Goal I. Access to Higher Education
The student selection criteria for the Early College High School was approved at the Judson ISD Board meeting on January 17th. Dr. Eric Reno, President, Dr. Beth Lewis, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Ms. Debbie Hamilton, Vice-President for Student Services represented the College. The Early College High School is a partnership between Judson ISD and Northeast Lakeview College, will sit on the new NLC campus site, and is scheduled to open for classes in Fall 2009.

Northeast Lakeview College continues to increase its course offerings to better serve its students. Additional sections of high-demand courses such as English and math were offered this semester and new courses were added this semester, including anthropology among others.

Goal II. Student Support
Northeast Lakeview College held a Pre-Bid Conference for the Lower Valley Schoolhouse Project on Wednesday, January 16th. The purpose of the conference was to allow potential vendors to visit the schoolhouse and learn about the scope of the project. Bids for this project are due on January 24th. The selected vendor will transport the schoolhouse from its current location in Cibolo, TX to the new Northeast

Goal II. Student Support
The NVC Career and Transfer Center (CaTS) recently reported on 2007 programs and activities that supported student achievement and success. The Career Center offers resources, guidance and assistance with undeclared major exploration, career planning, job readiness, access to college and scholarship information. Over 13,081 students visited CaTS in 2007; every one of these students was a face-to-face interaction. Staff provided initial support for application and financial aid technical assistance for all potential and enrolled students. However, 54% of these students returned and utilized other CaTS services such as one-on-one guidance in exploring and choosing a major and/or career.

Research consistently supports that students who declare an educational goal early on are more likely to be successful in college. The number of NVC students that have not declared a major declined steadily from 20% in Fall 2005, to 19% in Fall 2006 to 11% in fall of 2007. These positive results have been achieved through individual counseling and events such as Major Mania. Each spring and fall, students explored major options at the Major Mania event by visiting with staff and faculty at booths representing the breadth of majors and programs available at NVC. Major Mania was a purposeful experience in helping them in their educational goal for 96% of the attending students.

CaTS staff has also reached out to the students through training in Student Development classes. Since spring 2006, 3,978 students have been administered the Career Game, a tool designed to help students understand their interests, skills and abilities. This helps each of these students understand how to select an appropriate career. Thanks to the entire CaTS team, headed by Jo Garcia, for helping to make our students successful.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
On January 23, John Seimetz, NVC Coordinator of College Center, was recognized by the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center for his outstanding leadership for the blood drives at NVC. Representatives of the Blood and Tissue Center awarded the Star Award to Mr. Seimetz in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to the success of the blood drives at NVC. His efforts have increased awareness of the critical need for blood donations in south Texas which resulted in a growth in blood donations from NVC in each of the last three years. In 2007, NVC staff, faculty and students donated 759 units including 83 units at a special emergency drive. Certificates of recognition were also awarded to Sharon Dresser, Special Services Manager and Daniel Clark, Learning Disability Specialist, for their support of the blood drives at NVC.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
Four experts in Web Design will present lectures at Palo Alto College this semester, and students, staff and faculty are invited to sit in on their visits and learn from their experiences. All four sessions will take place in the Applied Sciences Building, Room 105, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Sessions and presenters are: Thursday, Jan. 24: Michael Connally, Michael Connally Photography, Connally’s Dance Workshop, San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet, and South Texas Triumph Association; Thursday, Feb. 21: Janie Gonzalez and Abel Sanchez (Palo Alto grads), Web Head Group; Thursday, March 27: Jim Aderhold, Gray Graphics; and Thursday, April 17: Louis J. Cardenas, Blonde Creative.in San Antonio and the surrounding area.

Goal II. Student Support
Palo Alto College bestowed the annual “Starfish Award” to Robert Hines, an assistant professor of history.  This student-driven award is given to a full-time or adjunct faculty member who has made a difference in the lives of students.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
PAC opens the ACORN Tax Preparation Center on campus in the Ozuna Learning Resource Center foyer, providing qualifying community members with information on Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and an opportunity to file taxes electronically for faster refunds. On average, 2,100 returns are completed at the PAC location, with $1.75 million in EITC and $4 million in total refunds going back to the community.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
Dan Goddard, art critic for the San Antonio Express-News, visited Palo Alto College for an article on the Fine Arts Department’s presentation of “What are you doing? Exhibition of Works by Nate Cassie and Ethel Shipton.” The exhibition began Jan. 22 and runs through Feb. 22. A reception will be held Jan. 30 in the Fine Arts Building, Gallery100 area, beginning at 4 p.m., with a discussion on the works scheduled for 5 p.m.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
A media event was held on January 23 at Port San Antonio to announce the award of $139,000 to St. Philip’s College Southwest Campus for aerospace workforce training. In support of aerospace companies operating at the former Kelly Air Force Base facility, Port San Antonio contributed funds to keep these companies competitive in the global market area. The funds will be used to train incumbent employees of Chromalloy Component Services, Chromalloy Power Services, Standard Aero, and Lockheed Martin.

