Congratulations to Connie Kincheloe

Congratulations to Connie Kincheloe, member of our Germanna Educational Foundation Board since 1993, for receiving the Excellence in Governance Award by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. She was recognized for her work on the Board of the Culpeper Regional Hospital in part because of her work fostering collaboration between CRH and Germanna.

Happy birthday, Veteran's Day. Celebration of service, sacrifice and heroism is 90 years old today.

From Armistice Day in 1919 to Veterans Day today, Nov. 11 has been a day for honoring our military veterans ...

Today we express our gratitude to all U.S. military veterans and current members of our armed forces--those who are retired and remain with us, those who who have fought in the past, and as Gen. Douglas MacArthur famously said, "faded away," and those who protect us today at great personal sacrifice.
At the end of World War I, Woodrow Wilson proclaimed an Armistice Day for Nov. 11, 1919. Seven years later, Congress asked that the president issue another proclamation to observe Nov. 11 with appropriate ceremonies as "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.' "
Then it occurred to Al King, a Kansas shoe store owner and father of a World War II veteran, that Armistice Day should celebrate all veterans, not just World War I vets, and started a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia, Kan. Chamber of Commerce supported the idea and stores and some offices closed on Nov. 11, 1953, to honor veterans.
With the support of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, an Emporia native, also helped push a bill making it a national holiday on and the bill was signed by into law by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. Later that year, Congress formally changed "Armistice Day" to "Veterans Day."
Since 1978, a trend has developed which has seen fewer schools, businesses and offices close on Veterans Day.
Contact Joan Fischer at jfischer@germanna.edu about joining the GCC Veterans Club.
Germanna has seen a surge in veteran enrollment this year due to benefits extended by the new G.I. Bill. Please see post about that below and video post on homepage highlights at http://www.germanna.edu/.

Employee Climate Survey

The results of the 2009 Employee Climate Survey have been received and we will begin the process of reviewing the data and recommendations and determining what we need to do to maintain what seems to be working while improving areas that should be improved.

Overall, the results show a modest improvement in the climate since two years ago. Eight questions showed positive movement and two negative.

As was true two years ago, results will be posted to the "S" drive once administration has had time to preview the findings. NOTE: the results will be published in uncensored and complete form. Employees may review the 2007 results by accessing the S drive and going to the folder labeled "Employee Climate Survey 2007." The 2007 study was done as a "benchmark" so we could measure progress or regression with future surveys.

The 2009 results will be shared in the following ways:

• President and VPs review and discuss beginning on September 30
• Leadership Team of all administrators and managers reviews and discusses beginning with special meeting on October 5
• President's Council reviews and discusses beginning with October 19 meeting
• A summary presentation and publication of all results will occur at the College Council meeting of October 23
• A copy of all results will be placed in S drive under folder "Employee Climate Survey 2009" - October 23
• Open Forum discussions of results and suggestions for action steps will be arranged for later this fall semester

I appreciate the honesty that those who chose to participate demonstrated in completing the survey this year. We will follow up over the course of the year with action steps and changes in plans directly resulting from our discussions of the survey data. These actions, plans and snapshots of the data will be the subject of regular Germane newsletter articles, in emails where appropriate, and through this blog. I will expect that all administrators and managers will look for implications in their own areas and ways that they can use the data.

Germanna is a very positive place with a great mission. However, as is true with any organization and especially in stressful times, we can and we will get better.

David Sam

Germanna sees nearly 40% Increase in Students using VA Benefits this Fall

The number of students attending Germanna Community College and receiving VA benefits has grown by 39.2% from Fall 2008 to Fall 2009.

Comparing calendar year 2009 with calendar year 2008, there are 20% more receiving these benefits.

The enhanced GI Bill benefits, the return of veterans to their homes from active duty, and the economy may all be factors in explaining this increase.

Germanna's overall enrollment has climbed to nearly 7000 students this fall, which is a 7% increase from last fall. Full-time equated enrollment has grown by over 12%, suggesting s students are also taking more classes while enrolled.

We are proud and humbled to serve our veterans and gratified that they see us as a place for their lifelong learning to continue.

Spotsylvania County BOS Supports Building III

Good News! Last night after my presentation and Q&A, the Spotsylvania BOS voted 7-0 asking County staff to prepare a plan with college personnel for committing to fund $1.2 million over several years for Building III at FAC. Final vote will be at the regular meeting on either October 13 or 27.

My thanks to all the Spotsylvania Board members, to chair Hap Connor and Vice Chair Gary Skinner, to Doug Barnes and Russell Seymour at the County Administration, and to college staff who helped me prepare my presentation.

Special thanks to Bruce Davis of both of our Boards for his help and to Bruce and Jane Wallace for their presence and support last night. Much thanks also to Rick Brehm for being at the meeting, helping answer questions, and his ongoing and superlative hard work.

See today’s FLS:

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/092009/09232009/495602

David

Financial Aid Success

Congratulations to Mike Farris and the staff in Germanna's Financial Aid Office.

Despite a more than doubling of Pell applications for the month of August between 2007 and 2009, and an increase of 40% more Pell recipients than last year already, all Financial Aid for fall has been disbursed to students as of Friday September 18 at 5 pm--- One month earlier than in the past.

I deeply appreciate all of the hard work Financial Aid staff have done and continue to do to serve the increased number of students who need us.

I am proud of all of our staff and faculty. Their dedication and service during these hard times is exemplary.

More details on how the state budget cuts will affect Germanna

Friday afternoon, during a conference call with the Chancellor and presidents of all 23 community colleges, we heard the grim details on the cumulative effect of all of the cuts. The cumulative effect of the previous and new cuts in the VCCS budget will take over $105 million out of the combined budget by fiscal year 2012.

This recent cut will take $20 million out of this year’s budget because of the one-time use of the Federals stimulus monies, once the Federal Government approves this use. Beginning July 1, 2010, this total cut rises to nearly $46 million. On July 1, 2011, the stimulus monies run out and the total cuts made since 2007 rise to $105 million a year.

We now have the following clarifications regarding the Governor’s budget cuts:

• The one-day furlough applies to all full-time employees including faculty. Each college has the flexibility to determine the least disruptive date, but we were advised to wait on implementing until after the Assembly meets in the new year. This furlough day will not impact VRS final compensation calculations for those who are retiring.
• The State has been paying both the employer cost and the employee cost for VRS retirement contributions. Employees used to pay 5%. The state will not make the employer contribution in the fourth quarter. This will not affect service credits or final retirement amounts. Nor do the employees have to pay this contribution in the fourth quarter.
• We are being told that the VRS rate for fiscal year 2011 will jump significantly due to losses in the investment portfolio used to pay out, but details on how much and whether employees will have to pay any or all of this remains undetermined at this time.
• Those in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) are not affected this year. Whether the state contribution will change next year is also undetermined.

In the last two years, all 23 community colleges combined have seen an enrollment increase of about 20,000 students, roughly the size of 4 new state universities. Germanna's enrollment has climbed to its highest level ever.

Without a tuition increase or some other way of compensating for some of the lost revenue, Virginia’s community colleges will be reducing programs and services at the same time that huge numbers of additional students are coming to us for their education towards a good career.

We are using every efficiency and quality improvement we can. Nonetheless, we have reached past the point of doing "more with less."

I am confident in our faculty and staff. I have never been prouder in them than now, watching how hard they work with 25% more students than 3 years ago and fewer staff. It will be hard, but we will continue to do our best to serve our students and communities and fulfill our mission.