Author: akolb

Student Has Poetry Published

July 23, 2015 | Campus News

A poem written by Heather Luehr, a psychology major at East Central College, has been published in the latest edition of Kaleidoscope magazine. Kaleidoscope is an award-winning online publication that creatively focuses on the experiences of disability through literature and the arts.

Her poem, Leaving Kisses Behind Her, appears in issue 71 along with essays, fiction works, and other poetry by several talented and prize-winning authors whose work has been published in a wide range of literary journals, anthologies, chapbooks, and books. A link to issue 71 can be found on the Kaleidoscope web page with Luehr’s poem on page 10.

Luehr, a freshman from Union, found that writing poetry was a great way to express herself and her feelings. This poem was inspired by her late mother. Luehr completed a creative writing course with Josh Stroup, ECC English instructor.

Kaleidoscope has been published since 1979. Fiction, painting, photography, pencil sketches, sculpture, poetry, nonfiction, book reviews, and theater are all featured in various issues.

High Schoolers Complete STEM Academy

July 2, 2015 | Campus News

Students from four area high schools participated in East Central College’s inaugural STEM Scholars Academy June 22-30.

Funded with a grant from the ECC Foundation, the Academy gave students the opportunity to work with ECC faculty on activities related to science, technology and math.

“We covered a variety of topics each day,” noted Fatemeh Nichols, chair of ECC’s science and engineering division. “We began with lab safety and moved on to wetland ecology, environmental chemistry, terrestrial ecology, biotechnology, plant physiology, mathematics, microbiology and human anatomy.” On the final day, the students selected an ECC instructor who will serve as their mentor as they work on a STEM related project during the upcoming school year.

“I was impressed with the willingness of the students to try different things and not just do what was comfortable for them,” Nichols noted. “They were intelligent, conscientious and not afraid to ask questions. I appreciated their eagerness to learn more.”

Nichols stated that students were asked at the beginning of the academy what field they were interested in the most. “For many of them that choice had changed at the end of seven days because they decided they wanted to push themselves to do more.” The academy was open to students who had completed their freshman or sophomore year of high school.

Participating students included: Thomas Ley, Anna Miller and Kallista Stubblefield from New Haven; Charlie Penrod from St. Clair; Sam Emily, Alex Hanneken and Cole Parsons from Union; and Grace Birk and Madi Deters from Washington.

Nichols plans to offer the Academy next year to new students and also give this original group the opportunity to return for more advanced study.

Nine area high school students at East Central College’s Summer STEM Academy — Nine area high school students participated in East Central College’s Summer STEM Academy June 22-30. ECC faculty members worked with the students on activities and experiments related to science, technology and math.

The East Central College seal with the words: board of trustees meeting below it

Budget, NEA Agreement and Leases Approved by Trustees

June 17, 2015 | Campus News

East Central College trustees approved an $18.3 million general operating budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. That represents a decrease of 2.84 percent in the general fund over the 2015 budget.

In presenting the budget to board members at their June 15 meeting, Phil Pena, vice president of finance and administration, noted that the development of the budget for fiscal year 2016 required balancing the needs of students and the community versus revenue growth.

The college derives over 98 percent of its revenue from three sources: tuition and fees, state aid, and local tax revenue. “In putting together this budget we assume an increase in state aid, but little to no growth in local tax revenues and tuition and fee revenue to be down,” Pena stated. “In addition, enrollment trends indicate no growth for the coming academic year.”

Tuition and fees account for 34 percent of the total budget.

Most students at East Central College will not see a tuition increase for the coming year following the implementation of a two-tier tuition model approved by trustees in April. Students in four career-technical programs at East Central College will pay more tuition this fall, due to the higher cost of operating those programs.

Tier 1 is the same tuition structure currently in place: $76 per credit hour for in-district students; $111 per credit hour for out-of-district students; $168 per credit hour for out-of-state students; and $181 per credit hour for international students.

Tier 2 is a higher tuition for precision machining, industrial engineering technology, nursing and culinary arts classes. Tier 2 courses will cost $95 per credit hour for in-district students and $139 per credit hour for out-of-district students. Out-of-state students will pay $210 per credit hour with the rate for international students set at $226. The tier 2 tuition only applies to classes in the programs; students would still pay the base, or Tier 1, rate for general education courses.

Pena noted that despite the additional money generated from tuition for the higher tier classes, a projected four percent drop in enrollment will limit the amount of new revenue available in the general fund.

State aid accounts for 30.2 percent of the total operating revenue for ECC. Pena stated that the 2016 budget projects a three percent increase in state aid. This year state aid accounted for more than 28 percent of ECC’s total operating revenues.

