Long-term Ed Plan feedback sessions start Friday, Oct. 15



How big will Okanagan College be? What will distinguish our students, programs and services? How do we (or should we?) align our programs to changing demographics and needs in the region? These are some of the significant questions that need to be addressed  - and that's the function of Okanagan College's Long-Term Education Plan, now being developed under the leadership of VP Education Dr. Andrew Hay.

Your opportunity to contribute to the development of the plan is at hand, as a series on consultation sessions start this Friday and continue over the next three weeks. The full schedule is below.

In order to focus discussion around some of the important issues that will be addressed by the plan, a series of discussion papers have been developed with input from the Leadership Team – these have been linked into a single document, which is available online under myOkanagan.

A link to the PDF is available under Personal Announcements. Alternately, there are copies of the discussion document available for check-out at each of the
campus libraries, along with a companion document (Institutional Research Viewbook), which is referenced in some of the discussion papers.



Feedback can be provided at the sessions or via e-mail to the VP Education office.



The schedule of feedback sessions:

Salmon Arm: Oct. 19, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Rm S153

Penticton: Oct. 20, 3:30 - 5 p.m., Portable 3

Vernon: Oct. 27, 12-1:30 p.m., E202

Kelowna: Oct. 15, 2:30-3:30 p.m., S103B
           
Oct. 18, 12:30-1:30 p.m., S103B
           
Oct. 22, 11:30a.m. - 12:30 p.m., S103B
           
Nov. 3, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., S103B

Revelstoke, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Rm. 104

College apprentices come out on top of Young Chefs competition

Infusions restaurant was the place to be on Tuesday, Oct. 5 as the College hosted the Alexis de Portneuf Fine Cheese Makers’ Young Chefs Competition. As part of the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival, the sold-out event featured nine different menu items, all of which included at least 20% Alexis de Portneuf cheeses, paired with wines from Cedar Creek, Mount Boucherie, Howling Bluff, Gray Monk, 8th Generation, Arrowleaf Cellars, Noble Ridge, Tantalus and Tinhorn Creek.

There were three different categories of competition: Top Young Apprentices, Top Young Chef, and Consumers Choice for Best Food Pairing with Wine.

Okanagan College students Susan Duperron, Jeff Geistlinger and Lindsay Hadwell swept the apprentice category. Brent Pillion from the Wild Apple Restaurant in Kelowna won Top Young Chef and Okanagan College apprentice Ryan Pennington from Local Lounge & Grill in Summerland earned Consumers Choice for Best Food Pairing with Wine. 


myOkanagan now features classified ads for employees



Have a pair of tickets to a Vernon Vipers-Salmon Arm Silverbacks hockey game that you can’t use? Want to see if someone is interested in buying your vintage black-velvet Elvis painting?


Okanagan College employees can now share such opportunities online with each other, courtesy of a classified advertising portal opened within the myOkanagan intranet site by Information Technology Services. 


A link to the classified system will be found when you log into myOkanagan on the home page, and click on the new “community” tab. Use of the classified system is governed by specific terms of service that employees must agree to. It’s intended to be self-administered - individuals are able to create, edit and delete their own classifieds.

Penticton students to benefit from creation of Harley Biddlecombe Legacy Awards



Two Okanagan College students were on the receiving end of a generous donation made by Valley First and its employees this month when they accepted the first ever Harley Biddlecombe Legacy Awards.
 


Valley First paid tribute to its former president and chief executive officer, the late Harley Biddlecombe, through the creation of a $100,000 legacy fund. The fund was established in honour of Biddlecombe’s passion for education and commitment to community and lifelong learning. 
 


“Harley Biddlecombe was a tremendous supporter of Okanagan College,” explained Paulette Rennie, Valley First president. “He was extremely passionate about the pursuit of education and had a community focus that was inspiring to many. After discussions with Harley’s family, our board of directors felt a legacy scholarship in Harley’s name would be a fitting tribute to acknowledge all he did in the name of learning.”
 


Biddlecombe was a pioneer and leader in financial services. He served as president of Valley First for 31 years. 
The Harley Biddlecombe Legacy Awards will create educational opportunities for Okanagan College students with a range of financial means now and into the future. Two of the $1,500 legacy awards were disbursed to Penticton students Diana Roxo and Melissa Kuse.

