Connections 2009

Sustainability - students, employees, campuses, communities



Please join your colleagues for Connections 2009! Mark your calendars to attend one day: Wednesday, August 19 or Thursday, August 20. After reviewing feedback from the previous three events, it was determined that holding this event the week just before the beginning of the new semester made it difficult for many faculty and staff to participate, so this year we are trying slightly different timing. Come join colleagues and friends to reflect on the past years' successes and get inspired for a new year.

The organizing committee is already hard at work to begin preparations for this event - do you have any ideas, comments, or suggestions? Contact Kaya Forest.

Vernon hosts Aboriginal Student Day

Students, staff and community partners gathered at the Kalamalka campus of Okanagan College on Thursday, March 26 to celebrate the culture and contributions of Aboriginal students at the College. Several Aboriginal students from School District 22 attended the event, took tours of the campus and had the opportunity to experience what it is like to be an Okanagan College student. One of Okanagan College’s own students prepared bannock, which was served with chili for Aboriginal tacos. Drummers and dancers provided entertainment.

Social entrepreneurship on menu at OBSA Banquet

The Okanagan Business Students’ Association hosted the 30th annual OBSA Business Banquet featuring keynote speaker Ben Barry - winner of CIBC's Student Entreprenuer of the Year and creative force behind the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

Barry's address focused on social entrepreneurship and he shared how he uses his business, a successful modeling agency, to promote realistic and diverse definitions of beauty. He encouraged other business owners and managers, as well as students entering the workforce, to decide what they want to change in the world, and to use their entrepreneurial skills to work for social benefit, as well as financial profits.

Also speaking at the event was business student Justin Sharma. The event, which raises money to support business students, awarded nine top-notch students from the Okanagan School of Business with financial awards.

Students recognized by President Hamilton

Twelve Okanagan College students from across the region were recognized by their Regional Deans and President Jim Hamilton at the President’s Award reception on March 18. President Hamilton delivered eight President’s Entrance Scholarships as well as two Millennium Excellence Awards at a recognition dinner. Each of the students were selected based on demonstrated excellence in academics, community service and leadership skills.

College launches Women in Trades Training Initiative

This week Okanagan College launched a series of Women in Trades Training Initiatives in Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon. The programs are aimed at under and unemployed women who are interested in gaining skills and experience in a variety of building trades. The program offers assistance for women who qualify - go online to find out more about the WTTI online. You can also view three WTTI commercials produced by CHBC by following these links: WTTI-1, WTTI-2, WTTI-3.

Campus-to-Campus participation nearly doubles

Registration for the seventh annual Campus-to-Campus Half Marathon and Bookworm Relay Race has nearly doubled with more than 450 runners participating in the event this weekend. This year’s race is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with close to 40 entries in the relay competition (which is nearly six times more teams than last year). The race will kick off on Sunday, March 29 at 8 a.m. at the end of Curtis Road in Glenmore. The course will travel down Valley Road to the base of Knox Mountain, along the waterfront to Gyro beach and will finish at the Kelowna Campus. Best of luck to Okanagan College staff and students who are taking part in this great event.

Showcasing Success

The Three Steps Forward website www.3stepsforward.ca now has information on some of Okanagan College’s most successful sustainable projects, such as the new LEED building and the heat recovery system on the KLO campus. If you have a story to tell about successful socially or environmentally responsible projects, please send a concise summary and picture to Arnica Rowan.

Trash Talk

The Okanagan College Enviro Club is holding its second trash audit at the KLO Campus on April 1, 2009. The trash audit evolved from a UBC Okanagan challenge to Okanagan College. Both institutions decided to audit the campus’ garbage and determine what was actual garbage and what could be diverted into recycling or compost. The initial audit was held on Nov. 4, 2008 and determined that the KLO campus' trash contained 33% compostable and 37% recyclable material in garbage bins. From that each campus had the challenge to reduce the amount of waste being generated. The upcoming audit results will determine the winner of the challenge. The Enviro Club is asking staff and students to help by not throwing anything out on March 31 and April 1, and seriously reconsidering what you are throwing into the trash each day.