Little or no growth is planned for local tax revenue. The 2015 assessed valuation increased 3.1 percent over 2014, keeping the rate ceiling at the maximum authorized levy of $0.37. Local revenue represents the largest source of revenue for the college at 34.4 percent which is up slightly from the current fiscal year.

The college has 200 full-time employees. All of them will receive a 2.75 percent salary increase.

For the fourth consecutive year the state retirement system will not raise the mandatory contribution rate. Contribution rates still stand at 14.5 percent for faculty and salaried staff and 6.86 percent for support staff.

Salaries and benefits account for the largest share of expenses for the college, totaling 76 percent of general fund spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The 2016 budget also projects utility costs to increase 2.8 percent and a five percent hike in medical insurance costs.

In addition to the general operating fund, the college has four other funds necessary for college operations which brings the total working budget to $39 million. The college restricted programs fund has expected revenue of over $1.3 million for next fiscal year. It contains money from credit hour fees that are used exclusively for the purpose for which they were generated. Another fund is used exclusively to retire the college’s long-term debt and the revenues generated from local property tax collection and is set at $1.5 million. The auxiliary services fund supports college operations such as the cafeteria and bookstore and projects more than $2.4 million in revenue for the upcoming year. Government restricted programs which include students grants and loans total over $15.3 million for fiscal year 2016.

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Kreutz Recipient of Outstanding Alumnus Award

May 19, 2015 | Campus News

Anthony (Tony) Kreutz of Union was named recipient of the East Central College Outstanding Alumni Award for 2015. The award is presented annually to honor an ECC graduate who has used his or her education and been of service to the community.

Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president, made the presentation at college commencement ceremonies held Saturday, May 16, at the campus in Union.

Kreutz began his college education at ECC in 1984, and earned a one-year certificate in welding the following May. While balancing work and family responsibilities, he returned as a part-time student, eventually earning his Associate of Applied Science degree in welding. From ECC he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lindenwood University.

In 1991 he began his career at SCI Engineering as structural steel manager and in 2001 advanced to his current position as vice president and partner at the company. As director of business development he oversees corporate customer service and marketing, including strategic planning, acquisitions and expansion.

A leader in his profession, Kreutz also volunteers his time with many organizations. He has been asked to serve on the board of directors for the Downtown Partnership of St. Louis, the Hawthorn Foundation, and First State Community Bank. He began his affiliation with the Make-a-Wish Foundation as a wish grantor and in 2016 will serve as chairman of that organization’s governing board in Missouri. He currently chairs the Mercy Foundation board and is on the executive board of the ECC Foundation. Kreutz is a third degree knight with the Knights of Columbus in Washington.

Anthony Kreutz; his daughter, Kaitlyn; son, Jacob; wife, Michelle; and ECC President Jon Bauer — Anthony Kreutz (second from right) received the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Shown, from left, are his daughter, Kaitlyn; son, Jacob; ECC President Jon Bauer; Kreutz; and wife, Michelle.

A member of the Washington and Union Chambers of Commerce, Kreutz has also coached his son and daughter’s Union Soccer Association teams as well as his son’s baseball teams.

Kreutz is a graduate of St. Clair High School. He is a member of St. Joseph Church at Neier. He and his wife, Michelle, live in Union. The couple has two children, Jacob and Kaitlyn.

The East Central College Alumni Association established the award in 2002 to recognize outstanding alumni who have set an example for ECC graduates by using their college education and serving their community. Past recipients include: Tanya Voss, John Griesheimer, Tom Robertson, Chris Manhart, Deborah Koelling, Tammy Watz, Dr. Frank Miller, Ken Schmidt, Chris Stuckenschneider, Ann Schroeder, Ted Coburn, Linda Mahon, Joe Purschke and Amy Wildhaber.

Trustees Approve Agreement with CMU

May 14, 2015 | Campus News

East Central College and the School District of Washington will continue to partner in providing programming in early childhood development at the school district’s Early Learning Center.

At their May 11 meeting, college trustees approved updates to the original agreement from 2014. Participating students will continue to have the opportunity to acquire both college credit and the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential while completing high school.

Completion last fall of Washington’s Early Learning Center resulted in opportunities for the college to offer coursework at the site for traditional college students and for students in the early childhood development program to observe the children enrolled at the center.

Arrangements for shared staff that satisfy the credential requirements of both schools are outlined in the agreement, along with space and technology needs for program delivery.

Jean McCann, vice president of instruction at ECC noted that coursework will continue to be offered at the Early Learning Center for incoming seniors from Washington High School and other sending schools in the area as well as ECC students.

