2002 News Release Archive
January to April l May to December
These are outdated news releases and advisories that are posted here for archival purposes. Current news releases can be accessed by clicking the "INDEX" link below or "News Releases" button at left.
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April 29, 2002
Business & Industry Breakfast Honors Ultra Violet Devices
Tickets are now available for the College of the Canyons Business and Industry Breakfast, which this year will honor Ultra Violet Devices Inc. (UVDI) for its continued commitment to education and employee development. The event will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, at the Ultra Violet Devices facility in Valencia. Tickets are $25 per person.
This annual event is sponsored by the College of the Canyons Foundation, the COC Employee Training Institute and the Center for Applied Competitive Technologies. The morning features a breakfast and a speaker, followed by a tour of UVDI’s facility. The featured speaker will be Thomas Orr, coordinator of regional programs at California State University, Bakersfield. Emcee for the event will be Kathleen Maloney, executive director of the COC Foundation.
“The Business and Industry Breakfast brings business and education professionals together to hear about new trends in industry, to see behind manufacturing plant walls, and to learn about some of the outstanding partnerships that have been forged between the college and the business community,” said Dr. Dianne Van Hook, superintendent-president of College of the Canyons.
Previous winners of the award include Answer Products, Bertelsmann Industry Services Inc., ITT Aerospace Controls, Aerospace Dynamics International Inc. and B&B Manufacturing.
The college and UVDI have been partners in support of education in the Santa Clarita Valley for some time, with UVDI playing a leadership role in championing education issues within the Valencia Industrial Association and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. The company has also worked extensively with the Santa Clarita Valley School and Business Alliance, a local school-to-career organization.
Note to Editors: Dan Goetz, vice president and general manager, will provide an overview of Ultra Violet Devices Inc. Dena Maloney, dean of economic development at the college, will present a special award to Goetz in recognition of his advancement of education and business partnerships.
April 25, 2002
Trade Seminar to be Held at College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons will be the site of an informative seminar entitled “Trade Secrets: Fundamentals of Exporting and Importing,” to be held 9 a.m. to noon May 15. The seminar is designed to provide a general overview of the issues confronting today’s exporters, such as: evaluating export potential, understanding documentation, getting paid and working with foreign buyers.
The main presenter is Maria Keller, a Los Angeles-based independent consultant. Keller has been providing information on globalization and other international business topics at trade and professional membership organizations for more than 10 years.
The seminar is sponsored by the Long Beach City College Center for International Trade Development (CITD) in conjunction with the College of the Canyons Center for Applied Competitive Technologies, in whose facility the training will be held.
The registration fee for the seminar is $40 per person.
April 23, 2002
Don’t Sing? Don’t Act? Don’t Matter!
Actors aren’t taught to sing. Singers aren’t taught to act. Yet musical productions may very well be the most common and commercially lucrative form of live theater. Stage performers hoping for their big breaks are often asked to display a talent they simply don’t possess.
The College of the Canyons Theater Department addressed that issue this past semester with the creation of a new class: Theater 161 Musical Theater. The class is designed not as a substitute for years of training in singing or acting, but as a way to help performers compensate for that lack of training.
“It’s not necessarily about learning how to sing, but how to ‘sell’ a song,” said Theater Department Chair Susan Hinshaw. “It’s not about learning how to dance, but how to ‘move’ on-stage, and move well.”
The class is taught by Mark Salyer, a professional actor and director with more than 15 years of experience. Salyer believes performers limit themselves and their opportunities by not possessing both singing and acting skills.
“Stage actors may take very few music courses but 80 percent of their work will be in musicals,” said Salyer. “Look at Broadway: for every four or five straight pieces, there are a dozen musicals.”
“It’s not surprising that more people don’t have both skills, though. They each require enormous amounts of time, energy and commitment. It’s tough enough,” stressed Salyer, “to commit to one or the other, let alone both.”
Salyer introduces students to musicals by initially having them perform a current or popular song on stage - without the music.
“I ask the students to treat the lyrics like a monologue,” said Salyer. “Once they’re familiar with speaking the part, we bring back the music.”
Students work their way up from monologues to 2- or 3-person scenes to full-blown musical performances. This semester’s “final exam” will be a musical revue entitled Under the Stars. It will run May 3, 4 and 5. Under the Stars is free of charge and open to the public.
“Under the Stars is an homage to the music of the 30’s,” said Salyer. “Cole Porter, Irving Berlin -- I wanted these students to get a feel for the glamour of the classics.”
The show features a four-piece musical ensemble and a cast of twelve and revisits the sounds of the big band era, but with a modern flavor. The music is set to the lives and stories of people passing through a park, as seen through the eyes of a solitary homeless woman who watches each small drama unfold.
