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Green Scene
Recycling Gains Traction Districtwide
by Debbie Hutchison
 North Lake College is the 2008 and 2009 RecycleMania National Champion in the waste minimization category. Their "Pin Man" trophy symbolizes treasure made from recycled trash.
Most people don't realize how much trash we throw away each day, according to Kathleen Gardner, chair of the DCCCDGreen Team. “So much goes to the landfills that could have been recycled or used for compost.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 75 percent of our waste is recyclable, which goes well beyond what you toss in your recycling bin at home or at school. Recycling serves two key purposes:
- It keeps valuable material such as aluminum and paper out of landfills, so this material can be reused in other forms and not wasted
- It prevents hazardous materials and chemicals such as lead and mercury from ending up in landfills, which can contaminate soil and leach into our drinking water
Formed a year ago in response to employee and student interest, the districtwide DCCCDGreen Team promotes sustainability and the sharing of Best Green Practices throughout the district.
In that spirit, following is a recap of general recycling programs under way at DCCCD locations.
[READ THE FULL STORY]
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Richland College Garland Campus to Open
 Richland College Garland Campus will celebrate its grand opening Tuesday, June 30, at 10 a.m. Located at 675 W. Walnut St. Garland, TX 75040, across the street from the DART Downtown Garland Station, the facility will offer medical secretary classes this month. Other programs will begin in late summer and early fall.
Richland used LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for both the Gold-designed Garland campus and the Platinum-designed science building, according to Janet James, dean/executive assistant to the president there.
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Wow! Story
Friends Act Fast When Co-workers Need Cash
Terri Edrich, Brookhaven College executive director of human resources and professional development and training departments, recalls how the Employee Emergency Fund developed from the simple idea of friends helping friends.
In spring 1999, two Brookhaven College employees were in critical need of assistance to pay non-reimbursable medical bills. With her experience in the district combined with her 18 years experience with FEMA, Edrich recognized that immediate action was needed. “I turned to colleagues for help and found them very willing to contribute,” she remembers.
[READ THE FULL STORY]
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Spotlight On ...
Employee Retirement System (ERS) Summer Enrollment
ERS Summer Enrollment is just around the corner, July 6 through July 31, 2009. Prepare now by reading the ERS online newsletter or by logging into the ERS Web site. Once there, you can:
- Update your phone number, mailing address and e-mail address
- Update dependent and beneficiary personal information
- View a summary of your current benefits
Premium rates and benefits will change this year. Details will be forthcoming from district Human Resources as soon as they are available from ERS. Questions? Attend the districtwide Summer Enrollment Benefits Fair, 9 a.m. to noon on July 6 at the west entrance foyer, Illinois and Knoxville Street entrance of Mountain View College.
[READ THE FULL STORY]
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New 2009-2010 Web Catalog is Live
Have you bookmarked the new districtwide 2009-2010 Web catalog yet? Easier than ever to browse, the catalog has been indexed and is searchable.
“In light of service leadership, the DCCCD catalog is a valuable tool for every employee, both for researching information for themselves and assisting students,” said Brenda Welcome, manager of Web communications for curriculum.
Each DCCCD catalog has a five-year shelf life. Throughout those catalog shelf lives, degree plan and course requirements change periodically and those changes are posted on the catalog Web site.
Welcome also stated, “We encourage staff to visit the web catalogs often to ensure we are providing our students with accurate information and to ensure students are following the correct degree plans, taking the correct courses, and operating under the correct catalog year.”
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Refresh and Refocus at Renewal Week
July 12-18 in Beautiful Gunnison, Colo.
by Debbie Hutchison
Fantastic displays of wildflowers line the streets and valleys around Crested Butte, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado, and favorite shopping and photography destination of Renewal Week participants. Ample rain and an unseasonably warm spring have combined to promise a carpet of color just in time for the Wildflower Festival this summer.
Wish you could be someplace cool when Texas temps hit 100 degrees plus in July? You can make your dream come true by signing up for Renewal Week, held July 12-18 on the campus of Western State College in cool Gunnison, Colo., with average daily temps between 70 and 75 degrees.
All full-time faculty, staff and administrators who have completed at least nine months of continuous employment prior to July 2009 are eligible to apply for this annual week of fun, recreation, risk taking and personal enrichment. Optional activities include whitewater rafting, hiking, horseback riding, historical tours, shopping expeditions, yoga and crafts.
[READ THE FULL STORY]
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Upcoming Professional Development Events
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Event |
Date |
Location and Times |
| HR Hiring Process A-Z |
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 |
DO Room 038
1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. |
| Emotional Intelligence |
Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009 |
DO Room 038
9 a.m.-4 p.m. |
| New Employee Orientation |
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 |
DO Room 038
9 a.m.-4 p.m. |
| Strategic Performance Management Workshop |
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009 |
DO Room 038
9 a.m.-4 p.m. |
| Risk Avoidance Training for Supervisors |
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 |
DO Room 038
9 a.m.-4 p.m. |
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HR Reminders
- The district HR office is conducting regular job evaluations for all professional support staff employees included under the student services umbrella. One-on-one campus interviews began in early May and will end June 19. Any identified changes will be effective Sept. 1, 2009.
- It's time for our annual progress discussions. Submit all completed progress discussion forms with appropriate signatures to the District HR Office on or before July 1, 2009. Forms and procedures are available online for your convenience. If you have any questions on the process, please contact District HR at 214-378-1512.
- Plan ahead for your performance review. Use the eConnect employee menu to access staff development records back-dated through Spring 2007 for training done at the district level.
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eNews Bulletin Board
Got news? Share it with the DCCCD family through the eNews Bulletin Board. Send us your information about weddings, funerals, honors, etc. We look forward to including your personal and professional notices in future issues.
District Office
Jameelah Ra'oof (Information Technology) welcomed daughter Maci Flood, 6 pounds 13 ounces, on May 7, 2009.
Brookhaven
Monica Taliaferro (Marketing and Public Information) accepted the position of 2009-2010 president for the Farmers Branch-Carrollton Chapter of the American Association of University Women on May 12. She will attend the national AAUW convention in St. Louis next month and will co-sponsor the AAUW student club at BHC in the fall.
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All DCCCD employees — including part-time staff and adjunct faculty — are sent this newsletter as a means of sharing important information about the district, employee rights and responsibilities, and the wide range of benefits available to DCCCD administrators, faculty and staff. We hope you’ll find it informative and invite you to give us feedback.
If you believe you are receiving this publication in error, please send an e-mail to internetpublishing@dcccd.edu.
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