Board Report – April 2013

Good evening. Isn't it great to be meeting at the Downtown Campus? There's so much happening here.  For example, our annual Muslim Festival of Films series kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight in Room 421.  NAACP Eugene-Springfield is now holding its Back to School/Success in School tutoring and mentoring program for K-12 students here. We hosted the Eugene Chamber's Business After Hours event here on March 21; about 470 people attended. Thanks to Brian and the CML staff, to the LCC Foundation, SBDC, Continuing Ed, and to Brett Rowlett for coordinating. Congressman Peter DeFazio met with members of business community here on April 4 to talk about what Congress can do to help grow local businesses; thanks to the SBDC for sponsoring this.

And now let's hear from Brett Rowlett with an update on the legislative session.  [Rowlett provided information on the proposed Community College Support Fund budget and relevant bills currently being tracked at the state level.]

I'd like to thank Sacred Heart Medical Center and PeaceHealth Oregon Region for renewing their support of our nursing faculty; they have signed a pledge with the LCC Foundation to provide $275,000 per year for the next three years. Kudos to Foundation Director Wendy Jett and Nursing Coordinator Trish Tulley. 

I am sorry to note the passing of Jerry Sirois. He worked as an advisor at Lane for many years and was a true champion of students.  Many Lane retirees and long time staff old timers attended his memorial service.  It was great to see them but under such sad circumstances. 

It is a pleasure to announce our annual Schafer and League for Innovation Awards. There were several awards but I'd like to call out the top winners:
* The $2,000 Innovation of the Year Award went to Gary Mort and Brooke Taylor for their work in "Small Scale Kinetics: Sustainable Micro-Scale Chemistry Labs," which has cut waste by 95% and eliminated hazardous chemicals.  A number of other awards were also given which Joan Aschim can send to you upon request.

Our "Taste of Lane" cookbook released in November by Conference and Culinary Services won a first-place Gold Paragon Award at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations annual conference in Chicago in March. NCMPR is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges. "Taste of Lane" is the division's first cookbook. It features farm-to-table recipes created by our renowned chefs, staff, students and alumni. Tracy oversaw the cookbook's design and printing and accepted the award for Lane.

It was a pleasure to speak to Florence Rotary on April 2. Thanks to Dean Mary Jeanne Kuhar and Board Chair Sharon Stiles for help in getting this set up. 

Thanks to everyone who attended the First Friday of Color networking event in our Longhouse on April 5. We're glad to host this group that is working to support diversity in our community.

* After Florence rotary, I stopped at the KCST AM studio and interviewed with Bob Sneddon for his monthly "Our Town" broadcast.
* I interviewed Monday with the Community College Times for a story on sustainability and how we are mentoring Rose College in Oklahoma.

I want to conclude my report with a congratulations, farewell, and thank-you to Greg Morgan.  I'd like to thank him for his work and for thinking outside the box.  You could always count on Greg for an alternative view.  Greg worked diligently on the new market tax credits and various other financial challenges to fund this new building.  We wish him well in his new position.