5/1/2000 • Issue #35 News & Views BCC Will Offer New AS Degree Bellevue Community College, among more than a dozen community colleges in Washington, will award an Associate of Science degree for the first time next year. Currently, only Associate in Arts two-year degrees have been conferred, with science and engineering majors among them. The new AS allows an easier, less expensive transition to four-year universities as a result of a landmark agreement between the state's community colleges and six public universities.  It provides the proper lower-division requisites and sequences to shorten students’ time at the baccalaureate institution to which they transfer. Traditionally, transfer students faced different math and sciences requirements from different universities and had to play catch-up the first year of transfer. Breaking New Ground Get ready to sling dirt at 1 p.m. May 24 at the campus location where the new Building R will begin to rise later this year.  BCC is thanking the Washington delegation of legislators who came to the rescue two years ago, when the college lost the leased space at Robinswood School. They helped move the building proposal through the Olympia hurdles and will be honored at a luncheon with BCC leaders prior to the ground-breaking. The entire campus community is invited to attend the ground-breaking ceremony between Building L and K. After the lawmakers turn the first earth, it has been suggested our retiring faculty make the second turn -- to signify leaving their legacy to a new generation who will study in the premier 72,000 square foot building. E-Commerce Comes to BCC In keeping with current technology demand, BCC will launch an e-commerce degree program next fall. The program, which includes multimedia, information technology and business classes, will train students to use technology to reach customers and integrate with suppliers in the high-demand field of electronic commerce. Students will benefit from the use of SAP software, which is currently used by many successful e-commerce companies, and the input of an advisory board including professionals from Nintendo, Boeing, Compaq and Avenue A. Future goals for the program include real-world student projects with local companies and an articulation agreement with the University of Washington - Bothell. For more information, contact Leslie Lum at 564-4063 or via campus e-mail. Celebrating Science BCC science faculty will join elementary teachers to present a day of fun, educational science demonstrations on May 10 at Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue. The “Young Scientists Celebration” includes an all-school assembly, group projects and hands-on chemistry, earth science and biology demonstrations (like making slime and viewing fresh cow hearts!). Life Science program chair Jim Ellinger worked with Paula Fraser at Stevenson Elementary to establish this educational partnership with the school three years ago to promote an early interest in science learning. Olympia Round Up Expansion of  "College Promise" scholarships, access to distance learning, services to students with disabilities, 3 percent salary increase July 1 for part-time faculty, and full-funding for the worker retraining program were some of the gains from this year's Legislative session, which just adjourned. It took a 60-day regular session, a 29-day first special session and a four-day second special session to reach agreement on backfilling I-695 cuts while faced with a 49-49 Democrat-Republican split in the House. The supplemental operating budget fills some of the gaps created by I-695 and adds $277 million to the initial 1999-2001 budget. The ultimate result is a $20.85 billion biennial budget that includes a $57.5 million “Better Schools” enhancement package for the K-12 system and restores some funding for transportation, transit, cities, counties and public health districts - the areas that faced the most significant cuts after voters eliminated the motor vehicle excise tax last fall. For community and technical colleges, more than $4.9 million was added to the 1999-2001 budget. Lee Kraft was confirmed as a member of the Bellevue Community College Board of Trustees. Opening the Door for Student Success Nearly 300 people stepped out for the first annual "Opening the Door" Scholarship Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue on April 26 with one mission in mind - to raise money for student scholarships.  Patti Payne of the Eastside Journal served as emcee for the event.  Former BCC students Tammy Flock and Christine Barbour presented student testimonials to support the need for student scholarships.  The successful event raised over $60,000 in cash and pledges for student scholarships. New scholarships will be available to students starting next fall. Physics Olympiad Debuts at BCC Last Thursday evening, students and teachers from local high schools, BCC faculty and staff, journalists and guests gathered for the second annual Internet Physics Olympiad. Held for the first time at BCC, the Olympiad matched students from Seattle, San Diego, Russia and Siberia in a real-time collaborative online academic competition and tested new educational Web tools. US and Russian students communicated via white boards and chat rooms to solve such problems as water pressure, combustion/convection, energy from charges and calculus equations. They managed to weather the technology problems between the Internet links. BCC physics instructors Doug Brown and Robert Hobbs, with technical support from Tom O’Rourke and his crew, were instrumental in the success of this on-line competition and have high hopes for a more streamlined competition next year. An Experiment in Virtual Learning Judy Woo and Leslie Lum of the Business Division are participating in a pilot course on virtual learning with faculty from the Eastern and Western Washington universities and the