Kelowna campus joins the Community 20-Minute Makeover

The Regional Waste Reduction Office has requested Okanagan College’s participation in the community 20-minute makeover, which aims to encourage everyone to spend 20 minutes on Wednesday, April 1 at 10 a.m. to help beautify the campus. Staff are invited to join this initiative, along with thousands of other students, business people and community groups, to pick litter, sweep the sidewalk, or paint over graffiti in our communities on Wednesday, April 1 from 10 – 10:20 a.m. Simply organize your group, decide what you want to do and help clean our communities that morning.
The Regional Waste Reduction Office will provide the garbage bags and pick up the litter after.

Canada’s highest-ranking RCMP member joins Okanagan College Foundation Board

Canada’s former RCMP Commissioner, Beverley Busson, recently joined the Board of Directors for the Okanagan College Foundation. As the first woman to ever hold the position of top ranking RCMP member, Busson has a strong history of service, which has roots in the Okanagan and Shuswap. Now retired from the RCMP, Beverley lives near Salmon Arm and is looking forward to contributing her time and expertise to benefit Okanagan College students and their educational pursuits. Read a Public Affairs press release for more info or read these news articles: Former top cop joins Okanagan College Foundation Board and OC enlists ex-top cop.

EXPERIENCE Ron Spence’s research

Okanagan School of Business professor Ron Spence will showcase the preliminary findings of his research into the business practices of independently owned restaurant operators through a multimedia display this weekend in Penticton. Ron interviewed more than 117 people in the restaurant industry over the course of an eight-week, 6,500-mile road trip throughout the western United States. Joining Ron will be Erin Burge, an OUC and UBCO Fine Arts alumna who will display a collection of her abstract expressionism and creative work. The event will take place this weekend at the Mediterranean Grill in Penticton (950 Lakeshore Drive) from 12 – 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

In memory of Maureen Morrison

Maureen Morrison, a valued and long serving volunteer literacy tutor at Okanagan College, passed away recently. Maureen served as a volunteer literacy tutor at the College for 12 years. She had a passion for reading and wanted to share that passion with beginning readers and writers. Maureen was always flexible and generous with her time but more importantly she had empathy and compassion for literacy learners. A celebration of her life will be held in Kelowna at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church on Saturday, April 4 at 4 p.m. 
 
Cards can be sent to her two daughters and families: c/o Trevor Kilburn, #204- 440 Cascia Dr., Kelowna, B.C. V1W 4Y4

Arellano nominated for Best Home Grown documentary

Communications professor Marc Arellano recently received news that his short documentary, kə nā dē ən, has been nominated in the Okanagan Best Home Grown category by the Okanagan Film Festival. This is the second major success for Marc’s film, which was a finalist in CBC Radio’s contest Migrations. Marc’s film will be featured on the big screen at the Paramount Theatre in Kelowna on Thursday, April 23 at 9 p.m. Award-winners will be announced and presented at the Okanagan Film Awards Brunch on Sunday, April 26. For more information about the awards visit: www.okanaganfilmfestival.com.

BUSTED!!!

Okanagan College's Director of Public Affairs Allan Coyle emerged from a meeting at the Penticton Campus this week to find a piece of paper fluttering beneath his windshield wiper. A parking ticket? Coyle wasn't even out of the parking lot before he phoned Donna Lomas. It's all a set-up, claims Coyle, who was charged for failure to display parking pass.

"I have a pass," he says, "but I've put it where I think the sticker does the most good - in my rear window, so other motorists get a chance to see where I work." He's long been a proponent of putting stickers in the rear window, but this all-about-branding scofflaw is also a good sport. While he won't pay the ticket (because he does have a parking pass that was displayed), he will contribute $10 to the emergency student loan fund in Penticton (the equivalent of the fine).

Civil students secure Kelowna campus fortress

A class of second-year Civil Engineering Technology students put their theoretical knowledge into practice last week when they pitched in to build a stonewall across from the entrance to the cafeteria at the Kelowna campus. The students spent the afternoon working on the project, which is just one of the many campus projects Civil students have worked on over the past few years. Last year’s class built a wall in the northeast corner of the cafeteria, the 2007 class built a large planter by the main bus stop on KLO Road and previous classes built a number of planters and walls.