Initial plans for the next “final exam” are already under way, as the class is scheduled for the fall semester. Hinshaw hopes to keep the class alive for years.
“It takes a tremendous amount of resources for a class like this,” said Hinshaw. “There’s lots of hard work and dedication required from both the students and professor. Resources are also required from the college, such as a sizeable room to move and an accompanist with a piano.”
“But for anyone considering acting as a profession, this class is invaluable. By taking this class,” said Hinshaw, “students will be better-prepared not only to perform, but also to audition for these types of performances.”
April 15, 2002
Students Selected to All-California Academic Team
College of the Canyons students Nicole Bennett and Ashley Short beat out hundreds of other hopefuls across California and were selected to the 2002 Phi Theta Kappa All-California Academic Team. Bennett and Short received cash awards and were recognized during an awards ceremony at the State Capitol on April 11.
“Both of these students have worked extremely hard to earn this honor,” said College of the Canyons history professor and Phi Theta Kappa advisor Dr. Brad Reynolds.
Every community college in California is eligible to enter two students into the All-America Academic Competition. The 60 top-ranked students in the United States are named to the national team and the first 40 nominees from each state are named to that state’s team. Selection of a student is based on overall grade point average, community involvement and volunteer work performed.
Bennett traveled to Sacramento Short is currently in Spain on an exchange program where both students received recognition on the Senate and Assembly floors. Bennett was presented with a medallion during a special awards ceremony and luncheon.
Both Bennett and Short, each with a GPA over 3.5, donated hundreds of hours to the AmeriCorps program. Bennett also worked as a literacy tutor at local elementary schools and is currently a Liberal Studies major at Cal State Long Beach.
April 10, 2002
Guggenheim Fellowship Awarded to Animation Professor
 Sheila Sofian, chair of the College of the Canyons Animation Department, has been awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship for an ongoing film project about James McCloskey and his crusade to free from incarceration people wrongly convicted of capital crimes.
“It’s really exciting to have my work recognized this way, and I’m still having a difficult time believing it’s true,” Sofian said of the award, which will allow her to make significant progress on “Truth Has Fallen,” a feature-length film that will tell the story of McCloskey through interviews with three people he helped free. So far, McCloskey has reversed 25 murder convictions that never should have occurred.
“James McCloskey does incredible work, and the people I’ve interviewed were very honest and forthcoming,” Sofian said. “Their stories deserve to be heard.”
The film will blend live action with animation in an effort to connect with audiences in a creative and empathetic way while exploring the circumstances that allowed such injustices to occur, Sofian said. The film also will delve into issues such as the death penalty, racism and the state of our justice system.
“It’s always interesting to allow people to see things differently,” Sofian said of her decision to go with the live action/animated format. “Blending live action and animation is a major undertaking; I’ve never done this before.”
She does, however, have a collection of award-winning short films to her credit, among them “A Conversation with Haris,” a painting-on-glass animated film that describes an 11-year-old Bosnian boy’s personal experiences with war, and “Survivors,” an experimental documentary animation about domestic violence.
Sofian acknowledged she is naturally drawn to social issues that affect people’s lives in dramatic ways. Likewise, her work reflects topics about which she is passionate.
Sofian studied at The United World College of South East Asia in Singapore and Old Dominion University in Virginia before receiving her bachelor-of-arts degree in film and painting from the Rhode Island School of Design. She completed her master of fine arts at California Institute of the Arts. Her work has been used in a wide range of media from feature films to television series to Internet sites.
April 8, 2002
2002 Student Art Exhibition Set to Open
An estimated 70 to 100 unique pieces of art will be on display during the College of the Canyons 2002 Student Art Exhibition set to begin April 16 and run through May 11 in the COC art gallery.
“This will be the first time for many of these students to participate in a formal exhibition,” said College of the Canyons Art Gallery Director Joanne Julian. Student work was selected by faculty based on form, quality and effort.
A reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 18 to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. The gallery’s regular hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Both the reception and the gallery are open to the public and admission is free.
April 8, 2002
Dozens of Wineries, Restaurants to Participate in Wine Classic
Wine connoisseurs and those who just enjoy great wine, gourmet food and fine orchestral arrangements should consider attending the Santa Clarita Valley Wine Classic, which this year will feature as many as 50 wineries offering their latest releases and a host of local restaurants providing culinary delights.
The popular event - a fundraiser for the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra and the Santa Clarita Symphony - is scheduled 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 1, in the Main Gallery of California Institute of the Arts, 24700 McBean Pkwy., Valencia.
Those who purchase tickets before May 31 will receive discounted prices of $60 per person or $110 per couple. Prices at the door will be $70 per person or $120 per couple. Group sales for a minimum of 10 people are available until May 17 for $50 per person. Designated drivers may obtain tickets for just $35.