Among those present for the announcement was Okanagan College Distinguished Alumna Launi Skinner, who is now president and CEO of First West Credit Union.  
  


Follow this link to read the full press release. 


Bargaining Update


Negotiations to renew Collective Agreements with the BCGEU Support Staff, the OCFA and the BCGEU Vocational Instructors continue. 
Following five meetings with the Support Staff in local negotiations, changes to 29 sections of the Collective Agreement have been signed off. By mutual agreement the parties have suspended talks to allow for discussions at the provincial table. Provincial Support Staff Common Table negotiations will occur from Nov. 1 to 5.
 


Local discussions with the Faculty Association continued up to October 1. To date, nine sections of the Collective Agreement have been resolved.  
 


Provincial Faculty Common Table negotiations involving both the Faculty Association and BCGEU Vocational Instructors occurred from Oct. 5 to 7. The first day of these discussions resulted in the sign-off of several outstanding issues from previous discussions in May.  

The Unions also presented the balance of their compensation proposals. Given the fiscal constraints governing this round of bargaining the bargaining committee for the Post-Secondary Employers’ Association indicated that many of the benefits and improvements being sought were problematic. However, with some issues, the Employers’ committee indicated its willingness to enter into net zero discussions if the unions were willing to offset cost increases with tradeoffs.

Following further discussions the unions expressed the desire and the Employers’ committee agreed to re-focus on local negotiations and to return to the Common Table when local discussions are concluded.
 
Local negotiations with the Faculty Association will continue on October 22, 25, 29 and on Nov. 1 and 8.

Dates for local negotiations with the BCGEU Vocational Instructors are not yet scheduled.

Ramada, Coast Penticton and Kettle Valley Station Pub contribute to Centre of Excellence

The Centre of Excellence fundraising campaign received another boost last week when management from the Ramada Inn & Suites, Coast Penticton and Kettle Valley Station Pub presented Okanagan College with $50,000 to create student study space in the new $28-million building.

Several students from Okanagan College were in attendance at the announcement and had the opportunity to express their gratitude toward each of the businesses and their owners, Janice and Robin Agur. The donation was accepted by Steve Tuck, president of the Okanagan College Foundation.

“We have had a long and productive relationship with the Agur family and the businesses they operate here in Penticton,” explained Tuck. “They are strong partners and friends of Okanagan College and their commitment to this community and its students is admirable.”

“Today’s contribution combined with the $66,000 raised over the years through the Ramada’s annual wine auction brings the total level of support for Okanagan College to $116,000,” said Martin Lewis, Director of Food and Beverage and shareholder for the Ramada and Kettle Valley Station Pub. “Our staff has been committed to supporting education and we are proud to be a part of the College’s growth and success.”

Follow this link to read the complete press release.

Penticton launches bike-lending initiative

This month Okanagan College’s Penticton campus launched a new bike-lending program. A group of staff from the campus donated five bikes to the program (Joyce Duncan, Barb Lacy, Deb Cutt, and Mary Kiviste) – the donated bikes were then refurbished by The Bike Pound, a local business run by the Penticton and District Society for Community Living. The Bike Barn donated a helmet, light system and gift certificate to help launch the program.

Bikes are now available for students on the campus and may be borrowed for anywhere from a day to a semester. Francie Greenslade is seen in the photo with Alannah Brown – a Penticton student who is making good use of the program. In addition to Francie Greenslade, John Mott and Ed Benoit were also instrumental in getting this program off the ground.

For more information about the program, contact John.

Flu shot clinics in October

It’s that time of year again – and Okanagan College is offering employees the opportunity to receive a flu vaccination. The vaccine is offered as a service to Okanagan College employees and participation is voluntary. Any questions regarding the type of vaccination or the after effects should be discussed with your family physician. Also please review the Seasonal Flu Vaccine Info Sheet.



As in previous years, Okanagan College is paying 50% of the total cost. Please bring a cheque with you, payable to Okanagan College, or exact change, for your portion of the vaccination ($10).