Loleen MacDonald to represent Okanagan College

Loleen MacDonald, Aboriginal Recruiter and Event Coordinator for the North Okanagan and Shuswap-Revelstoke regions, was recently notified of her acceptance to the Inclusion Works ’09 Recruitment Fair in Vancouver. Loleen was one of 100 selected to attend the event, which is organized by the Aboriginal Human Resources Council. More than 400 people applied to attend. Loleen will represent Okanagan College both as an alumna of the Bachelor of Business administration program, and as staff. She will take part in a number of professional development sessions, will benefit from networking opportunities and will be profiled in a radio interview about her experiences and work with Okanagan College. Stay tuned to Inside Okanagan College to find out more about Loleen’s experience.

Leora Dahl’s work published in Law and Human Behaviour

Dr. Leora Dahl, professor of psychology at Okanagan College, was recently published in the journal of Law and Human Behaviour. Leora’s article, Investigating investigators: How presentation order influences participant-investigators’ interpretations of eyewitness identification and alibi evidence, is based on her dissertation, which focuses on issues of psychology in law. More specifically, Leora’s piece examines whether the order in which evidence is presented might change a police officer’s interpretation of that evidence. Her article finds that for participants who took on a police investigator role of investigating a crime, the order in which they received eyewitness or alibi information did have an effect when that information was contradictory. A similar study is now being conducted with real police investigators in Victoria. Follow this link to read Leora’s full article.

Leora teaches introductory psychology, social psychology, and psychology and law at the College. For more information about her work, send her an email.



Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton was profiled by Defining Moments’ columnist Bob Sugden in the Kelowna Daily Courier. Find out more about Jim including the subject of his dissertation, early career as a student house painter, and goals for Okanagan College in, The accidental president.

The Business Examiner published a full-page article about the increase in enrolments at Okanagan College. Read more about the success and an interview with Dr. Andrew Hay in: How the recession became a boom to Okanagan College.

Okanagan College’s Dr. Tim Jacobs had an article published in The National Post after he reviewed Jonathan Littell’s Second World War novel, The Kindly Ones. Read more in: This Nazi refuses to repent.

Okanagan College’s baseball team received a ton of press throughout the past two weeks. Catch up on the team’s recent activities in a series of articles: Good outing for OK College, Rough weekend for OC baseball, OC team warms up for season, Weather holds off start to OC baseball regular season, Okanagan College looking for timely hitting on road trip, and OC baseball springs on scene with opener tonight.

Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd cited Okanagan College among examples of contributors to the region’s economy in a presentation at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. Read more in: Mayor’s glasses, outlook still rosy.

Two Okanagan School of Business students had their social entrepreneurship project featured in an article in the Kelowna Capital News. Read more about Lindsay and Kim’s Women’s Art Festival in: Business students coordinate art festival.

The two SIFE Okanagan teams that won top spot at the regional SIFE competition received coverage in the Okanagan Saturday. Read more about the team’s accomplishments in: Enterprising students, and Business teams take top prizes.

The Okanagan Business Students’ Association (OBSA) Business Banquet got some ink when it announced the inclusion of keynote speaker Ben Barry. Read more in: Make money; make money make a difference, Model agency boss to speak at banquet.

The addition of former RCMP commissioner Beverley Busson to the Okanagan College Foundation Board made the news: Former top cop joins Okanagan College Foundation Board and OC enlists ex-top cop.

The Penticton Habitat for Humanity Home for Learning project appeared in the papers after it held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the home. Read more in: Site of next Habitat Home and Habitat reaches labour deal.

Regional Dean John Lent was photographed in the Vernon Morning Star after he accepted a $10,000 donation to the Home for Learning project in Vernon from JELD-WEN. Check it out in: Helping hands.

Apprentices in Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts program were photographed in the Kelowna Capital News preparing for this weekend’s Taste of Kelowna food festival. Read about the event and the students in: Time for the Taste of Kelowna.

An Okanagan College AACP student who spends his spare time competing in the Silver Star Adaptive Snow Sports high performance program was featured in the Vernon Morning Star. Read about the young athlete who is rising to the top of his sport in: Skier strives to do his best.