A wide selection of current and rare, vintage wines will be offered during a silent auction, professional musicians will perform for guests, and vintage library wines will be available for tasting. All guests will receive souvenir wine glasses and trays.
The SCV Youth Orchestra is a three-tiered instrumental educational program that was founded at CalArts in 1986 and moved to College of the Canyons in 1989. The program provides a positive and creative outlet for hundreds of young musicians.
“The Wine Classic has traditionally been a major source of funds for the Youth Orchestra program, and we are delighted it will now also help the Santa Clarita Symphony,” said Terry Montross, president of the Youth Orchestra Board of Directors.
The Santa Clarita Symphony Association is a new non-profit organization dedicated to creating a professional symphony orchestra that will attract Santa Clarita Valley audiences to symphonic music, strengthen music education in our schools, and inspire young and old to appreciate orchestral literature.
“It is very difficult to start a new professional symphony,” said Sally Angel, founder and vice president of the Santa Clarita Symphony Association. “It requires a lot of money to hire musicians, but nobody wants to contribute until you’ve done something. Proceeds from the Wine Classic, together with funding from the City of Santa Clarita and the Music Performance Trust Fund, will enable us to present our first concert this summer.”
The Santa Clarita Symphony will perform its inaugural concert as the finale to the city’s 2002 Concerts in the Parks series at Newhall Park on Sept. 1.
Both the Youth Orchestra and the Symphony are directed by Robert Lawson, a member of the music faculty at College of the Canyons and chair of the Music Department at Ventura College.
April 4, 2002
COC Choirs Combine for Musical Extravaganza
The College of the Canyons choral department’s spring production will deliver in grand style when all three choirs unify for a musical extravaganza on May 17. Led by director Julie Lawson, the concert will explore a wide variety of languages, styles and composers while combining the unique talents of the three separate COC choirs.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to blend the voices of all three groups into one fascinating, cohesive performance,” said Lawson.
In order to accommodate the rapidly expanding choral department, three separate choirs were created at College of the Canyons, each specializing in a specific range of music. The Voices of the Canyons is a large, mixed-voice choir that works on everything from folk songs, spirituals, motets and cantatas, to larger works for choir and orchestra. The Chamber Singers, also a mixed-voice group, is smaller in size and works on music more suitable for small, intimate gatherings, such as madrigals, chansons, jazz and pop. Les Chanteuses, a women's choir and the newest addition to the campus, performs music written specifically for the female voice. Choir membership is drawn from both students and community members alike.
The choirs will merge their talents to perform an exciting mix of styles on May 17, with scheduled works ranging from Schubert to Berlin, Gospel to Renaissance Motet, and Latin to Japanese. The performance begins at 8 p.m. in the campus dining room. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, children and students and include refreshments following the performance.
About Director Julie Lawson: Julie Lawson is an accomplished pianist who earned her master's degree in piano performance from Cal State Northridge. She accompanied the Cal Arts Chorus and the College of the Canyons Festival Choir for five years before becoming the choral director at College of the Canyons in 1996. In the Fall of 1997, she formed the College of the Canyons Chamber Singers, and in the Fall of 1998, she started Les Chanteuses, her women's choir. Ms. Lawson has served as an Assistant Conductor for the First Presbyterian Church in Newhall and fills in on occasion as choral conductor at Cal Arts, Los Angeles Valley College, the Choral Society of Southern California, and the Zimriyah Chorale. She has worked extensively with Dr. Nick Strimple, a well-respected choral conductor and composer in the Los Angeles area. She is his accompanist for the Choral Society of Southern California; and toured through England and the Netherlands with the group in the Summer of 1999. She is also the pianist with the Zimriyah Chorale and completed a concert tour with them in Israel in 1998. Ms. Lawson has attended master classes in choral conducting with Rodney Eichenberger, Professor of Music at Florida State University, and with Michael Shani, conductor of the Tel Aviv Chamber Choir. She was recently appointed the Performing Arts Coordinator at College of the Canyons.
March 26, 2002
New Website Brings Employers, College Interns Together
 College of the Canyons has introduced a new online feature that allows employers to quickly fill internship opportunities and students to obtain valuable work experience in their chosen fields.
Offered through the college’s Cooperative Work Experience Education (CWEE) program, the Internet-based service matches college students with a wide variety of paid and unpaid internships throughout the Los Angeles area.
“This is a truly valuable service we’re offering to both employers and students,” CWEE Director Stan Wright said. “It allows employers to post internships in 5 minutes or less, and it allows students to jumpstart their careers in a dramatic way.”
Thirty internships are available now through the CWEE program, which has more than 50 students already placed in internships. Opportunities reflect the diverse range of employers in the region, from advertising to computer information, from government to welding, and from radio/television broadcasting to film production.