If you plan on attending the flu clinic at any of the following locations, also fill out the Seasonal Flu Vaccination Questionnaire & Consent form ahead of time in order to move the clinic along smoothly (except for the signature and date) as those are completed when the nurse if present.



The clinics will be held as follows:

Salmon Arm:                   

Monday, Oct. 25
 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Room: 154 (Nursing Lab)
 


Penticton
:
Tuesday, Oct. 26
  9 - 11 a.m.

Room: A06A (First Aid Room) Sunoka Building
 


Vernon:              

Wednesday, Oct. 27
  12 - 2 p.m.

Room: E105 (Boardroom)

Kelowna:

Thursday, Oct. 28
  8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
 
The Pit, Student Services Building



If you have any questions, please contact Matt Robertson at local 4573.

Vernon students, partners, cut the ribbon on Home for Learning

Lynn Anderson was like a boastful mom as she showed off her new home to College and School District officials, as well as a host of neighbours, friends and students' parents at the celebration of the completion of the 2010 Vernon Residential Construction program.

The project was a joint initiative between Okanagan College, Brian Romaine (Builder), School District 22, and Heath Anderson (Developer). Fifteen students took part, seven of which were dual credit students. The entry-level program saw students build a home from the ground up and bring it to the lock-up stage. The home is now complete and its owner, Lynn Anderson, has settled into her new home.

The next intake for Residential Construction in Vernon will be Feb. 7, 2011. Contact Rob Kjarsgaard for more information.

Survey says: Connections connects

Connections 2010 was the best-attended of the five similar annual events that have been held at Okanagan College, and a follow-up survey suggests that staff want to see it continue in a similar format.

The survey, conducted online, drew 111 responses from among those who attended (95) and those who didn’t (16). Of those, 102 people said they would be likely to attend if a similar event were offered next year.

The most valuable parts of the day from among those survey respondents who attended?
• Guest speaker Dr. Chris Schneider (36 per cent)
• The afternoon learning sessions (23 per cent)
• The President’s address (13.8 per cent)
• the Okanagan College video (11.7 per cent)

The survey respondents who came to the event listed the following as positive factors in their decision to attend:
• The afternoon learning sessions (64.9 per cent)
• The guest speaker (64 per cent
• The lunch and networking opportunities (56.8 per cent)
• The President’s address (55 per cent)
• The Video (53.2 per cent)
• The end-of-day social gatherings (23.4 per cent)

Nearly 450 people attended Connections 2010, which was held Aug. 23-24 this year. A date will soon be set for next year.

Canada’s most bike-friendly campus


On September 22 members of the Okanagan College Bike to Work Team facilitated an interactive workshop titled “Canada’s Most Bike Friendly Campus” led by Kelowna City Councillor Angela Reid. The purpose was to encourage more staff and students to consider riding their bikes to Okanagan College.

Reid’s upbeat presentation pointed out numerous resources that cyclists already have on campus and audience members voiced suggestions for the future. Thank you to Angela for her time and efforts on Okanagan College’s behalf.

If you would like information about participating in Bike to Work 2011 please contact Paul Stephenson.

United Way Campaign underway

Okanagan College’s campaign to support the United Way is now underway. Last year Okanagan College’s contribution to the United Way fundraiser was among the top 10 employee giving campaigns. This year Okanagan College has set a goal of reaching $15,000. If you would like to contribute, employee payroll deduction forms are available at departmental offices.

Two fundraisers have been planned in Kelowna to support the campaign:



Staff Fun Raiser (after hours party) will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 10 from 4 – 7 p.m. in the Atrium of the Centre for Learning. Tickets are $10 each and include appetizers and two drink tickets. The event will offer up games, a pie throwing contest, putting contest, 50/50 draw and more. Bring some fun money so that you can take part in the games.   
 


The Kelowna campus will host a retro Halloween BBQ on Oct. 29. The cost is $5 for a delicious hamburger. Come on over to the breezeway and check out the retro looks.

Board Chair appeals to Select Standing Committee on Finance

On Wednesday, Sept. 22 Okanagan College Board of Governors Chair Lance Kayfish and Director of Public Affairs, Allan Coyle, traveled to Penticton to make a presentation to the B.C. Government's Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

Kayfish spent time highlighting the growth and progress made by the College over the past years and appealed to the select group of MLAs for continued support for the organization, noting the important advances that have been made in improving regional transition rates from K-12 to post-secondary education.

