Maricopa Community Colleges • Office of the Chancellor • Community Advisory Committees • Vol. 8 • March 2014
Chancellor’s Update Dear CAC members, In January 2014, the Maricopa Community Colleges received some great news: six of our 10 colleges have been nominated to the Aspen Institute’s list of the 150 best community colleges in the United States. That’s out of more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide. In a nutshell, this honor Dr. Rufus Glasper means that we’re excelling in helping our students be more successful every day, across every college.
Student success means creating more and better ways for students who want a baccalaureate degree to transfer to fouryear institutions. It also means providing the best education possible during those students’ first two college years. A focus on student success means partnering with universities such as ASU, with which we’ve created the nationally-acclaimed MAPPs program. Students with a specific goal in mind can take a pre-determined series of courses and, with good grades, are guaranteed admission to the degree program of their choice with reduced tuition. That same relentless focus on student success also means creating new programs to help students who want to attend our colleges, but who are not ready for college-level work. About 60 percent of students entering our colleges need to bring reading, math or English skills up to college level. As a See Chancellor Update— page 2
Six Maricopa Community Colleges Named Among Top in The Nation Six Maricopa Community Colleges have been recognized by the Aspen Institute as being among the nation’s 150 top community colleges. Phoenix College, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and South Mountain Community Colleges can compete for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million dollars in prize funds. The award, given every two years, recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students. A full list of the 150 community colleges selected from more than 1,000 nationwide is available at www. aspenprize.org; winners will be announced in early 2015. “We are honored to have been recognized by the Aspen Institute,” said Chancellor Rufus Glasper. “As a system,
we are among the largest in the nation. As such, we are a major supplier of students transferring to the state’s public universities, and the largest workforce trainer in the state of Arizona. We are working hard to continue improving our outcomes and this honor is indicative of our students’ and faculty’s success.” “Community colleges have tremendous power to change lives, and their success will increasingly define our nation’s economic strength and the potential for social mobility for every American,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college. We hope it will raise the bar and provide a road map for community colleges nationwide.”
Read CommunityConnection online: www.maricopa.edu/chancellor/cac.php Community Connection provides news and information about the Maricopa Community Colleges and the Chancellor’s Community Advisory Committees. Community Connection is published and distributed quarterly.
Law Enforcement Career Entices EMCC Student Shante Adkins
Meet Shante Adkins Future detective, and a student of a Maricopa Community College celebrate.maricopa.edu
Public safety might not be the first career path you’d have guessed Shante Adkins was considering. She hears that a lot, thanks to her disarming smile and pleasant disposition (and, for a long time, her passion was dancing). But Shante has nearly finished the Administration of Justice Studies program at Estrella Mountain and is well on her way to a career on the police force. Rather than rush into training, she decided it would be better to stay in school and get a degree first. “I’ve always had an interest in law enforcement,” says Adkins. “So I decided to get an associate’s degree to learn more about the criminal justice system before I actually become a police officer. That’s my goal – then I want to become a detective who works with victims, probably children.” The associate’s degree isn’t the end game – she intends to pursue a Bachelor’s degree from ASU’s criminal justice program. But that doesn’t mean she’s not getting educated in the real world, too. “I wanted to get more involved, so I joined the Goodyear Police Department’s Volunteers in Police Service for about a year,” said Adkins. “I learned a lot, and met lots of officers. And that confirmed my thoughts that police work is really what I want to do.”
Governing Board Highlights The Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board elected Dana Saar as its President for 2014 and Randolph Lumm as its Secretary. The action came quickly and without much comment among Board members during the annual organization meeting January 14th. 2
Chancellor Glasper Tells Local CEOs that Maricopa Can Fill Job Training Needs On January 14, the Chief Executive Officers of several major companies joined Chancellor Rufus Glasper and more than 40 local business executives and leaders of the Maricopa Community Colleges for a “CEO Summit.” After a presentation about Maricopa’s vital role in the Valley’s economy, a distinguished panel discussed issues of critical importance to workforce development education and training. To keep this important conversation ongoing with the community, the Maricopa Community Colleges will host a series of key industry meetings and town halls this spring on a regional basis. The goals of this outreach effort are to communicate Maricopa programs and services; to create a platform for the Chancellor to engage with and inform the community; to lay out Maricopa accomplishments and stewardship over the past 10 years; and to foster input about how Maricopa can even better serve the community over the next decade.
Chancellor Update Continued—front page
result, we’re developing innovative ways to get them the help they need. Student success also means a focus on programs that prepare students for jobs. Did you know that the Maricopa Community Colleges offer classes in 90 percent of the jobs identified by the State of Arizona as having the highest demand for new workers over the next 10 years? We are the largest provider of workforce training in Maricopa County. Our new Corporate College only enhances our ability to serve as an engine for the county’s economic growth. All in all, student success means our students achieve their goals, whatever they may be. Some students come for just one or two courses, for personal enrichment or to improve specific skills. Others take a handful of courses to achieve a certificate of completion, or to train for a better paying jobs. Still others want an associate’s degree, or to go on to a fouryear institution. We are proud that our colleges are flexible enough to help all students achieve their goals. Thank you for your lasting dedication to the Maricopa Community Colleges. I look forward to continuing our work to ensure our students succeed.