Most of the internships are located at companies within the Santa Clarita Valley, while others are based in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The program also allows students to earn college credit while simultaneously participating in the program, Wright said.
Students and employers alike can participate in the internship program by visiting the CWEE web site. Students can view a list of available internships, choose one that interests them and apply for the position online. Similarly, employers can register and offer their internship opportunities online. The CWEE staff reviews all applications, helps students prepare their resumes and forwards qualified applicants to employers.
Students who participate in the program are required to work toward specific objectives agreed to by their respective employers. Employers are asked to collaborate with the interns, track their progress and evaluate their performance.
“We view this partnership as one that truly benefits both students and employers,” Wright said. “It’s an opportunity for students to utilize the skills they’ve learned in the classroom to move forward in their careers by making a worthwhile contribution in the workplace. And it’s an opportunity for employers to make a significant contribution to an employee’s education in a way that benefits them.”
March 26, 2002
MESA Program Among Top-Five Innovators in Nation
Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA), a statewide program that operates a center at College of the Canyons, was one of just five recipients nationwide of the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award.
The MESA program was nominated by Governor Gray Davis and was one of more than 1,200 nominees - and the only California winner of this award.
A project of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Ford Foundation and the Council for Excellence in Government, the award recognizes public programs that exhibit outstanding problem solving and creativity.
MESA helps more than 32,000 educationally disadvantaged students excel in math and science, as well as graduate with baccalaureates in math-based fields. In the last three years, 100 percent MESA community college students who transferred to four-year institutions entered a math-based field.
March 6, 2002
Crying Baby? Infant Massage May be the Answer
Is your crying or colicky baby giving you the baby blues? Do you wish you could find an easy way to relieve baby’s stress and yours at the same time? Well, College of the Canyons Community Extension is offering a class that may be the answer to your wishes.
Infant massage has proven to very effective in helping to quell infant discomfort when parents are trained in the appropriate techniques. The class meets from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on either Thursday, March 14, or Thursday, April 25. Classes are taught by Jill Trimble, an instructor certified in infant massage by the International Association of Infant Massage.
The class is designed for busy mothers who want to learn quick and natural ways to nurture and relieve stress in their babies. The benefits of infant massage classes are many, including learning how to massage to release tension for a more restful sleep, learning to listen to infants crying and read signals about their needs, and learning how to massage to relieve colic.
The enrollment fee for the class is $35.
The class is one of the many “fee-based, self-supporting” classes offered by College of the Canyons Community Extension and is not associated with the taxpayer-supported credit classes offered by the college.
March 1, 2002
College Has Winning Partnership with Cal State Bakersfield
When Cindy Queen moved to the Santa Clarita Valley two years ago, the only thing she really dreaded was the idea that she had to get on the freeway three or more times during the week for the nearly 40-mile round trip to pursue her goal of becoming a credentialed teacher. She’d leave her house an hour early to get to class on time, arrange complex logistics in order to get child care for her children, and was completely “stressed out” before she ever arrived at the classroom. According to Queen, “That was not fun at all!” Then things changed.
Queen discovered that California State University Bakersfield’s (CSUB) Regional Programs, in partnership with College of the Canyons, was offering upper-division programs at the Interim University Center in the Santa Clarita Valley. She got very excited. After she earned her bachelor’s degree, Queen, like so many others who have benefited from having access to higher education in the Santa Clarita Valley, arranged to start the elementary education credential program through CSUB’s Regional Program at University Center.
The University Center concept has caught on in a big way at College of the Canyons. Institutions such as Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fresno, Chapman University, University of La Verne, ELS Language Centers and Nova Southeastern University have signed on as University Center partners, bringing with them advanced-degree and training programs. It means residents can earn bachelor's and master's degrees right on the College of the Canyons campus eliminating the need to travel beyond the Santa Clarita Valley.
“I cannot tell you how much simpler my life is now. The convenience of having a CSUB/COC partnership local accredited university program makes things easier for many of us. This program is building such a great reputation that even students from the San Fernando Valley are traveling up here just to be a part of it. And the impact that this program has had on my life is tremendous.”
For Sara del Villar, the CSUB Regional Programs presence on the COC campus has allowed her to complete a bachelor's degree in liberal studies. Completing the program in just 24 months, del Villar was one of the first graduates of the liberal studies program in Santa Clarita. Currently enrolled in the elementary education credential program with Queen, del Villar also commuted to the San Fernando Valley after earning her AA from COC. When universities began offering programs on the College of the Canyons campus, there was no reason to go anywhere else. Now she is attending classes and completing her education just minutes from her home. “I have lived in Santa Clarita for most of my life, and having university programs here made my educational experience so much more enjoyable. Although the hours and the hard work sometimes seemed never-ending, I am now about to finish the CSUB credential program and do what I have always wanted to do -- teach!”
