President’s Monday Briefing - April 5, 2010
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Reconciliation Legislation Provides Good News for Community Colleges On March 30, 2010, at a press conference held at Northern Virginia Community College, President Barack Obama signed the budget reconciliation bill, including the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). This new funding could provide California's community colleges with $400 million over the next four years and the total impact nationally is significant as well. The student loan reform bill - which had been called the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) in the House - will end the Federal Family Education Loan program and move all institutions to the Direct Loan program by July 1 of this year. This move saves the federal government billions of dollars over the next 10 years, which will then be used to provide additional resources for the Pell Grant program and fund other priorities. In the fact sheets released with the signing, the Administration outlined the types of grants anticipated under the $2 billion Trade Adjustment Assistance funds for community colleges. This is a new grant funding program that will be housed by the Department of Labor with coordination by the Department of Education. The White House fact sheet suggests eligible grant usage could include:
For more information go to http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/07/student-aid-and-fiscal-respons.shtml. Kudos Social Sciences Professor Robert Ovetz, Ph. D. was a presenter at the Cultural Studies Association’s (U.S.) Eighth Annual Meeting held March 18 through March 20, 2010, at UC Berkeley. His presentation was “New media and student organizing for the March 4, 2010 Strike and Day of Action”. The conference featured presentations on all topics of relevance to Cultural Studies, such as literature, history, sociology, geography, anthropology, communications, popular culture, cultural theory, queer studies, critical race studies, feminist studies, postcolonial studies, media and film studies, early modern, science technology studies, material culture studies, performance and visual arts studies. Ovetz was also published in the Feb. 25, 2010, edition of Beyondchron.org, a San Francisco-based online daily newspaper. His article, “New Book Challenges Obama Administration’s ‘Race to the Top,’” can be found at http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7848#more. Student Government Elections are Coming Up Students are encouraged to consider running for an Associated Students College of Marin (ASCOM) student government position. They may sign up to run for office by picking up an election packet in the Student Affairs Office, Room 250. Deadline to apply is Friday, April 9. If a student has any questions, please have them call (415) 485-9376. Educational Excellence Innovation Fund is now Accepting Proposals The Educational Excellence Innovation Fund provides seed money that encourages College of Marin’s faculty and staff to dream out loud. Proposals should be submitted to the Superintendent/President’s Office by May 7, 2010. Awards will be announced in June. Faculty Proposals submitted to the Superintendent/President’s Office will be forwarded to U.D.W.C. per Article 8.3 of the UPM contract. Please contact Melinda Molloy in the President’s Office for more information at melinda.molloy@marin.edu. Upcoming Advanced Voice Class Recital The Stringless Instrument – songs based on texts by William Shakespeare Institutional Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) The tests will be given at the Indian Valley Campus Intensive English Program (IEP), Ohlone Building 19, Room 158. Parking is available in lot 6, however, a daily or semester parking permit is required. Off campus parking is free. Spring Dance Production Sunday Salon The Emeritus Students College of Marin (ESCOM) and The Lark Theater are pleased to present Sunday Salon. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. and the festivities include a light continental breakfast, the film followed by a film critic’s commentary, and a question and answer period. The Lark Theater is located in historic downtown Larkspur at 549 Magnolia Avenue. The final film will be held April 18. General tickets are $15 per show; Emeritus members pay $13 per show. To purchase tickets call The Lark at (415) 924-5111. If you haven’t been to the Lark yet, this is a delightful way to enjoy the community owned historic movie theater. The film will not be announced in advance to add to the intrigue. Lark Theater Executive Director and film marvel Bernice Baeza will find the best and most interesting selection to offer in order to open your eyes and minds to something you might have missed the first time around. See you at the movies! Ongoing College and University Representatives on Campus in April The following college and university representatives will be on campus during the month of April. Talking with them is a great way to learn more about the different colleges and universities as well as getting answers to your questions. Appointments are required. Students may schedule an appointment at the Transfer Center in Student Services, Room 202, or contact (415) 485-9671.
Jewelry Exhibit in Fine Arts Building He was an award-winning metal smith and a legend at CSU Long Beach where he taught jewelry and ceramic classes for 33 years. The exhibit mostly consists of “finger sculpture” pieces collected from former students. This was an assignment he gave every semester. Former student and COM Jewelry Instructor Michael Chaille continues this tradition. Pine was an educator and friend to many at College of Marin and was the “tool guy,” stopping in a few times each year to sell students jewelry tools needed to do this specialized work and offer advice based on his years of experience. The show will be up through April 10, 2010. Marin Art and Music Alliance Presents Free Concert Series House Party Boogie Pool Boy Chuck Steed The Bob Hill Band Performing Arts Frederic Chopin & Robert Schumann College of Marin faculty members Boyd Jarrell, baritone, and Paul Smith, piano, are joined by Marin County violinist and conductor George Thomson in a concert celebrating the 200th birthday of Frederic Chopin and Robert Schumann. Works include Schumann’s violin sonata opus 121, piano preludes and Scherzo No. 2 of Chopin and Schumann’s song cycle Dichterliebe. Piano Repertoire Concert The Piano Repertoire and Interpretation class will present movements from 25 piano concertos in two 90-minute concerts. Performances will include masterpieces by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Grieg, Saint-Saens, McDowell, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Poulenc, Gershwin, Prokofieff, Khachaturian, Shostakovich, Barber, and others. Two Evenings of Chamber Music College of Marin music students perform in small ensembles including Beethoven String Quartet, Op. 135, Brahms Two Songs for mezzo-soprano, viola and piano, Mozart Flute Quartet in D Major, Dvo?ák Piano Quintet, and Schumann Fairy Tales. There will be a different program each evening. Call (415) 485-9460 for program details. '59 Pink Thunderbird – Laundry & Bourbon and Lone Star April 30, May 1, 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 8 p.m. It’s a hot afternoon in Maynard, Texas, where the “girls” are folding laundry, sipping bourbon, and sharing local gossip. That same evening, a trio of Texas good-ole-boys are drinking beer and trading tall tales behind a local bar. The comic intertwining of the two scenarios make for a very funny, delightful evening of theatre. Director Jeffrey Bihr last directed Born Yesterday for COM. In addition to his teaching duties here at College of Marin, he also teaches and performs at Stanford University as well as with other local companies such as American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Rep, and the Aurora Theatre. COM Athletics Men’s Baseball vs. Yuba College
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College of Marin is one of 112 public community colleges in California and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Approximately 10,000 credit and noncredit students enroll each fall and spring semester. Classes also are offered during the summer.
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