January 28, 2008

CALENDAR: Town Hall & State of the College

From the college's electronic mail server, Infolist:

TOWN HALL MEETING

Dr. Calaway will hold a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 31, from 3-4:30 p.m. in 101 RC. Mike Martin, professor, mathematics, and president of the Faculty Association, will co-host this meeting with Dr. Calaway. Topics will include instructional reorganization and task force.

STATE OF THE COLLEGE FEB. 22

The state of American community colleges in general and of Johnson County Community College in particular will be addressed Feb. 22 in two presentations delivered as the “State of the College: The New American Community College” at JCCC.

The event begins at 3:30 p.m. in Polsky Theatre in the Carlsen Center. Dr. John E. Rousche, director of the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin, will talk about “The Community College of the 21st Century.” Following him, Dr. Terry A. Calaway, JCCC’s new president, will present “Johnson County Community College: The New American Community College.” All faculty, staff and students are invited.

The event will also be broadcast live on the college’s cable TV channel (17 on Time Warner, 22 on Comcast).

The presentations will be followed by a reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Atrium between the Regnier Center and the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art on campus.

The event will also launch a new President’s Scholarship Fund to recognize outstanding academic achievement as well as provide much needed assistance to students in financial need.

Dr. Roueche is professor and director of the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair in Community College Leadership. The Texas doctoral program in community college leadership is the nation’s oldest and has produced more chancellors, presidents, vice presidents, and deans of American community colleges than any other university graduate program. Dr. Calaway is a graduate of the program.

January 25, 2008

COMMENTARY: Diversity Dogs

Walking on the Ledge:
Diversity Growlings Cause JCCC Top Dogs to Bark Back

By Miguel M. Morales

Disaster programs on cable TV show how dogs, sensing an earthquake, run around barking in the moments preceding the disaster. Well, that’s kind of what’s been happening with diversity over the last few years at JCCC. There’s some chaotic running and barking on campus.

People bark about possible mandatory diversity trainings. They bark about student-sponsored gay pride events. They bark about expanding our nondiscrimination policy. They bark about students on campus who -- on their own time -- speak languages other than English.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about running and barking. Sensing campus tremors and quakes comes naturally to a student journalist

However, what’s happening isn’t about warning of an impeding disaster. It’s an irrational fear -- like dogs afraid of thunder.

This morning Terry Calaway, president of JCCC; Dana Grove, executive vice president of Academic Affairs; and Marilyn Rhinehart, vice president of Instruction, posted a message to the college’s electronic mail server, Infolist.

Their post, like a crash of thunder, echoed across campus and has dogs yelping.

“JCCC has demonstrated its commitment to diversity recently by implementing a number of actions affecting change,” the posting reads. “It has come to our attention that some have questioned certain of these actions. To be frank, we are surprised that such concerns have been raised.”

The message describes the two-year process of adding a diversity requirement to the college’s Associate of Arts degree.

“For the requirement to be questioned by anyone on campus seems untimely,” they write.

The trio also describes another action: hiring Carmaletta Williams, professor of English, as the executive assistant to the President, Diversity Initiatives.

“Academic Freedom and Shared Governance demand that all voices be heard, and we welcome your opposing comments,” the write. “However, the aforementioned diversity initiatives have already been established without significant dissent. Therefore, and once again, we are fully supportive of the diversity requirement for the A.A. degree.”

When I started attending classes at JCCC, classrooms, instructors and students had one thing in common -- they were all white.

In class, it usually fell to me to speak for non-white and non-heterosexual people when certain topics arose. I didn’t (and still don’t) mind becoming the instructor in those moments. It’s something “diverse” people accept and expect. We have speeches for good for any occasion that fit any time limit and can be easily adapted for any audience.

Yet, there’s also times when I step onto campus that I just want to be a student. Unfortunately, that will never happen until students, staff and faculty make the commitment to take on some of the responsibility of living in a diverse world.

One semester, I walked into a class relived to see a young black woman sitting in the front row. Within moments, the instructor used the N-word and no one -- including myself -- said a thing. The instructor did not direct it at the young woman or anyone else in the class. However, she offered no explanation or apology for how it might make affect us.

When class ended, the young woman walked out and did not return.

I regret not having the courage to stop the class and confront the instructor’s behavior.

As part of the effort to help the college help itself, I joined the diversity committee. Two years ago, I supported the exploration of adding a diversity requirement to the Associates’ of Arts degree. I also support an effort for mandatory diversity training for all employees. I support the appointment of Carmaletta Williams and the creation of a multicultural center.

And as a watchdog of this government, I spotlight its failures and its successes. Despite the growls of a few on campus, this diversity effort will succeed -- it must.

January 23, 2008

INFOLIST: Williams Will

This message from Terry Calaway, president, JCCC was posted on the college's electronic mail server, Infolist, today:
From: InfoList [mailto:infolist@list.jccc.net]
Sent: Wed 01/23/08 11:20 AM
To: InfoList
Subject: A message from Dr. Calaway

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Carmaletta Williams on her appointment as Executive Assistant to the President, Diversity Initiatives. Dr. Williams, as you know, has long been a professor of English at JCCC. In her new position, Dr. Williams will work with Human Resources and with me on diversity initiatives involving programming, policies and recruitment that we trust will become a model for addressing diversity issues in the community college. I know we all can look forward to a new emphasis on diversity at JCCC.

January 15, 2008

COMMENTARY: New News

Walking on the Ledge:
Civil Disorder


by Miguel M. Morales

Not being on the student newspaper, The Campus Ledger, this year, I've noticed the lack of campus news -- I mean substantial, sink-your-teeth-into news. I spoke with the new news editor and he assures me that new news is on the way.