University of Washington. Students from these institutions will work together to consult with a business based in Wenatchee. Communicating by e-mail, telephone, threaded and video conferencing, students and faculty hope to establish a model for virtual teaming to assist businesses in less accessible regions of the state. A Visit With BCC’s Sister College Kae Hutchison, Dean of Instruction and Special Assistant to the President, and Ruthann Kurose, chair of the BCC Board of Trustees, just returned from a trip to Tokyo, Japan, where they represented BCC at the 50-year anniversary celebration of BCC’s newest sister college, Bunka Women’s University. They joined delegations from four other foreign countries and about 450 Japanese guests at the celebration. The university, which is regarded for its fashion design and language programs, enrolls 18,000 students in its college programs and another 3000 students in its affiliate pre-college level programs. The university is interested in sending students to BCC and hosting BCC students in Japan. A New Resource for BCC Employees Rietta Williams, BCC’s new Breast Health Resource Specialist, will be available to staff and students for individual appointments, presentations, brown bag luncheons and referrals. Through a grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Rietta will promote the BCC BEARS (Breast Education Awareness Referral and Support) program on campus. She will be on campus approximately one day per week, so call to say hello or invite her to visit your area. Contact Rietta at 564-2481 or stop by the Student Health Center in room C227. International Conversation Would you like to keep up with your foreign language skills? Each Thursday from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., a German conversation circle meets in the cafeteria. If you or your students would like to participate, contact Eva Norling at 564-2298 or via campus e-mail. For information on the weekly French conversation group, which meets each Tuesday from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. and Thursday from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, contact Carolyn Bilby at 564-6169. Ann’s African Adventure During the next academic year, Diagnostic Ultrasound Program Chair Ann Polin will take a one-year sabbatical from the college to set up the first ultrasound program in sub-Saharan Africa. Ann journeys to Kumasi, Ghana with her two children this summer and will serve as the program director, teacher and trainer at the Aninwah Medical Center. As in many other African nations, the standard of living is low and adequate health care facilities are few and far between. Ann is currently trying to gather medical supplies and raise funds for shipping and airfare for this volunteer project. If you would like to help, contact Ann Polin at 564-4181 or via campus e-mail. Spring Events at BCC May offers events galore at BCC: National Nurses Week - BCC first-year nursing students will celebrate National Nurses Week, May 6 - 12, with a display of educational health posters in the nursing skills lab. Stop by B207 to view the display on May 5 from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Eastside Moving Company Spring Production - Join BCC’s Eastside Moving Company student dance group as they perform jazz and contemporary dance selections at 8 p.m. May 11-13 in the Carlson Theatre. The production features works by student and professional guest choreographers. Tickets are $7 students and seniors, $8 general admission. For more information, phone 564-2415. Librarians Conference - Librarians from community colleges and universities across the state will gather at BCC May 11-12  for the College Librarians and Media Specialists (CLAMS) conference. The event will showcase BCC’s Critical Thinking and Information Literacy Across the Curriculum (CTILAC) project. For more information, contact Beth Fraser at 564-3138. Plant Sale - If you want to spruce up your office or home, visit the Science Division’s plant sale from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on May 11 in the north greenhouse (F100). For more information, contact Stacey Gregersen at 564-4085 or via campus e-mail. “The Three Sisters” - The BCC Drama Department presents Anton Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters”-- the story of three sisters and a brother who live in a provincial Russian town and dream of pursing intellectual and artistic aspirations in Moscow. As their dream fades, they struggle with the reality of their present lives. The performance takes place, free of charge, at 8 p.m. May 17-20 in the Stop Gap Theatre, room E101, on the main BCC campus. For more information, phone 564-2415. ASBCC Barbecue - There is such a thing as a free lunch at the ASBCC barbecue on May 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by parking lots 6 and 8 for food and festivities at the annual student government event. Parents and Kids Day at BCC - The BCC Child Care Center, Student Programs and the ASBCC present a morning of family fun from 9 a.m. to noon on May 20. This free event includes games, activities, snacks and entertainment for the whole family. For more information, contact Toni Hartsfield at 564-6151. Spring Vocal Jazz Invitational - Join BCC’s vocal jazz ensemble “Celebration” for its annual spring invitational at 7:30 p.m. May 22 in the Carlson Theatre. The concert will feature performances by two local high school vocal ensembles and guest group “The Trenchcoats.” Tickets are $7 students and seniors, $12 general admission. For more information, phone 564-2403. High Tea - Stop by room C130 from noon - 2 p.m. on May 25 and enjoy pastries, tea and entertainment. This event, which costs $2 per person, is open to all students, faculty and staff. For more details, contact Susan Herskovic at 564-6152. Movers & Shakers Congratulations to these BCC faculty and staff on