Ohlone College President's Office
President's Report to Campus Community for Spring 2006
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I am pleased to report on significant events and activities for the Ohlone College community according to the District’s seven goals.
Goal I International/Multi-cultural Programs
Progress continues in the arena of international exchange programs. The general agreement of cooperation with China’s Taizhou Community College was strengthened and expanded upon during a visit this fall. New agreements were entered into with Hongzhou University and the Shanghai Academy of Dance and Theatre. A delegation of Ohlone ASOC students will visit Taizhou this spring and Taizhou Community College in turn will send a group of teachers to Ohlone. Recently a delegation from the Shanghai College of Arts proposed a contract with Ohlone for offering specified vocational programs on their campus next year. During this semester, discussion will be held with Ohlone faculty on this proposal.
The World Forums for fall semester were well attended, particularly the one on Africa. Spring semester the topic is the Palestine-Israel conflict which is particularly timely as a result of tensions produced from the change of leadership in Israel and the Hamas election victory in Palestine. In order for a full presentation of views to occur, Dr. Hatem Bazian from UC Berkeley will present the Palestinian perspective on Tuesday, February 28 and Dr. Noel Kaplowitz from U.C. Davis will present the Israeli perspective on Wednesday, March 29. Both presentations are at 12:00 noon in the college gym and will be followed by a question and answer session. The World Forum scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 is cancelled.
As the result of a special recruitment project, as many as 50 new international students are expected to enroll for fall, 2006. Through a special arrangement with DeVry University, these students will be housed in their new college dormitory and transported via shuttle to the Fremont campus.
Goal II Learning College Development
The President’s Message for spring semester Flex Day was titled: “The Emergence of Ohlone as a Learning College.” This presentation was followed by faculty presentations related to the learning college. On Friday, January 13 a full-day workshop was attended by over 50 faculty and staff who are working on the development of new learning communities for fall, 2006.
The new Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the federal government began in October, 2005. The grant’s emphasis is upon strengthening basic skills curriculum and methods, learning communities, technology applications in classrooms and support services. A faculty/staff basic skills learning community is now underway.
Plans for remodeling classrooms and labs on the Fremont Campus will include suggestions made by Dr. Susan Frey who visited Ohlone the second week of January. Her work with staff and architects focused on the learning impacts derived from positive or negative aspects of the physical environmental. Incorporating this information, the fourth floor of Building One will be remodeled with proto-type classrooms that have been designed to foster positive environmental conditions.
Goal III Enrollment Management
Enrollment for fall semester, 2005 was slightly above 2004 and spring semester looks to be even with last year’s enrollment. Concern continues over closing the gap between 2003 and 2004. In that regard will are still running about 300 ftes below the goal of full enrollment restoration.
A new 16 week semester calendar was approved by the Chancellor’s Office and implementation is going forward for fall semester, following upon a memorandum of understanding with the United Faculty of Ohlone. A new program to be titled College Connection is planned for fall 2006. Students from Newark and New Haven High Schools who are in their senior year will study full-time on the Ohlone Campus under a special cooperative agreement that is under formation at this time.
Goal III is in support of more students enrolling full-time and upon improved student retention in general. During spring semester the upper campus quad between buildings 1, 5 and 6 will have new tables, benches and colorful umbrellas to encourage gathering and engagement of the college community.
Goal IV Staff and Organizational Development
The College Council has worked with the Board of Trustees on their Self Evaluation and the Board President has incorporated some of the suggestions forwarded by college organizational leaders. The Board, Council and Faculty Senate, will have a special workshop on shared governance during spring semester. The Board will hold two of its monthly meetings each year at a time in the afternoon convenient to student and staff participation (3:00 p.m.) The first such meeting will take place March 8. After that meeting the board will hold its own goal setting work session facilitated by the League for Community Colleges.
New Ways to Work for classified staff is gaining momentum through an agreement with CSEA to review job descriptions, classifications, training programs and other means to better serve the college community.
Goal V Campus and Community Development
Construction is underway for the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Newark. Rain has caused some delays, but all bids came in within the budget.
Plans are going forward for the new Student Services Building after the Board approved the building design. The environmentally friendly design incorporates maximizing natural daylight, heating and cooling systems in the floors instead of ceilings, and flexible use of spaces for student services and meeting uses.
Architects are working with the District on a painting project for the exterior of the Fremont campus facilities. Like Hyman Hall and Smith Center, a new color scheme will feature a few compatible colors instead of a single uniform building color. Building identification through color changes and new signage will enhance student and public ease of finding locations. The painting project will begin this spring and may take up to one year to complete. Interior painting will be included in the remodeling work to follow.
The baseball field will be relocated and a new parking lot built in its place as part of the private developer contract for the campus frontage lease facilities. The campus maintenance building will also be replaced and relocated. Staff are working with the architects on plans and site development.
The Sobrato Corporation is in negotiations with the District on development of the Fremont campus frontage property for private development utilization and revenue generation to the college. It is anticipated that by mid-spring semester forums will be held for the college community and local property owners to view the specific building plans and give input to the developers and college.
Through a gift from Gloria Furness, the Foundation (building 27) kitchen and meeting area was recently remodeled. College groups wanting to hold meetings there should make arrangements with the Foundation Office.
Goal VI External Funds & Budget Development
The Frontage Development will result in 66 year leases with private firms to generate an ongoing stream of revenue to the District to support capital projects such as upgrading buildings, equipment, vehicles, and related needs to keep the campus up-to-date. The District has employed David Smith to administer the asset management project and to head a new Capital Campaign which will raise major funds in conjunction with building naming opportunities, equipment needs and corporate partnerships.
The Governor’s Budget for 2006-07 is positive for community colleges. The major issue continues to be steady or declining enrollment for the majority of colleges while the state leaders look to funding us through growth formulas. No increases in fees are projected for students in 2006-07. The impact of the steep fee hike last year is believed to be a continuing reason for lowering of enrollments.
