Countdown to tobacco-free MCC

Effective August 1, 2011, MCC will become tobacco-free. Chancellor Mark James made the announcement at the Chancellor Cabinet meeting on Nov.9, 2010.

This aggressive timeline will be implemented for the purpose of creating healthier campus environments for students, employees and visitors.

Tobacco-free refers to all types of smoking and smokeless tobacco products. Once implemented, all areas of MCC premises and grounds will be tobacco-free, as well as all MCC vehicles being used for MCC business. All students, employees, visitors, contractors, vendors and delivery personnel will be required to follow this initiative.

Employees lose 625 lbs in A Slimmer You!

When The Slimmer You program was launched last fall through the MCC Wellness committee, finding success stories posed as an obstacle - all participants and personal information are kept confidential. But, excited participants came to the committee, eager to talk about both the ease of the program and the results that were achieved.

Preliminary reporting from the program showed a total weight loss of 625 pounds for the MCC participants. The average weight loss was 7.7 pounds, and 12 people lost over 15 pounds!

Because the program was new to MCC employees, many of the participants weren’t sure what to expect. Rebecca Burroughs college relations coordinator at MCC-Longview (pictured above), was in that boat.

“Anytime I can get tips on how I can be healthier, I’m into it,” said Burroughs. “I didn’t really know anything about it because it was a brand new program, but I was really excited when I was picked to participate.”

Successful completers who were interviewed all talked about the ease of the program. “I was focused on making sure I did everything that was required,” Burroughs said. “First the blood work, watch the videos, then do the follow-up blood work. That was all I had to do. It wasn’t hard and I liked the videos.”

Burroughs main goal in completing the program was to be healthier overall. One thing she focused on was her cholesterol numbers. “I’m always trying to make my good cholesterol better. I knew there were some things I needed to be more aware of to try to have better lifestyle habits.”

Already a committed walker, Burroughs continued her walking program throughout the 10 weeks. “I didn’t have any expectations with weight loss,” she added, “but I did lose 14 pounds while on the program and another 2 pounds since the program ended. Even through the holidays!”

A Slimmer You is a 10-week, online program focused on healthy eating, weight management and physical activity. The time commitment is approximately one hour per week. Participants receive a packet in the mail, which guides the participant through the program; a workbook is also included.

Key features of the program include:
· Helping you develop a lifestyle of eating the foods you enjoy, while improving your health and losing weight.
· Addressing habits around eating, hunger and hydration that support weight loss or maintenance.
· Decreasing your risk for Metabolic Syndrome by addressing key risk factors – hypertension, high cholesterol and elevated blood sugar.
· Providing a holistic approach that covers, stress management, health education, exercise and fitness, and psychological and emotional fulfillment.

Another success story comes from B Sanchez, accounting specialist at the Administrative Center.

“I was interested in the program as soon as I received the email,” said Sanchez. “The program, which normally costs of $500, was being provided to us for no fee, as long as we completed the program. And of course it helped that I had to pay back $100 if I didn’t complete. That was great incentive!”

One of the perks to becoming involved with the wellness program is that the calendar of programs accessible is designed by the committee to complement one another. For example, face-to face coaching will begin the first of February. Those who want or need continued guidance can follow their program with a lifestyle coach. Any employee who is a member of the BC/BS insurance plan has the opportunity to meet monthly, at no cost, with a certified health coach, who is trained in psychology and health management.

Also, all the work done in these different programs allows employees to add to their Points to Blue rewards. Completing A Slimmer You adds 7,500 points automatically.

“I feel so great since I started the program, and I had to buy new clothes,” added Sanchez. “The bonus was adding everything to Points to Blue and getting a $250 gift card to shop on!”

Sanchez looked forward to the weekly videos and was able to lose 14 pounds on the program. “The program ended right before the holidays so the timing was great. I was able to make it through from the tips that I learned without blowing the work I had done.”

