WELCOME TO MESA E-NEWS, the monthly e-zine of college-wide events, activities

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In their comments, the Orchids and Onions jury described the Student Services Center as a building that “makes people feel good about coming to school.” They appreciated the project’s interesting architecture and tessellated façade and thought it was well-executed. One juror noted that it was “a handsome building that does a hell of a job terrain-wise.”

Student Services Center Wins Orchid Award

ASG officers give State Assemblyman Marty Block student perspectives Assemblyman Marty Block, D-San Diego, visited the campus on Oct. 8. The visit kicked off with a tour with President Pamela Luster, VPI Tim McGrath, and VPSS Julianna Barnes. After touring the new Math+Science Complex ,the group met with Associated Student Government members President J. Walker, and representatives Bobby Droodiani, Aliyah Beiruti, Thomas Bloom, and Mayra Preciado. The purpose of the meeting was to gain student perspectives on topics including budget matters and Block-sponsored bills, including one that would allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees.

President Pam Luster and VPI Tim McGrath were on hand to accept an Orchid Award on Oct. 3 at the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s annual Orchids and Onions contest. The 30-year-old contest takes nominations from the public for good and bad examples of local architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, interior design, and community revitalization. Mesa College’s Student Services Center was awarded an Orchid for Architecture.

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This spring, Mesa College successfully competed for and gained AANAPISI eligibility. The Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) is a federal program designed to support higher education institutions in their efforts to increase institutional self-sufficiency by improving institutional management, fiscal stability and academic programs. That designation followed the April, 2012, designation of Mesa College as a Hispanic Serving Institution. With these designations, Mesa College is now eligible to apply for Title V, (HSI) grants and Title III (AANAPISI) grants. “This current opportunity goes hand-in-hand with the college’s designation as a HSI-serving institution,” noted President Pamela Luster. “It is further acknowledgement of Mesa College’s commitment to serving historically under-represented students, and opens the door to grants and funding that will enable us to increase access and success for even more students.”

MESA COLLEGE AANAPISI STATISTICS

• AAPI students are the second largest ethnic

population on campus.

• 4,560 students (19% of the approximately 24,000

who make up the campus population. Breaks down

to 14 % Asian/Pacific Islanders and 5% Filipino.)

COUNTY

• San Diego has second highest population of self

reported “solely” Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders

within a CA county.

STATE

• California has highest population of Native

Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders outside of

Hawai’i.

NATION

• White House Initiative seeks to improve health

care, civil and immigrant rights, economic

development and education of AANAPI.

• The Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander population

has increased more than three times faster than

total U.S. population.

• Only 16% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have

college degrees.

AANAPISI Eligibility Status Opens Door to Grants and Funding

Kris Clark is the new Learning Assessment Facilitator at Mesa College. She will be assisting faculty and staff in several ways. First, she’s here to help define, implement, and record the assessments for your Program and Service Area SLOs. Kris will also be working to redesign the Taskstream platform to better meet our needs for the assessment portion of the SLO process. She has office hours available on Monday and Tuesday afternoons to assist you. Second, Kris will be working to improve Learning Resources at Mesa. She’ll be working with the LATF to develop a series of workshops for Spring Semester that focus on Teaching and Learning. Watch for announcements in the near future. Finally, Kris is working to develop a Resource Center for Teaching and Learning. Online resources will be developed first, with plans to eventually have a physical space. “I am here to serve faculty and staff,” wrote Kris in a recent email. “Tell me what you need to enhance your classroom/service area experience. I look forward to working with you!”

Drama Prof. Kris Clark

Takes on A New Role

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As a Fulbright scholar, Mesa College Professor of Chemistry Dr. Saloua Saidane planned to spend her yearlong sabbatical in her native Tunisia putting into action her vision of preparing college students for success by changing their attitudes and behavior. When the Sept. 2012 terrorist attack on the US Embassy in Tunisia forced the cancellation of Fulbright grants, Prof. Saidane carried on at her own expense, teaching personal growth classes to college students, training educators from throughout the country, speaking at conferences and helping wherever she could.