After a presentation by Okanagan College to the West Kelowna City Council, an article profiling the College’s expansion into the region was featured in the Kelowna Capital News. Read more about the College’s plans to offer programming to the Westbank First Nation in: OC expansion benefits WFN to start.

Okanagan College’s Mary Kiviste was quoted in an article in the Penticton Western News talking about a series of writing workshops that will be offered to enhance literacy. Read more in: Group sponsoring writing workshop.

Okanagan College students James Powell and Jesh Thiessen were photographed receiving academic scholarship from the Vernon branch of the Canadian Federation of University Women. Read more in: Group awards scholarships.

An Okanagan College alumna was recently profiled after earning a doctorate in human and organization development from Fielding Graduate University. Read more about Lyn Hartley and her educational pursuits in: Hartley earns doctorate.

The Vernon Morning Star published an article about the increase in enrolments at Okanagan College. Read more about the retraining opportunities that exist in: College enrolment up.

The Okanagan College Alumni Association received ink after it put out a call for membership on its Board of Directors. Read more about joining the Alumni Association in: Okanagan College alumni reach out for peers to guide group.

Former OUC associate vice president of campus development and facilities management Aidan Kiernan was honoured with an endowment that will support his work in sustainability and the environmental sciences. Read more about Kiernan, who retired from UBCO at the end of Februray in: UCBO honours retiring Kiernan.

Kathy Butler was photographed ifor an article in the Kelowna Daily Courier after news broke of her upcoming Rotary exchange trip to Australia. Read more in: Rotary exchange trip leaving for Australia.

Read Jane Muskens’ School’s In columns: Monetary value of an education and Educated workers boost our economy.

Check out Stan Chung’s latest column where he asks the question, “is good really the enemy of great?” Read more in: From Good to Great.

March 27, 2009 Vol. 2 Issue 24

Shuswap Revelstoke Regional Dean candidates shortlisted

Three candidates are being considered for the Regional Dean Shuswap / Revelstoke position and will give presentations on April 1, 2 and 3. As part of the decision, candidates have been asked to give a presentation on “Leadership and the Role of Okanagan College in the Salmon Arm – Revelstoke Region” which are open to the College Community. Staff are encouraged to come and listen to the presentations and provide feedback to the selection committee on the candidates. Dates and times are listed below:
 
April 1, 2009
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
Salmon Arm Campus, Room 130
 
April 2, 2009
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
Salmon Arm Campus, Room 130
 
April 3, 2009
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
Salmon Arm Campus, Room 130
 
Candidate biographies will be released early next week.

Kelowna campus Bocce Tournament sign up

The arrival of spring signals the start of the third annual bocce tournament at the Kelowna campus. It is time to sign up and join in the fun starting the week of April 6. The tournament runs for four weeks followed by two weeks of playoffs. To sign up, just find a willing partner, create a funky team name and call Angie March in the Regional Dean’s office (loc 4501). No experience is necessary. The 2007 winner, bocce novice Gloria Chutskoff, took home first place with her partner Lulu Hall without ever having played before. Let Angie know before noon Monday, March 30, 2009. Good luck everyone and see you out on the bocce field!

Facilities Management Service Forms update

Staff are reminded that as of March 30 all work requests for Facilities Management will be done online via the new Facilities Management Service Request Form. Forms can be found through MyOkanagan: - OC Express - Requests and Notices - NEW - Facilities Management Work Request.

18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament

The Okanagan College Foundation and partner Whillis Harding Agencies will host their 18th annual charity golf tournament on Thursday, May 21 at the Okanagan Golf Club. The event raises funds that contribute to financial aid and awards for Okanagan College students. Participation in the tournament costs $195 per golfer before Thursday April 9, after which the entry fee becomes $215 per golfer. To find out more about the tournament, or to register, go online.

Financial Aid and Awards update

Financial awards for 2009/2010 for new and continuing Okanagan College students have now been posted on the website. Check out all of the opportunities that exist at: www.okanagan.bc.ca/financialaid.

Please note:  Some awards are campus-specific, while others are College-wide. For example, students attending the Penticton Campus can apply for Penticton Campus awards as well as College-wide awards. Students may apply for more than one award. The award descriptions, deadlines and application forms are all available on the website.