The next secession of A Slimmer You will run through the summer. Preliminary screenings are planned for sometime in May. Watch The MCC Insider as the details are hammered out and links for enrollment are established.

MCC-Longview staff strikes a pose

The MCC-Longview staff strikes a pose after an exciting day of professional development at the 2011 Campus In-service.

 (photo by Clay Bussey)

Carpenter connects with students, creates opportunities

Dianna Carpenter may not be quick to accept praise for a job well done, but when you ask her what she likes best about working at MCC, she's got a fast and enthusiastic answer.

"I love making a difference in a student's life," she says. "Creating opportunities for students by helping them get on track with their financing for college - that's why I'm here."

Carpenter, an account collections specialist in student payment services, is the Administrative Center's employee of the month for January. Now beginning her eighth year at MCC, she works with students who have defaulted - or are at risk of defaulting - on their financial aid, loans or payment plans. She finds satisfaction in helping students understand their options and providing guidance to get them back on track with their finances so they can continue attending MCC.

Though Carpenter has been working in education for 17 years, her current role is a lot different from her previous job, where she worked one-on-one with special needs students in the Lee's Summit School District.

"I sometimes miss having that kind of direct contact with students, but in my role at MCC I do still get to connect with students and offer them the resources they need to succeed," says Carpenter. "I have a passion for education and I think customer service is really important in my role and throughout the college."

That commitment to student success and satisfaction is evident to her peers.

"She is always willing to help, whether it is a co-worker or a student," said a colleague who nominated her for the employee of the month award. "She always has a smile and a positive outlook and she will go the extra mile it sometimes takes to resolve a problem. MCC is lucky to have an employee like her!"

MCC-Maple Woods takes on “best practices” at spring inservice

To meet the rising challenges of more students, less money and the need for constant innovation, MCC-Maple Woods dedicated spring inservice to looking at best practices in education, from accreditation to connecting with different kinds of students to employees managing their own practices to better serve their departments and themselves.

Cynthia Proctor, Math, Physics and Communications division chair, shared that MCC has been selected, along with other two- and four-year institutions, to participate in a new pilot program from the Higher Learning Commission for reaccreditation, which is due again in 2015-2016. Along with other national colleges and universities, MCC will participate in the HLC Open Pathways program. The program was offered to schools with a solid record of accreditation, inviting them to participate in the four-year Academy for Assessment of Student Learning.

All work conducted for the Open Pathways program will lead to a less mammoth undertaking during reaccreditation visits in the future – electronic files will be required, along with periodic updates, to keep the process streamlined and accessible, resulting in less cost, less labor cost, and a more streamlined process for MCC.

Serving the needs of different groups of students, from traditional high school graduates to returning veterans to those returning to education after many years in the workforce is one of the greatest challenges any institution faces. Andy Forester, evening and weekend coordinator at MCC-Penn Valley and chaplain for the United States National Guard, helped faculty and staff understand some of the needs of veterans returning to school after active duty and some of the challenges they face when transitioning back to civilian life.

Kim Fernandes, Kathryn Barker, Mary Northrup, Mary Ann Blitt, Ayanna Bridges, Crystal Johnson, Jessica Halperin and Kenneth Snell all gave presentations on how to best serve our students and ourselves for the next semester.

Welcome back to MCC-Maple Woods, student faculty and staff – we look forward to an exciting semester!

Reaching out to bring alumni in

Since 1990, more than 320,000 people have attended MCC. That’s a lot of alumni. That’s a lot of success stories.

To reconnect with these former students, MCC marketing has launched a campaign called 320 thousand that encourages people to get back in touch with MCC by visiting http://www.320thousand.com/. With a goal of developing a comprehensive database of former students in order to re-engage them with MCC, the campaign encourages people who visit the site to register online as alumni. Registrants will then receive invitations to attend MCC events, participate in volunteer activities, support the MCC Foundation and network with other alumni, among other opportunities.

