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March 21, 2022
Dear College Community,
The Kalamazoo Valley Community College three-year strategic plan was adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2019 and was updated in 2020 and 2021. The plan was influenced by input from hundreds of campus and community stakeholders. Over the last three years, faculty and staff members worked together to develop key performance indicators and targets to move the college toward meeting the Board of Trustee's goals and strategic plan focus areas.
During its March 2022 planning meeting, the Board of Trustees established goals that will guide the new five-year plan. The 2022-2027 strategic plan will be created through a comprehensive process inviting input from:
- Faculty, Staff and Administrators
- Community and Industry Advisory Committee Members
- Students
- Alumni and Donors
I invite you to be a part of this process. Please join me for one of five employee focus group planning sessions. To effectively participate, please bring your cell phone, tablet or laptop.
Strategic Planning Focus Group Sessions (Choose One)
March 30, 2022:
- CAH | Culinary Theater | 9 -10 a.m.
- Groves | Room 1020 | 1 - 2 p.m.
- TTC | Room 4240 | 3 - 4 p.m.
March 31, 2022:
- TTC | Room 4240 | 9 - 10 a.m.
- AWH Room 128 | 2 - 3 p.m.
Sign up for the session that works best for you and the needs of your department or unit.
I am looking forward to this invigorating process and to working with you.
Thank you.
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President
College to Host Non-Traditional Roles in Skilled Trades and Health Careers Event
Kalamazoo Valley Community College is hosting "Non-Traditional Roles in Skilled Trades and Health Careers," a March 25 virtual keynote address and panel discussion that will run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
"We're looking forward to learning how area educators and employers can support and encourage men and women to pursue careers in non-traditional roles," said Tracy Labadie, Kalamazoo Valley's associate vice president for collaboration, compliance and analytics.
Labadie noted that the plumbing, HVAC and electric industries have an urgent need for skilled workers which creates opportunities for women to enter and advance in these fields. "Increasing the overall number of women working in the trades will also help to fill the imminent gap in the labor force that will be created with record-levels of upcoming retirements of skilled tradespeople," Labadie said.
Keynote Speaker, Krystle Schnell
In addition to highlighting women in the skilled trades field, the March 25 event will feature men who work in nursing and other non-traditional roles. more
The Employee Engagement and Wellness Committee was created for the purpose of nurturing employee engagement and wellness with the understanding that these two features are interconnected and vital to a healthy workforce who is prepared to serve our students, one another and the community.
Indoor Plant Giveaway
Here are the top four reasons why you should come out to the Food Innovation Center to adopt a new indoor plant:
- Indoor plants reduce stress by helping you feel comfortable, soothed and "natural."
- Office plants enhance workplace creativity - people with office plants take fewer sick days and enjoy their work more than those without office plants!
- The process of pruning, watering, and maintaining indoor plants reduces depression and anxiety and increases feelings of joy and belonging.
- Lastly, indoor plants help scrub bacteria, mold and pollution from the air!
Plant pickup times:
Friday, March 25: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Monday, March 28: 1 - 3 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29: 3 - 5 p.m.
To sign up for a time to pick up your plant, please email wellness@kvcc.edu with the date and time that works best to come to the FIC. Please coordinate times with your teams/supervisor. Thank you!
Employee Meetup Opportunities for Fun, Wellness:
Walking and Meditation Meetup: Join us for a 30-minute walk outdoors (weather permitting). And then a 10-minute silent meditation. Some very brief guidance on the meditation will be given. Email wellness@kvcc.edu if you would like to join us!
- TTC, starting April 5 at noon sharp. Meet at the flag entrance and wear appropriate shoes for walking.
- AWH, starting April 6, at noon sharp. Meet in the back courtyard.
Running Meetup: Join us for a 30-minute run (weather permitting) and then 10 minutes of stretching. All running levels are welcome! There will be a route mapped out for each meetup, and we will all meet in the grassy field next to the track for stretching after the 30 minutes. Email wellness@kvcc.edu if you would like to join us!
- Every other Wednesday, starting April 6, at noon sharp. Meet at the flagpole entrance and wear appropriate shoes and attire for running.
Taps On Tuesday Hosted by the College's Alumni + Group on March 29
You are invited to join us for special Taps On Tuesday events on March 29 and April 26. These events, hosted by the college's Alumni+ group, are designed to help you reconnect with the college, visit with friends and learn more about all the great things happening at the college.
These social events will be held in the 418 Restaurant at the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building on the Bronson Healthy Living Campus from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. The amazing skills of college culinary and brewing students will be on display for your enjoyment. Offerings include student-made beers, a local wine selection and shareable appetizers, all for just $5.
All college community members and alumni are welcome to join the fun. For more information, call Denise Thomas, Alumni+ Coordinator, at 269.488.4314. Register here.