Making a Worldwide Mark on Student Success

James Bullock, US Embassy of Tunisia, summarized her contributions, “I consider being a small part of your work here… to be a highlight of my Tunisia assignment. You have done great things, (in support of educational and cultural exchange between the U.S. and Tunisia) and will continue to do great things in the future.” Indeed. A grant proposal that Prof. Saidane wrote during her sabbatical entitled, “Empowering students through a personal growth course,” was accepted and will be funded by the US Embassy and operated through AMIDEAST, an American non-profit organization engaged in international education and training. Prof. Saidane will act as the project director and lead trainer, utilizing videoconferencing and site visits during semester breaks. Photo: Dr. Saloua Saidane (in yellow), with a group of doctors who attended a two-day teaching workshop in Sfax, Tunisia. More than 374 graduate students, teachers and faculty attended her workshops offered throughout the country.

WE OUR NURSE! Mesa’s Director of Student Health Services, Suzanne Khambata, RN, L.V.N., F.N.P., earned the “I Love A Nurse!” award for achieving excellence in the work place and service to the students. The “I Love a Nurse” program honors nurses that exemplify the best in their profession. Members of PLNU’s School of Nursing review nominations and select a monthly winner. The selection committee sets high standards for the recognition. According to the program’s guidelines: “This person encompasses the desired care and connection to their patients that goes above and beyond just being a care provider but a care provider with an emotional investment with each and every patient.” “Suzanne works tirelessly in our clinic, serving community college students, and by creating amazing community education events and opportunities,” said Ashanti Hands, Dean of Student Affairs. “Her first and foremost loyalty is to the community

college student. No matter how busy she is, the student and student care always comes first.” Suzanne was nominated by Sue Shrader-Hanes, Clinical Coordinator, both are pictured here.

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Mesa College students, staff and alumni kicked off the college’s 50th anniversary celebrations with a homecoming game against Southwestern College on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Merrill Douglas Stadium. Pre-game events included the Vocal Ensemble singing the National Anthem, a Mesa Memory Booth sponsored by the Mesa Foundation, and other booths by the bookstore and spirited student club booths vying for the “best decorated booth” title, and the popular scholarship opportunity drawing. Half-time activities included an introduction of 2013 alumni honoree Jeanne Lenhart (see more below), winner of the Pay-It-Forward Scholarship Opportunity Drawing, performances by the Mesa College Pep Band, and the popular t-shirt toss with the women’s volleyball team. Vying for a $200 best decorated booth award were seven student clubs: Black Students Union; Women’s Empowerment; STAR Club, Robotics, ASG, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and Honors. Festooned in all things Roman, the PTK and Honors took best decorated booth. Winning the scholarship opportunity drawing that totaled $625 was Dean Jill Baker. See more photos here.

Homecoming 2013

Jeanne Lenhart, Ms. Senior San Diego 2012, of Pacific Beach, was this year’s homecoming alumni honoree. The Mesa volleyball player and ’66 grad transferred to SDSU (then San Diego State College) and taught dance at San Diego City Schools. She later returned to Mesa to take interior design classes, obtaining an Interior Design certificate in 1993, and opening her own interior design company, Mission Design. “I started my college experience as a freshman at San Diego State College and made the Varsity Volleyball team as the starting setter,” Lenhart recalls. After my first semester it became evident that even as an athlete I was not going to get the classes that I needed. I transferred to Mesa College and made the Volleyball team and a position as a cheerleader. Not only did I get my required classes, but it was less money, smaller class size and closer to home. The teachers were well educated and very interesting. I found that the General Education classes gave me what I needed to succeed at San Diego State. I highly recommend San Diego Mesa College.“ Now semi-retired, Lenhart still plays volleyball three times a week in South Mission Beach and in the US Open Nationals. At left: 2013 alumni honoree Jeanne Lenhart, with Buddy Farnsworth (2012 honoree, then, circa 1966, and now).

