May 14, 2021
Congratulations!
Earlier this month, the college received formal notification and official record from the Higher Learning Commission regarding our request to offer the Business Administration associate of arts degree in an online format. This provides huge opportunities regarding our online programs and services for the future.
I want to thank all of those who worked diligently to make this good news possible. As we continue to respond to the changing needs of our students, we will explore many options for quality instruction and services.
As some faculty and staff members are teaching and providing student services this summer, many of us are planning time away from the college for well-deserved vacations. If you have vacation days available, I encourage you to schedule time away from your work responsibilities for rest and relaxation. Please discuss your work schedule and plans with your supervisor to make a plan for time away from the college. If you are teaching this summer, make sure students are aware of when you will be checking messages to insure you also have some time away to recharge.
While you are on vacation, really be on vacation. This means, except in a case of unusual circumstance, resist the urge to check your email messages, voice mail messages and refrain from checking in with others. If something comes up, we know how to contact you. Relax, release and recharge on vacation.
Throughout these summer months, I urge you to become fully vaccinated and continue to practice health and safety protocols. Creating and maintaining a safe environment is a responsibility shared by all.
Enjoy summer semester!
Sincerely,
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President
It’s time to submit proposals for presentations to be conducted during the Fall 2021 Summit for faculty and staff. The event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 2. Faculty and staff will participate on Wednesday. Thursday’s schedule is for faculty. At this time, a virtual event is being planned. However, some portions of the summit may include face-to-face participation. Presenters who prefer to offer a pre-recorded or live Zoom session will have the option to do so.
There are multiple ways to present at the Summit: Live virtual, pre-recorded, pre-recorded with live discussion/Q&A and in a round-table format. As always, co-presenting with your colleagues is an option. If you are interested in presenting but would like to try a different type of presentation or would like some extra support in developing a presentation, please consider reaching out to Gail Fredericks (faculty) or Amy Schmidt (staff) to discuss options.
The theme of the Fall Summit will be the college’s values of:
- Caring and Respect
- Integrity
- Excellence and Quality
- Humor and Well-Being
- Teamwork and Stewardship
When you submit your proposal, please explain how your presentation will relate to these values. Submit your proposal here by May 20.
If you have any questions, please contact Amy Schmidt.
Fall 2021 Early Registration
Employee registration for the Fall 2021 semester will be May 14 - 16, 2021. Full and part-time employees may request access to online registration for themselves and/or their dependents through 4 p.m. today.
To request access:
- Forward this message from your Kalamazoo Valley employee account to arr@kvcc.edu. You may also send a new message with “Employee Registration” as the subject. It must be from a “@kvcc.edu” address.
- List the name and Valley Number or birth date for each admitted person who will be registering.
- We will add an access code to each person’s record and reply to confirm.
- Beginning May 14, each individual assigned a code may log into MyValley, select Register or Drop Classes from My Links and register.
If you miss this opportunity, you may still register following the standard registration schedule for all students beginning Monday, May 17.
Payment for Fall 2021 must be submitted by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. Please e-mail the Admissions, Registration and Records office at arr@kvcc.edu, or call 269.488.4281, if you have questions.
Summer Hours Begin Next Week
With an eye toward energy conservation, moderating cooling costs and benefiting employees, it has been determined that the college will again adopt a four-day workweek during the time frame below:
Summer Hours
May 17 – August 13, 2021
Monday – Thursday
7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(with ½ hour for lunch)
We are well aware that information technologies, facilities services, public safety, financial services and other departments with evening hours will adjust schedules to ensure coverage of important functions.
In cooperation with the department supervisor, individuals may be able to adjust their four-day work week schedule to Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Employees who have earned paid vacation time will take that time in half-day blocks (4.5 hours) or full-day blocks (9.0 hours). This is pro-rated for employees working less than 40 hours per week.
Maintaining exemplary services for our students and guests throughout this summer work schedule is a high priority. For additional questions, please contact Amy Louallen.
Don't Be Fooled
Cybercrime is real and sophisticated criminals are targeting the college. Hackers are getting smarter and more persistent, tricking even college educated individuals into providing information to be used against them and the college.
We need your help:
- If an email message contains information or a request that looks unusual or is out of character for the person allegedly sending it to you, do not click on it; do not respond to the message. Dr. Washington, Dr. Eagan nor any other college employee is going to ask you for favors, personal identification information or to purchase gift cards, period.
- Review your email messages on a desktop computer. Reviewing email messages on a cell phone does not allow you to closely examine the sender name or point of origin.
- If a message looks suspicious, using your mouse, “hover” over the “sender name” to discern if the message is genuine, look for typos, incomplete or unusual sender addresses.
