Coffee and Conversation at IVC with COM Superintendent/President
Join me on Thursday, March 24, at 1 p.m. for a Coffee and Conversation forum at the Indian Valley Campus in Building 17, room 100. Faculty, staff, and students are invited to bring their ideas, questions, and other subjects of interest.

COM Board of Trustees Approves Updated Bond Spending Plan
The College of Marin Board of Trustees carefully considered a variety of options over many months before approving an updated bond spending plan at last week’s monthly meeting. The vote was six in favor, one opposed, with the Student Trustee also in favor. When a project is added to the bond spending plan and when the project scope is modified significantly Board approval is needed before the modernization team begins work.

The updated bond spending plan includes building a New Academic Center at the Kentfield Campus on the corner of College Ave. and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. The new center will be approximately 43,000 square feet with 16 general purpose classrooms and will cost about $30 million. At its April 2010 meeting, the Board of Trustees selected TLCD Architecture with Mill Valley resident and award-winning Architect Mark Cavagnero & Associates to design the project.

The plan also includes track renovations not to exceed $1.25 million, a child development/study center to be built using a cost-effective modular design estimated at $3.53 million, ADA upgrades, the retention of the Austin Science Center, and removal of all portable buildings at the Kentfield Campus.

California’s New Apprenticeship Program puts Marin County on the Map as a
National Leader in Organic Farming
College of Marin in partnership with the California State Division of Apprenticeship Standards, under the Department of Industrial Relations, and Fresh Run Farm of Bolinas, will launch the nation’s first Organic Farming and Gardening Apprenticeship program this week. A signing ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at the Organic Farm located on the Indian Valley Campus, 1800 Ignacio Blvd. in Novato.

The organic farming industry is the fastest growing sector in agriculture. Marin County alone boasts of 23 registered organic producers that farm 810 acres of land. Nearly all row crops grown in Marin today are certified organic. This unique partnership provides students a combination of instruction both in the classroom and on a certified-organic farm in a paid position working alongside the farm’s operator.

Participating students will learn progressive, responsible farming practices including landscape ecology, composting and fertility management. In addition, students will learn the business side of farming with coursework in marketing and certifications. The Organic Farming and Gardening Apprenticeship program will contribute to the future growth of farming practices that can improve nutrition, conserve resources and contribute to communities.

Personnel Actions from the March 15 Board of Trustees Meeting
Retirement of Classified Personnel

• Graphic Design Specialist Janice Goucher has submitted her letter of resignation for retirement purposes effective March 1, 2011.
• Officer Dan Widger has submitted his letter of resignation for retirement purposes effective May 15, 2011.

Appointment of Classified Management Personnel

• Mitchell Lemay has accepted the Chief of Police position effective April 4, 2011.

Institutional Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

College of Marin will hold the TOEFL on Friday, April 8, 2011, from 9 a.m. to noon. Students should arrive by 8:45 a.m. Students can sign-up beforehand on the sheet in Ohlone 142 or e-mail sara.oser@marin.edu. You may also leave a message at (415) 883-2211, ext. 8579.
 
There is a space limit of 15 people so students are encouraged to sign-up early. The cost to take the test is $30 and this fee may be paid in the Kentfield or Indian Valley Campus Admissions and Records Office, Building 27, after March 25.
 
Please keep the receipt and bring it to the test along with photo identification. Hand-scored results will be available by e-mail on April 19, 2010. Official score sheets will be available for pick up at the Intensive English Program (IEP) four to six weeks later. A free practice test is available for checkout at IEP.
 
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.

College of Marin Measure C Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee Solicits New Members

Five 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 senior citizens’ organization, 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 31, 2011. Oversight committee members cannot be employees, officials, vendors, consultants, or contractors of the College of Marin. Application and application information can be found on-line at http://www.marin.edu/MeasureC/coc/index.htm 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 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 Citizen’s Oversight Committee.

Volunteer Long Term Care Insurance Information Meetings

College of Marin will be offering two additional meeting dates for employees (and their families) to learn about the district’s new voluntary Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance. Please join our LTC Specialists to provide an overview of planning, eldercare management, and care-giving issues, as well as this new benefit program.

Meetings will be held at both campuses:
 
Kentfield Campus
Tuesday, March 29
Deedy Lounge
12:30 p.m., (lunch will be provided) or 3 p.m.(cookies and beverages served)

Indian Valley Campus
Wednesday, March 30
Administrative Services Building, Conference Room 101
12:30 p.m. (lunch will be provided) or 3 p.m. (cookies and beverages served)
RSVP to Julie Breakstone in the Human Resources Office at (415)-485-9340 by March 25.

For more information on this program, please contact our LTC Specialists:
Karen Perry: kperry@jhancock.com at (650) 224-9204 or
Teresa Campama: teresachb@aol.com at (714) 955-3300

Upcoming Events

Santa Barbara City College Dean to Speak on Moodle Migration

Dr. Douglas E. Hersh, Dean, Educational Programs, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) will present at COM on April 1 from 10 a.m. to noon in Learning Resources Center, Room 53. At SBCC, he serves The Online College, Learning Technologies, The School of Media Arts, Student Technology Support, and The Faculty Resource Center; and he is credited with bringing the human touch to Distance ED in order to narrow the gap between retention rates in face-to-face programs and those in online programs. Hersh convinced Santa Barbara in 2008 to abandon Blackboard, the LMS industry leader, in favor of Moodle’s open-source platform, which he used to build the straightforwardly named “Human Presence Learning Environment."

Guest Piano Duo from London

Valeria Szervansky and Ronald Cavaye
Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m.
Lefort Recital Hall (PA 72)
Suggested donation: $10

Advanced Voice Recital
Belle of the Ball—Art Songs by Women Composers
Linda Noble Brown, Instructor
Wednesday, April 6, at 11:10 a.m.
Lefort Recital Hall (PA 72)
Free admission, parking $3

ESCOM Painting Exhibition—Final Week

Emeritus Students College of Marin (ESCOM) is sponsoring an exhibition of paintings by Cole Posard now through March 25, 2011. The Emeritus Center at the Kentfield Campus is located in the Student Services Building, Room 146.

Baseball vs. Napa Valley College
Tuesday, March 22, 2 p.m. in Napa

Baseball vs. Los Medanos College
Thursday, March 24, 2 p.m. in Kentfield

Baseball vs. Contra Costa College
Saturday, March 26, 1 p.m. in San Pablo

Softball vs. Solano College—Double Header
Tuesday, March 22, 1 and 3 p.m. in Suisun

Softball vs. Los Medanos College—Double Header
Thursday, March 24, 1 and 3 p.m. in Kentfield

Swimming and Diving—Solano Invitational
Saturday, March 26, all day in Fairfield

Have a great week!

David Wain Coon, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President

President's Monday Briefing Web Page
Technical Contact: Nicole Cruz, Assistant to Director of Communications and Community Relations, (415) 485-9648 x7648
Content Responsible: Cathy Summa-Wolfe, Director of Communications and Community Relations, (415) 485-9528