Two KCC instructors publish “Basic Mathematics” book
Bid a Brighter Future
New faculty contract agreement
Incremental tuition hikes
College representatives "rais eyebrows" for taking a chartedplane to the UP
Black history month
Documentary show
Mercury Spill
President's Day
Peer Advocate Program
Two KCC instructors publish “Basic Mathematics” book
Staff Writer
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| From left to right: Doris Lewis, Graham Smith, and Brian Goetz |
Photo by Nicole Finkbeiner |
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Kellogg Community College Math Instructors, Brian Goetz and Graham Smith, recently published “Basic Mathematics” with co-author
Dr. John Tobey of North Shore Community College. The book arrived just in time for the beginning of the spring semester for most colleges and universities.
Approximately seven years ago, Goetz and
Smith had an idea to create a new type of
math book for Mathematics Clinic courses.
“We saw people coming to school that never anticipated being in school. They tended to struggle with how to learn math and how to study with the materials that were available,
so the goal was to create materials with
easier access to mathematics and imbed a study system into the book,” said Goetz.
“And we didn’t want to have lives for bunches
of years,” joked Smith.
With the help of Dr. Tobey, the duo spent countless hours, putting other personal
projects on hold, creating a new type of book that would not only help students be more successful in mathematics, but in all their
college classes.
Each chapter in “Basic Mathematics” features objectives that cover one topic at a time instead of multiple topics at once. “Math is a subject that builds on itself, so you have to build your knowledge one step at a time. Only then can you move on and understand the next section and step,” said Smith.
For each of these small lessons, there are an instruction examples, guided practices, and opportunities for the students to immediately practice the skill. Unlike a typical math book, where the problems are at the end of the section, the practice problems within each section eliminates the need for students to constantly flip back and forth to review examples.
In addition, “Basic Mathematics” is filled with tools to help students learn effective study skills. Throughout the chapters, there are self-assessment tools that allow students to check either a box that says “got it” or one that says “must study” so students can review what aspects they need to study further. At the end of the chapter, there is another self-assessment that lets the student review their understanding of all of the materials covered.
There are also question logs for students to write their questions to ask their instructor as well as spaces to write things they need help with and a list of potential resources where they might seek additional help.
“A reoccurring theme for us when working on this book is that we wanted it to be like an on-ramp to student success. The book has so much support that struggling students will get the help they need to be successful,” said Goetz. This theme became the inspiration for the cover, which shows a traffic on-ramp.
Portions of the book have been used by colleges and universities across the country for five years, including in Goetz’s and Smith’s classrooms. The feedback helped the authors to make the revisions necessary for students to be successful, resulting in approximately 500 students receiving free classroom materials. Now that the final version is complete and printed, the publisher, Pearson Education, Inc. has donated 80 copies for KCC student use.
Not only was Dr. Tobey a critical asset to the successful publication of “Basic Mathematics,” but Goetz and Smith are quick to point out that KCC’s Director of Institutional Research, Doris Lewis, also played a critical role.
Lewis, formerly the chair of the Math and Science department at KCC, completed the answer portion of the book including how to develop the answers. Based on her work with the answers, the publisher has contracted with her to complete the instructor’s resource manual for the book.
Goetz and Smith will receive a percentage of the net sales of the book, but plan to donate any royalties from purchases by Kellogg Community College students to the KCC Foundation for scholarship use.
Bid a Brighter Future
Staff Writer
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| Matt Samra bidding on an item for Bid a Brighter Future |
Photo by Ed Williams |
The Kellogg Community College Foundation raised $9,934 during its annual Bid a Brighter Future Auction held on Jan. 14. The money raised will benefit scholarship funding for Kellogg Community College students.
The all-day event included silent and web auctions as well as a cash prize raffle. During the silent auction, current and former KCC employees circled auction tables, bidding on over 140 gift and service items.
In the spirit of fun, some KCC staff members dressed as referees and “arrested” anyone suspected of pushing, stalking items, or any other territorial behavior. Offenders were taken to a mock jail where they had to beg their coworkers for $5 bail money to ensure their timely release.
“We’re really excited to have raised so much money for scholarships,” said Rose Dulaney, co-chair of the Bid a Brighter Future committee. “but it was almost as important for everyone to have a great time.”