- If you have any doubts about the authenticity of an email message, do not respond. If a message is legit, you will be contacted again.
- Mark any suspicious messages as spam. By marking the message as spam, I.T. is automatically notified.
- Never share your personal information with anyone via email.
Soon, you will receive a legitimate email from me about your required participation in cybersecurity awareness training. You are the first, last and best defense in keeping your personal information and the college data safe from theft.
Do not be fooled.
Sincerely,
Tim Welsh
Vice President for Information Technologies
twelsh@kvcc.edu
Kalamazoo Valley on the Road
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is celebrating the class of 2021! The Enrollment Management team is hitting the road in the Cougar Cruiser and heading to area high schools for a senior celebration! Armed with Kalamazoo Valley swag, they will meet with local seniors to celebrate their accomplishments. A complete schedule is being finalized and will be posted soon on the college calendar. #CougarCruiser2021
Tracy Labadie, Ed.D. has been named Associate Vice President for Collaboration, Compliance and Analytics. Tracy joined Kalamazoo Valley in January 2020 as Dean of Professional Trades, Business and Public Services.
Tracy’s extensive career both in and out of higher education includes work in public accounting and auditing before she joined Glen Oaks Community College as Controller. She soon discovered her passion for the classroom and completed an Ed.D. in Community College Leadership at Ferris State University. Prior to joining Kalamazoo Valley, she was the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at Lansing Community College, serving as the Accreditation Officer and as a member of the college’s Board Policy Review team responsible for updating Board of Trustee policies and end statements. She will continue her work as a Dean until a replacement has been identified.
Fred Schultz from Gerotech, on behalf of the Gene Haas Foundation, presented a $15,000 check for manufacturing-related student scholarships to Kalamazoo Valley faculty member Bill Kring, Provost Paige Eagan, Ph.D. and President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
The Gene Haas Foundation's primary goal is to build skills in the machining industry by providing scholarships for CNC machine technology students. Students chosen to receive these scholarships will be awarded $500 to $2,500 per semester. Scholarship funds can be used for tuition, books and small personal tools that students are required to purchase for the program.
Manufacturing employers are desperate for skilled workers, according to Engineering Design and Manufacturing Technology faculty member Bill Kring. He says he receives phone calls almost daily from area employers who want to hire skilled trades workers. “The biggest need is in CNC and electro-mechanical maintenance-type positions,” Kring said.
Because the EDMT staff work closely to tailor their curriculum and lab equipment to local industry standards, Kring is confident that Kalamazoo Valley students are well prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation.
“From beginning to advanced, we're equipped to serve our students quite well,” Kring said. “When our students leave us, they’re ready for work. I’m quite confident that they’re going to become some of the most valuable employees in any company. They can go to work in a host of capacities and they’re going to be some of the best.”
WTTA Receives Certification of Approval
The Wind Turbine Technician Academy at Kalamazoo Valley Community College recently received a three-year Certification of Approval for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems from Lloyd’s Register. Lloyd’s Register is accredited to certify critical infrastructures to meet more than 700 external or internal standards, rules, codes or directives.
As the nation’s leading training center for wind turbine technicians, the Wind Turbine Technician Academy at Kalamazoo Valley teaches 85% of the course through hands-on learning. Students attend Monday through Friday, eight hours a day for 24 weeks. It is the only competency-based program in the country that has earned certification by the Bildungszentrum für Erneuerbare Energien (BZEE) Renewable Energy Education Center, the premier training provider for wind turbine technicians in Europe and North America. more
Did You Know?
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and governed by its Board of Trustees, which means every time you visit the museum in person or access its virtual programs, you are also visiting the college!
From its beginning in 1881 as a collection of curiosities in the public library basement, the museum has always been a tax-funded museum. Until 1984, the museum remained a department of the Kalamazoo Public Library. From 1984 to 1991, the museum received its operating support from the Kalamazoo City School District. In 1991, the museum became part of Kalamazoo Valley Community College and gained the support of the community through a charter millage.
In February 1996, the current 60,000 square foot facility was opened on the college’s Arcadia Commons Campus. It was funded by a $19.6 million private capital campaign that included contributions ranging from $10 to $4.5 million.