There is still work to be done, Kayfish told the committee, if we are to address the skills shortage facing Canada and we are to provide our young people with the education and training needed to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise as a consequence. The full text of the presentation can be found here.  

Have a problem? Computer Information Systems students can help

Do you have a problem requiring a custom software solution? Each year Okanagan College Computer Information Systems (CIS) diploma and degree students take on team-based projects, in which they create software solutions to customer problems.

The ideal project is one with a user interface "front end," some storage requirement "back end," and enough complexity to challenge our highly skilled graduating students. We won't fix your muffler, but we will custom-build a software solution to fit your information needs. All enquiries are welcome.

For more information, please contact:
Rob McArthur - Computer Science Department ext. 4330

Student Recruitment team active in fall season

The Student Recruitment team is busy visiting secondary schools throughout BC in October and November as part of the annual Post-Secondary Institutions of BC tour.

In addition, each campus will be holding Information Nights, Open Houses, and other sessions for prospective students and parents. Potential students can enter to win a $500 tuition voucher at each Open House event.

This year, recruiters are taking the College Prep 101 for Parents session on the road to local secondary schools in our rural areas where travel to campus in the evening can be difficult.  Also new this year is a Technology Fair for Middle School students in School District No. 23. 

Recently, Okanagan College also had information booths at the Dreamcatcher Youth Conference at Adams Lake, the National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference in Osoyoos, and the Salmon Feast in Okanagan Falls. Aboriginal student recruiters will be at the upcoming Okanagan Indian Band Health and Wellness Fair and the First Nations Education Steering Committee annual conference on Aboriginal Education.

Coyotes host breakfast banquet

The Okanagan College Coyotes Baseball and Hockey teams are holding the inaugural Coyotes Athletics Fundraising Breakfast on Thursday, October 28 from 7-9 a.m. at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna. The event will give members of the College community, fans of the team and community members the opportunity to meet some of the players, find out more about Coyotes Athletics and support the teams’ fundraising goals.

The keynote speaker at the event will be NHL hall of famer Glenn Anderson. Anderson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008, represented Team Canada at the 1980 Olympics and is best known for his years with the Edmonton Oilers – where he won five Stanley Cups. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.

Tickets to the Coyotes Fundraising Breakfast are available at a cost of $100 per person or $750 for a table of eight. Contact Mike Craig to reserve your tickets.

Salmon Arm free mug giveaway
 


Salmon Arm students received a free reusable ceramic and stainless steel mug last week in an effort to work toward the goal of a paper cup-free environment. Campus Life funded the initiative, which is supported by the campus Eco Committee.

Campus Life representatives will follow up on the mug giveaway with periodic visits to classrooms, where they will recognize mug-users with coupons and free coffee for those who are helping make the campus paper cup-free.

Hamilton joins BC Council on Admissions and Transfer

Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton has been appointed as a member of the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer. Council members are appointed by the Minister responsible for post-secondary institutions.

The Council’s mandate is to facilitate admission, articulation and transfer arrangements among BC post-secondary institutions. Jim has been appointed to a three-year term and joins Regional Dean Heather Schneider, who is in her third year on the council. To find out more about BCCAT, go online: www.bccat.ca. 

Caroline Chartier assumes new role at Okanagan College

Caroline Chartier, Aboriginal Mentor at the Salmon Arm campus will take on a new role at Okanagan College in Public Affairs as the Aboriginal Recruiting and Events Assistant for the North Okanagan and Shuswap Revelstoke regions.
 


Caroline will begin her new position on Oct. 18 and brings with her a wealth of experience, having worked as an Aboriginal Mentor at the Salmon Arm campus since 2006, and as a First Nations Support Worker in School District No. 83 (North Okanagan Shuswap) since 1999. In addition, Caroline has had rich experience working with Aboriginal students and communities. She also completed the Supporting Diverse Learners diploma from Thompson Rivers University in 2005.

