Frank P. Doyle Library Dedication
September 15, 2006
 The
large turn out for the Friday, September 15 Frank P. Doyle Library Dedication
was testimony to the public’s enthusiastic support of one of SRJC’s
major building projects, the centerpiece library on the Santa Rosa Campus.
Approximately 1,500 dignitaries, community leaders, contractors, planners,
engineers, architects, donors, alumni, students, faculty, and staff enjoyed
the midday dedication ceremony at the library’s main entrance, and visitors
all enjoyed the stunning beauty and versatility of the new facility.
Superintendent/President
Robert F. Agrella, President Board of Trustees B.
Robert Burdo, Vice
President Administrative Services Curt Groninga, and
Dean II Learning Resources/Education, Library & Information Resources
Will Baty welcomed the crowd, offered many details about
the scope of the building project, and thanked the individuals and groups
from the
community and college whose hard work and dedication ensured the successful
construction
of the library. Congratulations SRJC and the citizens of Sonoma
County for this remarkable achievement.
Petaluma Campus Groundbreaking
September 27, 2006
 Over
two hundred community and college members attended the Groundbreaking
Ceremony on the Petaluma Campus on Wednesday, September 27 to spotlight
the Phase II Expansion of the Petaluma Campus. The afternoon ceremony
included comments from Superintendent/President Robert F. Agrella,
President, Board of Trustees B. Robert Burdo, Vice President,
Administrative Services
Curt Groninga, Interim Vice President/ Executive Dean,
Petaluma Campus
Steve Olson, and Chairperson of the Santa Rosa Junior
College Foundation Friends of Petaluma Campus Committee Kerry
Mahoney-Davison.
The construction underway will expand Petaluma’s
beautiful 40-acre site to three times its current capacity to serve
twice as many students as the enrollment of 6,000. The library
will
increase its capacity by five times, the bookstore will double in
size, new lecture classrooms and laboratory classrooms with fully equipped
science
labs will be added, as well as new offices for student activities,
student and health services, and faculty. A cafeteria, new lecture
and performance
venue, a facility for limited physical education activities, and
students services facility for admissions and records, financial aid,
counseling,
and student health are also planned. Completion of the various facilities
is anticipated in 2007-08.
Board Trustees Take Oath Of Office
December 12, 2006
At
the December 12 Board of Trustees meeting, four trustees took the Oath
of Office after being elected to the board in the November election,
including: Don Zumwalt, Area 3,4,5; Onita
Pellegrini, Area 2; newly
elected Jeff Kunde, Area 1; and incumbent B.
Robert Burdo,
Area 7. At the board meeting special acknowledgment was made to outgoing
Trustee Mike Smith for eight years of service as a
member of SRJC’s
Board. Special gratitude was also given to Trustee Joe Palla who
resigned from the board effective December 13 to assume the elected
position
of City Council member, City of Cloverdale.
Photo shown: Trustee
Rick Call administered the Oath of Office December 12 to, from
left to right: Trustees Don Zumwalt, Onita Pellegrino,
Jeff Kunde, and B. Robert Burdo.
PG&E Awards SRJC Photovoltaic Rebate
 PG&E
presented a check to SRJC in the amount of $136,728 at the December 12
Board of Trustees meeting, a rebate incentive for the new Doyle Library’s
Photovoltaic System Project. The solar panels on the library’s roof
generate 147 kilowatts of clean, emission-free electricity, which helps
reduce SRJC’s utility costs significantly. This system is one of
many conservation measures that reflect the college’s dedication
to environmental protection and conservation.
Photo shown: Board President B. Robert Burdo, left, receives PG&E’s
rebate incentive check from Account Manager Randy DeCaminada, PG&E
North Bay.
