Goal I. Access To Higher Education
On Friday, September 7th, Gilberto Ramon, Executive Director of the San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP) visited with some of the leadership team at Northeast Lakeview College. Currently, 27 NLC students are recipients of the SAEP scholarships. Discussion included developing plans to provide additional support to the SAEP students on campus and creating awareness about the program to current high school students. Additional NLC feeder high schools will become eligible for SAEP funding in the next few years. Mr. Ramon also toured the current Northeast Lakeview College campus and was briefed on the development and progress of the permanent campus.

Goal II. Student Support
Dr. Eric Reno, NLC President and Mark Hagen, ACCD Coordinator of International Programs, attended a meeting of the College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) on September 6-7th in Washington, D.C. Dr. Reno will serve as the newly elected 2007-2008 Chair of the CCIS Board of Directors. The College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) is a consortium of two- and four-year, public and private U.S. colleges and universities whose members offer study abroad opportunities around the world.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Dr. Eric Reno and Dr. Martha Trevino, NLC Director of Development, attended a meeting at Schertz Bank and Trust on September 5th. Convened by a local businessman, the meeting focused on coordinating a community-wide fundraising event for the Watts Lower Valley School project. Attending the meeting were several individuals from local businesses and the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District. Several fundraising strategies were discussed and a follow up meeting is planned for later this month.

Goal II. Student Support
On September 12, Northwest Vista welcomed 60 families to the first ever Family Orientation Night. The event was designed to help families of first time in college students understand the expectations for college students. Zak Cernoch, Title V program Director, welcomed the families and provided an overview of the Northwest Vista College history, values and mission. A team of full time and adjunct faculty presented information about the expectations for student success, homework assignments, grading systems, and resources on the campus for students and family members. Deb Morgan, Dean presented an overview of the CIP program and construction progress. Kasey Fielder, Student Development Director, made a presentation on ways students can get involved in student life through clubs, athletics and other events—ways the student engagement team focuses on addressing the needs of the whole student. Feedback from parents following the event was very positive.

Northwest Vista recently completed a reorganization of the writing labs to better serve student needs. Three labs are now open to serve specific student needs: the advocacy center, the cooperative learning center, and the Writing Across the Curriculum Center. The Advocacy Center will assist students with one on one tutoring for students with serious writing issues. The center will also help NVC respond to the new state law limiting student course drops by providing “Drop Counseling”. The Cooperative Learning Center is designed to allow students to work individually or in groups with the aid of a tutor. The Writing Across the Curriculum Center is for students from all disciplines who need help with writing assignments. Help from the tutors consists of working with citations and the development and organization of writing assignments. Staff has been enhanced at this multidisciplinary facility to better help our students. Each of the Writing Centers is designed to be a learning center. Tutors will work with students to edit, revise, and outline papers.

Goal IV. Capacity to Serve
On September 10 and 11, Northwest Vista College continued its partnership with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in sponsoring its fourth blood drive of the year on campus. 159 units of blood were donated over the two days, exceeding the goal both days. In 2005, students, faculty and staff donated 677 units of blood. In 2006, 713 units of blood were donated. So far this year NVC has donated 617 units of blood.
Last year NVC donated 713 units of blood. Currently we are at 86.5% of that goal with one more blood drive scheduled for November 26 & 27, 2007.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
PAC was awarded a National Science Foundation S-STEM Grant in partnership with Texas A & M University College Station for $597.435. This project will establish a Science Scholars Program at PAC and Texas A&M University (TAMU) which will enable 23 students to begin their studies at PAC and transfer to TAMU to complete their four-year degree. The students will transfer to the TAMU College of Science to pursue degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Physics. The course work they take while at PAC will be tailored to meet the terms of the existing articulation agreement between PAC and TAMU so they can proceed seamlessly into their upper division courses upon transfer.

Goal II. Student Support
A newly created office at PAC for Scholarship Support Services has resulted in 51 students receiving aid totaling $46,000 from PAC and ACCD internal scholarship sources. External scholarships recently awarded include the Urban Scholarship Award (funds to be announced in October), Sallie Mae Unmet Need Scholarship for $3,800; United States Bowling Congress for $254; and the Cesar Chavez Legacy Scholarship for $1,000. During the past week, Scholarship Support Services has met with 34 students requesting scholarship information.

Goal III. Workforce Development
PAC’s Corporate and Community Education Division have partnered with the Harlandale Independent School District to provide Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training to 17 high school seniors from Harlandale and McCollum. The Harlandale Board of Directors approved $15,000 for the project. In the Spring, students will complete their coursework and begin their EMT Clinical rotations at Brooks Army Medical Center or Southwest Medical Center. Upon graduation, EMT students will take their state certification exam and at age 18, can become employed as EMTs.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Selso Casares, President of PAC’s Student Government Association, has agreed to serve a two-year term on the VIA Metropolitan Transit Citizens Advisory Council. The charge of the Council is to provide an information exchange forum for VIA to work with community representatives on transit related issues as they relate to public transportation and issues impacting the agency. The Council is comprised of 31 members and Selso is the youngest member of the Council.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
PAC held a Memorial Service on Campus in the Free Speech area in memory of the sixth anniversary of 9-11. The ceremony began with an overview of events that occurred on 9-11, followed by a student-led opening prayer, a Moment of Silence, prayers by Campus Ministries, and patriotic songs by student volunteers. More than 200 faculty, staff and students attended the ceremony, which also drew media attention from five television stations and the San Antonio Express-News.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
St. Philip's College administrators met with the Dean of Allied Health of the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) to discuss a partnership on initiatives to improve student access to higher education. Several ideas were discussed to include applying for a grant entitled “Bridges to Bachelor’s Degree,” funded by several federal agencies including the National Institute of Health and the Center for Health Disparity. The purpose of the grant is to increase diversity among students, improve student engagement and promote recruitment and retention of students working toward completing their Bachelor’s Degree in the fields of Behavioral Sciences and Biomedical Studies. There was also a discussion regarding promoting more articulation agreements between SPC and UTHSC for degree completion. Currently, Respiratory Care at SPC has an articulation agreement with UTHSC for students to complete their Bachelor’s of Science Degree in two years with the addition of completing other core competency courses. Discussion ensued about UTHSC developing a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education or Allied Health to address the needs of the Allied Health areas that do not award a Bachelor’s Degree. A core group from SPC and UTHSC will expand our current partnership and work towards the development of initiatives and specific strategies to improve access to higher education for our students.