Wheeler and Mendoza present at Banner conference

The eighth annual Canadian Banner User Conference (CBUC) was hosted by the University of Victoria this year. College staff from IT Services, the Registrar’s Office and Supplies Management attended the conference, which was first held in Kelowna and hosted by Okanagan University College in 2003.

The conference provides opportunities to choose from dozens of workshops and “Birds of a Feather” sessions, which are conducted primarily by Canadian post-secondary Banner users.


Xavier Mendoza, IT Services and Inga Wheeler, Office of the Registrar led a presentation called “Using Banner to feed the College Calendar” which was very well attended and received.


To see the online calendar and Classfinder tool, designed by Dan Larsen, IT Services, click here.

Students, staff scrum together for 7’s Rugby

The College held a Touch Rugby 7’s exhibition clinic last week to introduce students and staff to the game. Board of Governors member Doug Manning from CORE (Central Okanagan Rugby Enthusiasts) hosted the clinic and spent time sharing his love of the game with a group of energetic students and staff.

There will be more opportunities to learn about 7’s Rugby in the future – stay tuned to Inside Okanagan College for details or contact Mike Craig.

Trades staff take top prize in Kelowna Fall Classic

The fourth annual Fall Classic mini putt competition was won by the RV one-derful duo of Al Cohoe and Nancy Ankerstein from Trades and Apprenticeship.

The Dynamic Duo – Patti Toma and Ed Benoit – came in second and Jayne Stephansson won the bonus hole draw. All in all, 42 people participated in this year’s challenge including Marie Weale, who's seen demonstrating her putting flair in the photo.

Oct. 12, 2010 Vol. 4 Issue 14

Access to Novell Netware disappearing

Over a year ago, the decision was made to migrate Okanagan College File and Print Services from the Novell Netware platform to Microsoft Windows by August 2010.

This has involved creating a new infrastructure, migrating all existing files on the F drives and K drives to the new infrastructure, and updating all Okanagan College desktop and laptop computers.

Almost all that work has now been completed and on Nov. 1, IT Services will disable access to Novell Netware file and print services.

If you are logging in using your nine-digit Employee ID then your desktop or laptop has already been converted. If not, you need to submit an IT Service Request to have your desktop or laptop migrated.

If you are logging in using your nine digit Employee ID but you are subsequently logging into Novell Netware and using drive F or drive K to access files you need to submit an IT service request to have your files moved to the new infrastructure.

For assistance please call the IT Help Desk at local 4444.

Okanagan College Library Profile


Did you know that in 2009/10 the Okanagan College Library lent laptops to students  3,831 times? Or that library employees answered nearly 17,000 reference questions? These and other quick facts can be found in the 2010 Library Profile. Intended to provide a high-level overview of Library facilities, collections and services, the Profile is especially useful for answering Library-related questions from visitors to the College.

Hazardous waste roundup at Kelowna campus

The Regional Waste Reduction Office’s 20th annual household hazardous waste round up will take place in Kelowna on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Traffic may be somewhat disrupted on campus on Oct. 16 so be prepared for a few slowdowns and please be patient with the many volunteers on site directing traffic on this day.
 


The event will be held in Parking lot #17 by the Student Residence Buildings, access off of Raymer Avenue at Kelowna Secondary ONLY, and exiting onto KLO Road. There will be no parking in Parking lot #17 on this day, and limited parking in said lot Friday Oct. 15. Some parking lots close to Lot #17 may also have limited parking access.
 
This round up is for residential household hazardous waste only.

Final weeks to nominate an Honorary Fellow

The Okanagan College Tributes Committee is inviting nominations for the Honorary Fellow Awards, which will be presented at the 2011 Convocation and Commencement ceremonies.

The award of an Honorary Fellow is recognition by Okanagan College of distinguished achievement or outstanding service. The criteria for the award are mentorship, excellence, eminence and accomplishment. The College welcomes nominations that reflect the values of the College and the diversity of Canadian society.

Nominees will be persons who have made significant contributions to the College, the Okanagan Valley, the province, the nation or on an international level. The award will not normally be given to a serving politician or current employee of the College.