Alum Jack Newman Lead Grant Recipient For Biotech Research
SRJC alumni Jack Newman graduated from SRJC in 1990 with dean’s
highest honors. A biology major, he transferred to UC Berkeley where
he earned a BA in microbiology, and later received a doctorate in microbiology
at the University of Wisconsin in 1997. Following his doctoral work,
he returned to Berkeley to work in microbiology research before he formed
his own company with associates called Amyris (see U.S. News & World
Report, Sept 25, 2006). Currently the Vice President of Research and
founder of Amyris Biotechnologies, Jack and other Berkeley researchers
received $12 million from OneWorld Health and assistance from the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation to get Amyris up and running to open in
2000 as the first nonprofit drug development company. Amyris is now searching
for a way to mass produce a chemical found in a Chinese herb to treat
malaria. Widely published in leading biotechnology journals, Jack is
co-author of groundbreaking research in microbiology physiology and gene
regulation. Jack recently was interviewed by NPR.
Click
here to access the interview online.
Consortium Receives Health-care Grant
This fall the California Wellness Foundation awarded the SRJC Healthcare
Workforce Development Program a grant for $225,000 that allows the Sonoma
County Healthcare Workforce Development Roundtable to continue “To
promote interest in the health professions and create opportunities to
pursue health careers for a diverse population in Sonoma County.” The
Roundtable is a consortium of over 30 health-care providers, high schools,
the Sonoma County Office of Education, post-secondary education institutions,
local government, and community-based organizations dedicated to assisting
the community’s youth to pursue education leading to careers in
health care, particularly high school students from diverse and disadvantaged
backgrounds. The grant funds broad activities, such as career workshops,
job shadowing, tutoring, scholarships, work experience, and a Summer
Health Careers Institute.
Clo’s Classic Kicked Off 2006 Football Season
 On
September 30, SRJC’s Bear Cubs faced the Diablo Valley College
Vikings on Bailey Field at 7:00 PM at the 5th Annual Clo’s Classic
football game. The competition benefits Sonoma County youth and elderly,
since SRJC’s football team chose the Valley of the Moon Children’s
Foundation and Petaluma People Services as the recipients of the game’s
proceeds. Pregame activities were sponsored by the Associated Students
and SRJC Student Clubs, and Miss Sonoma County Aimee Conn
opened the game with “The National Anthem.” Petaluma’s
Casa Grande High School Marching Band swung into high gear during an
unforgettable half-time show.
“Clo’s Classic is our favorite time of year when we can
enjoy the sights and sounds of a good junior college football game, all
the while knowing the proceeds are going right back to our community,” says Dan
Benedetti, Chairman of the Board for Clover Stornetta Farms
and creator of the Clo’s Classic football game. This hard-hitting
football game was the best of the season. Bear Cubs 49, Vikings 18!
Men’s Water Polo NORCAL Champions
SRJC history was made in November at the NorCal Championships in Santa
Cruz when the Bear Cubs entered the tournament the No. 4 seed and had
to play No. 5 Delta. Narrowly winning the match 4-3, SRJC was ready for
another morning game against reigning state champions West Valley. The
Bear Cubs upset WVC, a team that had not lost a NorCal match in 10 years,
which advanced SRJC to the championship game against No. 2 ranked Diablo
Valley College. In the championship match-up, the Bear beat DVC 10-6
for the NorCal Title and the No. 1 spot to move into the State Championship
Tournament at Fresno. Never before has a SRJC water polo team been ranked
higher than No. 4 in the north, and never before has a berth to the state
tournament been achieved. Congratulations to the team on this history-
making season.
Bear Cubs Wrestling Champs!
 Congratulations
to SRJC’s Wrestling Program for the best season
on record since 1975! At the fall State Championship competition, freshman
wrestler Kyle Griffin claimed the State Championship
Title for his weight class (174 lb). He also received MVP honors
for the State Tournament, remaining undefeated. Jayson Collard placed
second in the State Championships this weekend (197 lb weight class),
and Taylor McCorriston took third place (125 lb
weight class). Check
out more information about Wrestling and other fall Varsity sports.
John Nieto Fall Semester Rotating Art Show  During the fall semester, 15 large format prints were rotated on sites
on the Santa Rosa Campus, the first campuswide art exhibit in the history
of the College. The dramatic images are the works of internationally
renowned Southwest colorist John Nieto, who lives and
paints in Corrales, New Mexico where his family has resided for 300 years.