Not considered an extension program, CSUB’s Regional Programs is a resident, self-supported program offered entirely on the COC campus. Responding to the critical shortage of credentialed teachers, CSUB initially offered the bachelor degree in liberal studies in January 2000. Within three months, the elementary education teaching credential was added to the CSUB/COC partnership.
Faculty from the main campus in Bakersfield drive to COC to teach most of the courses, while some local educators are hired to assist in providing depth to the course offerings. CSUB will soon have an office located in the Interim University Center (Room Y-116) located on the COC campus.
The Interim University Center is a modular “quick fix” to meet demand, allowing CSUB and other university partners that comprise the future SCV University Center to begin offering their programs on the COC campus prior to the building of a permanent, larger structure. The interim center is nicely outfitted with 10 classrooms, some faculty offices and other amenities. It is already filled to capacity 15 hours a day, six days a week.
According to Queen, “The CSUB instructors are all wonderful people who dedicate their time to providing excellent and relevant information to the students. Also, the students are responsible and reliable individuals who demonstrate their interests in succeeding and their willingness to meet their goals, adding to the success of the program. Because of this program, I have the opportunity to further my education by obtaining a master’s degree, which you can bet I will do just as soon as I am eligible."
Queen has even recruited her husband Larry to join one of CSUB’s graduate programs.
February 22, 2002
Extension Offers Native Flutes Workshop
The College of the Canyons Community Extension Office is offering a, not-for-credit workshop that is guaranteed to be fun - and educational - for the whole family. Flutist and music educator, Maria Kostelas, will lead you in this hands-on workshop where you’ll experience the benefits of playing the flute first hand. This workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2002.
Using native flutes from Kostelas’ 100-piece collection and through guided meditations and simple exercised, you will learn how to create your own healing music. You will quickly experience how native flute music increases your sense of relaxation and overall well-being; reduces anxiety and stress; restores energy; and enhances creativity amongst other benefits.
The fee for the workshop is $69 and all participants will receive a free gift flute.
This workshop is one of the many “fee-based, self-supporting” educational opportunities offered by College of the Canyons’ Community Extension and is not associated with the taxpayer supported, credit classes offered by the college.
February 22, 2002
Infant Massage for Busy Moms Class Offered
College of the Canyons is offering a class in Infant Massage. The class meets from 10 a.m. to noon or either Thursday March 14 or Thursday April 25th. Classes are taught by Jill Trimble, an instructor certified in Infant Massage by the International Association of Infant Massage.
This class is designed for busy mothers who want to learn quick and natural ways to nurture and relieve stress in their babies. The benefits of infant massage classes are many, including learning how to massage to release tension for a more restful sleep, learning to listen to infants crying and reading signals about their needs, and learning how to massage to relieve colic.
The enrollment fee for the class is $35.
This class is one of the many “fee-based, self-supporting” classes offered by College of the Canyons’ Community Extension and is not associated with the taxpayer supported, credit classes offered by the college.
February 22, 2002
Self-Help Classes Deal with Earning Power, Personal Finance
Tax time will soon be on us and with that comes the annual realization for many of us that we “just aren’t making enough” or “just aren’t saving enough to retire on.” With that in mind, the College of the Canyons Community Extension Office has created three courses/classes that may help.
The first is a course called “Making Money Selling Options.” It is offered from 7 to 10 p.m. on 5 Mondays from March 4th to April 1st, 2002. Instructor John Farrar manages client portfolios on a daily basis at Professionally Managed Portfolios and will be sharing his experience and insights into the business. Not only will he share his unique trading strategies with you, but he’ll help you learn how to control and manage risk.
The fee for the course is $75 per person or $90 per couple.
Secondly, John Vance, a registered investment consultant who mentors and advises more than twenty investments clubs throughout southern California, will teach a class on market research and analysis. The class is called, appropriately, “Can You Afford To Retire?” The class will unlock the secrets to planning a successful retirement. Whether you are already retired or are within ten years of retirement, this class will give you the knowledge to provide for a lifetime of financial security.
The fee for this class is $35 per person or $50 per couple.
The third class being offered is one that helps you realize income through experience you may already have. Mike Rounds will teach you what it takes to become a highly paid coach, consultant or trainer. The class will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, March 4th.
Rounds is a frequent lecturer in areas of personal development, new product development, invention and toy marketing, business plan writing, contracts and marketing philosophies. He’ll teach you about the types of coaching and consulting activities that are most popular, legal/tax issues, how to locate clients and create fee structures, low/no cost methods of advertising and promotion and how to promote your services.
The fee for the class is $39 with a $20 materials fee.
