WASC Follow-Up Visit—Dates Announced

Please be advised that the dates for our follow-up visit by WASC have been confirmed for November 7 and 8. The visiting team will be led by Dr. Jose Ortiz, Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District. He will be joined by Ms. Nancy Meddings, Interim Dean, Library Resources and Community Education for Allan Hancock College; and Mr. Mike Bowman, Dean, Research and Planning for Ohlone College.

Many thanks to everyone who has worked so hard over the past year(s) in addressing the WASC standards and recommendations. Here’s to exceeding their expectations!

College of Marin Opens New Student Veterans Center

College of Marin student veterans have a new office on campus to connect with college and community resources, study and get a reprieve from civilian life. Furnished with desks, computers, printers, a sofa, and a television, the new College of Marin Veterans Center will be a venue where veterans can receive support, link to services and relax in the familiar banter of a military life.
 
The public is invited to attend an official ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. on Oct. 10. The Veterans Center is in the Student Services Building, Room 112, Kentfield Campus. Dr. David Wain Coon, Superintendent/President, and Gabriel Carsillo, Veterans Association president, will be among the speakers. Refreshments will be provided.
 
About 30,000 men and women leave the military and return to California each year, a number that is expected to increase dramatically as the war in Afghanistan winds down and the military downsizes. College of Marin has about 100 student veterans. While many have signed up for education benefits under the enhanced GI Bill, many veterans need additional assistance to start their lives as students and civilians.
 
The center was funded in part by a $5,000 grant from the College of Marin Associated Students, a $1,200 grant from the College of Marin Foundation, and college in-kind services for the renovation of the office.
 
For more information about the Veterans Center, call (415) 457-8811, ext. 7782.

September Data Nugget

There are 7,256 students enrolled in credit classes at COM this 2012 fall semester. Of these students, do you know how many already possess a bachelor’s degree or higher? Test your knowledge and pick one of the choices below:

• 10% or less
• 10.1% to 15%
• 15.1% to 20%
• 20.1 to 25%

COM Releases Results of Community Engagement Survey

Last spring 2012 semester the college conducted a research study to examine the local community’s attitudes toward College of Marin. The survey was conducted by Interact Communications and touches the attitudes at play regarding the college’s strengths, value, and image. The college used a telephone survey to call 500 randomly selected Marin County voters who had participated in the last Presidential election. The results were not intended to be a complete representation of all attitudes and ages, but rather those critical opinion shapers who make their support known at the polls. The sample for the telephone survey was intentionally balanced for gender in order to gain perspective from both men and women.
 
Summary of the Telephone Survey Results (Random Sample of Voters):

• Average participant age was 51.8
• In random calling, nearly half of the participants, 47 percent, have attended College of Marin, 8.2 percent graduated from the college, and 33.4 percent have had family members who attended
• Nearly two-thirds (321) of respondents mentioned College of Marin as top-of-mind and UC Berkeley was second with 80 respondents
• 44.2 percent feel the best time for classes at College of Marin would be in the evening

Findings Summary

• General attitudes about the college are strong among a voter population and stronger internally
• COM enjoys the reputation as a transfer institution both internally and externally
• The college is well known for its strong academic reputation, but there is a lack of granularity about programs and what types of programs can be transferred or degrees obtained
• COM is seen as a viable college choice for more than half of the population, giving the college a strong footing in the community
• There are negative image issues that are still present and should be addressed, but they are not currently a “clear and present danger”

Recommendations Summary

• There is an availability of classes issue (whether real or perceived) that needs to be addressed within the community
• There is work to be done internally so that college staff can enjoy the strong reputation they have in some areas, but be motivated to change in areas where they are not as strongly perceived (career and technical training, for example)
• The transfer programs are not clear to the general community, and this is an area that could be served by additional communication
  

More detailed information about the survey is available online (PDF). For more information, contact Cathy Summa-Wolfe.

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Kudos

Lucia Perrin, an outstanding and gifted court reporting student at College of Marin, has been awarded two scholarships totaling $2000. Lucia won a $1000 scholarship from the Mt. Diablo Legal Professionals Association (MDLPA). This yearly award is presented to a resident of California who is pursuing a career as a legal secretary, paralegal, court reporter or legal office administrator. MDLPA then entered Lucia in the competition for the Eula Mae Jett Scholarship, a statewide award administered by Legal Secretaries, Inc. Lucia was one of eight California residents to receive a $1000 Jett Scholarship. A representative of the MDLPA visited the court reporting program at the Indian Valley Campus on Monday, September 24, to congratulate Lucia on her achievement. Best wishes, Lucia, on your continued success!