Enjoy Lunch at Student-run Restaurant
The Havirmill Cafe is open from 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Monday - Thursday through April 21 with lunch service starting at 11:30 am. All food items are packaged as grab-and-go and there is limited seating in the cafe for lunch. Offerings include hot meals, sandwiches and salads. There is also fresh produce from the Food Innovation Center available to purchase. Reservations are not needed for the cafe.
418 Restaurant is open for reservations from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays only March 23 - April 21. Please contact Yvonne Cooley at 548.3203 or Terri McDonald at 548.3205 to make a reservation.
April is Community College Month
Together with the nearly 1,000 other community colleges across the country, Kalamazoo Valley will celebrate Community College Month in April. This month long campaign is designed to improve awareness of the economic, academic and equity advantages of attending community colleges and to break the stigma associated with public two-year colleges.
Check out the extensive list of special events and join us as we salute our graduates and their inspiring educators!
Show Your Kalamazoo Valley Pride in April!
BUY 1, GET 2nd Half Off
College-Branded Apparel
During Community College Month
WHEN: April 1 - 30
WHERE: Texas Township Bookstore
ORDER ONLINE: bookstore.kvcc.edu (Promo code: CCMONTH)
Employee Registration
Employee registration for the Fall 2022 semester will be April 1-3, 2022. Full and part-time employees may request access to online registration for themselves and/or their dependents through 4 p.m. on Friday, April 1.
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 authorization to each person's record and reply to confirm.
- Beginning April 1, each authorized individual 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, April 4.
Please e-mail the Admissions, Registration and Records office at arr@kvcc.edu or call 269.488.4281if you have questions.
Prescription Home Delivery Service
Employees who are covered by the college's health insurance plan should know that we are now using a new mail order service, OptumRx. With home delivery, you get a three-month supply of your medication, plus free standard shipping, 24/7 access to a pharmacist and the ability to set up automatic refills. The home delivery option may result in savings for some employees.
Prescriptions from OptumRx should arrive five days after the mail-in order is received. Find more information about the feature under HR > Benefits in the Employee Portal. Information about OptumRx begins on page 9. It also possible to search the file for "OptumRx."
Access the Optum Rx order form here.
Summer Hours Reminder
With an eye toward energy conservation, moderating cooling costs and benefiting employees, it has been determined that the college will adopt a four-day workweek during the period below:
Summer Hours
May 9 - August 5, 2022
Monday - Thursday
7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(With a half 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 workweek schedule to Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 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 Reynolds, director of human resources, at x4576 or areynolds2@kvcc.edu.
Dr. Barak Kushner presents "Pulling the Nation's Noodles: Ramen and the Chinese Origins of Modern Japanese Cuisine"
Please join us for this online talk co-sponsored by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education and the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 6.
Dr. Barak Kushner is Professor of East Asian History and Co-Chair of the Faculty of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge. He has edited four volumes and written three monographs, including "Men to Devils, Devils to Men: Japanese War Crimes and Chinese Justice", "Slurp! A culinary and social history of ramen - Japan's favorite noodle soup and "The Thought War - Japanese Imperial Propaganda." In 2020, he hosted and narrated three episodes - of an eight-part series - for an award-winning Chinese television documentary series on the war crimes trials of Japan. He has been a Fulbright Scholar, an Abe Fellow, recipient of a British Academy mid-career fellowship, obtained a six-year European Research Council grant and was a fellow at the Swedish Academy for Advanced Study. more
Join Statewide Astronomy Night April 8 at the Museum
Adults and older teens may be interested in the free Statewide Astronomy Night planned at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Friday, April 8, from 5 to 9 p.m. SWAN is coordinated by Michigan State University's annual Science Festival. "Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries" will be shown in the planetarium at 5 and 8 p.m. This award-winning show highlights the country of Chile's grand observatories and the people who operate them. At 6:30 p.m., guest speaker Renae Kerrigan, curator of science and planetarium director at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, discusses her trip to see some of the observatories located high in Chile's Atacama Desert. Preregistration is encouraged as seating is limited. Masks are required. Visit kalamazoomuseum.org for more information and to register.
Wonder Media: Ask the Questions! Opens April 9
How do you know a news post is true? What is the difference between a fact and an opinion? Why are social media platforms free to use? The new highly interactive "Wonder Media: Ask the Questions!" exhibit asks these questions and much more about the big issues surrounding media, news and information. The exhibit opens April 9, and runs through December 2023. There are 13 activity stations! It is designed by Western Michigan University professor Sue Ellen Christian through a collaboration with Kalamazoo Valley Community College and WMU.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Spotlight: Ezra Bell
Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Trice Batson, launched this Diversity Spotlight feature as a way to elevate and celebrate people, practices and programs modeling the behavior of diversity, equity and inclusion. Watch for these monthly articles in KV Focus Plus and on the website.
Early in his career, a conversation with a student worker caused Ezra Bell to thoughtfully consider how he was communicating. "It forced me to think about what I said, who's around and who's in the room," said Bell, who serves as the college's director of student engagement.