Nominations can be made in confidence by email or mail, and should contain as much information as possible including:
1 – the nominee’s name, title, position (or former position), mailing address and phone number
2 – a personal profile of the nominee
3 – comments on the nominee’s connections with Okanagan College, or with the region if applicable
4 – a statement supporting the nomination (supporting documents may be included)
5 – the name, mailing address or campus address of the nominator, along with your Okanagan College phone number and department or portfolio name.

Nomination forms for the Distinguished Service Award and Honorary Fellows Award are online. 

Nominations should be submitted by Oct. 22, 2010 to:

Joanna Campbell, Assistant to the President
Okanagan College
1000 KLO Road
Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8
250-762-5445 ext. 4715
jcampbell@okanagan.bc.ca

Canada Savings Bonds sale

The new series of Canada Savings Bonds have been on sale since Monday, Oct. 4 and the College is pleased to offer continuing and regular employees the opportunity to save easily and securely through an automatic payroll deduction. Employees can enroll in the Payroll Savings option or make changes to their existing Canadian RSP option and/or Payroll Savings option. 

Please visit the campaign website during the month of October to purchase your bonds or make changes to existing bonds. You will need to enter Okanagan College’s corporate ID, which is 12924. For more information on the purchase of Bonds or changing your RRSP’s please click here.

TEAL conference at Okanagan College

Okanagan College will host the BC Teaching English as an Additional Language (TEAL) Interior Conference on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Kelowna campus. The theme of the conference will be Culture Kaleidoscope: Changing Times, Changing Practices in English Language Teaching.

In addition to ESL teachers from around the province, the conference registration will be open for students, instructors and staff at Okanagan College to come and learn about the challenges our international students face and the gifts they bring to our community. There will be a number of workshops designed specifically for understanding cultural diversity and integrating international students into mainstream classes.

Conference delegates are also invited to attend a free Wine and Culture reception at the end of the day, which will showcase talents from our international students and offer samples of recipes from the Okanagan College International Cookbook. The Early-bird registration cost for the day is $45 for members and $55 for non-members, and includes lunch and all of the workshops.

For more information, visit the BC TEAL website www.bcteal.org or contact Tracy Riley.

How to connect in classrooms

Recently there have been a few problems connecting LCD projectors in classrooms. In some cases the pins on the cable that plugs into the laptop have been bent or broken. IT Services would like to remind users that there is only one correct way to connect the cable (trying to force the cable incorrectly will likely damage the connection). Anyone who is unsure how to make this connection work can contact IT Services at 4444 or submit an IT Service Request online at myOkanagan.

Security Reminder



Okanagan College classrooms are equipped with expensive projection equipment. Please remember to close and lock all classroom doors when you leave the room. 

Faculty presenters sought

The Central Okanagan Regional Dean’s office is seeking faculty presenters for the Seniors’ Learning in Retirement Society. All faculty are encouraged to contact the Regional Dean’s office if interested – especially those with a background in:

·        Philosophy

·        Canadian law and the law courts of Canada and British Columbia

·        Languages, including: Spanish, German, French, Chinese or Japanese

50/50 winner announced

Congratulations to Dan Larsen from IT Services in Kelowna who won the Oct. 8 payday draw for $570 (the largest amount won to date).

All Okanagan College employees are eligible to participate in the Okanagan College Foundation 50/50 Staff Lottery. If you wish to sign up, registration forms are available from Dawn Douglas (Local 4774) in the Advancement & Alumni/Okanagan College Foundation office (located in P103, KLO Campus), from Human Resources, or online.



Oct. 14 - Tickets are still available for the 2010 Okanagan College Alumni Association Award celebration, which will take place on Oct. 14 and honour two deserving recipients - Distinguished Alumni Award winner Lee Claremont and Young Alumni Award winner Ryan Donn.

This year’s award celebration will take on a new format as a cocktail reception in Infusions restaurant. Tickets are $55 per person - contact Erin Kavanagh to purchase yours. 


Oct. 18 – Science in Society Speaker Series presents: Adventures in plant biodiversity: new tools, classic studies and the nature of plant species with Dr. Jeannette Whitton, associate professor of botany and director of the UBC Herbarium in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Whitton will explore the challenging question of how can we decide which species to save when we don't know how many species we have? This event will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre of the Vernon campus of Okanagan College.