The call is not limited to people who earned a degree or certificate from MCC, though, says MCC marketing coordinator Monica Stevens, who is managing the recruitment campaign. Nor is it limited to people who attended MCC within the last 20 years.

“We want to hear from anyone and everyone who has attended MCC – from the person who took a single class here in 1948 to the person who has earned several associate’s degrees while attending multiple MCC campuses,” said Stevens. “So many of our former students have great stories to tell and we want to hear those stories.”

If you are a former MCC student, visit the 320 thousand web site to see how you can become part of this growing network of proud alumni. And if you have family or friends who have attended MCC, send them a link to this article so they, too, can join the movement!

Upcoming Meeting - American Association for Women in Community College

Members from the MCC community will lead discussions about the benefits of joining The American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). The AAWCC focuses on “community service, scholarship opportunities for all students, and activities related to professional growth and development.”

The details for the meeting are:

Date: February 3, 2011
Time: 2:30 pm -4:00 pm
Where: Business and Technology Center, Conference Annex 104A

Everyone [from every segment of the MCC system] is encouraged to be part of this the dialogue. If you have questions, contact Jenny Steen at 816.604.6758 or visit the AAWCC website here.

Source: AAWCC website

Join the Culprit & the Cure email book club program

The Culprit & the Cure email book club is a 7-week program designed to take MCC employees through the book The Culprit and the Cure and help employees become more responsible for their own health. The program begins on Jan. 24 and runs through March 11.

In order to complete the program, you will need to:
*Purchase the book for $3 from your wellness committee rep (listed below)
*Give your email to your rep
*Respond to 10 out of 13 emails sent to you throughout the program
*Complete a short program evaluation at the end

Employees who complete the program will earn a wellness medal of honor.

The program focuses on having a long, healthy life, adopting a healthy diet (nutrition) and being regularly physically active (exercise). Click here to view the weekly email program.

To enroll in the program, please contact your committee representative:

AC: Michelle Schmiedeler
BR: David Owens
BTC: Peggy Gann
LV: Gretchen Blythe
MW: Sheila Juenger
PV: Darrell Phillips

Choose your health, join the club!

A Day "On" for MCC-Blue River

Yesterday, MCC-Blue River joined thousands across the nation to celebrate the MLK holiday with service.

A group of students, staff and faculty joined Blue River’s Campus Life & Leadership Coordinator, Amy Slater, in volunteering at the Rainbow Center, Hillcrest Transitional Housing, and the Community Service League in Eastern Jackson County.

During the Blue River Inservice, Amy reported that the team did everything from placing clothing on hangers to shoveling snow.

Panera Bread and Lamar’s donuts supported the volunteers with kind donations of food and refreshments.

The Examiner covered the team’s efforts in yesterday's edition . Read the article here.

“Retirees also joined in” joked Blue River’s Barb Schaefer during Inservice. She and a group of volunteers created fleece blankets and donated them to Children’s Mercy Hospital as their act of service. They created 21blankets and Schaefer went on to praise their generosity as well as those that supplied materials.

Access Missouri award amounts to increase

Governor Jay Nixon announced last week an increase in award amounts for students receiving Access Missouri scholarship funds, the state’s largest need-based student financial aid program.

Award amounts will increase from $275 to $470 at public two-year institutions; from $950 to $1,010 at public four-year institutions; and from $1,900 to $2,160 at independent four-year institutions.

What does that mean for MCC students? The additional funding will increase our student eligible funds from $209,149 to $357,739 for the fall semester. Cindy Butler, director of student financial aid stated that MCC can double that to approximate that we will see $715,478 for the year. MCC has 1,524 students who receive these funds.

Commissioner of Higher Education David Russell said, “We base award amounts on estimates of how many students will be eligible. At the time award amounts are set – usually mid-summer – we do not know how many of those who are eligible will actually apply and attend college. We have traditionally taken a conservative approach to awards for the fall semester, making adjustments as needed later in the academic year.”