The auction began 7 years ago as a way for employees to donate unwanted holiday gifts to help raise funds for scholarships. “Instead of standing in long return lines, employees could donate unwanted gifts to the KCC Foundation,” said Ginger Cutsinger, executive director of the KCC Foundation. “It started out almost like a white elephant exchange but has grown to include some truly exceptional items and services such as golf lessons, fishing trips, gourmet meals – all offered by co-workers, and the opportunity to wear jeans to work on payday Fridays. This year, we also had a large selection of pieces created by our staff including quilts, fine art work, and framed photographs – several from KCC students.”
New faculty contract agreement
William Cook
Assistant Editor
Kellogg Community College Faculty and Administration came to a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract in late October.
In August of 2009 the last faculty contract expired, leaving the faculty working without a contract for three months. According to faculty members, the negotiation centered on several issues, including pay raises, back pay, Kellogg Faculty Association (KFA) dues and workload calculations for the Nursing faculty.
Faculty agreed to accept a one percent pay raise and an additional pay raise this year as long as state budget cuts do not interfere. Back pay for August till September will be made to compensate for the lost one percent in the recent months, according to several faculty members.
KCC Faculty member Sue Stetler describes this as positive for the full-time faculty members whom have been with the school for a long time (thirteen years or more), because those who have reached the top for set annual pay raises will get an extra push.
Another issue was the calculations of the Nursing workload, specifically how to calculate certain extraneous areas such as clinical and lab time. Kathy Bess said the calculations were clarified and the Nursing faculty workload will now be defined and separated into three different tiers. This clarification was needed, especially with the new Human Patient Simulation Center opening. However, KCC Chief financial Officer Rick Scott implied that there is still some confusion in this area and that this issue will constantly need attention.
One of the big issues, according to faculty member Sue Stetler, was to charge all full-time faculty KFA dues, whether the individual is now a participating member of the KFA or not; specifically, for the luxury of representation by the KFA. The decision was to charge fees to all full-time faculties.
Incremental tuition hikes
William Cook
Assistant Editor
Students here at KCC are experiencing incremental tuition hike that will continue to rise until the fall of 2010.
The tuition rates have been raised $2 per credit hour for resident students and will continue to rise an additional $2 for the summer and fall semesters. Out-of-state students are hit the hardest, paying the most, with a $4.50 per credit hour hike.
Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer at KCC explained that because of Kellogg Community College’s financial needs the tuition hike was necessary. Several variables must be considered when implementing tuition hikes, such as, state funding, property tax hikes, and other financial needs, he said. Both Scott and Public Information Director Nicole Finkbeiner agreed that the tuition increases are not large and KCC is still one of the most affordable schools of its type in the state.
The idea that the tuition hikes were small and incremental is the bright side of the story. Finkbeiner and Scott both seemed to be satisfied that the tuition increases still left KCC in the top slots of affordable schools. They both made it abundantly clear that the hikes were not as severe as some of the hikes we have seen at other schools, such as University of California, where students saw a 33 percent tuition hike late last year. Kellogg Community College also has some of the most reasonable lab fees out of all the schools in the state, according to numbers that were collected for Scott.
Overall, fulltime (12 credit hour) students, who are Michigan residents, will see their tuition go up $24 in the spring, another $24 in the summer, and a final $24 in the fall for the year of 2010.
Faculty member Sue Stetler also said that she believed KCC was one of the most affordable schools in the state.
One student said “at least the hikes are reasonable, and I trust the school to put the extra money to good use.”
This seems to be the common consensus here at KCC. That in these rough economic times the school still tries to make education affordable, and that no budget-busters will be dropped on students like we saw in California a couple months ago.
| Tuition and Fee Rates: |
| Fall 2009 Residents Non-Residents Indiana Residents Out-of-State/International Residents Industrual Trades Instruction |
$77.50 per credit hour $121.25 per credit hour $122.25 per credit hour $170.75 per credit hour $5.75 per clock hour/$138 credit hour |
| Spring 2010 Residents Non-Residents Indiana Residents Out-of-State/International Residents Industrual Trades Instruction |
$79.50 per credit hour $124.50 per credit hour $125.50 per credit hour $175.50 per credit hour $5.95 per clock hour/$141.75 credit hour |
| Summer 2010 Residents Non-Residents Indiana Residents Industrual Trades Instruction |
$81.50 per credit hour $127.75 per credit hour $128.75 per credit hour $6.10 credit hour |
| Fall 2010 Residents Non-Residents Indiana Residents Out-of-State/International Residents Industrual Trades Instruction |
$83.50 per credit hour $131 per credit hour $132 per credit hour $184 per credit hour $6.25 per clock hour/$149 credit hour |
The above charges include total fees of $7.00 per credit hour (student services $2.00, technology $4.00, and Internet $1.00).