recent accomplishments: NWCET Associate Director Pete Saflund has helped increase the prominence of the NWCET in a comprehensive national study on the Information Technology industry. He’s been working with the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) on the publication of “Bridging the Gap: Information Technology for a New Millennium,”  the ITAA’s annual IT workforce demand study. Business instructor Leslie Lum was selected as a Faculty Fellow by Boeing. Leslie will spend time in Boeing’s military and commercial airplane divisions to learn more about the business-to-business area of e-commerce. She’ll put this experience to use in the classroom next fall when she heads BCC’s new e-commerce program. Elaynne Rousso, sociology instructor, will also be working with Boeing this summer. Elaynne will work as a team leader in the company’s educational division, leading educators from the community college system and Boeing in preparing on-line learning modules for students and employees. Congratulations to Joyce Carroll, CEABCC’s employee of the month for April. Joyce has worked in the Office of Instruction for a year and a half and provides vital administrative support to the department. Colleagues appreciate Joyce’s dedication, problem-solving and organizational abilities and commitment to excellence. The BCC campus shines with beautiful blooms and flower baskets this spring. Much hard work and energy goes into planting and maintaining the beautiful arrangements. Kudos to the “Blooms Crew” Bob Hamilton, Mary Gemmel, Bill Laatsch, John McDonald, Rodger Harrison and John Carroll on making the campus more beautiful each day. BCC Students Make Their Mark Alpha Epsilon Rho Members Earn Top Honors - Alpha Epsilon Rho, BCC's chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society, was recently named among the top 100 chapters in the nation at an international conference in Orlando last month. BCC ranked #39 out of 1,200 chapters - up from #54 last year -  after consideration for its scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship accomplishments. In addition to this academic recognition for BCC's honor society, faculty advisor Jeff Cofer received the Paragon Award as an outstanding chapter advisor for the second year in a row. The chapter will induct new PTK members in a ceremony in N201 on May 7. Congratulations to Jeff and the hard-working members of Alpha Epsilon Rho! Marketing Students Receive National Recognition - Members of the BCC chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi (DEC), a national student marketing organization, just returned with their own honors from a national career development conference in Louisville. The 26 BCC students, competing against students from two- and four-years colleges across the nation, prepared presentations, case studies and role playing scenarios before a panel of judges from business and industry. Students Misti Haave, Brooke Vassar and Tyrone Jensen were overall winners among the top 10 in the nation; Jeremiah Stotesbery, Kyle Strong, Louis Malinak and Amy Nieborsky also received national recognition for their efforts. Earth Week 2000 - Last week students from the Science Club, Phi Theta Kappa and ASBCC teamed up to celebrate "Earth Week.”  Festivities kicked off on Tuesday, when a full house showed up to see Martha Groom (from UW Bothell) speak about the "Birds and the Beans.”  Wednesday found the "Earth Week Prize Patrol" roaming the parking lots and passing out free Cougar Mountain Cookies and Value Village Gift Certificates to students, faculty and staff who carpooled, biked, walked or took the bus to school. On Friday, the campus community worked together to help restore native plants to an area behind the theatre. Carpool and recycling information was displayed in the cafeteria throughout the week.   Campus Calendar May 6           International Night Dinner, Cafeteria May 10          Science Extravaganza, Stevenson Elementary May 11-13               Eastside Moving Company, Carlson Theatre May 17-20               “Three Sisters,” Stop Gap Theatre       May 18          Margin of Excellence Awards Ceremony May 22          Spring Vocal Invitational, Carlson Theatre May 24          Building R Ground-breaking May 29          Memorial Day Holiday June 9          Spring Quarter Ends Commencement June 19         Summer Quarter Begins                         Summer Hours Begin Up-to-date campus events may be found on the BCC Intranet at: http://intranet.bcc.ctc.edu (click on Events Calendar). College Relations Corner In the News The Eastside Journal, Seattle PI and Issaquah Press covered the Physics Olympiad at BCC last week.  See the stories online at: http://www.seattlep-i.com/local/phys01.shtml and http://www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/retr_story.pl/18372. Former BCC trustee Ron Gould was profiled in a March article in the Mercer Island Reporter. Ron, an avid community volunteer, was recently sworn in as a U.S. Court of Appeals judge. Copies of the article are available in College Relations. Drop by a reception held in his honor at 1:30 p.m. on May 24 in the board room. Administrative Services’ Barbara Martin and Rob de Grasse were featured in an article in the spring issue of Shop Talk, a plant operations publication. The article praised the public-private partnership of BCC and Costco and smooth operational procedures used to fund and build the new child care center. On the Web Website Traffic for Spring Quarter The average number of user sessions on the BCC website for the past two months were 84,493 (April) and 139,962 (March). You can read the full report for the BCC website at: http://www.bcc.ctc.edu/stats/bccstats.htm Summer/Advance Fall Class Schedule Coming Soon Look for the new schedule on Friday, May 5. New BCC Home Page Visit http://www.bcc.ctc.edu/nucmed/ for the latest on BCC’s Nuclear Medicine Technology program.