The state has provided more than $275 million in Access Missouri scholarships since the program was created in 2007. An average of 45,000 students with the greatest financial need have benefited from the scholarship awards each year.

Campus closed Monday, adjusted business hours Tuesday

MCC campuses and business offices will be closed on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, the business offices will be closed because of inservice during the following times:
8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Blue River and Penn Valley
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Maple Woods
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Business & Technology and Longview

City of Lee's Summit honors MCC-Longview

In a special session of the City of Lee's Summit City Council, MCC-Longview was one of a short list of  Lee's Summit organizations and institutions honored by Mayor Randy Rhoads.

The special recognition was part of the Lee's Summit Celebration at City Hall that recognized some of the major achievements and accomplishments of the college, chamber of commerce, parks and recreation department and others.

Rhoads recounted MCC-Longview's 2001 College of the Year award and also spoke highly of the Writing Across the Curriculum program, which has become a natioanl model for its success.

Also recognized at Thursdays's meeting was The R-7 Public School District, Downtown Lee's Summit and the Historic Preservation Board.

To see the video from the City Council meeting, be sure to check out the Lee's Summit City Council website.

Career opportunity

CO# 11-016 LV Student Employment Services Assistant - FPT
* posted Jan. 14, 2011
* will be removed from the website on Jan. 30, 2011
*For more information or to apply:
www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51275

A Blazing Season Ahead - Blue River's Trailblazers

MCC-Blue River men’s soccer team is looking to build on their Region 16 Championship success through recent and upcoming signings of very talented local and regional student-athletes. Highlighting the list of signings are two players that earned 2010 Examiner 1st Team Honors, Cody Braden of Blue Springs High School and Jeremy Sagastume of William Chrisman High School (pictured above).
In addition to being a 1st Team Selection, Cody Braden was named the 2010 Examiner Player of the Year, Class 3 All-Kansas City 1st Team and Class 3 All-State Honorable Mention. He had 7 goals and 11 assists for the Blue Springs Wildcats. This is the second time in three years Coach Owens has signed the Examiner’s POY. The last time was in 2008 (Yacine Hamchaoui of Van Horn HS). The article on Cody’s award can be accessed at http://www.examiner.net/archive/x1808782267/Blue-Springs-Cody-Braden-named-Examiner-s-Soccer-Player-of-the-Year.

Jeremy Sagastume’s 17 goals and 12 assists also earned him Middle 7 Offensive Player of the Year and Class 3 All-Kansas City Honorable Mention. Additional area commitments to the Trail Blazers program are: Beto Alvarez, Blue Springs South (2010 Examiner Honorable Mention), Justin Schaefer, Lee’s Summit (Class 3 All-Kansas City Honorable Mention) and goal keeper Austin Prindle, Ray-Pec.

Due to the Trail Blazers 2010 success, athletes from outside the metropolitan area are interested in attending MCC-Blue River. Coach Owens recently signed three high quality soccer players from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, MO. They are: Tommy Lor (2010 Class 3 Central Region and All-District 9 1st Team), Dakota Shepard (2010 Class 3 All-District 9 1st Team) and Justin Biesnicks (2010 Class 3 All-District 9 Honorable Mention). Each player signed on the January 6th and is looking forward to challenging the local players for playing time in 2011. The coaching staff is immensely excited about the potential of next year’s recruiting class.

The 2010 team was Region16 Champions. What can next year’s team achieve? We’re optimistic!

2011 is looking good for MCC-Blue River's theatre troupe

MCC-Blue River theater instructor and program director, Anne Mahoney, is excited about the upcoming spring semester and some wonderful possibilities for her theatre students in 2011.

Fresh off their fall production of “The Brave Little Tailor,” an adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, written by Brian Guehring, Mahoney is thrilled to announce that their adaptation has been entered into the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) scheduled later this spring. The KCACTF is a national theatre program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide.

