ACCC Trustees Approve New Computer Degree Option, Conduct Business

ATLANTIC CITY – Atlantic Cape Community College’s Board of Trustees voted on personnel items, approved a new computer science degree option and honored a departing trustee Oct. 27 at the Worthington Atlantic City Campus.
The following is an ACCC press release:
In Personnel Action, the Board approved these appointments:
• Louis Cabrera of Hammonton, housekeeper I, Facilities Management, effective Nov. 2
• Brittine Ehrke of Newfield, program assistant, intercollegiate athletics, effective Oct. 28
• Chris Miller of Linwood, housekeeper I, facilities management, effective Oct. 28
• Chelsea Pizzi of Pitman, specialist, college relations, effective Oct. 28
• Suzanne Silver of Mays Landing, technician, information technology services, retroactive to Sept. 23
• George Smith of Mays Landing, building services working foreman, facilities management, effective Nov. 2
• Lisa Braunwell of Ship Bottom, program officer, health services/human resources, effective Nov. 30.
The board accepted the retirement of Paula Demarest, manager of budget, curriculum and publications, academic affairs, effective March 1, 2010. The board thanked her for her 20-plus years of high-quality and exemplary innovative services in serving on personnel search committees, the Foundation Golf Classic, Middle States Accreditation and many others. She also received Perfect Attendance awards and was recognized as an Employee of the Quarter. The board extended its best wishes to Paula for a happy, healthy retirement.
Trustees Approve New Degree Option:
The board approved the computational science option, computer information systems associate in science degree, designed for students wishing to transfer into The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s baccalaureate degree program in computational science, effective spring 2010.
Contracts/Expenses Approved:
• Electricity services, N.J. Council of County College Consortium purchases one-year contract, Liberty Power, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., primary account $0.09507 per kwh, secondary account $0.09791 per kwh.
• Printing 2010 continuing education guides, noncredit publication FY 10/11, Engle Printing, Mt. Joy, Pa., $21,482.
ACCC Board Actions:
• Printing college credit 2010 tabloids, Engle Printing, Mt. Joy, Pa., $29,552.
In Grant Action, the Board:
• Approved the college’s application for the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, from 2010 through 2011, with exact dates and amount to be determined. The state of New Jersey is preparing an application for the program with principal partners, including the N.J. Council of County Colleges and its 19 member colleges. The two-year federal grant will provide seed money to purchase laptops, servers, videoconferencing equipment and other such items, and pay for the college to acquire its own “dark fiber” fiber optic cable. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds the program.
• Authorized the college to apply for a $301,074 Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. It would run from approximately September 2010 through August 2011.
In Other Business:
• The board accepted the Sept. 30 financial statement.
• The board agreed to follow procedures outlined in the U.S. Department of Education’s IFAP Dear Partnership Letter CB-00-05 to voluntarily end participation in the Federal Perkins Loan Program. The college’s Federal Perkins Loan Fund portfolio has been in run-off with no borrower activity in two years.
• The board voted to revise the college purchasing policy to coincide and agree with the County College Purchasing Law’s newly established bidding threshold of $32,000, effective Nov. 1, 2009.
• The board approved the STEM Building Named Giving Opportunities and the Capital & Scholarship Campaign Cabinet to solicit potential benefactors for the Science Technology Engineering and Math Building, by offering two legacy gift opportunities: name a physical space or create an endowed scholarship fund.
In the President’s Report:
• Dr. Mora, Chairman Nicholas F. Talvacchia and Carmen Royal, dean of students, spoke as the board honored Lynn Baumgardner, a trustee since 2001 who recently announced she would step down when her term expired in November.
Baumgardner was recognized for her service to the board and the community and her support of the Black and Latino Male Retention Program, which promotes intellectual advancement for minority males.
Paula Davis, director of counseling and support services, and Ed Marshall, a former counselor in the program, brought a group of current and former program members who each spoke from the heart about what the trustee’s support of the program had meant to them and their success. They presented Baumgardner with a plaque, flowers and hugs of thanks. Baumgardner said she planned to stay active with the program. “I believe that every soul has potential, and I hate to see anyone not be able to live up to that potential.”
• Dr. Art Wexler, vice president, academic affairs, recognized Christina Cavage, associate professor, English as a second language, and Susan DePhilippis, assistant professor, English as a Second language, for work achieved during their recent sabbaticals. Cavage took part in Princeton University’s Mid-Career Fellowship Program, which included research on using Web 2.0 in instruction and coursework. DePhilippis helped build her department’s resource materials Web site for faculty use and researched the Declaration of Independence signers of New Jersey.
• Leila Crawford, assistant professor, English, spoke about the current college-wide book, “Listening is an Act of Love,” explaining the text’s use across the curriculum.
• Carol Drea, director, corporate training, Casino Career Institute, gave a presentation on corporate training the college provides under the Casino Training Consortium through the N. J. Department of Labor training grants. Nine grants totaling $3,821,737 were awarded between 1995-2008, which resulted in the training of 39,367 casino workers. Completed grants for 2008-2009 include a Literacy Grant for $286,950, which trained 1,464 casino employees, and a Customized Training Grant of $408,550, which trained 2,740 casino employees. Grants for 2009-2010 include a $207,200 Literacy Grant to train 1,012 casino employees, and a $475,990 Customized Training Grant to train 2,729 casino employees. The consortium includes 11 Atlantic City casinos.
• Dr. Mora, Brittany Goldstein, associate dean of human resources, president and board services, and David A. Evans, treasurer, spoke about the presentations they gave at the recent Association of Community College Trustees Conference. Goldstein was elected secretary of the ACCT’s Professional Board Staff Network.
• Trustees Talvacchia, Brian Lefke and Helen Walsh were reappointed until 2013.
The next meeting of the board of trustees will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 24, at the Mays Landing Campus, J-202. All are welcome to attend.