February 29, 2008, Vol. 1 Issue 23
Education Council calls
Okanagan College is calling for faculty and support staff nominations for positions on the College’s
Education Council. Nominations must be received by the Registrar in Kelowna no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. The positions will commence August 1, 2008. To find out more about the nomination and election process,
click here.Volunteers needed for Campus-to-Campus
The Okanagan College Campus-to-Campus 1/2 Marathon and Relay Race is looking for volunteers to work as course marshalls. This job requires a small time commitment on Sunday, March 30. If you would like to help out and cheer on the runners email
Stephanie Paul. All volunteers receive a Campus-to-Campus T-shirt and are invited for coffee and goodies in the cafeteria the morning of the race.
College Blood Drive back for second year
The second annual Okanagan College blood donor drive will get underway on March 18, 19, 25 and 26 in Kelowna. The drive will span four days in order to accommodate staff and students schedules as well as diminish wait times. Anyone wishing to register can contact
Angie (local 4501). If the Okanagan College blood drive dates do not fit into your schedule you can call Canadian Blood Services to book your own time. If you would like your donation to contribute to Okanagan College's just let the staff at the clinic know you are from the College and your donation will be included in the drive. Call 1-888-2-DONATE to book your appointment.
Did you know?
Kelowna is the fifth largest user of platelets and the sixth largest user of blood in BC, yet less than three per cent of BC residents donate blood. BC needs to import between 16,000 and 17,000 units of blood to our hospitals each year, and we usually import from Alberta and Ontario.
Revelstoke extensions
Staff at the
Revelstoke Centre have been assigned direct extensions and can now be reached without dialing the main Revelstoke number. A list of Revelstoke staff and their extensions is below:
Janet Lemieux: 6502
Garry Pendergast: 6503
Renee Myers: 6501
Sarra Dupuis: 6507
Simone Palmer: 6504
BR Whalen: 6505
Claudette Kendel: 6508
Centre for Learning: 6511
Lunch Room: 6506
Holiday Season closures for 2008-09
Okanagan College will be closed to the public during the holiday season from Thursday, Dec. 25, 2008 to Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009 and will re-open Friday, Jan. 2, 2009. Employees not scheduled to work are expected to take vacation or leave without pay as outlined below.
Wed, Dec. 24, 2008 – support staff floater - Admin, Faculty and Vocational employees report to work unless on approved leave
Thu, Dec. 25 and Fri, Dec. 26 – Christmas statutory holidays
Mon, Dec. 29 – employees book vacation days or leave without pay
Tue, Dec. 30 – employees book vacation days or leave without pay
Wed, Dec. 31– employees book vacation days or leave without pay
Thu, Jan. 1, 2009 – New Year’s Day - statutory holiday
Fri, Jan. 2, 2009 – Okanagan College is open for business – report to work unless on approved leave
Note: If an employee is booking a vacation day for January 2, 2009 it must be taken from their 2009 vacation entitlement.
In accordance with Human Resources Procedure 8.3, on the last normal working day prior to Christmas Day, this year being Dec. 24, departments may close at 3 p.m. During the closure, the heating in the buildings will be set to low, therefore, if there are requirements for employees to work, Facilities Management should be notified.
Bocce is back
The second annual
Kelowna bocce tournament is now being organized for spring 2008. If you would like to play, all you have to do is find a partner, create a fun team name and let
Angie March in the Regional Dean’s office know as soon as you can. Last year we had 11 teams participate including tournament winners from the Dynamic Duo,
Lulu Hall and
Gloria Chutskoff. Their names are now forever inscribed on a prestigious trophy housed in the Kelowna boardroom. This year we hope to see even more bocce teams out there. Play begins at the end of March.
Use technology to cut back on paper
Most medium to large companies rely on email for official communication, yet many employees needlessly print out thousands of memos and company newsletters a month. Convince your co-workers to commit to email communication for any and all memos – not only does this save ink and paper costs, it’s also faster to distribute.
Cut down on your personal paper use by using your email program’s file folders to save important documents. Use these for your records instead of printing everything. Okanagan College backs up email every night so there is little risk you will lose those emails. For more tips visit:
www.greenlivingonline.com.
Nominations for Alumni Awards extended
The deadline for nominations for the
Distinguished and
Young Alumni Awards has been extended until March 15. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually to an Okanagan College or OUC alumnus who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, public/community service, business or industry, the arts, the environment or support for the College.