Goal II. Student Support
Janna Hadley was honored as the ACCD Student of the Month at the Board of Trustees Meeting on January 22. Ms. Hadley is a student at St. Philip’s College where she studies English and Music. She has triumphed over long-term financial, personal and physical hardships with courage, grace and good humor, even completing her studies from her hospital bed. She has intentions of creating a music-oriented campus organization and is an active member of the SWIM (Service Where It Matters) team and Sigma Alpha Pi, the society leadership organization at St. Philip’s College.

Goal III. Workforce Development
The Continuing Education Department provided a two-day project management seminar to employees from the City of San Antonio. The presentation included information on the different phases of process mapping, the roles and responsibilities of team members, and the tools necessary in planning and closing out a project effectively.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
The College participated in the Martin Luther King March on January 21. Participants endured inclement weather on the holiday honoring the former civil rights leader. The three-mile March was a great example of unity and personified the College’s support of Dr. King’s dream. Following the March, Dr. Adena Williams Loston introduced Dr. Terrence Roberts at the MLK Commission’s Memorial Program held at Pittman-Sullivan Park. Dr. Roberts is a member of the Little Rock 9, the group that desegregated the Little Rock (Arkansas) school system. St. Philip’s College partnered with VIA Metropolitan Transit in a public information bus ad campaign highlighting the College as a park and ride hub for the Martin Luther King March.

St. Philip's College hosted the 2008 Youth Hip Hop Summit on January 19 in the Watson Fine Arts Center. The Summit was an educational element of the Martin Luther King March program sponsored by the City of San Antonio. Staff from the Departments of Student Life, Public and Community Relations, Fine Arts, Capital Improvement Projects, and Facilities helped to facilitate the event that drew more than 700 people to the Campus. Staff were able to obtain information from 400 prospective students through completion of SPC Prospect Cards.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
St. Philip’s College’s received international exposure through a San Antonio Express-News photo of St. Philip’s College faculty, staff and students during the 2008 Martin Luther King Day March. The photo was published internationally in USA Today (web and newsstand). The College was promoted positively throughout the San Antonio market area to include the San Antonio Express-News, KENS TV, KSAT TV, WOAI TV, Fox TV, 98.5 The Beat Radio and all media websites.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
Sophie Caldera-Castaneda, Learning Communities Coordinator, oversaw the distribution of $5,000 worth of textbooks loaned to about 130 students who are education majors from the college’s Academy for Teacher Excellence. The books were funded by a Department of Education Title V grant. The textbooks are for courses that are a part of the Education degree plan, and the textbook loan helps students with one of the major expenses of a college education.

Goal II. Student Support
Mortuary Science student Dr. Howard Anderson is President of the San Antonio Branch NAACP, whom he recently addressed as a part of “Celebrating Citizen Diplomacy: Our Country/Our City.” He is also an ordained minister and the Director of Diversified Spiritual Associates.

Two former San Antonio College students were featured in the Jan. 18 issue of Today’s Catholic: Gloria Delgado on the occasion of taking the helm of the Catholic Community Foundation and Velia Gonzalez for her ministry to the homeless pregnant women and mothers with infants at Guadalupe Home.

Students in the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honors Society, Beta Nu Chapter, held a used book donation drive. As a result of their success and the donations of San Antonio College faculty, staff and students, the PTK students won scholarships from BetterWorldBooks, an organization that has provided books and funds for more than 80 literacy and education non-profit organizations throughout the world.

Goal IV. Capacity to Serve
Dr. Tom Manzo, Associate Professor in the Foreign Language/ESOL Department, has published a co-translation (with Dr. Shujan Cheng) of the book Humble Table, Wise Fare I,” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Buddha’s Light Publishing.