ALUMNI CORNER

FALL ATHLETICS

The Women’s Volleyball team has been working hard to maintain their Pacific Coast Athletic Conference title. The Olympians have only lost one conference match to Grossmont College, which is the #1 ranked team in the state. The Mesa women have earned their 19-3 overall record and are keeping close to the top of the conference with a 9-1 record (a game behind Grossmont.) Leading the team is a core of eight 2nd year players who remember what it takes to be at the top and what this team needs to do to further their season into playoffs as their regular schedule comes to an end. After the realignment of their conference, the Women’s Soccer team has taken advantage of the changes and has placed themselves on the top of the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference South with a 8-1-5 overall record and are 6-0-2 against other PCAC South opponents as they head into the latter half of their schedule. The Men’s Soccer team has turned their season around and snapped their four game losing streak by winning their last three straight games. Proving that they are a threat to the rest of the PCAC, the men’s soccer team is consistently improving with every game and taking their opponents by surprise which will make it very exciting to watch as their season unfolds. Submitted by Simone Sherrad.

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PHOTO OF

THE MONTH

Here’s the winning shot (see article above) that student Kyle Kenehan captured. In it, Mesa College sophomore, Patrick de la Garza, e lays out in centerfield saving two runs with this diving catch in a game against Rio Honda in February.

The Mesa Press advisor Prof. Janna Braun reports that Mesa College student journalists took home awards at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ annual Southern California Conference, which was held Oct. 12 at Cal State Fullerton. The conference was attended by 250 community college journalism students from all over Southern California. Two students received awards for individual work published in The Mesa Press this past year. They are: Kyle Kenehan, first place, Sports Action Photo, and Lauren J. Mapp, second place, Critical Review. Staff member Roxana Iulia Paul earned fourth place honors for an advertisement she designed promoting The Mesa Press.

The Mesa Press Student Journalists Honored at JACC Conference

Courtesy of Kyle Kenehan, The Mesa Press (cropped from original).

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It all started with a photo of a student in an Anonymous mask, then grew like a giant pumpkin into a full-fledged facebook costume contest, with ghouls, goblins and little critters coming from all over campus. The winners, Super Professors /Moms Toni Parsons and Paula Gustin , with 42 likes!

Halloween Spirit

Stay Informed and Engaged

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The SDCCD is governed by its Board of Trustees. No oral or written representation is binding on the San Diego Community

College District without the express approval of the Board of Trustees.

Comings and Goings Administration: (pictured at far left) David Fierro, Interim Dean , LRC/IT New Faculty Hires: (pictured at left) Isaac Arguelles, Counselor, DSPS

• Leroy Johnson, Transfer Center Coordinator would love to come to your classroom and make a short presentation to your students entitled “how to Make Sure You’re Ready to Transfer.” Just email Leroy the time and date you’d like the presentation. Leroy reminds us that, “Mesa is one of the leading transfer colleges in the state because of faculty involvement.”

• The SDCCD Payroll Department reminds us that if you have not already done so, you now have the option to choose how you would like to receive your IRS W-2 statement. You can “agree, consent, or opt-in” via WebAdvisor to receive your official W-2 electronically. By selecting this option, you will have access to your W-2 (PDF version) whenever you log into WebAdvisor, anytime and anywhere you have Internet access. You can access the WebAdvisor page directly by clicking here.

• Shared governance committee agendas, minutes and reports can be found at http://www.sdmesa.edu/governance/committees.

Facebook post of the month:

Can Can Mr. Lancaster please teach Statistics next semester? I learned so much from him in Applied Algebra.

Mesa eNews is published by Mesa Communications Services. To add information items, e-mail

lheil@sdccd.edu. Be sure to provide all specifics, and please limit your copy to 75 words or less.

Thank you! Photos: Anabel Pulido and Carol Beilstein.

Reassignments:

Kevin Branson, Kevin’s now serving as Acting Instructional Support

Supervisor He recently served as Acting Dean, LRC/IT (through 9/23).

Paul Gomez: Paul is now the Interim Dean, LLRC, Miramar College

Retirements: Barry Coleman, longtime stockroom supervisor, surprised us all with an email on Oct. 30 announcing his retirement: “It has been a pleasure serving the Faculty and Staff for over forty years. I will miss everyone, but I am looking forward to spending time with my family. I was told by one of my friends that I should only remember one thing: “The big paper only comes on Sunday!” A flood of kudos form well-wishers followed. You will be missed, Barry.