MCC-Blue River’s production was entered as an associate production. As part of the troupe’s participation in festival activities, the performers and crew received

MCC-Penn Valley ID cards, bus passes available at bookstore

Student ID cards for MCC-Penn Valley students are now available at the campus bookstore. Students can get their ID card anytime the bookstore is open. Cards are processed for free for the first time, or if your card has expired. Students must submit a photo ID and a class schedule to receive their card.

If a student needs to replace a lost card, the cost is $5. To pay for the card, first visit the Penn Valley business office and then bring your receipt to the bookstore.

Monthly Metro bus passes may also be purchased at the Penn Valley bookstore for $55.

Shorter lines anticipated at MCC bookstores

College bookstores across the city are expecting long lines as student’s line up to get their text books and supplies for the upcoming spring semester. While lines are a common problem during the first days of school, MCC has been working on ways to make the student experience better.

One of those ways is the implementation of new shipping deals. Students who ordered text books from MCC’s online bookstores were able to take advantage of free shipping to their homes. MCC began offering free shipping on all text books and materials ordered through the online bookstore from Dec. 20 through Jan. 5.

Though the final numbers are not in yet, the free shipping program seems to be working. Preliminary numbers show that what used to be a 20/80 ratio now looks to be about 75/25, with 75% being the number of books shipped. MCC-Maple Woods shipped 485 orders last week. Beth Austin, MCC-Maple Woods bookstore manager is excited about the free shipping because it will help eliminate line processing and cashier hold up.

Rental Texts
The text rental program, which began at MCC in 2009, didn’t originally allow rentals to be ordered through the online bookstore. That old process contributed to even longer lines and hold ups in the book stores. It was a hassle for students who purchased the majority of texts online, because they still had to come to campus to get their rental texts. That has now been streamlined through online orders.

Rental books offer students greater savings. Some texts can cost as much as $250. Reinhard Weglarz, director of management and auxiliary services at MCC said, “Through the rental program, the student never gets stuck with a book that we won’t buyback.”

Students picking up rental books at campus bookstores will be triaged through a different line, (if they have no other purchases). The bookstores have been staffed differently than before to handle the volume with much more efficiency. “Students can sign for rental books and leave,” said Weglarz.

“To help reduce line reduction during peak times, the bookstores have implemented the ticket system, like at the DMV,” said Selin Gaona, MCC-Penn Valley bookstore manager. “Our computers now check financial aid information when students pick up their ticket [for online orders]. These changes are going to make people more satisfied because the lines are anticipated to be shorter.”

Changes on MCC employee paychecks

On Dec. 17, 2010, President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Authorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4853).

Part of the act, which is being referred to as the payroll tax holiday, provides for a two percentage point payroll tax cut for employees, which reduces the employee portion of the Social Security tax withholding rate from 6.2% to 4.2% of paid wages. This went into effect on Jan. 1. (The employer rate of 6.2% remains unchanged).

This holiday is currently approved for one year. The cut in taxes should allow each employee to see an increase in their net pay if they currently pay in to Social Security. The difference will be reflected on your first paycheck of 2011. Additionally, the new benefit rates will be reflected on that check.

New Federal Tax tables should be updated in Peoplesoft within the next few weeks.

HSI will close today, Jan. 13, at 2 p.m.

HSI WILL BE CLOSED TODAY AFTER 1400 (2PM) DUE TO A WATER MAIN BREAK.

Another chance to earn up to $11 per hour - MCC-Blue River

Once again, the MCC-Blue River Upward Bound Program is looking for Youth Activities Program Assistants to work with our high school students at Fort Osage, Truman, Van Horn and Raytown.

If you have a high school diploma with a minimum of 1 yr experience working with youth, you can earn up to $11 per hour working with our program participants.

Duties include:

· Tutoring in the areas of math, science or Spanish
· Chaperoning during weekends
· Assisting office staff in organizing and coordinating program activities

For additional information please contact our office at 816-604-6432 or visit us at the Arts and Science Building suite 112. Stop by the Upward Bound office for an application.