Admission is $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Contact the Okanagan Science Centre www.okscience.ca or call (250) 545-3644 for tickets or more information.

Oct. 18 - Kalamalka Speakers Series - How I spent my summer vacation with Ron Spence - recently retired Business Professor from Okanagan College.  

Is there anyone out there who has NOT groaned, winced, gritted teeth yet still had to deal with this theme at least once in their life? Join Ron Spence for a presentation on his many summer adventures with his 1957 Travel trailer, PeeDee. Come and hear this year’s tales of Dragon Boating, Music Festivals, Scenery and Seniors’ Games. Classroom A204 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Oct. 18 - Penticton Speaker Series – 7 p.m. Lecture Theatre – Writing a Life, Frances Greenslade and Melanie Murray

If you’ve ever tried to write your own life story, or someone else’s, you’ve probably discovered that writing autobiography and biography requires more than just telling one event after another. Frances Greenslade, author of the memoir By the Secret Ladder: A Mother’s Initiation, and Melanie Murray, author of the forthcoming biography For Your Tomorrow: A Soldier’s Journey, discuss the challenges of the genre, including structure, plot development, characterization, voice and research. Bring your pen.

Oct. 25 - Kalamalka Speakers Series – Ecopsychology: A new way of relating to the earth, each other and ourselves with Moira McNairnay, former Okanagan College student and now a master’s candidate at Prescott College in Arizona. The context of this talk will look at the Great Turning, or what Buddhist and Deep Ecologist Joanna Macy calls the third revolution in which we are called to make a shift towards a more sustainable existence. Classroom A204 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Oct. 28 – Tickets are now available for the Okanagan College Coyotes Fundraising Breakfast, which will take place at the Capri Hotel in Kelowna from 7 – 9 a.m. The morning program includes a guest presentation from NHL Hall of Fame legend Glenn Anderson. Tickets are available at a cost of $100 per person and may be purchased by contacting Mike Craig.

Nov. 7 - Okanagan College will host the 2010 Career Fair and Community Science Celebration on Sunday, Nov. 7 from 10:30 - 4 p.m. at the Kelowna campus. Contact Michelle Lowry for information or to volunteer.

Nov. 8 - Kalamalka Speakers Series - Canadian Generals commanding British Troops: Command Difficulties in 1944 with Howard Hisdal, History, Okanagan College. Professor Hisdal’s research interests include military, religious, and ethnic history. Hisdal gave this talk in Ottawa with Canadian General Romeo Dallaire in the audience.  Come to this presentation and find out what question General Dallaire asked Howard. Classroom A204 12:30-1:20 p.m.
 


Nov. 8 - Penticton Speaker Series – 7 p.m. Lecture Theatre – Great Thinkers: Darwin Would Have Been on Facebook, presented by Okanagan College students.

The most celebrated naturalist of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin, author of On the Origin of Species, had nearly 2,000 correspondents around the world with whom he exchanged letters, not only about his own ideas, but also about Victorian science and culture in general. Student readings from the letters will reveal a compelling narrative about the evolving theories of a great scientist, as well as insight into his life and culture.

Nov. 15 - Kalamalka Speakers Series - Restorative Justice with Margaret Clarke, Restorative Justice Coordinator.

Restorative Justice is part of the extrajudicial measures that were included in the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2003 as a result of people searching for alternatives in dealing with young people in conflict with the law. Classroom A204 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Nov. 15 - Penticton Speaker Series – 7 p.m. Lecture Theatre – Crazy Heart (Film)
Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for his moving performance in Crazy Heart, the story of a country music star's rocky road to redemption. Bad Blake is a boozy, broken-down singer who reaches for salvation with the help of Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the music. Oscar-winning music by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett make this film worth watching on the big screen.

Nov. 22 - Penticton Speaker Series – 7 p.m. Lecture Theatre – How I Spent My Summer Vacation, Ron Spence

It was the summer of 2010, and with his 1957 Travel trailer, “PeeDee,” retired Okanagan College business professor Ron Spence recorded, journalized, drew, and observed dragon boating, music festivals, scenery, and Seniors’ Games. Those of you who have heard Ron tell his stories about being stranded in the Arctic, travelling behind the former Iron Curtain, or interviewing an 86 year-old restaurant owner who holds the Order of Manitoba will enjoy his irreverent and entertaining observations from this year’s travels.