Central Methodist University Presence at ECC Campus Extended

In other action trustees approved a revised memorandum of understanding with Central Methodist University for continuing usage of facilities for the 2016 fiscal year. CMU will pay a flat rental fee of $20,000 per year based on 45 credit hours per eight-week session for general classroom usage. That is an increase of $3,000 from the previous lease, which had been unchanged since 2005.

CMU has offered bachelor’s and master’s level classes on the ECC Union campus since 1992.

Architectural Engineering Services

Trustees approved a $137,000 contract with Cochran Engineering in Union for professional design services required for the renovation of the former Gala Center just southeast of the campus in Union.

Purchase of the Gala Center was finalized in April so plans for the renovation of the building can begin. The precision machining and industrial engineering technology programs currently housed at Four Rivers Career Center in Washington will be relocated to the new facility, along with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning program now located on the main campus.

College President Jon Bauer told trustees that Cochran is uniquely qualified to perform this work since the firm was responsible for the original design of the building which was constructed in 2007.

The contract includes fees for architectural, civil, structural and mechanical/electrical/plumbing/fire protection design. Cochran also provided cost figures on fees for the design of a loading dock and in-fill of the existing courtyard and patio areas.

Bauer noted that college officials will work with Cochran on design of the space over the summer, with the intention of bidding the project in the fall. Renovation would continue through next spring with the plan to move into the facility at the end of the 2016 spring semester.

ECC purchased the building for $1.2 million from Bequette Construction, Inc.

Underwriting Services and Bids Approved

George K. Baum and Company of Kansas City was authorized to provide underwriting services so ECC can refinance the Series 2008 and 2006 general obligation bonds.

Four firms responded to ECC’s request for proposals with Baum submitting the lowest underwriter fee of $3.75 per $1,000. Refinancing the bonds will allow the college to lower the interest amount paid to bondholders due to favorable bond market conditions.

Baum estimated a net present value savings of $240,528 over 20 years on the 2006 series of bonds. For the 2008 series, Baum estimated net present value savings of $646,716 over 20 years. Actual savings will depend on market conditions at the time of refunding.

Upgrades to computer equipment through a state-negotiated purchasing contract with Dell were approved by trustees.

East Central College will spend $29,297 to purchase 30 Dell instructor computer workstations to replace those currently used in classrooms. The purchase will be funded with technology fees.

The college will also purchase a Dell SonicWall firewall for the computer network. Technology fees will be used to cover 80 percent of the $37,716 purchase with institutional support funds used to pay for the remaining 20 percent.

Budget Update

Work is underway on the budget for fiscal year 2016 which begins July 1. Bauer told trustees that he is projecting two percent growth in the taxing base for the district and a four percent decrease in enrollment. “The big driver on expenses is the cost of salaries and benefits,” Bauer said. The administration is still negotiating a contract with faculty NEA representatives that will be incorporated into the budget.

Bauer also noted that the budget signed by Governor Nixon last week includes several positive aspects for ECC including an increase in funding for the A+ Program, appropriations for customized training and equity funding for community colleges.

In his report, Bauer stated that House Bill 19, a bond issuance to fund maintenance and repair projects, was approved by the Legislature last week. “We hope the bill is in a form Gov. Nixon can sign quickly so we can begin planning for improvement projects,” he said. “This was a priority coming into this Legislative session and we’re thrilled that the general assembly has passed the bill and sent it to the governor.”

Bauer said college officials are hopeful that the bill is in a form Gov. Jay Nixon can sign quickly so the college can begin planning for improvement projects. If approved, ECC will receive approximately $1.8 million.

Personnel

In personnel matters, trustees accepted the resignations of two employees. Andrea Garner, assistant professor and program coordinator of the nursing program in Rolla, will be employed through June 30. She started teaching at ECC in 2010 was promoted to her current position in 2012.

The resignation of Rachael Calvin, enrollment services coordinator at ECC-Rolla, was effective May 8. Calvin worked at ECC from 2003 to 2005. She returned to the college in 2008 as a program assistant in the office of career, technical, and outreach education. She was promoted to her current position in Rolla in 2010.

The board also approved the appointment of more than 80 adjunct faculty for the 2015 summer session.

Policies Approved

Two changes were made to board policies. Trustees adopted a policy to include a public comment period at the beginning of each monthly meeting. “The opportunity for public comment has rarely been used, but it is important to include it on the board agenda,” noted Bauer. “It will be beneficial to have a policy that specifically authorizes public comment at meetings and procedures that detail how it will be administered.”

The new policy states that each person wishing to address the board should enter his or her name and the topic to be addressed on a form available prior to the start of the meeting. Each speaker will be limited to no more than three minutes for comments and permitted to address the board only once during the public comment period.