Nieto’s heritage is Spanish and Indian, and his powerful images
depict some of the most important archetype figures in the cosmology
of Indians of the American West with vibrant splashes of color. Each
image was accompanied by an interpretation written by SRJC’s Anthropologist
and Museum Director Ben Benson. Part of SRJC's permanent
collection that are displayed in the Jesse Peter Museum, students, staff,
faculty, and the public were able to view the paintings in a variety
of campus locations.
NEWS ARCHIVES APRIL - JULY 2006
Students Study Abroad In China. Volunteer Award Presented To Healthcare
Workforce Development Roundtable. Students Assist Hurricane Victims.
5th Career Expo Triples Participation. Petaluma Campus Holds 1st Career
Fair. Forensic Team Scores Again! JC In Top 10 — 2005-06 Pepsi/NATYCAA
Cup. Diesel Students Scholarship Recipients. Women’s Tennis Ranks
1st in NorCal & 2nd In State Championships. Detective Sally Miller
Honored. Alum Ranks Top In LSAT Scores. Alum Ranks Top In LSAT Scores.
Instructor Ray Johnson Publishes Book. Dean Omrcen Places In U.S. Fencing
Competition. Students Win Jamm Dance Competition. Nutrition Instructor
Katie Clark Honored. Child Dev Instructor Joel Gordon Publishes. Reentry
Student Lisa Perkins Joins SRJC Staff. CIS Instructor Michael McKeever
Honored. <more…>
NEWS ARCHIVES FEBRUARY - MARCH 2006
NEWS ARCHIVES JANUARY 2006
NEWS ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2005
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College Welcomes Dean McMullen
In October, SRJC welcomed a new Dean of Matriculation and Student Development
Ruth McMullen, who replaced retired Dean Bill
Turner. Dean McMullen offers SRJC
exceptional professional experience in community colleges, a solid reputation
as an innovative yet down to earth leader, and direct management experience
with Assessment operations. Dean McMullen is also well versed in Title
5 regulations and the education codes related to college matriculation
programs. Previously the Director of Counseling & Matriculation at
Hartnell College, Ruth also served as Transfer Center Director at Diablo
Valley College and in counseling and special program capacities at Solano
College and Texas A&M. She completed a bachelor’s and two graduate
degrees at Southern Illinois University, a MSEd in counseling education,
and an advanced EdSpec degree in the field of counseling education. Dean
McMullen's office is now located in the Assessment Service Department
in the Doyle Student Center.
Students Awarded Study Abroad Scholarships
Student Kathleen O’Brien won a $4,000 Benjamin
A. Gilman Scholarship to study in Florence, Italy, in spring 2007. Thrilled
about the award,
Kathleen urges other students to apply for the scholarship to become
involved in one of SRJC’s study abroad programs. SRJC student
Katrina Marquand who is also participating in the spring
2007 Florence program, was awarded a $300 scholarship from the CCIE POCCSA
Student
Scholarship program. For more information about this scholarship, click
here.
SRJC Equine Program In Practical Horseman
SRJC’s Equine Program was spotlighted in December 2006 issue of the
national magazine Practical Horseman, which includes an article
about college programs in therapeutic riding. SRJC’s class options
in therapeutic riding are included in the article, as well as the college’s
affiliation with Maxine Freitas and Equi-Ed. A photo of SRJC volunteer Barbara
Chastain and
an Equine Education horse named Chelsea also appear in the article.
Copies of the magazine are available at Western Farm and at the Barnes & Noble
Bookstore on 4th Street.
College Receives Award For “Best Projects 2006”
On December 7, SRJC received an award from the North Bay Business Journal
as the winner of the “Best Projects 2006 Award” for the Doyle
Library that was dedicated on September 15 on the Santa Rosa Campus.
The award was presented to Vice President Administrative Services Dr.
Curt Groninga at
the Petaluma Sheraton on December 7. According to Business Journal
Editor Marcia Simons “SRJC was nominated by many groups and entities
in the community by an overwhelming margin.” The Business Journal
sent ballots to architects, realtors, and other business groups
throughout the
county
who then voted on winning projects in several categories. So many
groups nominated the Doyle Library that a special award category
was created.