Nov. 29 - Penticton Speaker Series – 7 p.m. Lecture Theatre – Extrasolar Planets: The Search for Other Worlds, Roland Kothes (DRAO)

Eight planets are orbiting around our sun…but how many are orbiting around those billions of other stars in our galaxy? Astronomer Roland Kothes will give a brief overview of the short history of exoplanet discoveries, describe the methods we use to detect planets, and look a little bit into the future and discuss the possibility of discovering an earth-like planet.




Carol Vigue was a participant in Revelstoke Centre’s Targeted Initiatives for Older Workers (TIOW) “Experience Works” program. Through her participation she was able to get a new job which she is happy about. More about Carol’s story and the program can be found in Skills Training Reveals Formula for Success.

The Kelowna campus will once again host the 20th annual Household Hazardous Waste Round Up on Oct. 16, but it will be the last. Read more about the event and the new full year facility opening soon at the Battery Doctors’ location.

eVent helped document the 2nd Annual Pow wow though pictures. See them in: Night Out.

The Penticton campus’s new Centre of Excellence is using local beetle-kill wood as part of its sustainability plans. Read more in Steve MacNaull’s column: Centre makes excellent use of wood.

The first Harley Biddlecombe Legacy Awards were presented earlier this month as the Okanagan College Foundation gratefully acknowledged the $100,000 contribution from the Valley First family to honor Biddlecombe, his commitment to education and mentorship. Read more in: Legacy builds on education.

In a letter to the editor of the Morning Star, Regional Dean John Lent contributed his perspective of the transit issues students face at the Kalamalka campus. Read more in: Bring on the night buses.

Excellent work, great education and a house they can boast of building: that was the outcome for students in the Residential Construction Program that just wrapped up in Vernon. The house they built as a team hosted an open house for the community in late September. Read more in: Program builds lasting experience.

Okanagan College Culinary Arts students benefited from a new Wine Festival event, a cooking competition sponsored by Saputo Cheese. The event was held Oct. 5. Read more in: Valley celebrates fall wine festival.

Okanagan College alumna Robyn Sigurdson, now a young chef from Manteo was aided by a current culinary arts student, as she competed in a farm-to -able competition that won her an all expense paid trip and 10 weeks of study and work on an organic farm in Tuscany. Read more in Pastry chef off to Tuscany.

Literacy programs, similar to those run at Okanagan College, will get a boost by a Postmedia event where local celebrities’ and media sold papers with all profits going to the Raise a Reader program. Read more in: Change makes students aware.

The Agur family of Summerland, owners of the Ramada and Coast hotels as well as the Kettle Valley Station Pub in Penticton, increased their support of Okanagan College when their businesses contributed to the Centre of Excellence campaign, helping to create student study space. Read more in: Business family donates $50,000 to OK College.

The Coyotes Hockey team started the season off in Kamloops playing TRU and continued on with two home games the following weekend. Read more in: OC Coyotes host two games in BCIHL action at Memorial and Munro powers Coyotes past Clan.

The Salmon Arm Economic Development Society is looking for eight community volunteers to serve as members to serve on the Downtown Community Campus Committee. Find more information in: Downtown Community Campus Committee.

In her weekly School’s In column, Jane Muskens used her last two columns to provide insight into the history of Okanagan College. The first installment is Evolution of Okanagan College began with 380 students and the second being Okanagan College’s history of growth started with school merger.

Former Acting and associate Dean of Arts Stan Chung continues to write occasionally for the Daily Courier. In his latest Global Citizen column he dives into the importance of gastrointestinal health in This Land is your land.

The Young Chefs competition held in conjunction with the Okanagan Fall Wine festival and supported by Sapputo Cheese earned the attention of CHBC television and the Global family of TV stations. You can see some of the coverage provided at this website. It was also covered in a piece on Castanet.



Do you have comments, questions or a submission for INSIDE OKANAGAN COLLEGE?
 
Please email Public Affairs c/o Christine Ulmer. The next edition of INSIDE OKANAGAN COLLEGE will be issued on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010.

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