The board will not provide a response at the time of a speaker’s presentation but may ask questions or request clarification to ensure understanding of the speaker’s comments. All comments will be taken under advisement, with the board president clarifying remarks at the end of the public comment session to address any misstatements of fact.

Associated with the new policy is approval of minor revisions to the rules of order to incorporate the public comment period prior to approval of the formal agenda.

Faculty Member and Students Honored

April 22, 2015 | Campus News

A long-time faculty member and two East Central College students were honored by the Missouri Community College Association on April 8 in Jefferson City. The students were named to the All-Missouri Academic Team, an honor bestowed on the state’s top community college students.

Dr. Bill Cunningham, associate professor of sociology at ECC, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is given to the top community college teachers in the state each year and includes a proclamation from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Cunningham has taught at the college since 1993.

All-Missouri Academic Team member Dawn Little is majoring in psychology at ECC and plans to become a clinical psychologist working in an underserved area of the state. The Union resident is currently president of Phi Theta Kappa and Rotaract, and has been a volunteer for the long-term care ombudsman program. She also serves as a campus peer coach. Little earned recognition as a Phi Theta Kappa 5 star member, Student Government Association senator of the month, and has been on both the vice president’s and dean’s honor lists. After completing her studies at ECC she plans to transfer to Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

Little is also a Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Silver Scholar Award recipient. Each year the foundation honors the 150 highest-scoring All-USA Team members from around the country by presenting them with gold, silver, or bronze medallions and a stipend.

Faith Joyce of Union is currently studying music and hopes to eventually work full-time at East Central College, teaching and

Faith Joyce, 2015 All-Missouri Academic Team Member

helping students. She is involved in community choir, piano performance and instruction, musical outreach to the elderly, and music tutoring. She has earned many honors and awards including outstanding music student, president’s academic honor list, and the community college president’s transfer scholarship. Joyce plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Little and Joyce received scholarships made possible by a donation from MOHELA, the state’s not-for-profit secondary market lender and servicer in the student loan industry.

Students Complete Intro to MIG Welding Class in Rolla

April 20, 2015 | Campus News ECC Rolla

East Central College recently awarded certificates of completion to participants in its first Introduction to MIG Welding program in Rolla.

Nine students completed the eight-week program which was held in the Rolla Technical Institute welding lab. The training included OSHA10 certification, a National Career Readiness certificate, and five weeks of welding instruction.

According to Mardy Leathers, executive director of ECC’s Center for Workforce Development, the partnership between the college and RTI to provide this program is beneficial to the area.

“We are pleased to have an asset like RTI to work with and provide a much-needed program to enhance the welding skills for employees at area businesses. It is definitely a need the college is filling for the industry as we are offering this program at four locations in the region.”

The Rolla welding program will be offered on Monday and Thursday evenings. Registrations are now being accepted for upcoming classes. Qualified students will need to pay a $40 fee and supply certain materials.

The Introduction to MIG Welding program is funded by Missouri Manufacturing WINs, a U.S. Department of Labor grant-funded program that serves Trade Act participants as well as veterans, unemployed and underemployed individuals, and low-skilled persons in Missouri in manufacturing-related programs.

The MoManufacturingWINs program provides qualified students with low-cost or no-cost training in high-demand, high-growth industries at proven training institutions such as ECC. Personal assistance is provided along the way from trained, professional career coaches and other college staff. In addition, recognized certifications such as the National Career Readiness Certificate can be obtained, giving students opportunities to enhance their employability and competitiveness in the job market.

NineIntroduction to MIG Welding class students — Nine people recently completed the Introduction to MIG Welding class offered at Rolla Technical Institute through a grant program administered by East Central College. Shown, front row, from left, are: Danny Wools, Bill Lloyd, Devin Woodall, Cody Leathers, and Jason Blanc. Second row, from left, are: Shelly Steiger, Logan Hetrick, Steve Campbell, and Gene Jesteadt. Back row, Cord Jenkins, RTI instructor.

This workforce solution is funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Tickets on Sale for Musical

April 14, 2015 | Campus News

Tickets for ECC Theatre’s upcoming production of Legally Blonde are now on sale. Performances are set for 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday, February 18 – 20. The production wraps up Sunday, February 21, with a 2 o’clock matinee.

This fun, fast-paced musical follows the adventures of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard to try to win back his heart. On the way, she meets up with a group of friends and ends up defying expectations while staying true to herself.

Legally Blonde stars ECC Theatre veterans Samantha Rodgers as Elle, Riley Dunn as Emmett, Keith Goers as Professor Callahan, Holly Szakal as Paulette and Andrew Groom as Warner.