Today, Bell and that former student are the best of friends. "We're like brothers to this day," Bell said. "We found ourselves learning from each other. We were able to break down a lot of walls. He had to take directions from an African American male. He chose to work in our department because that's where he was most comfortable. He was most comfortable with people who didn't look like him."
Bell was formerly a transfer coach whose responsibilities included connecting students with resources so that they had the best chance of being successful. "We worked really hard to create a familial experience for students," he said. "My early years taught me that pain, suffering and feeling like you don't belong are the types of thoughts and ideas that we all think at some point. One of the things we saw early on is that pain doesn't know socioeconomics." more
Counselor Faculty Dr. LaSonda Wells to Speak at WMU
Kalamazoo Valley counselor faculty Dr. LaSonda Wells, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, presents "Filling others' baskets without emptying yours." Time: 9:30 - 11 a.m. and 1:30 - 3 p.m. on April 6 at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium.
Contact Director of Diversity and Inclusion Trice Batson for more information and to register for this in-person event.
 Kalamazoo Valley Libraries: Women's History Month Display
Learn about "Women Who Lead the Way"
This March, learn more about "Women Who Lead the Way" by checking out the book displays at the Kalamazoo Valley Libraries, online or in person at Texas Township (TTC) or Arcadia Commons (ACC). Tell us about someone who inspires you and earn an entry for a drawing for a $25 Kalamazoo Valley Bookstore gift card. Also, at ACC, take a minute to read the Poem-a-Day board, featuring works by women poets. And, at TTC, take part in self-directed activities honoring women leaders.
Book an Adventure
Feeling a little blue now that spring break is over? Come to the library and find a good book to read. Maybe there's something you'd like to learn more about or an old favorite you'd like to enjoy all over again. Even if you haven't gotten the chance to travel recently, a book can take you anywhere.
*We appreciate you following Kalamazoo Valley's safety protocols and practicing social distancing when you visit us.
Visit us online
Call 269.488.4328
Email: libraries@kvcc.edu
Chat with a college librarian 24/7: https://www.kvcc.edu/library/asklib.html
Zoom by appointment, please email libraries@kvcc.edu
Follow us on Instagram @kalamazoovalleylibraries
What is the KVCC Foundation?
Established in 1980, the Foundation accepts and administers both unrestricted contributions and those designated for specific purposes, such as student scholarships, the purchase of necessary equipment to improve instruction and construction of new facilities.
Why are Gifts Needed?
With your help, Kalamazoo Valley is able to provide the highest level of educational opportunities to its students. Additional funding is necessary to support academic programs, technological upgrades, scholarships, capital campaigns and more. Any size gift can make a difference. A $10,000 gift can establish a named scholarship.
To find out more about our Giving Levels and 1966 Legacy Society, click here.
Ron Young Business Scholarship Recipient Devin Wyatt Says Assistance Helped Pave the Way for Her Success
Going back to college was a last-minute decision that 27-year-old Devin Wyatt made in 2018. She had enrolled at two other community colleges before she became a student at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. "Registration at the other colleges was so difficult," she said. "I got there, but they weren't willing to help me get through it."
She encountered a different story at Kalamazoo Valley. "People were very helpful. They walked me to where I needed to go. Kalamazoo Valley right away made it possible for me to complete school," she said. "Everything fell into place and the Ron Young Scholarship made my life so much easier."
The Eaton Rapids native now lives in Portage and earned associate degrees from Kalamazoo Valley in accounting and business administration. She is currently a junior working on her bachelor's in business administration degree through Davenport University in the college's University Center.
In addition to being a Kalamazoo Valley Accelerated Associate Program (KVAAP) participant, Wyatt received the Ron Young Business Scholarship. "Thanks to the scholarship, I can continue moving closer to my bachelor's degree without the financial stress of tuition and book costs," she said. "As I work closer to graduation, I find it more and more difficult, financially, to pursue my degree, making the scholarship award that much more meaningful and appreciated." more
Kalamazoo Valley Hosts Foodways Symposium April 5 to 9
The 2022 Kalamazoo Foodways Symposium will take place April 5-9. The event is meant to inspire and empower the Greater Kalamazoo community to honor its agricultural history and heritage cuisines, celebrate good food and work together to build a just and healthy future for all.
This year's theme of "Central American and Mexican Foodways" will be explored with experts both online and in person through lectures, workshops, demonstrations, food tastings and an outdoor Foodways Festival.
The virtual keynote speaker, chef Claudia Albertina Ruíz Sántiz, can be viewed live from a personal electronic device or at Kalamazoo College's Arcus Center from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Experience live online cooking demonstrations during the evenings of April 6, 7 and 8. Participants will learn from expert instructors about fascinating cultural and heritage food topics as well as how to cook the food at home. Registration for these live virtual sessions is available at kalamazoofoodways.org. more
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