These classes are some of the many “fee-based, self-supporting” educational opportunities offered by College of the Canyons’ Community Extension and are not associated with the taxpayer supported, credit classes offered by the college.
February 19, 2002
Reservations Accepted for Manufacturers' Breakfast Workshop
Final reservations are being accepted for an event that no local manufacturer should miss: the second-annual “Making Business Better” breakfast workshop at the Hyatt Valencia on March 1.
The event, sponsored by the Employee Training Institute at College of the Canyons and the Ventura College Center for Excellence, will focus on the latest approaches in preparing the workforce with effective systems and an organizational culture that supports continuous improvement.
Keynote speaker will be California economist Dr. Mark Schniepp, CEO of the California Forecast, lead economist for state Controller Kathleen O’Connell, and former director of the UCSB Forecast Project. Schniepp will speak about the local and statewide economy and its effects on manufacturing in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The forum also will focus on:
1. How to build a framework for aligning your business needs with your performance needs, presented by performance specialist Luann Swanberg;
2. How taking responsibility is the most important thing you can do for your company, and how to create a culture within your organization that supports continuous improvements, presented by Samantha Thomas of Thomas Conflict Management Services;
3. How programs from ETI can help you achieve your company’s goals this year.
February 15, 2002
University Center Gets Temporary Digs to Meet Demand
 It happened quietly. Just before the Christmas holidays in 2001, unfinished prefabricated building sections moved through College of the Canyons parking lots and were deposited on the back part of the campus. Over the holidays, crews worked feverishly to assemble the sections, hook up power and make them ready for use by late January. The work was steady and efficient and by Jan. 22, a new classroom building was ready for occupancy on the COC campus.
But this is not just another classroom building for the community college campus. It is much more than that. It is the temporary home of bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree-granting universities that will once day be housed in a state-of-the-art complex on the COC campus -- the University Center. For now, campus officials call the temporary building the “Interim University Center,” but it is one of the first concrete steps towards making the University Center dream a reality. Physically the building is just so much concrete, particle board, plastic and sheet metal -- containing ten classrooms, some faculty offices and other amenities. But psychologically and philosophically -- it’s significance to the community is huge. It will make a quantum leap in the availability and accessibility of higher education choices for residents in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The University Center concept is to bring a half-dozen or more public and private universities to the COC campus where they will provide advanced degrees. This will allow Santa Clarita Valley residents the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals without the logistical nightmares associated with driving to the San Fernando Valley and beyond. While enrolled in a program offered by a university partner, a student is actually admitted by, and enrolled in, that institution. Certificates or degrees issued will be by those institutions and not COC. And, while College of the Canyons has always prepared its students for transfer to four-year schools, actually having a number of those schools right on the campus will make transferring a lot easier for everyone.
The concept is the brainchild of COC’s Superintendent-President, Dianne Van Hook, who has been nurturing the idea for quite a while. “The University Center is a concept I have thought about and have been working on for a very long time,” said Van Hook. “We have surveyed the community on three separate occasions,” she added, “and we know that businesses want and need the skilled graduates the University Center will provide.”
Many universities are so excited by the University Center concept that they have not only signed on as partners, but many have already begun offering classes in temporary quarters on the COC campus. First to sign on was California State University, Bakersfield, which is offering bachelor’s degree programs in communications and liberal studies, as well as a credential program in school administration and a multi-subject teaching credential. Bakersfield was quickly followed by the University of LaVerne, which is already offering a BA in business administration as well as an MS in school counseling, and will be bringing a BS in child development to the COC campus in the next few months. In addition to these programs, CSU Fresno is offering a BA in industrial design; Chapman University has brought a BA in criminal justice; Woodbury University is offering a BS in business management as well as an MBA in business administration; and Nova Southeastern University is bringing an Ed.D. in school administration. The English Language Schools (ELS) will also be offering language training for international students in the center.
A number of other universities have expressed a strong interest in bringing their programs to the University Center and negotiations are ongoing with them.
This will be the first program of its kind in California and one of only a few in the United States.
The University Center concept has broad appeal to the student population in the area. “I can’t see any other way I would be able to advance my career and provide a better life for my children without the convenience and flexibility of the University Center,” said Lorena Cacciatori, a single mom raising three kids. Lorena knows it is the only way she can complete her bachelor’s degree since she can’t commute to attend a university outside of the Santa Clarita Valley.
The College of the Canyons Foundation is gearing up to raise funds in the community for construction. The building itself is slated to be located on the southwestern portion of COC’s 153.4-acre property off Rockwell Canyon Road. Current projections are for a 50,000-square-foot building that will contain classrooms and laboratories, and serve as a “hub” for interactive, technology-based systems to enhance teaching and learning. Planners envision including “smart” classrooms, Internet and intranet access, flexible seating, high-tech instructor platforms, interactive instruction from remote sites, computer labs, electronic library, seminar rooms and much more.