Supporting them are Trish Baker, Claire Blythe and Anna Miller as the Delta Nu Trio; Elin Feldmann as Brooke Wyndham and Brittany Losh as Vivienne.

The company includes Cara Arrigo, Mike Askins, Katie Bauer, Rebecca Brinker, Rita Bub Jr., Rita Bub Sr., Carol Buescher, Taylor Coggins, Madison Darrah, David Dereak, Molly Eckelkamp, Elin Feldmann, Ethan Fields, Alex Gansmann, Chad Greife, Mekaela Gross, Patty Kellmann, Heather Marsh, Hannah McKean, Michael Niehaus, Heidi Nuckolls, Dawson Nuener, Shelby Oberle, Laurie Osseck, Alan Peterson, Allison Rice, Brendan Rodgers, Joe Schimsa, Jacob Schmidt, Olivia Schmitt, Anna Smith, Jared Sprick, Tara Steffens and Haley Walter.

Legally Blonde is directed by Grace Austin with music directed by Colin Healy. Chris Page is the choreographer while Chris Swanson is in charge of technical direction and design.

Nominated for seven Tony Awards, the music and lyrics for Legally Blonde were written by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, with book by Heather Hach. The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name that starred Reese Witherspoon.

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 636-584-6693. Tickets are also available for purchase at the Cashier’s Office located in the lobby of Buescher Hall, Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Admission is $15 for adults.

This show is not recommended for children under the age of 12.

College Partners with Clemco to Offer MIG Welding Classes

April 2, 2015 | Campus News

East Central College is partnering with Clemco Industries to provide an Introduction to MIG Welding program. On Wednesday, March 25, ECC’s Center for Workforce Development awarded certificates of completion to participants in the first Introduction to MIG Welding program held at the Washington manufacturer.

Five students completed the eight-week program. The training included OSHA10 certification, a National Career Readiness certificate, and five weeks of welding instruction.

Arnie Sallaberry, president of Clemco Industries, says Clemco is proud to be part of East Central’s MIG welding training program. “East Central has become a valued partner in so many aspects of our business and this program is just one more example of how ECC has worked hard to connect with the needs of local manufacturers.”

Mardy Leathers, executive director of ECC’s Center for Workforce Development, says the response to the program has been tremendous. “We are offering this program at four locations in our service area and we’re at capacity. In fact, we are considering expanding the program at Clemco to meet the high demand.”

The welding program will be offered every eight weeks throughout the year at Clemco Industries on Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday evenings. Registrations are now being accepted for upcoming classes. Qualified students will need to pay a $40 fee and supply certain materials. The program is being offered at several locations in the area in addition to Clemco.

Five people recently completed the Introduction to MIG Welding class offered at Clemco Industries through a grant program administered by East Central College. Shown, front row, from left are Chris Helsene, Justin Orf, and Lou Ann Feldmann (Clemco Industries). In back, from left, are Kody Fleming (instructor), Larry Wilken, Justin Spencer and Kristever Blair.

The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Opportunity for High School Students to Earn College Credit

March 17, 2015 | Campus News

This summer East Central College will once again offer high school juniors and seniors a unique opportunity to earn college credit at a reduced tuition rate.

The Summer Scholars program provides an institutional scholarship for eligible high school juniors and seniors to attend at a cost of $60 per credit hour for selected 2015 summer semester courses. Students are taught by ECC faculty at ECC locations or online alongside enrolled ECC students.

“We instituted this program last summer and we’re excited to provide this opportunity to high school students who’ve shown an interest in college coursework.” said Nathaniel Mitchell, ECC’s director of admissions. “The program also highlights our dual credit program and how beneficial it is for students to begin their college career while they are in high school.”

Those eligible for the program include high school students in the graduating class of 2015 or 2016 who enrolled in dual credit, dual technical credit or dual enrollment courses with ECC or any other accredited Missouri college or university. Current seniors who were enrolled as dual credit students as juniors are also eligible. The class offerings include accounting, art, business, communications, computer science, English, history, math, music, philosophy, physical education, political science, psychology, sociology, Spanish, and a variety of sciences.

Interested students will need to complete an application for admission and the Summer Scholars agreement form and supply proof of dual credit classes. Students will be responsible for purchasing/obtaining appropriate books and supplies. Special fees may also apply to some courses.

Summer session classes begin Monday, June 1. Due to the winter weather that is causing some districts to extend their school calendar, students should contact ECC if a class schedule conflicts with the end of the school year.

Those interested in the program can apply online at Summer Scholars or contact the Student Service Center at 636-584-6588 or Admissions@eastcentral.edu.