Kelowna Ladies Golf Tournament

Once again the Michaelbrook Golf Club will be the place for the Okanagan College Kelowna Women’s Golf Tournament, which will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. Interested golfers can put together a team of four and contact Angie March to register. Friends and relatives are welcome to join - cost and registration details will follow shortly.

Textbook request deadline

Campus Stores is anxiously awaiting textbook requests for anyone teaching spring and summer courses. Please be aware that April 15 is the text request deadline for the fall semester so please place your requests with Gord Stefansson, and Gord can add any applicable requests to the April buyback list so the bookstore can put some cash into the students’ pockets as they head off to enjoy the summer. Campus Store buyback runs:

April 20 – 24 & 29 in Kelowna
April 27 in Penticton
April 28 in Vernon

Nominate a Fellow deadline: March 31, 2009

Nominations are still being accepted for Okanagan College’s Institute for Leadership in Learning and Teaching. Ten fellows of the Institute will be nominated later this spring from eight instructional areas and two staff groups. Those fellows will be tasked with developing “communities of practice” in their respective areas that will encourage sharing, mentoring and dialogue around learning and teaching. Nominations are being accepted for Fellows from the following groups:
 
1.   Librarians, Ed Tech, Learning Centre Coordinators, Ed Advisors, HR Advisors, Counsellors, Recruiters, and other staff with an instructional focus.
2.   Student Services, Advancement, Registration, Admissions, Facilities, Human Resources, IT Services, Public Affairs, Ancillary and Business Services, Finance, Institutional Research, Excluded Staff, and other staff with a service focus.
3.   Adult Academic and Career Preparation, Special Education
4.   Arts
5.   Business, ABT, Commercial Aviation
6.   Continuing Studies
7.   Health and Social Development
8.   International and ESL
9.   Science and Technology
10. Trades
 
Applications are especially soft for the following areas:
 
Fellow Group 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10.
 
Follow this link to download a pdf of the nomination form and submit forms to Lara Jennings by March 31. For more information about the Institute contact Stan Chung.

Join the 24 Hour Relay for the Okanagan Boys & Girls club

Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus is participating in the 24-hour relay to raise money for the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club. The event will take place on June 13 and 14 will offer an opportunity to run for a half-hour shift for one of the community’s great causes. The money raised will go to the local Central Okanagan Boys and Girls Club. Okanagan College is looking to field 48 runners this year. Participants only need to bring running gear – volunteers will provide water and snacks. If you are not a runner but would like to contribute in another way you can support the Easter Seal Campaign by ordering a solid chocolate 3.5“ Purdy’s Easter bunny for $5 by emailing Angie March.

Catch the Wave and use the online web requisition

Completing a Web Requisition  - Required Information

Web Requisitions are a request for goods and/or services and are the beginning of the procurement cycle. Remember the following when completing your Web Requisition:

Telephone:  Enter your telephone number without hyphens. Include your local so you can be contacted.
Building/Room:  This is the location (be specific) where the goods are to be delivered.
Comments: Are the items for “student use” or for “administrative use.” Let purchasing know as this will affect applicable taxes.
Date Required: Enter a reasonable due date allowing for one day of processing as well as shipping time.
Commodity Description:  Provide a detailed description of the item(s) being ordered.
Unit Price:  This field must be filled in. Enter $1 if you do not know the price.
Accounting Line:  These fields must be completed.
Attachments:  If you have any quotes or documents that pertain to the purchase be sure to attach them.

Check out the Purchasing Website for more information or if you have any questions or require Web Requisition assistance.  Call 862-5613 or email (purchasing@okanagan.bc.ca).

We would like your comments or concerns, and will gladly answer any questions you may have related to the areas for which the Purchasing Department is responsible.  Follow this link to a Feedback Form.

Finance update: timesheets and CE contracts

The Payroll department has setup a new method for submitting Timesheets and CE Contracts. For all departments with electronic capabilities, you can now scan your timesheets or Continuing Education Contracts and email them directly to timesheets@okanagan.bc.ca. This will dramatically reduce the number of faxes we receive and will eliminate concerns involving equipment that is not working. For those who do not have access to scanners, please continue to fax your timesheets and contracts to 250-762-3614. The timesheet deadlines published on My Okanagan still apply. If you have any questions, please contact Vicki Pannell at 4312.