I shared with him that the big news story at the college this academic year comes in the form of a chaotic reorganization effort (and the slightly smaller but still important story of the effects this reorganization has on the college's Faculty Association).

So in support of my theory, here's something a source sent to me this morning:
Good Morning,

The general membership of the faculty association met yesterday and a motion concerning the membership of the listserv was forwarded and unanimously passed. The call was for the listserv to include all members of the bargaining unit and to exclude members of the administration. While this wasn't part of the official motion, it is thought that excluding members of administration is simply a means to promote candid communication on critical issues and it is still possible to copy individuals on relevant, timely topics.

By the time I send another message to the list, the membership of the listserv will be updated accordingly.

Mike Martin
Faculty gives admins the boot
Until now, the Faculty Association's listserve included administrators and the college's Board of Trustees.

The fact that a vote -- a unanimous vote -- passed to exclude them hints at the climate around here.

I understand this move by the Faculty Association leaders who simply want to ensure protection for members who communicate candid and critical information.

However, with the college's leadership professing a new era of civility and a policy that's "hard on problems but easy on people," what exactly do faculty members need to be protected from?

Clearly, the answer comes in who they are excluding -- the administration.

January 8, 2008

TIME OUT: More Internships

More from NAHJ:

NEW YORK PRESS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION’S SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Applications must be postmarked by January 15, 2008
The New York Press Association Foundation announces the sponsorship of paid summer internships for college students. Each student will be matched with a community newspaper within New York State for eight weeks during the summer of 2008.

Student interns earn a $2,600 net stipend for the program.

For more information click here.


INTERSHIPS AT THE ECONOMIST
Applications must be postmarked by March 1,2008
The Economist has no formal training scheme. The arrangement is informal. Interns are treated much as members of staff and expected to join in accordingly.

The internships are generally for a three-month period and take place over the summer (at the London office). While we offer an interesting and rewarding work experience, there is no guarantee of a job when the internship ends. The internships are only available at our London office.

Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. The Business Affairs editor will review applications during March and a decision will be made by the end of that month.

The address for all applications is 25 St James's Street, London SW1A 1HG, United Kingdom. For more information, click here.


THE AAAS MINORITY SCIENCE WRITERS INTERNSHIP
Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2008
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is proud to offer a summer internship program for minority students interested in journalism as a career and who want to learn about science writing.

The Internship will take place at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of AAAS's Science magazine, the largest interdisciplinary journal in the world.

The program is a paid, 10-week experience under the guidance of the weekly magazine's award-winning staff of professional science writers and editors.

For more information, click here.

TIME OUT: Pura Vida

More from NAHJ:
TICO TIMES INTERNSHIP – Costa Rica
Applications deadlines:
Summer Internship (May through August) – Jan. 20
Fall Internship (September through December) – May 20
The Tico Times offers four-month writing and photography internships journalists and photographers. Interns have the opportunity to learn the ropes in a newsroom, put their skills to practical application and live in a foreign country.

The writing internship is a full-time, working position. This intern writes feature stories and news stories each week.

Spanish fluency is a firm requirement for both the writing and photography internships, as most interviews and research must be conducted in Spanish.

Because the writing intern primarily works for the “Weekend” section (the features section), he or she will have the opportunity to travel throughout the country writing travel stories and hotel reviews. However, most of the intern's time will be spent in the Central Valley area.

The photo intern works for the features section and the news section, and will be able to take advantage of travel opportunities with the writing intern; the pair will work together on many assignments. The photo intern should have his or her own digital camera.

Both internships pay a stipend of $200 per month.


For more information, click
here.

TIME OUT: Finally Photogs!

More from NAHJ:

THE WHITE HOUSE NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION'S 2008 STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR CONTEST
Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2008.
The WHNPA Student Contest Committee announces a new contest open to students from across the country to compete for the honor of WHNPA Student Photographer of the Year.
  • Entrants are not required to be WHNPA members but membership is encouraged.
  • Undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a degree program are eligible.
  • Entrants must send a statement of enrollment from their advisor or a university official and a check or money order for $25.00 made out to “The White House News Photographers Association” to:

WHNPA - Student Contest
7119 Ben Franklin Station
Washington, DC, 20044

All questions about the competition can be directed to studentcontest@whnpa.org

Committee suggestion: A well-rounded portfolio should include a selection of strong single images and at least one photo story of a compelling news topic.

For complete rules click here.

TIME OUT: More MTV

More opportunities from NAHJ:
MTV NETWORKS - SUMMER ASSOCIATE PROGRAM (NEW YORK, NY)
Applications must be postmarked by Jan. 11, 2008.
This extremely competitive, 10-week paid training program is for highly motivated and focused recent grads who are pursuing careers in the media/entertainment industry and who have demonstrated strong leadership abilities.
Based on your experience, education and areas of interest, we place you at one of our channels or corporate departments, including (but not limited to):
  • research
  • international
  • creative services
  • communications.
From participating in our core professional-skills-training workshops to meeting and interacting with MTV Networks executives, you’ll gain the skill-set and knowledge base to help you fast-forward your career.
E-mail sap@mtvn.com to request an application.

January 6, 2008

TIME OUT: Pimp My Writing

"Ninety percent of being a journalist is showing up."
- Mitch Gelman, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, CNN.com


Here are a few of the topics from my presentation "Pimp My Writing" at The Campus Ledger's spring orientation.

The session covered:

  • Can I ax you something? - Developing questions that are both word and hatchets
  • Journalistic Bling - Style and Voice vs a hot mess
  • That's tight -- literally - Writing tight and with a focus

I'll add a few notes from the discussion and the Q&A.

Below are some of the web links I mentioned in the presentation.

Websites:

Handouts:

Freedom of Information: