Archive for April, 2008
Special Community Meeting to focus on green issues on May 7
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Second of four quarterly community meetings to be held on May 7th at Richland College
WHAT: Special Community Meeting introduces City of Dallas and Richland College “Green Teams”
WHO:
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert
Dallas City Councilmembers
City Manager Mary K. Suhm
Dallas City staff
Richland College President Dr. Stephen K. Mittelstet
WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 6:30 PM
WHERE: Richland College Campus – 12800 Abrams Road
Fannin Performance Hall (Marked “F” on attached map)
Public parking available in lot “W” (Marked “W” on attached map)
MORE: Dallas City Hall is taking City government directly to the people -holding special community meetings. The neighborhood City Council meetings will be held quarterly in south, north, east and west Dallas.
The public is invited to attend the second such meeting on May 7 in north Dallas on the campus of Richland College in Fannin Performance Hall.
City staff will present briefings to council that inform and educate the public about the City’s environmental efforts and the Green Dallas initiative (www.GreenDallas.net) which is aimed at environmental responsibility and encourages both public and private sector involvement. Air quality, energy efficiency, alternative fuel fleet, recycling, water conservation, green building standards; green space, trails, parks and the urban forest; and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan will all be discussed.
Some of Dallas’ accomplishments include being the number one municipal purchaser of renewable power in the nation, possessing the largest clean vehicle fleet of any city in Texas, and becoming the only pilot city chosen for the EPA’s Sustainable Skylines Initiative aimed at improving air quality.
Along with their “green” power point briefings, various departments will set up educational display booths showcasing their own green practices. Each department will also have members of their staff who work on green issues in attendance and will be introduced to Council.
In addition, Richland College President Dr. Stephen K. Mittelstet will brief the Council on the college’s own green initiative, GREENRichland, and their associated Web site www.richlandcollege.edu/greenrichland. Dr. Mittelstet will also talk about the construction of a $40 million, 114,000 square-foot facility that will house Richland’s science programs, Science Corner, bookstore, coffee bar and conference rooms.
Features will include special sustainable construction with the ability to harvest sunlight, underground cisterns to collect and irrigate rain water to other parts of the campus, as well as interactive devices in restrooms that users control to save water. Some building and furnishing materials will be made of recycled materials, such as the carpet and furniture, and local vendors will be utilized as often as possible to minimize exhaust fumes and excess fuel consumption from lengthy transports. A hands-on geology pit, green terrace roof, and monitoring stations to showcase energy efficiency will also be integrated, providing “field learning” for students.
College administrators, architects and contractors are seeking Platinum status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED is a nationally recognized standard for the design and construction of high-performing green buildings.
Published by Anitra Cotton on April 22nd, 2008 tagged Environmental, Events, News | Comment now »
This week’s RLC update
Institutional Effectiveness - At its national convention in Philadelphia last week, AACC announced two new publications that included prominent references to Richland. President Steve Mittelstet was among the authors hosted for a book signing event at the AACC Exhibit Hall booth. Richland is one of 13 community and technical colleges featured in the Roueches’ The Creative Community College: Leading Change Through Innovation. Chapter six, “Richland College: Whole People, Whole Organization, Whole Lot of Fun,” was authored by Dr. Mittelstet. Jones-Kavalier and Flannigan’s The Hiring Game: Reshaping Community College Practices describes 30 innovative hiring strategies at eight community colleges (Cascadia, Central Piedmont, Cuyahoga, DCCCD, Humber, Richland, Springfield, Valencia), based in part on interviews conducted by Richland Executive Dean of Humanities Sherry Dean of Steve Mittelstet (Richland) and historical perspective from earlier DCCCD leaders Don Rippey (El Centro), Byron McClenney (Eastfield), and Monique Amerman (Mountain View). Featured in the winning strategies are the DCCCD Visiting Scholar program and Richland’s getting the right people on the bus cultures/values interview strategy and hiring non-negotiables approach.
Community and Economic Development - At Sen. Florence Shapiro’s request, Dr. Mittelstet gave testimony earlier this week in San Antonio to the Joint Select Committee on Public School Accountability. Dr. Mittelstet reinforced the value of dual credit as an important strategy in closing student retention/success gaps in seamless P-16 education. He stressed the need for business-chamber-university-K-12 partnerships with community colleges to address not only accountability for student retention and transfer but for offering what the community and workforce need. Dr. Mittelstet’s two partnership examples were the community partnership which led to the creation and early successes of the Richland Collegiate High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering (RCHS) to meet local workforce needs for engineering, computer science, and other engineering-related careers; and the community partnership now underway in the creation of the new Richland College Garland Campus, which will also house Chamber of Commerce and Dallas County Manufacturing Association partners (and related conversations about a potential Career Pathways ISD High School Academy that might be housed at Richland’s new Garland Campus, benchmarked off RCHS successes and linked to Garland’s workforce development needs).