In cooperation with the college, museum staff works to develop cultural, historical and scientific literacy through innovative exhibits, special exhibitions, planetarium programs, educational programs and family events. As a point of pride, the museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Beyond the Book Club with Denise Miller and Cheryl Almeda
For our next discussion, we will be reading Fortunes by Peter Ho Davies. (https://www.amazon.com/Fortunes-Peter-Ho-Davies/dp/0544263707) This story chronicles the lives of 4 Chinese Americans who are seeking to fit into the American landscape. Through fiction, we can appreciate these four stand-alone stories: Ah Ling (who came for the Gold Rush), Anna May Wong (the first Chinese film star in Hollywood), Vincent Chin (facing disgruntled auto workers who mistake him for being Japanese) and John Ling Smith (a half Chinese man who looks at his heritage when he returns to China).
The FSC and our library will be purchasing books; please reach out if you’re interested in picking one up!
Please join us on Friday, June 25, 10 - 11:15 a.m. via Zoom.
Location: https://zoom.us/j/8945322802?pwd=MEc1MmhwTFhMeW5DbktqcFpxTDNZUT09
Meeting ID: 894 532 2802
Passcode: 5hB6QR
One tap mobile +16468769923,,8945322802#,,,,*443853
Date & Time
Friday, June 25, 2021 from 10 - 11:15 a.m.
Center for New Media and El Concilio Collaborate for July Latino Art Exhibit
A Latino Artist Exhibit to showcase the fine artwork of local Latino artists is being coordinated by Kalamazoo Valley's Center for New Media and El Concilio, which is the Hispanic American Council of Kalamazoo.
The event will premiere from 5:30 to 8 p.m. during the July 2 Art Hop and again on July 9 and 10.
The event will be held in conjunction with the Latino Summer festival including July 9 when Kalamazoo Growlers are giving El Concilio the opportunity to be Non-Profit of the Night during their baseball game against the Madison Mallards.
Physical submissions will be accepted Monday – Thursday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the center doors of the Center for New Media. Contact Cindy Parks at 269.373.7881 or cparks@kvcc.edu to schedule a time for delivery.
All artwork must be picked up after the show by August 6, 2021. The following must be submitted with your artwork: Completed Call for Entries Form and the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Loan Agreement. more
Student Profile: Robert Koss
Schoolcraft resident Robert Koss worked for years in the ink industry and switched to working with corrugated board before enrolling in classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The father of two elementary school-aged children and a middle schooler now works as a part-time electrical lab assistant at the college and is completing his electrical technician degree.
“I came to Kalamazoo Valley because I wanted to change my career,” Koss said. While working at International Paper, he developed an interest in the electrical technology field. “I took a test at work and there was a lot that I wasn’t familiar with. I knew I needed to get some more education. That’s what propelled me.”
He’s been a Kalamazoo Valley student since 2017. He and his wife Kelly have adjusted to his shift from full-time employee to part-time employee and part-time student. Accommodating their children’s online schooling has been an added challenge. “We’ve come a long way,” Koss said. “We’ve learned to value our time and make sure we’re scheduling things as well as possible.” more
Kalamazoo Valley Libraries—Laptops, Hotspots and More
Do you have students in need of access to computers and the internet? The library has supplies to meet their computer needs and more.
Laptops
Students begin by filling out a laptop loan application. Once they receive loan approval by email, they may borrow a laptop from either library location—Texas Township or Arcadia Commons—and may keep it for the semester.
Hotspots
If your students need internet access, they can fill out a mobile wi-fi hotspot application. Once approved by email, they may borrow the necessary hardware for the semester at either library location. The hotspots will allow the students to wirelessly access the internet wherever they are.
Calculators
Scientific and graphing calculators are available for semester-long checkout--no pre-approval required.
Reserves, Research & Citation Help
We offer much more than hardware. We can provide access to your course materials, help answer tough research questions, assist navigation of complex databases, and scour library systems to put that sought-after resource in your hands. We can help students properly cite sources as well. We are standing by virtually and in person this semester to answer staff and student needs.
Books!
Check out our virtual book displays page for our monthly reading lists (and information on how to reserve and check out books from our collection). Our May display highlights Mental Health Awareness titles.
Whether you or your students have computer needs, research challenges, or just want a good read, Kalamazoo Valley Libraries is here to help!
Virtual Assistance:
Visit us online
Call 269.488.4380 (TTC)
Email libraries@kvcc.edu
Zoom by appointment, please email
Summer Hours 2021
Virtual Hours:
Monday - Thursday | 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Chat with a college librarian 24/7
Library Open Hours:
Texas Township Campus Library (TTC)
Monday- Thursday | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.*
Arcadia Commons Campus Library (ACC)
(located in Anna Whitten Hall, Room 321)
Monday | 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday - Thursday | 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Curbside Assistance:
Texas Township Campus Library (TTC)
Monday - Thursday | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.*
* The libraries are closed until 9 a.m. on Tuesdays for staff training.
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