Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Volume 20 l No. 05

CLICK HERE FOR A PDF FILE OF THE CURRENT PAPER EDITION

From the President's Desk
Did You Know? Archive
Employee Birthdays
Faculty/Staff Profiles

Scholarships

Academic Calendar

Board Briefs

MCCEE: Making Things Better Archive

QEP Quips

MCC Inclement Weather Policy

Campus Copier Key Operator List

Archive

Campus-Wide Reception for Dr. Eason
MLK, Jr. Birthday Celebration
Band Holiday Concert
Employee Holiday Luncheon
Banquet Honoring Dr. Eason
Veterans Day Ceremony
Pumpkin Glow and Carving Contest

February 9 through 15
Jeff BenfieldFeb. 10

Chris YockeyFeb. 10

Marc DavisFeb. 11

David DrumFeb. 12

Samantha BrownFeb. 13

Joshua YoungFeb. 13

Amy NaylorFeb. 14

Deadline for article submissions to Mitchell Columns is every Tuesday at 9 a.m. E-mail articles to  printgraph@mitchellcc.edu


Phi Beat Open Mic

February 9

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Mooresville Center Auditorium

 

Inspirational Choir Concert

February 12

4 p.m.

Shearer Hall

 

Spring Writers Series: Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad

February 23

7:30 p.m.

Rotary Auditorium

 

Microsoft Excel 2010 Class

2nd Class

February 27

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WFD-104

 

Spring Writers Series: Brenda Flanagan

March 1

7:30 p.m.

Rotary Auditorium

 

Spring Writers Series: Amanda Cockrell

March 8

12:30 p.m.

Rotary Auditorium

 

Phi Beat Open Mic

March 8

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Iredell Arts Council

 

Phi Beat Open Mic

April 5

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Sabine’s News Café

 

Melody Meets Lyrics: A Collaborative Workshop for Poets and Musicians

April 14

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SSC-220

 

Spring Writers Series: Dr. Jim McGavran

April 17

12:30 p.m.

Rotary Auditorium

 

The Origins of Black History Month
What we now call Black History Month originated in 1926, founded by Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week. The month of February was selected in deference to Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln who were both born in that month. Carter G. Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia, on December 19, 1875, and was the son of a slave. He began high school at the age of 20 and then proceeded to study at Berea College, the University of Chicago, the Sorbonne, and Harvard University, where he earned a PH.D in 1912. He founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 to train black historians and to collect, preserve, and publish documents on black life and black people. He also founded the Journal of Negro History (1916), Associated Publishers (1922), and the Negro Bulletin (1937). Woodson spent his life working to educate all people about the vast contributions made by black men and women throughout history. Mr. Woodson died on April 3, 1950 and Black History Month is his legacy.
Source:  inventorsabout.com/od/blackinventors/a/
BlackHistoryMonth.htm
—Submitted by Diversity Task Force (02.08.12)

Focus on Diversity Archive

 

The International Club
Advisor, Sydia Gayle-Fenner, (704.878.4372, sgaylefenner@mitchellcc.edu)
The International Club explores a variety of cultural backgrounds for those who are interested in learning more about other cultures. Advisor, Sydia Gayle-Fenner, worked with her student team, and they hosted a panel discussion with a student from India, discussed weddings in different cultures with China as the main focus, and talked about customs and practices in different cultures. The International Club also co-sponsored the International Festival in April.

Mitchell Community College Christian Community
Advisor, David Moss, (704.878.3317, dmoss@mitchellcc.edu)
Mitchell Community College Christian Community allows Christian students on campus to get together for worship, Bible study, outreach, and fellowship. This club just started in Spring of 2011, and the Student Leadership Team worked with advisor, David Moss, to kick start an incredible program.—Submitted by Anita McGill (08.17.11)

ARCHIVE

 

Tips for Greener Trash Practices
According to the Seventh Generation company, if every household in America replaced just 20 tall kitchen drawstring trash bags made with virgin plastic with 20 bags made with 65 percent recycled content, we would save 39,000 barrels of oil, enough to heat and cool 2,200 US homes for a year. We would also save landfill space and reduce air pollution needed to produce the plastic. Here are some ways to be greener with trash disposal:

  • Reduce waste. Buy products with less packaging or packaging that can be recycled. Recycle everything you possibly can—paper, plastics, glass, cardboard, and metal—and compost plant-based food scraps to make a great soil conditioner for your garden.

  • Reuse plastic grocery and shopping bags. They make great liners for small wastebaskets.

  • Empty smaller wastebaskets into a larger trash can. That way you don’t have to throw away the bag used to line the smaller basket.

  • Choose the right size bag. Using bags that are larger than you need is simply a waste of resources and money.

  • Compact your trash by hand. Reduce the volume of bulky items such as milk cartons by pressing or stepping on them.

  • Consider investing in a trash compactor. It will reduce the volume of trash and the number and size of bags you use.

  • Buy greener trash bags. Purchase bags made with recycled materials, degradable plastic, or biodegradable plastic.

Source: "Easy Green Living" by Renee Loux (2008) —Submitted by the Recycling and Conservation Club (05.18.11)

ARCHIVE

 

Coming Soon!