A credit hour of tuition purchases 16 hours of instruction. Some courses require more than 16 hours of instruction (for each credit). In courses where additional instruction is provided, an added cost fee will be charged for each additional instructional hour.
- Online coursesare charged a fee of $10 per credit hour at registration
- Laboratory fees are charged for course work in which specialized equipment, materials, and supplies are required.
- Senior citizens 65 years of age or over who reside within the College district may register for classes tuition free. Other fees are payable.
- Outstanding balances must be paid in full prior to registering. (Battle Creek library fines should be paid in the Learning Resource Center, and all other balances should be paid where registering.)
Tuition and fee rates are subject to change.
College representatives “raise eyebrows” for taking a charted plane to the UP
William Cook
Assistant Editor
“Mott Community College President M. Richard Shaink and Trustee Sally Shaheen Joseph are among eight other college representatives who have raised eyebrows for flying to a triannual Michigan Community College Association meeting in Escanaba,” according to an article published by the Flint Journal.
According to the MCCA Web site “the Michigan Community College Association is the primary advocate for Michigan’s 28 public community colleges. The organization is committed to providing leadership on issues affecting our member colleges. The MCCA fosters collaborative partnerships between the colleges and other education stakeholders.”
The Flint Journal reported “agenda items were legislation updates on a bill to allow concealed weapons on campuses, retirement legislation, and Speaker of the House Andy Dillon’s health care plan.”
The Flint Journal also reported, “the MCCA-chartered plane, which left from Lansing and made a pick-up stop in Traverse City, cost a total of almost $5,000 split between MCC, Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, and Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City and the MCCA.” And that “at least eight other colleges opted out of the Escanaba trip, some saying they couldn’t justify the price of traveling that far.”
KCC’s Dr. Ed Haring was one of the eight representatives who apparently “raised eyebrows.” Dr. Haring said that the total cost of his part of the trip was only $675 for the Oct. 2 to 3 MCCA meeting in Escanaba. He also explained that he had not heard complaints about it and that he “did not believe there was much of a story in it.” Dr. Haring said that the flight was the cheapest and most cost effective way to attend the meeting.
And according to the Flint Journal MCC Trustee Andy Everman said, “As a taxpayer, I want to know how this translates into additional funding for the college? How does this translate into better education for our students?”
Dr. Haring said that he traveled alone, which reduced the cost considerably, and also said that the MCCA meetings rotate from school to school, so often times the colleges in the Upper Peninsula have to travel far as well. Dr. Haring said that he believed it was important to attend a meeting in their backyard once and a while.
Black history month
Zachary Bush
Staff Writer
Kellogg Community College will continue its annual Black History Month celebrations this year.
The events will kick off in February in celebration of Black History Month, which started in 1926 as a week-long celebration and later evolved into a month-long observance throughout February. Although the schedules for both history months are not yet set in stone some events have been planned.
On Wednesday, Feb. 10, KCC will have karaoke and a Michael Jackson impersonator to do covers of the recently deceased pop icon’s hits. The Walkin’ Cane Music performance, and a soul food lunch prepared by Dr. Washington, will be featured on Feb. 24. Even more events could also be added during to mark this month of remembrance.
Women’s History Month will follow in March. The celebration of Women’s history dates back to 1911 when an unofficial single day held the events. It wasn’t until 1987 that it became an official full month of celebrations. So far events include a musical performance by Micaela Kingslight on Monday, March 1, and a possible guest speaker.
The celebrations are open to everyone and all are encouraged to attend. For further schedule updates check with Campus Life.
Documentary show
Starlene K. Ghere
Staff Writer
For the last year, Ryan Flathau, the head of the Kellogg College Photography and Multi-Media Program has had his photography and multi-media students take pictures of the college and its students.
This project was arranged by Ryan Flathau and the KCC’s Public Information and Marketing Department.
The purpose of this project is two things; first, to help the college have fine art hung, and second, teaches students how to do documentary work.
This project ended with about fifteen-hundred pictures.
The class for this project first edited them down to one thousand pictures. Of these, one hundred were picked for the final, which are now in the show.
The show runs from now through April 1.
Students can vote for their three favorite pictures which will be included in a KCC calendar available for sale later this semester.
