring foreign languages taught at the college. The following films, which are FREE and open to the community, will be shown at 7 p.m. on six Fridays in Olney Hall 96.

Feb. 27 Tre Metri Sopra Il Cielo / Three Meters Above the Sky (2004), Italian
March 6 Marius and Jeanette (1997), French
March 13 Happy Times (2002), Chinese
March 20 Hana Yori Mo Nao (2006), Japanese
March 27 Sweet Nothing in my Ear (2008), American Sign Language
April 3 Machuca (2004), Spanish

COM AthleticsThe College of Marin Men’s and Women’s swimming and diving team is looking for additional members. Get in great shape while you have fun. No experience necessary! Sign up for PE 183. Contact head coach Warren Lager.

Athletics Home Schedule for the Week of Feb. 9:
Baseball vs. Mission College
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. in Marin
Baseball vs. San Jose City College
Thursday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m. in Marin
Baseball vs. San Jose City College
Friday, Feb. 13, noon in Marin
Baseball vs. San Jose City College
Saturday, Feb. 14, 1 p.m. in Marin

Athletics Away Schedule for the Week of Feb. 9:
Men’s Basketball vs. Merritt
Monday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. in Oakland
Men’s Basketball vs. Napa
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. in Napa
Men’s Basketball vs. Yuba
Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. in Marysville
Women’s Basketball vs. Merritt
Monday, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m. in Oakland
Women’s Basketball vs. Napa
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 5:30 p.m. in Napa
Women’s Basketball vs. Yuba
Friday, Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m. in Marysville
Track & Field Nor Cal Rotational Meets
Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14, 10 a.m. in Redding

Results:
Men’s Basketball
2/4/09 Alameda 81, COM 74
2/6/09 Mendocino 65, COM 53
Women’s Basketball
2/4/09 Laney 67, COM 46
2/6/09 Mendocino 63, COM 57

Have a great week!

Frances L. White, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President

President's Monday Briefing webpage
Technical Contact: Nicole Cruz, Admin. Assist., 415-485-9648   x7648
Content Responsible: Cathy Summa-Wolfe, Dir. of Communications & Community Relations, 415-485-9528