SGA Spotlight Archive

 

New Challenges: Memory Series
The brain can recall and store much more information than we generally think it can. To use more of it, we must first, as mentioned last week, give up negative self-talk. "I can," rather than "I can’t" must become our mantra. The Greeks developed mnemonics, later used by the Romans, and being revived today as a major method to remember lists of things. Short term memory involves mostly left-brain triggers such as order, sequence, and numbers. In addition to repetition, using right-brain triggers such as imagination, exaggeration, humor, absurdity, color and the senses, enhances the ability to move information to long-term memory and retrieve it more easily. If you were asked to remember and list the five Tudor English monarchs in order, you might think of going into a museum and in hall number seven (a lucky number) you see a portrait of Henry the Seventh. You think "how appropriate," and next to him is Henry the Eighth. Once again it seems logical. Then you hear over the intercom in a ghostly voice "EME" several times. EME is an acronym for Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. Now, think of the story, visualize and listen to it. Name the five rulers in order. If you can’t, reread the story and try again. —Submitted by Employee Development (08.25.10)

The Inspirting Corner Archive

 

Take a Break from Work
If you begin working early in the morning and don’t quit until bedtime, there will be no room in your life to focus on anything but your job. So, make sure you take some time for non-work activities everyday or at least several times a week. Here’s how you can spend some of your time away from work:

  • Read a good book (non-work related, of course)

  • Keep up with world news, pop culture and politics

  • Travel for pleasure

  • Volunteer your time

  • Talk to people with whom you don’t work

  • Enjoy a hobby

—Submitted by the MCC Wellness Committee (04.28.10)

Health & Wellness Corner Archive

Did You Know? Financial Services
 
  • Travel
    Any employee requesting overnight travel is eligible for a travel advance. Travel advances can be issued for a minimum of $100.00 up to the estimated total amount of travel. The employee must request the travel advance on the Travel Request Form 14 days before travel. The advance cannot be released more than five days before the first day of travel. —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (12.09.09)
  • Accounts Receivable
    Do you know who to contact in the Accounts Receivable office?

    • For assistance with outstanding balances/collections, refunds and return checks, please contact Tonya Benge at 704.878.3216.

    • For assistance with sponsor (third-party) setup, sponsored students and 1098Ts, please contact Kim Dixon at 704.978.5445

    • For assistance with payments/receipts, petty cash and student insurance, please contact Lisa Taylor at 704.878.4270

    • For assistance with sponsor billing, payments/receipts, and petty cash, please contact Kim Dixon at 704.978.5445 or Erica Smith at 704.878.1347.

—Submitted by Shirley Lambert (12.02.09) REVISED 08.24.11

  • Accounts Payable
    Memberships must be in the name of the college and for the benefit of the college and cannot be paid for the benefit of an individual college employee.
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (11.18.09)
  • Travel
    The travel reimbursement form requires the exact time of departure and the exact time of return from any travel. This information, along with the official meeting agenda, helps determine the amount of the reimbursement. —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (10.21.09)
  • Purchasing
    The NC Department of Corrections is a good source for buying desks, chairs, wood and metal outdoor furniture, signage, paint, janitorial supplies, and printing needs for all state agencies. As stated in their mission statement, this provides "meaningful work experience and rehabilitative opportunities for inmates and provide quality goods and services to tax-supported entities at a savings to the taxpayers". Their website is http://correctionenterprises.com if you are interested in seeing their products and services. No bidding is required when purchasing from Correction Enterprises.
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (09.16.09)
  • Accounts Receivable
    Students, who are on the Nelnet payment plan and return items to the bookstore for a refund, may not receive their refund up to four to six weeks because the credit will be applied to their AR account. The Bookstore refund will not be issued until all balances are paid in full. 
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (08.26.09)
  • Travel
    The travel tab on the MCCnet Financial Service page gives detailed information for any travel forms you may need to complete. Along with the travel forms link, the current mileage rates and the state assigned rate for in-state and out-of-state travel are listed.
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (08.19.09)
  • Payroll
    An employee’s leave plan summary information is located on WebAdvisor. The leave plan summary on WebAdvisor includes the balance information for compensatory, bonus, sick and annual leave time. Please keep in mind that leave accrues in the current month but the leave an employee takes is posted one month behind. You may access WebAdvisor by going to the following web site: https://webadvisor.mitchell.cc.nc.us:715/WA/WebAdvisor. Please contact the payroll office in regard to questions pertaining to your leave balances.
    —Submitted by Sandra Cockerham (08.12.09)
  • Accounts Payable
    The important dates listed on the Financial Services page on MCCnet are the dates of check request cut-offs and check release days. If the request, complete with all signatures and information, is received in Financial Services by the cut-off date, the check will be processed and released by the check date. These release dates are subject to funds availability.
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (07.15.09)
  • Budget
    Budget managers have access to detailed budget information for all budgets under their supervision through WebAdvisor. For help with WebAdvisor logins, contact the IT Department. For help with the budget information that can be viewed through WebAdvisor, contact extension 3212 or 4324.
    —Submitted by Shirley Lambert (07.01.09)

  • Update Student Files
    Did you know that it is important for all students to update their student file in Student Services with their most current address so that refund and financial aid checks and other importance correspondence from the college reaches them?
    —Submitted by Barbara Wheeler (08.20.08)

Mitchell Columns is the campus newsletter of Mitchell Community College published by the Printing & Graphic Design Services Center, containing timely information of interest to faculty, staff, students and friends of the College.

Mitchell Community College
500 West Broad Street, Statesville, NC 28677-5264
704.878.3200 main campus phone
704.878.0872 main campus fax
printgraph@mitchellcc.edu
An Equal Opportunity College/Affirmative Action Employer