At the end of the show, all one hundred pictures will be hung throughout the KCC campus for all to see.
Mercury Spill
Zachary Bush
Staff Writer
Students who use the south-end walkway by the Schwartz building may have noticed that the carpet has been torn out. Although some may think that the college may have failed to keep up this small area for some reason in reality the carpet is missing for the exact opposite reason.
On the morning of Dec. 3 Mark Olmstead and an associate happened upon an unknown substance. “We noticed something shinny on the carpet and with closer examination found out with was mercury.” Olmstead said.
Mercury is an element that can be harmful if consumed or touched.
Upon realizing that the substance was indeed mercury, a company from Kalamazoo was called in to clean up the spill. Taking care of the incident entailed combing over the whole area and closing off that part of the walkway. After that was done the carpet had to be removed and the area vacuumed with a special vacuum.
The carpet and everything else that may have been in contact with the substance was put into a 50 gallon drum that is going to be picked up by the company that cleaned the spill so that they can dispose of it properly.
The strange thing about the spill is that it doesn’t appear the chemical element is from KCC.
“The college has eliminated using mercury in the chemistry department.” said Olmstead, “The thought is that it was brought in and dropped by someone accidently. They may not even know they dropped it.”
The situation was taken care of properly and the walkway is safe to use again.
Presidents Day
Kenny Clevenger
Staff Writer
Hail to the Chief! Presidents day (celebrated on the third Monday of February) was originally celebrated as our first President George Washington’s birthday, due to his overwhelming popularity as “the father of our country.” But the holiday has become, in later years, a tribute to all of our Chief Executives.
While we students and federal employees lounge on this day of salute to our past presidents, let’s get to know a little about the office and those who held it.
The constitution of the United States vests the responsibility of the Executive branch to the President of the United states of America. His duties include, but are not limited to; commander in chief of our armed forces and establishment of a cabinet of executive officials. He appoints ambassadors to foreign nations, appoints Justices to the Supreme court, and from time to time convenes Congress to deliver a state of the union address.
With 43 men serving in the top job, lets begin to sort them out.
With height being an advantage to some, to others it was a minor problem. The tallest president was Abraham Lincoln (16) standing six-foot-four-inches tall, while the shortest was only five-foot-four, one of our founding fathers; James Madison (4).
Weight didn’t matter much for our heaviest president, William Howard Taft (27), who after leaving the White House tipped the scale at 340 pounds. Our shortest president was also our skinniest, James Madison (4) coming in at 100 pounds.
Although at first our constitution set no restrictions on term limits for our president, President George Washington (1) set the tradition of only serving two terms. Later the constitution was amended to restrict careers to two terms after our longest serving president died in office, Franklin D. Roosevelt (32) after a little over 12 years in the President’s mansion. William Henry Harrison (9), only served one month, due to the pneumonia he caught at his inauguration ceremony.
Article 2 of our constitution requires that those who serve in the White House be at least 35. The youngest elected president was John F. Kennedy (35) at 43, while the youngest inaugurated president was Teddy Roosevelt (26) aged 42. Roosevelt took office after the assignation of William McKinley (25).
As we know with age comes wisdom. Just shy of his 70th birthday Ronald Reagan (40) was sworn in as our oldest inaugurated president.
As we sit back and take it easy on our day off, let us first share these quick facts with a friend so we can sound intelligent. Then second, and most of all, let us be thankful to those men that bore the weight of the executive branch on their shoulders, and let us all join in a quick hum of Hail to the Chief.
Peer Advocate Program
Starlene K. Ghere
Staff Writer
Peer Advocates are students working on campus to provide peer to peer support.
The Peer Advocates’ main goal is to listen to fellow students regarding concerns or questions and direct them to the appropriate resources on/off campus.
They are putting on several events in February for National Mental Health Month.
The hope is to increase awareness and provide up-to-date information on mental health issues.
These events are scheduled for Feb.2, 9, and 23 in the student center, where a display will be available from 11– 1:00 pm.
Some community agencies will be on campus to provide resources and information.
The subjects that will be covered include:
- Maintaining one’s mental health”
- Mental Health and the non- traditional student
- Misconceptions about mental health disorders
- Seeking help from mental Health Professionals.
Students are invited to visit the Peer Advocate display located in the student center.
Everyone who stops by to participate will be entered into a drawing.
Come join the Peer Advocates’ and receive some very valuable information that could help both you and your loved ones.