High-powered local businessmen Lou Garasi of Gruber Systems and Tom Lee, formerly of The Newhall Land and Farming Co., are heading fundraising efforts for the project. In addition, many prominent business people and local leaders have signed on to help meet the multi-million-dollar fund-raising goal. According to Kathleen Maloney, executive director of the College of the Canyons Foundation, “We will be raising funds for most of this year and we are confident that this community will not only meet, but exceed our goals. This is a project,” she added, “that makes good sense for this community. When this building is complete, it will be a valuable regional resource and an important expression of how seriously this community values education and our children’s futures.”
February 15, 2002
Community Extension Offers 'Certified Food Handlers' Course
Under California law, all restaurants and food service operations which prepare any food on the premises are required to have at least one “Certified Food Handler” present during operating hours. Where does a business turn to get food handler training for its employees? College of the Canyons offers a one-day class several times a year that results in the issuance of the Food Service Manager Certificate by the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. This spring, classes will be offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on February 23, March 16, Aril 20 and May 25.
The state requirement is designed to reduce food-borne illness outbreaks by providing the latest information on food safety - the “do’s” and “don’ts” of time and temperature when handling all types of food, cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils, as well as proper purchasing and storage techniques.
Class attendees are expected to read the ServSafe manual and complete all of the assignments in the course book prior to attending the class. The book is available in the COC Bookstore. The class is 8-hours long with the certification exam administered during the last hour of the class.
Instructor for the course is Bill Momary, owner of MDM Services and a certified instructor. Total fees to attend this class, not including the manual, are $50.
February 15, 2002
Ladies' Night Computer Boot Camp Offered
“Atten-hut!” “Suck in those bellies.” “Flex those fingers.” “Boot up and head out!” - on the Internet, that is.
You are not likely to hear these commands in the fun-filled beginning computer course offered at College of the Canyons, but you may want to say them to yourself as you get motivated to conquer the mysteries of computers and simple computer programs. You know you should take this course if you see yourself in any of the following:
- You are a closet Internet user (you hide in the closet so people won’t see you!)
- You are tired of asking your 8-year-old to retrieve e-mail and files for you off your computer,
- You don’t know the difference between Broadband and a headband,
- You don’t know the difference between a GIF and the peanut butter Jiff,
- Your mother wants digital pictures of your children by e-mail and you have no idea what she’s talking about.
Instructor Paddy Ordway is prepared to help you through these issues and many others in a class that meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on either Feb. 16 or March 5. The fee for this class is $49.
This class is one of the many “fee-based, self-supporting” educational opportunities offered by the College of the Canyons Community Extension and is not associated with the taxpayer-supported, credit classes offered by the college.
February 14, 2002
'Drum Circle' to Raise Funds for Early Childhood Education
The College of the Canyons Center for Early Childhood Education Circle of Friends, a support and fund-raising group for the College Children’s Center and Early Childhood Education Training Program will be holding a “drum circle” event at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 9, in the COC Child Development Center. Funds raised from this event will help maintain the high quality and safety of the physical environment of the Child Development Center, such as the learning materials and equipment for the classrooms and the children’s yards.
A Drum Circle is a huge jam session - a fun, entry-level learning experience that is accessible to anyone who wants to participate. Drum Circle participants express themselves collectively by using a chorus of tuned drums, percussion and vocals to create a musical song together while having a great time. It is not a professional ensemble, nor is it really about music, but rather a group of friends having a rhythm party!
Participants can expect to enjoy a fun-filled evening of group drumming sponsored and conducted by Remo Inc., the worlds’ most innovative and respected name in drumheads and drums. According to Remo’s president, Brock Kaericher, “We’re proud to support such a valuable cause. The Children’s Center and the drum circle are both about celebrating in an environment where everyone can equally participate regardless of age or ability.”
Tickets for the event, which also includes wine and hors d’oeuvres, are $35.
January 24, 2002
College Trustees Appoint Bond Oversight Committee
The College of the Canyons Board of Trustees on Jan. 23 unanimously appointed 12 people to the Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Measure C bond funds. In making the appointments, the board was required to have at least seven members on the committee but chose to appoint all 12 of the citizens who applied.
Measure C passed with 68 percent of the vote under the accountability rules of Proposition 39. This law requires the district to appoint a committee to provide oversight, ensuring that bond revenues are expended only for the purposes authorized by law, on those projects specified in the bond measure, and that bond funds are not spent on teacher or administrator salaries or operating expenses.
