Volume 41
August 18th, 2014
A Time of Change
Oakton in transition as college seeks new president and Public Safety chief. By Jeremiah Stymacks
Retiring President Margaret Lee has served Oakton for nearly 20 years.
Incoming freshmen can relax, knowing that they aren’t the only ones in new positions here at Oakton. After many years of stability, Oakton Community College faces an era of new leadership as longtime leaders such as President Margaret Lee prepare to retire and other key positions are filled. Earlier this year, Oakton’s veteran police chief Dennis Nolan died, leaving a legacy of contributions to the college’s public safety. George Carpenter is now serving as interim chief of Public Safety, and has taken initiative with programs such as the upcoming traffic study in coordination with the honors program. Meanwhile, Oakton has already started a nationwide search to fill the position of college president after Lee retires in the spring. As the Chicago Tribune reports, “Oakton has taken great strides under Lee’s leadership, particularly in the growth of partnerships with area businesses and community leaders in order to keep costs down and provide new opportunities for students.” Oakton has only had three presidents, and Lee has now served in this position for nearly 20 years. Lee told the Occurrence that “the process see ‘leadership’ ... page 2
The Alumni of Oakton
Photo by Connie White
see page 3
Issue No. 12
New to Oakton? A Bit of Advice By Elizabeth Sutton It’s hard starting fresh at college – you have new expectations from parents, friends, and yourself. It can be overwhelming for a new student to be faced with the challenges and pressures of beginning college, but luckily, you have someone who’s lived through it to tell you what to expect, what to avoid, and what to enjoy. 1.) Use internet resources. Whether it’s for buying books or figuring out what professors you want for the semester, the internet is a perfectly accessible tool. Sites like ratemyprofessors.com are great for sussing out whether or not your soon-to-be professors are a little too harsh, and bookrenter.com is amazing for finding new and used textbooks so you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a priceless education. Your wallet will thank you. 2.) Be open to classmates. It can be rough starting college, but view your classmates as fellow comrades in the struggle of freshmanship. Don’t be afraid to group up for study sessions, or trade emails when exams are ahead. Classmates are a great resource, and most of the people in your class are probably just as anxious about college as you are. Teaming up means you don’t have to go it alone. 3.) Don’t swim in the lake. Despite how appealing the Oakton lake at the Des Plaines campus might appear, just don’t go for a dip. If you want to lounge on the shore and catch up on your class reading, go for it. Just don’t try to dive in and go for a swim. There’s a reason there are so many ‘no swimming’ signs, and it’s not just to rain on your parade. 4.) Find workable study techniques. Whether you work, you’re new to higher education, you have kids, or you’ve just been plain out of the education loop, it can be intimidating to get back into old (or never developed) study habits. Helpmetostudy.org is a useful tool to get you in the loop to learning new techniques for study success. With enough time, you’ll be acing those exams without any stress. Also, Oakton’s Learning Center is great for providing study help and methods for student success. Don’t be afraid to utilize all of Oakton’s resources! 5.) Lastly, don’t be shy! Join clubs and organizations that speak to your interests or passions. There are so many clubs and organizations around Oakton that are always interested in new membership and welcome everyone with open arms. All you have to do is click the ‘Student Life’ tab on oakton.edu and you’ll find a whole galaxy of over 50 clubs and organizations to choose from, whether it’s the OCCurrence (Oakton’s award-winning student newspaper) or the Student Government Association. Get involved and see what Oakton truly has to offer!