News Briefs Gutierrez Named to Governing Board Dr. Donald C. Covey, Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools, has named Alfredo Gutierrez to a vacant position on the Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District. Mr. Gutierrez, a well-known community activist, was a member of the state senate from 1974-84 and was at one time a gubernatorial candidate. He fills a vacancy created by the November 2013 death of Ben Miranda. The appointment is for a term ending Dec. 31, 2014.
Chancellor Honored with MLK Diversity Award Chancellor Rufus Glasper was the 2014 recipient of the Town of Paradise Valley’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Diversity Award. Since 2000, the town has used the occasion to honor those who have exemplified Dr. King’s vision and work and to bring together Paradise Valley residents involved in advocacy and philanthropy through a wide variety of community, national and international causes congruent with Dr. King’s vision.
Maricopa Students Honored At its 19th Annual All-Arizona Academic Awards Luncheon, the Phi Theta Kappa organization honored 73 academic allstars from Arizona Community Colleges, including 26 from the Maricopa Community Colleges. To be eligible for the award, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, be in good academic standing, be working toward an associate’s degree, demonstrate leadership, and interact with their community as a college ambassador.
Desperado Film Festival Turns Five The Desperado LGBT Film Festival, now a fixture at Paradise Valley Community College, celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2014. The festival continues to enlighten the Maricopa Community College and Greater Phoenix communities about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, concerns and events. The 2014 event included 12 feature films and documentaries and two groups of short films.
Thirty-one Maricopa Community College Players Commit to NCAA Division I Football Programs National Signing Day for National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football programs is the opportunity to prepare for the future. That future is bright for this crop of Maricopa Community College student athletes who have committed to Division I schools. In all, 31 student athletes have signed: Scottsdale (14), Mesa (9), Glendale (6) and Phoenix (2). “This list is indicative of the outstanding quality of studentathletes in the Maricopa Community College District and the Western States Football League,” said Dave Grant, Athletic Director at Glendale Community College. “Their dedication is a reflection of the excellent, year-round work that students and coaches do to prepare themselves for academic and athletic careers at four-year colleges and universities.” Maricopa Community Colleges has a strong history of students succeeding in both academics and athletics. More than 30 Maricopa Community Colleges sports teams participated in national championship play in 2012; three brought home national titles. In the same academic year, 90 players and 30 full teams received national Academic AllAmerican recognition (by maintaining a minimum 3.6/4.0 GPA and 3.0/4.0 GPA, respectively). Over the past five years, 425 Maricopa student athletes have been placed at Division I schools for athletics, and more than 1,400 have transferred to a four-year school.
CELEBRATING the ARTS of the MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
ARTISTS of PROMISE
STUDENT PERFORMANCES and ART EXHIBIT WEDNESDAY, APRIL
9th ORPHEUM THEATER
Art Exhibit 6:00; Performances 7:00 p.m. 203 W. ADAMS ST., PHOENIX
FREE EVENT and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 3
Maricopa Grad Assumes Phoenix’s Highest Fire Safety Post
Communiversity Opens in Queen Creek
The Communiversity at Queen Creek - a unique partnership that offers a variety of academic services and programs in one location - officially opened its doors on February 20.
Kara Kalkbrenner, a graduate of Phoenix College’s fire safety program, has been appointed acting chief of the Phoenix Fire Department. She is the first woman in Phoenix history to hold this rank, which means that for the first time in Phoenix history, a woman will lead the City’s Fire Department. A Phoenix native, Kalkbrenner joined the department as a firefighter in 1984. Her previous positions include executive assistant fire chief, engineer, captain, division chief and deputy chief. “In each position I’ve held, I’ve remembered my humble roots, which is working on a fire truck and serving the great citizens of Phoenix,” said Kalkbrenner. “As I’ve been promoted up through the ranks, I’ve dedicated my work to ensuring that all of the members of the Phoenix Fire Department have the resources that they need to serve and protect the community,”she said. Kara Kalkbrenner has an associate degree in fire science from Phoenix College, a bachelor’s degree in fire-service management from Ottawa University and is an adjunct instructor for the fire-service program at the Maricopa Community Colleges. Did you know that nearly 50,000 people are following the Maricopa Community Colleges across our five major social media platforms? Followers include students, alumni, employees, faculty, senior administration, governing board members, city mayors including Mayor Greg Stanton, state legislators, the governor of Arizona and more. Connect with us to join the conversation: FB, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn & YouTube 4
“This new location in Queen Creek epitomizes what we’re striving to accomplish as an educational institution,” said Chris Bustamante, President of Rio Salado College. “The purpose of this location is to provide affordable, high quality educational options for East Valley residents and employers, and to stimulate economic growth through education and workforce development.” The Communiversity model was first introduced in Arizona by Rio Salado College, which opened a location in Surprise in 2009. The model gives students an opportunity to take classes from community college partners and transfer those credits to a university partner located in the same facility, resulting in a significant cost savings on tuition.
Chancellor’s Community Advisory Committees (CAC)
Committee Objectives • Provide community-inspired counsel and advice to the Chancellor; • Work with the Colleges to strengthen their relationships with the community; • Serve as a conduit of information between the Colleges and the community; • Help the Colleges identify community issues and proactively address concerns; and • Work on projects that advance the Chancellor’s objectives.
Populations represented by the CACs: African-American, Asian Pacific Islander, GLBT, Latino, Native-American, and Voice (Disabled).