New Bike Racks Installed at Kentfield Campus

Recently new bike racks were installed at the Kentfield Campus. There were 21 bike racks installed in front of the Learning Resources Center and 19 at the northwest corner of the Student Services Building. Each rack can accommodate two bikes. One of the nice features is that these racks will help deter bike theft. They are securely bolted to concrete and have a rectangular cross section that prevents thieves from cutting it with a pipe-rolling cutter. The $9,000 cost was reimbursed by a grant from the Marin County Bicycle Parking Program. Special thanks go to student Edward McAuley who got the project rolling.

Cop’s Corner

The Great California Shake Out is a day of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill ever, organized to inspire Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards. College of Marin is planning to participate in the Shake Out drill which will occur at 10:18 a.m. on October 18, 2012. More information on the event and how you can get prepared is online.
 
Please refer to page 12 in the College of Marin’s Emergency Guidelines Handbook to start preparing yourself for what to do in case of an earthquake while on the campuses. Handbooks are also attached to the wall near the exits inside College of Marin buildings.

Hooked on Marin Speaker Series

With the collaboration of five local school districts and public agencies, a new speaker series called Hooked on Marin is being launched. College of Marin along with Emeritus Students College of Marin (ESCOM); the Tamalpais Union High School District; and the towns of Larkspur, San Anselmo, and Corte Madera are working together to provide a series of moderated discussions centered around the Marin County experience and influence.
 
Hooked on Marin’s fall series will include three events focusing on the following topics: the organic food movement, the mountain bike revolution, and rock ‘n roll music history in Marin. Marin’s own Terry McGovern will moderate each session.
 
The Mountain Bike Revolution
Wednesday, October 24, 7 p.m.
Sir Francis Drake High School, Little Theater
1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo
Panel will feature Charlie Kelly, Joe Breeze, and other legends involved in the birth of mountain biking in Marin County. Event cosponsored by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC).
 
Marin County Rock ‘n’ Roll Music History
Wednesday, November 28, 7 p.m.
Corte Madera Community Center Hall
498 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera
 
Richie Unterberger leads a discussion featuring local individuals sharing their memories and experiences.
 
Admission is $15 per event. Purchase tickets and get more information at www.hookedonmarin.com.

Seasonal Flu Shots

Influenza (“flu”) is a contagious disease that can be spread by coughing, sneezing, and nasal secretions. For most people, the flu lasts only a few days and includes symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. By getting vaccinated you can protect yourself from influenza and may also avoid spreading influenza to others. The College of Marin Health Center will be offering seasonal flu shots for $20. Clinic dates are as follows:
 
Kentfield Campus, Health Services Portable
Friday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to noon
Friday, October 5, from 9 a.m. to noon
 
The Health Center is not a Medicare provider and is not able to bill insurance plans. Anyone wishing to receive a shot must be 18 years of age or older. For more information call (415) 485-9458.

Bocce Tournament – Registration Due Tomorrow

The College of Marin Athletics and PE Department is holding a bocce tournament and lunch on Saturday, September 29, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Marin Bocce Federation Courts. The courts are located at 550 B Street in San Rafael. No experience necessary—there will be tutorial at 9 a.m. with play following at 10 a.m. Registration is $45 per player or $225 per team of four to six players. The registration form is available online and needs to be completed by Friday, September 21. Proceeds benefit the College of Marin women’s volleyball and men’s basketball teams. For more information contact Lindsay Bacigalupi@marin.edu.

Advanced Voice Class Recital

College of Marin Drama Department Presents Macbeth

By William Shakespeare
Directed by W. Allen Taylor

October 4 pay-what-you-will preview at 8 p.m.
October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20 at 8 p.m.
October 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.
Performing Arts Theatre, Kentfield Campus
 
Set in a cold, forbidding netherworld populated by supernatural beings and three of the most famous witches in English literature, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a dark and intense tale of morbid ambition, corruptive power, and serial murder. Upon hearing the prophesy of his destined ascent to the throne, Macbeth, a decorated war hero with a manipulative Lady Macbeth by his side, embarks on a bloody quest for power only to descend into madness and self-destruction.

Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors, and $10 for students, COM employees, and alumni. For more information, call the box office at 415.485.9385.

Have a great weekend,

David Wain Coon, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President

September Data Nugget's Answer: d. 20.1 to 25% (21.3% or 1,545 students, to be exact.)

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