Ag & Natural Resources Hold 23rd Ag Expo
SRJC Agriculture & Natural Resources Department held the 23rd Annual
AGRI-EXPO that involved nearly 300 high school students from the North
Bay at the Warren G. Dutton Jr. Pavilion in fall. Instructors Pj
Lococo, Steve Mullany, Casey Cole-Gatrell, Merilark Padgett-Johnson, Kasey
Wade,
Ben Whitaker,
Courtney Delello, Stuart Greenburg, Linda Aldrich, Chris Wills,
and Amy
Merkel made instructional presentations, as Carrie Brady,
Debbie Eakins, Leonard Diggs, and Shone Farm staff worked to ensure
the overall success of the expo. Former SRJC Board Trustee Terry
Lindley of American AgCredit sponsored the
luncheon for attendees, while the Ag Trust provided funding for the
event. Advisor Casey Cole-Gatrell and SRJC’s Agriculture Ambassadors
organized this successful the event.
SRJC Nursing Students Excel In State Boards
Graduating Associate Degree Nursing (AND) students have again passed their
boards (NCLEX-RN) with high ratings. The pass rate for SRJC’s 86 graduates
in 2006 is 96.51 percent. Last year it was 92.86 percent. SRJC’s program
now ranks 17 out of 105 nursing programs in California.
Instructor Dvorin-Spross Presents In Hawaii
Adjunct Music Instructor Dr. Miriam Dvorin-Spross presented
a research paper on November 16 at the Society for Ethnomusicology meeting
in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The presentation was titled “Tune, Tot, and Kin: Accessing Community
and Heritage Musics in a Humanities Course for Undergraduate Nonmusic
Majors.” Dr.
Dvorin-Spross will be teaching SRJC’s new World Music course in the
spring 2007 semester.
Doyle Library Hosts Series Of Technology Trainings
The new Doyle Library on the Santa Rosa Campus held a series of trainings
in its Center for New Media on podcasting in late fall, and two representatives
from Apple presented on the educational applications for this technology.
Over 50 faculty representing 16 college departments attended the first training.
Rich Abrahams, Faculty Academic Computing, and Instructional Systems Designer
Bill Stone were the key organizers for the popular series.
Instructor Lisa Gottreich Receives “Speakeasy Prize in Prose”
SRJC Italian language and literature Instructor Lisa Gottreich is
the recipient of the Loft Literary Center Fourth Annual
Speakeasy Prize in
Poetry and Prose. She was awarded the Speakeasy Prize Winner in
Prose for her short story Ecce Homo. Presented with $1000,
her work was also published in the Spring 2007 issue of The Georgia Review,
since Speakeasy discontinued
its print publication. Speakeasy can now be accessed as an online
magazine.
In winter Lisa also earned a writer's residency at Hedgebrook where
she intends to complete a (mostly) historical novel.
Livestock Judging Team Places High In Competitions
Coached by Casey Cole-Gatrell, SRJC’s Livestock Judging
Team participated in two fall contests and many practices, including
the American Royal
in Kansas City in October and the North American Livestock Exposition
in Louisville,
Kentucky on November 15. In early October both the novice and advanced
teams also competed at the Fresno Fair Collegiate Livestock Judging
Contest. The
advanced team, including of Aaron Tapian, Mike
LeCompte, Liz Bohan,
and Alicia Franci placed
second overall: second in beef, second in sheep, second in hogs,
and second in reasons. The novice team made up of Bobby Mickelson,
Jenna Kunde,
and
Kristy Mickelson placed fourth overall: fourth in beef, fourth
in sheep, fourth in hogs, and fourth in reasons.
Students Donate To Community Food Drive
SRJC students and faculty conducted a highly successful Maggini Hall Food
Drive, collecting and donating 570 pounds of food to the Redwood Empire
Food Bank to assist families throughout Sonoma County during the holiday
season.
The class of students that donated the largest volume of goods was
Instructor Marsa Tully’s ESL 316GW section, which contributed 164 pounds
of food. A
$50 check donated by Rich Abrahams and Walter Chesbro to support the
drive was sent to “Habitat for Humanity” in the class's name.
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For free copies of SRJC’s new publications,
contact: mstoner@santarosa.edu or
call (707) 527-1504.
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