May 2016

Okay, you would normally see that title around the winter holidays as we celebrate the end of the calendar year. For my purpose, though, I thought I would recap some of the highlights for the 2016 academic year that comes to a close on May 14.

As in typical LCCC fashion, the year was full of challenges, change, and impressive progress. Probably none is more noticeable than the transformation of the Cheyenne campus as our two new buildings exploded onto the scene. The Flex Tech building is scheduled for completion in late July with classes planned for fall. The new Student Services and University building, recently named Pathfinder Building, will be finished later next fall around November. In addition, we'll see the new campus Wayfinding Program installed all across campus and anticipate all of our signage will be in place before Frontier Days.

We have also had some noteworthy outcomes from our academic programming. LCCC continues to lead the state in our articulation work, primarily with UW. LCCC boasts the most articulated program pathways of any other community college in Wyoming. Other highlights include celebrating the largest incoming class of students in our Agriculture programs, the reinstatement of Women's Basketball after more than 20 years, LCCC being named first place for Tech Savvy Community Colleges, LCCC being ranked in the top 5 percent of public two-year colleges by the financial technology company SmartAsset, and so many more notable accomplishments.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to recognize the individuals whose careers at LCCC culminate this spring. Some of the College's longest-serving faculty and staff will be entering retirement this year. They include:

• Rhonda McCune (Accounting) - 39 Years
• Jim Wilkinson (Physical Plant) - 27.5 Years
• Kelly Willmarth (ACES Director) - 27 Years
• Brenda Laird (Foundation) - 26 Years
• Dr. Steve Cassels (Anthropology Faculty) - 18 Years
• Val Rodekohr (Program Director, Dental Hygiene) - 15 Years
• David Sweat (IT Services) - 14 Years
• Leah Noonan (CIS Faculty) - 13 Years
• Fuji Adachi (Mathematics Faculty) - 10 Years
• Paula May Johnson (Switchboard Operator, ACC) - 4.5 Years

If you get the chance, please join me in thanking these individuals for their years of service and all they contributed to building LCCC into the institution it is today. Thank you all for another great Academic Year. We are blessed to work for LCCC, and LCCC is blessed to have people like you working for it.

The Compensation Study Working group conducted on-site interviews with four firms last week. We are in the process of scoring the presentations and hope to start negotiations in the next couple weeks. We are on track to make the contract award and start work on July 1, 2016. As a reminder, the Working Group consists of Tammy Maas, Dorothy Moen, Tara Rood, Mindy Layson, Bobby Baker, Meghan Kelly, Jonathan Carrier, Jeri Griego, Pam DeMartin and Dave Vinatieri. Also, Dr. Joe Schaffer, Tara Nethercott, Jamie Spezzano, and Janet Webb are serving as advisors.

Thanks to all who responded! This spring, LCCC participated in the Ruffalo Noel Levitz College Employee Satisfaction Survey for the second time. We implemented the survey in Fall 2014 to collect employees' opinions about a variety of aspects about the college and as part of our KPI system. The survey administration was moved to the spring semester at the recommendation of the cross-functional analysis team established by College Council. A total of 293 employees (of 899) responded to the survey, for a response rate of approximately 33 percent. For full-time employees, the response rate was 73 percent (265 of 362).

This year, HR and IR are partnering to facilitate the analysis, which will again be done by a cross-functional team charged with recommending action items. Because the survey window was extended to allow more time for employees to respond, the action plans will be developed and ready for implementation in the fall. In the meantime, click this link to view the College Employee Satisfaction Survey summary results. Those interested in a more detailed look can find the delivered reports at the IR EaglesEye site, on the Surveys tab.

Thank you to everyone who is IN FOR 5 and participating in the new LCCC employee giving campaign. We have reached a participation level of 35 percent of employees — which is up 15 percent from last year's figures — and look forward to seeing this number grow. Your generous gifts have helped students in a variety of areas across campus. If you haven't had a chance to be IN FOR 5, stop by the Foundation Office (FA 198), and we can get you a contribution form for a simple one-year commitment. Are you IN FOR 5? You still have a chance to win an overnight stay at a 5-Star Hotel (The Brown Palace, Denver) if your contribution form is returned by May 1.

A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when tornadoes are possible in your area. Stay weather aware and alert for approaching storms. This is the time to remind students, staff and visitors of the identified safest places within the campus and prepare these locations to serve as storm shelters.

A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. It is time to move students, staff and visitors to a tornado shelter location immediately.

Please reference LCCC Emergency Procedures Manual (April 2015) for a list of tornado shelter locations. You can also find the most current version of the Emergency Procedures Flip Chart on EaglesEye (Faculty & Staff>College Resources>Campus Files>File Home>Emergency Procedures)

Download and save the Emergency Procedures flip chart to your smart phone or tablet so you have quick and ready access to it at any time. Printed copies of the flip chart are available on request from Campus Safety. The National Weather Service is at www.weather.gov

Click this link for the full construction update.

Please remember to complete Separation PAFs for your student workers. It is important that our database reflect current employees. Thank you for your cooperation.

This month we want to shine the spotlight on an employee who brightens our workplace!

Pete Oswald was hired as a Grounds Assistant, starting at the College on August 29, 2014. Pete says, of the fresh flowers he distributed to some lucky employees, "I am truly blessed to have been hired. All the grounds maintenance people love what we do, and we work as hard as we can every day to keep the campus running as smoothly as we can.

I did the flowers as a thank you to people. I think it brightens their day. The cool part about it was that the Friday I cut them, I cut them because I didn't want them to be destroyed by the snow coming in. I thought it was really cool that the following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were really cold and dreary and people had flowers on their desks."

He planted 1800 bulbs last year, and he hopes to be able to plant 2000 a year for the next four or five years. His hope is that one day we will have enough flowers that all of campus will get to enjoy them on their desks. When asked why he did it, he said, "Because it's the right thing to do."

 TIAA-CREF has changed their name to simply TIAA. Please visit their new website at tiaa.org

Standard LCCC Non-discrimination Statement:

Laramie County Community College is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory educational and employment environment. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation or other status protected by law. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The college does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational, extracurricular, athletic or other programs or in the context of employment.

The College has a designated person to monitor compliance and to answer any questions regarding the college’s non-discrimination policies:  Please contact: Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Room 117, Student Services Building, 1400 E College Drive, Cheyenne, WY  82007, 307.778.1217, TitleIX_ADA@lccc.wy.edu. 3/2016