50/50 winner announced

Congratulations to Michelle Sinclair from the Trades and Apprenticeship in Kelowna who won today's payday draw for $492.50. The Okanagan College Foundation 50/50 Staff Lottery is open to all employees of Okanagan College. If you wish to sign up for the lottery, registration forms are available from: Advancement & Alumni/Okanagan College Foundation office (P103, KLO Campus), Human Resources (Landmark V, Kelowna) or online.




Mar. 28 – Okanagan College’s Penticton campus will partner with the Skaha Rotary Club for the third-annual Adopt-a-Trail event. Everyone is welcome to join in the cleanup efforts, which will begin at 10 a.m. along the train from McNicoll Park School along to the Art Gallery. The City of Penticton will provide tools, garbage bags, gloves and take-away service. People interested in getting involved can register at McNicoll Park School.

Mar. 28 – Join Okanagan College for “An Amazing Night of Music: Saving Grace” at 7 p.m. at the Old Dog Pub in Salmon Arm. Three bands will be playing with all proceeds at the door going towards helping  a Salmon Arm ECE student. For further information regarding the event please contact Deb Jarvis, Barb Duffy or Donna McGrath.


Mar. 29 – Register now for the Campus-to-Campus Half Marathon or Bookworm Relay Race. The 21.1 km half-marathon race will begin at UBC Okanagan and follow a speedy course that will take runners along Lakeshore and back to the Kelowna campus. The relay race includes teams of 5 runners (each of whom run approximately four kms) and follows the same course. Today is the final day for early bird registration pricing – go online to sign up or contact Race Director Jane Muskens for more information. 

Mar. 30 - Kalamalka Speaker Series presents: Peru: A 15,000 Foot Vertical Drop with Madelaine Befus at 12:30 p.m. in the lecture theatre. Peru is a land of intriguing contrasts: wealth and poverty; ice-clad mountains, dry coastal deserts, and flourishing jungles; ancient cultures and optimistic future. Enjoy a pictographic trek from Lima to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco; then from the 15,000-foot Salkantay pass to the valleys chasing the glacier melt to the hot springs of Agua Caliente. Explore the fascinating, deserted Inca city of Machu Picchu; then hop a train for a trip through the mountains. Flee the dry highlands of Cusco to the lush jungles of the Tambopata Nature Reserve in the Amazon basin. This event is free.

April 6 – Penticton campus speaker series: The CSI Effect: Perspective of a Forensic Biologist, with Vanora Kean. In recent years, many TV shows have increasingly featured the work of forensic scientists in their storytelling. Dr. Vanora Kean is a Forensic Scientist based in the Okanagan. She is currently working as an Independent Consultant in Forensic Biology, and has been employed in public and private crime labs in both Canada & USA. She will discuss the phenomenon that is referred to as the “CSI Effect,” whereby millions of viewers are enticed into the world of scientific sleuthing, and the cultural and scientific implications as it impacts today’s world from the classroom to the courtroom. The event will take place in the Penticton Lecture Theatre at 7 p.m.

April 6 - Kalamalka Speaker Series presents: Boots on the Ground: Whose Boots and Are They Necessary and Sufficient in Afghanistan? with Wynn Polnicky at 12:30 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre. Wynn Polnicky, former operational analyst with the Canadian military in Kandahar, will use comparative analysis to assess the potential for the establishment of order in Kandahar province and examine some of the interconnections between the application of military force, security, endemic corruption in a destabilized society, anti-drug practices, and how sensitivity to cultural differences can be useful.  This event is free.

April 8 - Okanagan College English professor Dr. Alix Hawley will join Brian Bartlett and Cathy Mamo for: The Lake: A reading Series from 7:30 - 9:30 at at the Okanagan Regional library's Downtown Kelowna branch (1380 Ellis Street). Please contact Nancy Holmes at 250.807.9369 for more information.



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 Friday, April 10, 2009.

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