Goal II. Student Support
On Wednesday and Thursday, September 5 and 6, the SPC Advisors in Residence (AIRs) held a Meet Your Advisor event as part of the “Get the Scoop” College-wide welcome activity. Convening outside the Heritage Room and the College Cafeteria, the Advisors shared information with 150 students and staff members about the role of Advisors as well as information related to program majors and course offerings.

Goal III. Workforce Development
The Director of the Office of Community and Public Relations and the Director of Institutional Advancement met with the Miner Corporation. The Miner Corporation is seeking recent St. Philip’s graduates and students to work for its manufacturing and materials company. Both the President and Vice-President of the Miner Corporation met with these directors and discussed a curriculum plan to meet their future staffing and training needs.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
St. Philip’s College is renewing a connection and commitment to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of San Antonio. St. Philip’s is preparing to host several events on campus that will engage our College and community during the Annual MLK March in January, which is one of the largest in the nation.

In an effort to increase enrollment and reconnect with our alumni, St. Philip’s College is hosting a Homecoming Celebration October 19-21, 1007. The three-day event is designed to attract current and former students, faculty, and staff back to St. Philip’s to develop partnerships and avenues for financial resources for programs and activities.

The Tiger Café at St. Philip’s College received the Blue Plate Award from News 4 WOAI-TV. The award recognizes eating establishments that received a perfect score from the San Antonio Health Department during recent and routine health inspections.

The Testing Center at St. Philip’s College administered the Accuplacer admission examination to 39 students from La Vernia High School and the School of Excellence in San Antonio, enabling these high school students to register for SPC dual credit courses. In addition, during the rush of registration, the Testing Center was able to continue its important service to the public through administration of the GED Examination to 25 students. Currently, St. Philip’s College is the only Alamo Community College administering the GED Exam to students within San Antonio and Bexar County.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
An intensive calling campaign took place with the aid of the Advisors in Residence, focusing on those students with tuition balances and individuals who had not accepted their financial aid. These efforts have contributed to the gains in enrollment for the fall 2007 term.

To better aid prospective students and the public at large, the Advisors in Residence (AIR) webpage has now been updated to include the current thirteen advisors. Under new Title III funding, the AIR Program will soon be expanded to a total of nineteen advisors.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
On Friday, September 14, at the Killen Center Board Room, the San Antonio College Services for Women and Non-Traditional Students, LULAC Council #2, Rey Feo Scholarship, Inc., and the Alamo Community Colleges and the ACCD Foundation held a reception honoring 25 recipients of the Parent-Child Rey Feo/Reina de la Feria de las Flores Scholarship Program for 2007-2008.

Goal II. Student Support
Audrey Grams, Coordinator of the San Antonio College Service-Learning Office, with help from Learn and Serve America and the Community College National Center for Community Engagement, arranged for Clark Friesen to offer a Service-Learning Workshop at San Antonio College on August 23. Friesen is Speech Communication Professor and Service-Learning Director at Tomball College in Houston. SAC also helped make arrangements for Clark to speak the following day at Northwest Vista College.

As a Service-Learning project, Dr. Irma Ned Bailey’s English Composition I class is participating in the Veteran’s History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress. Based on the idea that 100 WWII veterans are dying each month, the Library of Congress wants to capture their stories. Working with local representatives from the USO and Lackland Air Force Base, students will interview veterans using note-taking skills and video recording equipment provided by the USO. Before final versions are sent to the USO and Library of Congress, the students must meet with the veteran again to certify the transcript. On Thursday, September 13, the students met with USO and Air Force representatives to discuss the project details and learn about veterans who have agreed to tell their stories and to determine interview schedules. The Public Relations Office staff are communicating this to the college and local media to get coverage for this project.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
The Department of Music and Humanities faculty performed a Faculty Potpourri recital at McAllister Auditorium on September 10 for students, faculty, administrators and staff. Chairperson Jessica Howard said this year’s recital “marks the department’s 55 year history and contains a significant retrospective component, complete with slide presentation, between numbers.” She added that the event is “a wonderful way to celebrate Census!”

In response to a request from President Robert Zeigler, on September 11 at 9:30 a.m., the San Antonio College community observed a moment of silence in their classrooms and offices. In addition, the San Antonio College Catholic Student Center held a 9-11 Prayer and Reflections Service.