By law, members must represent at least five categories: recognized community business organizations, senior citizens’ organization, bona fide taxpayers’ organization, Santa Clarita Community College District Associated Student Government or student governing body, and a Santa Clarita Community College District advisory committee or foundation board member. The law excludes from service any employee of the district or citizen with a potential conflict of interest, such as a vendor or contractor.
The newly appointed members, their geographic representation and the category they listed on their nomination forms include:
- Kyle Baron, Canyon Country, member of COC’s student government
- Michael Berger, Newhall, member of the COC Foundation
- Monika Bucknall, Valencia, community/business & senior citizens’ organizations
- Rita Garasi, Canyon Country
- Erick Garcia, Castaic, COC alumnus, member of business community
- Jill Harper, Canyon Country, member of senior citizens committee
- Mike Lebecki, Stevenson Ranch, member of business organization
- Deborah Lynn Weigel Roberts, Valencia, college student decision-making body
- Joe Robinson, Canyon Country
- Doug Sink, Valencia, Chamber of Commerce
- Roy Weygand, Bakersfield, bona fide taxpayer association
- Sheldon Wigdor, Canyon Country
Measure C was passed by voters on Nov. 6, 2001, providing $82.1 million for much-needed construction of new facilities and renovation of the COC campus.
Members of the committee shall serve an initial term of two years. The committee will elect its chair, vice-chair and secretary. It is anticipated that meetings will be convened at least twice a year and that the committee will issue reports at least once each year.
Meetings will be open and the dates, times and locations publicized. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.
January 24, 2002
'CEO Forum' to Help Business Leaders Anticipate Needs
Leaders of local business and industry will have the opportunity to come together to anticipate future workforce development, training and retention issues during the "CEO Forum for the Future" at the Hyatt Valencia / Santa Clarita Conference Center on March 14.
Participants will meet in small groups to address future needs in terms of workforce training and skills, issues affecting success both locally and globally, employee attraction and retention, and ways for employers and employees to share responsibility for professional development.
Sponsored by the Valencia Industrial Association (VIA), the forum is scheduled 7:30 to 9 a.m. Although invitations for the event will go out in February, any chief executive from a Santa Clarita Valley business may attend.
The event is the third such CEO Forum sponsored by the VIA. During the first forum in 1994, chief executives, community leaders and educators emphasized the need to retool the workforce to allow companies to successfully diversify from defense to commercial manufacturing and expand into new markets. As a result, the VIA and the College of the Canyons Employee Training Institute developed a project funded by the Employment Training Panel that has provided financial support for skills training for both employers and employees.
Top priorities identified during the 1999 forum included communication, problem-solving and team skills. In response, the VIA developed an annual competition for K-12 students to work in teams to develop websites for local businesses.
The project was designed to build relationships between the educational community and local businesses, as well as help students develop important workforce skills. More than 200 students from 40 schools have participated, and more than 20 businesses have supported the project.
Student entries are awarded first-, second- and third-place prizes in elementary, junior high and high school categories. Winning teams earn computer labs for their schools, upgraded by students from College of the Canyons. Over the past two years, nearly 300 computers have been awarded to local schools as part of the contest.
January 16, 2002
All-Day Jazz Invitational Slated at College
Jazz ensembles from local high schools, California Institute of the Arts and College of the Canyons will perform during the all-day R.K. Downs Invitational Jazz Festival at the college on Saturday, Feb. 2.
The event is free although donations will be gratefully accepted and open to the public. The event will take place in the dining room of the College of the Canyons Student Center and is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jazz ensembles from Canyon, Hart, Saugus and Valencia high schools will hit the stage, as will the CalArts Latin Jazz Ensemble and the College of the Canyons Studio Ensemble, featuring new faculty artist-instructors Todd Johnson and Bill McPherson.
Ensemble directors are: Randy Gilpin, Canyon High; Anthony Bailey, Hart; Robert Gibson, Saugus; Robert Babko, Valencia; David Roitstein, CalArts, and Dirk Fischer, College of the Canyons.
January 15, 2002
College Offers 'A Different Kind of Photography Course'
Budding photographers and those who like to experiment with photographic processes should consider enrolling in “Alternative Processes in Photography,” a class that will be offered during the spring 2002 semester.
“This course has been designed for people who are looking for a different kind of photography course,” instructor Giannine Mustari said. “This class will allow students to earn credit while having fun with various cameras and darkroom processes.”
Among the class activities are making hand-made cameras, manipulating photographs, experimenting with alternative and digital photography, and taking a field trip in which students will spend the day shooting photographs.
Students also will examine contemporary photographers who use alternative processes in their work, Mustari said.
The class, Photo 185 -- Alternative Processes in Photography, meets 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays beginning Jan. 25.
Enrollment for the spring 2002 semester is under way. Classes start Jan. 22.
May to December 2002 News Releases
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