Student Success - Richland’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Chapter took numerous honors at the recent AACC convention in Philadelphia, including being named to the Distinguished Top 25 Chapters and Leadership Hallmark for outstanding leadership programs. Richland international student Dharmesh Patel was one of 20 students named to USA Today’s All-USA Community College Academic First Team for which he received a $2,500 cash award. His application also judged Best in Texas earned him a $2,000 Coca-Cola New Century Scholar scholarship, and he was also awarded the $5,000 Guistwhite Scholarship. Richland PTK member Keome Rowe was first runner-up in the PTK International Presidential election and was named Distinguished Regional Officer. Richland PTK Advisor Aliene Pylant won the Paragon Award for new PTK advisors, and Richland PTK Advisor Larry Polk was elected Secretary of the Association of PTK Chapter Advisors.
Employee Success - Board Trustee Kitty Boyle and former Trustees Jerry Gilmore and Pattie Powell joined in Richland’s recent Exalted Order of the Snowy White Fillet festivities to celebrate the longevity of the order’s newest inductees. Twenty-three Richlanders were honored for their 10 years of service; six for 15 years; 8 for 20 years; five for 25 years; one for 30 years; 10 for 35 years; and Vice President for Business Services Ron Clark was honored for his 40 years of service to Richland and El Centro. Snowy White Fillet members Sandy Hawkins and Helen Noble each delivered a testimonial roast describing how being a member of the Exalted Order of the Snowy White Fillet has changed their lives. Former Trustee Powell delivered her testimonial in a commemorative poem she composed.
Sen.Florence Shapiro, accompanied by DCCCD Chancellor Wright Lassiter and Justin Lonon, spent nearly two hours last Friday interacting with Richland Collegiate High School (RCHS) students, parents, and staff, after a tour of facilities by Superintendent Steve Mittelstet and an introduction of staff by RCHS Principal Kristyn Edney. Sen. Shapiro was very attentive in hearing from RCHS students, PTA members, and high school leaders about the differences between Advanced Placement and Dual Credit and the need for the legislature and TEA to “even the playing field” regarding incentives to high schools for offering Dual Credit, at least equivalent to the incentives currently provided for offering Advanced Placement. She was enthusiastic about what she learned and indicated she would assist community colleges in the next legislative session regarding dual credit offerings.
Published by Jenni Gilmer on April 19th, 2008 tagged Award/Honors, Events, News, Phi Theta Kappa, Richland Collegiate High School | 1 Comment »
Pricilla Hayter-Hall Scholarship opportunity; deadline May 10
Pricilla Hayter-Hall was a professor, counselor, and career planning specialist at Richland College from 1987 until her untimely death in 1999. Her intense desire to help students change their lives and develop skills for success in school inspired her to work with students who were the least prepared for college. As an African-American woman, Pricilla has a special affinity for minority students. She believed the debilitating effects of poverty, discrimination, and neglect could be overcome and invited her students to believe in a better future for themselves. Students who completed Pricilla’s Human Development Master Student success course always described her as energetic, alive, amazing, inspiring, fun, determined, positive, challenging, and this endowment will allow her to continue to do so even after death.
Amount of Award
Varies, as per available funds
Number of awards/yr
$300 fall and $300 spring (scholarship to one student per academic year)
Source of Funds
Permanently endowed fund
Designated College
Restricted to Richland College students meeting the stated criteria.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be full-time students (12 hours or more) with a 2.5 GPA
Application Process
Interested students should complete a Statement of Intent detailing why they are interested in pursuing a college degree, including a two-page, double spaced, typewritten narrative describing a Five-to-Ten-Year Vision Statement for their lives and how college will help them achieve that vision. Applicants must also submit a completed DCCCD Foundation Scholarship Application form with their statement of intent.
Selection Process
A Scholarship Review Committee will review submissions and determine the scholarship recipient.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted to Janet James, Dean/Executive Assistant to the President, Alamito Hall, A218, by Friday, May 10, at 5 p.m..
For further information, please contact Jeanette Murphy at 972-238-6029 in theRichland College Financial Aid Office, Thunderduck Hall, T130.