What's News at Mat-Su
the MSC campus newsletter

pnaso@matsu.alaska.edu
or 745-9726


Matanuska-Susitna College

P.O. Box 2889 - Palmer, AK 99645
(907)745-9774

Number 1
September 10, 2001

Calendar of Events

– This is the first attempt at a newsletter to help everyone keep current on MSC activities. If you have items for the newsletter, please submit them to Bette. Depending on the number of items, it will be done weekly or biweekly.

– Fall semester is off and running and so far we are ahead of last year’s numbers by over 3 percent in headcount and over 7 percent in FTE. There are several late starting classes this semester so we hope to keep gaining in numbers.

– Faculty Convocation and Orientation was very well attended this year. The new UAA Provost, Dr. James Chapman, and Dr. Will Jacobs were our guests.     photos

– MSC and UAA worked cooperatively in the cabin at the Alaska State Fair. MSC held Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) demonstrations to promote the new AET program in CAD. UAA again the held the Seawolf Basketball Shoot, which is always a popular game. Over 1800 people participated. A few students were recruited into our CAD classes as a result of the demos. Thanks go out to the CAD workers and to the volunteers who helped at both the fair and the parade.

–If you have noticed a lot of changing faces/changing places around campus since last semester it’s because. . . .

  • Al Okeson has been appointed as the Interim Director for the College.
  • Roger Endell was hired temporarily to help with academic advising while we conduct a search to fill that position.
  • Scott Ward has gone on to a new position with the University of Wisconsin, Marinett.
  • Debbie Dickey has been appointed as the Interim Business Manager.
  • Mary Howard left to take a position at UAA
  • Sandra Gravely was hired as the new Admissions & Records Coordinator.
  • Connie Cannon replaced her as the new Financial Aid Officer.
  • Marina Nelson has been added to the Business Office staff.
  • Robin Burdick has joined the Admissions & Records crew.
  • Dr. Ben Curtis was hired as a tenured track Assistant Professor of Science.
  • Kim Bloomstrom, who had been working in Academic Advising and as an adjunct, was hired for a one year term faculty position in Communications. A search for a tenured track faculty will begin later this year.
  • Judy Bronson has been hired to help with academic advising.
  • Gail Johnston, Joan O’Leary and Charles Hamby have joined our faculty to teach Math, English and Computer Technology classes through the Workforce Development Grant.
  • Nancy Dahlstrom has been hired as a vocational counselor. Welcome all!

– We are now officially an authorized PrometricTesting Center. Testing is done in the Student Services Department and includes testing for A+, Cisco, Microsoft, Mous, MCSE, Network +.

– MSC has received 02 initiative funding for a full time academic advisor. The position will be filled by a term appointment, while a full search is conducted. The college also received funding for a full-time faculty position in Math/Computer Science and we anticipate hiring someone for the Spring 02 semester.

– Good News! The adjunct faculty office is back where it was previously located – in the office next to the cafeteria. There are a desk and phone, however, it will be a few more days before the computer is up and running. Please be patient! The CTS department is being stretched in several directions lately. Meanwhile, if you need to use a computer, you may use one in the computer lab.

– Work on the spring 2002 schedule is underway. If there is a class you would like to offer be sure to contact Dr. Will Miles, Assistant Director - Academic Affairs at 745-9728.

Activities Coming Up

SEPT. 14
Dr. Tom Angelo, a national expert on improving university education, from Akron University has been invited by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) to come to Alaska to discuss the topic of outcomes assessment. He will be visiting our campus Friday, September 14 at 3:30 p.m. to meet with the faculty about classroom assessment skills - a priority of the University this year. All faculty are strongly urged to attend.

SEPT. 14-16
MSC Student Government Council will be hosting the President’s Retreat for the UA Coalition of Student Leaders on September 14-16. About 35 student leaders from around the state will be here along with President Hamilton. Tiffany Bowers, MSC Student Government President, has been quite busy getting ready for the big event and has a number of activities planned for the weekend.

SEPT. 17
Provost James Chapman is planning to visit our campus on Monday, September 17 to discuss the search process for our next Director and to gather our input. He will be meeting with all faculty, both full-time and adjuncts from 3:10 p.m. until 3:55 p.m. in JKB 124. He will then meet with staff and students from 4:00 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. It’s important that he hear from everyone who would like to be heard. We hope you will attend.