The Young Alumni Award will honour a member of the alumni less than 35 years of age who is making an outstanding contribution to his or her community or industry. Nominations are being sought for both awards for any person who graduated from an OUC or Okanagan College certificate, diploma or degree program, and meets the award criteria. Nomination forms and guidelines are available online at:
www.okanagan.bc.ca/alumni.50/50 winner announced
Congratulations to
Dean Nutter from Trades and Apprenticeship in Kelowna who won today's payday draw for $440. 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.
First aid volunteers needed
One of the province’s largest multi-sport events is coming to Kelowna this July and first aid volunteers are being sought. Join in on the fun of the
2008 BC Summer Games in Kelowna from July 24-27. First aid volunteers are needed to help any of the 3,700 athletes who will take part in the games. If you are interested in helping out please contact
Kim 860-3456.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation National In-Course Awards 2008
You know students who want to change the world…
They impress you with their ideals, their community involvement, their sense of leadership and innovation and their excellent academic results. It is truly astounding to witness everything they are able to accomplish: awareness campaigns for a cause they care about, fundraising efforts to help those less fortunate, volunteering for campus and community organizations, etc.
Are you looking for a way to encourage them?
It's easy. Talk to them about the
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation's national in-course awards.
Any student who meets the eligibility criteria set out below, has a strong academic record, demonstrates leadership as well as constructive and verifiable community commitment, could be eligible for a national in-course award worth between $4,000 and $10,000.
To be eligible, by the end of the 2007-08 academic year the student must have completed one of the following:
First year - but not the second year - of a diploma program
OR
Second year - but not the third year - of a degree program (including university transfer)
If you know students who deserve this type of encouragement, invite them to visit
www.excellenceaward.ca for more information and the online application. The deadline for Okanagan College students to apply is May 30, 2008.
Kelowna campus recreation updates
Staff interested in receiving regular updates on upcoming campus recreation/ student life events can email
Alicia King, assistant coordinator of Recreation, Intramurals and Student Life. Campus Rec is working hard to share the news of events and activities among students to help increase participation. Student life programs can help students relieve stress, have fun and be active.
Kelowna walking club
Staff lunchtime walks will be taking place from 12 – 12:45 Mondays and Wednesdays at the Kelowna campus. Interested walkers can meet outside the registrar’s office. Please bring appropriate walking shoes. Anyone interested in receiving a pedometer to help track their mileage can contact
Alicia King.
Drop In Yoga
Campus Recreation is offering f
ree drop-in yoga in the lecture theatre in Kelowna on Mondays from 12-1 p.m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. Contact
Alicia King for more information.
Learn to Run
Learn to run with Campus Recreation in Kelowna by attending their
free running clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Runners will meet at the Rec Office (A149). Contact
Alicia King for more information.
March 1 – The 14th annual
SkillsBC Central Okanagan Regional Competition will be hosted by Okanagan College this Saturday. The event will test the skills of competing Secondary students from SD 22, 23, 53 and 67 as they perform tasks in the fields of trades and technologies. Students will participate in a variety of competitions at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus including: Automotive, Culinary Arts, Welding, Carpentry, Electronics, CAD Mechanical and Cabinet Making. Events take place at the KLO campus from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Contact
Dianne Holm for more information.
March 3 – An information session profiling the
Home Support/Resident Care Attendant program will take place at 3 p.m. in room 130 of the Salmon Arm campus.
March 4 –
International Women’s Day Event: Mary Shearman of Simon Fraser University will give an enlightening presentation on the history of burlesque performance in BC. To be followed by refreshments and the jazz styling’s of award winning local singer Olga Osipova. This event will take place at the UBC Okanagan Arts Building Atrium from 2:30 – 4 p.m.
March 4 –
Penticton Speaker Series:
Why Radio Astronomy? Chris Purton will use a historical approach in discussing the development of astronomical instruments over the course of centuries. This presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the lecture theatre. Contact
Jacqueline Pine for more information.
March 5 –
International Women’s Day Event: Panel Discussion - Women and the Sex Trade in Kelowna and British Columbia. Learn about how the sex trade affects women in our community and our province. Panel discussion will feature representatives of Prostitutes Empowerment Education and Resources Society, Elizabeth Fry Society, Benita Bunjun of Vancouver Status of Women and author Maggie de Vries. This event begins at 7 p.m. at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna.
March 5 (SA Campus) and
March 17 (Kalamalka Campus) -
Reaching New Heights: Travel to Machu Picchu and Kilimanjaro - enjoy dialogue and pictures of two breathtaking treks in Peru and Tanzania. Presented by Karen Sansom, math instructor in the AACP department at Okanagan College, avid hiker and traveler. Presentations will take place in the Salmon Arm Student Union Building at noon and in the Kalamalka Lecture Theatre at 12:30 p.m.
March 6 –
International Women’s Day Event: Sex Workers: Missing and Murdered – a personal view. Guest speaker Maggie de Vries is the author of Missing Sarah: a Vancouver Woman Remembers Her Vanished Sister, which won the George Ryga Award for social awareness in BC Literature.
March 6 – The Penticton campus will host an
information session open to the public highlighting program options in Health, Continuing Studies, and Adult and Academic Career Preparation. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the lecture theatre. Contact
Jacqueline Pine for more information.
March 6 –
Global Citizen Week event: Invisible Children. A youth organization from Southern California will be at the Kelowna campus to present a film and speak about the lives of children living in regions of conflict and injustice in order to educate and inspire individuals to use their own unique voices for change. The event will begin at 12 p.m. in room SSC 026. For more information, visit the Invisible Children website or to find out more about Global Citizen Week visit:
www.globalcitizenkelowna.org.
March 7 –
International Women’s Day Event: Writing from (and to) the Margins: Reaching Understanding Through Memoir. Award-winning writer Maggie de Vries will present a lecture at the Kalamalka campus in room D212 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
March 7 – Okanagan College will host the 25th annual
Spaghetti Bridge contest at the KLO campus. The all-day event gets underway at 9:30 a.m. and will feature student participants, international competitors and a return appearance by Bob Williams, former heavyweight titleholder. To find out more about the event contact
Michelle Lowry. March 8 – An
information session featuring two new programs to the Salmon Arm region (
Human Service Worker diploma and
Early Childhood Education diploma) will take place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in room 141 of the Salmon Arm campus.
March 10 –
Relationship and Dating Violence: Awareness and Prevention. This presentation will address the prevalence of violence and abuse in casual and intimate relationships in college and university students in Canada, the impact of abuse on a woman, and steps both women and men can take to increase personal safety. The event takes place at 12:30 p.m. in the Kalamalka lecture theatre.
March 10 –
Penticton Speaker Series: First Time Buyers Mortgage 101, Tami O’Callaghan. Can you imagine owning a home? Do you think it is out of reach in today’s hot housing market? Tami O’Callaghan, a local mortgage consultant, will take you on a tour of the options available to homebuyers that can enable you to get into the market and begin investing in your future. This presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Penticton campus lecture theatre. Contact
Kaya Forest for more information.
March 13 – The Penticton campus will host an i
nformation session open to the public highlighting program options in Trades and Apprenticeship, Technologies, and Adult and Academic Career Preparation. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the lecture theatre. Contact
Jacqueline Pine for more information.
March 16 – Student Life and Campus Recreation in Kelowna has coordinated a
hike of the Kalamoir Trails from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The group will meet at the Pit prior to the hike, which costs $5. Contact
Alicia King for more information.
March 17 – Join in on a Student Life event in the Pit at the Kelowna campus to celebrate the day of the Irish. The St. Patty’s celebration begins at 11:30 a.m. and will offer music and lucky Irish games. Contact
Alicia King for more information.
March 17 –
Penticton Speaker Series: People Who Care: An Environmental Expo. Ever wondered how you can make a difference? Several local organizations, projects, and groups will be on hand to discuss current activities you can get involved in to help preserve the environment in your community. This event begins at 7 p.m. in the Penticton lecture theatre. Contact
Kaya Forest for more information.
March 26 – Student Life Kelowna is hosting a
Texas Hold’em Tournament on Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m. in the Pit. To sign up, contact
Alicia King.March 31-April 4 – Campus Recreation in Kelowna is hosting
PONG-A-THON, a weeklong ping-pong competition. Everyone is encouraged to sign up for the free contest. Contact
Alicia King to sign up or for more information.
Factlets from Institutional Research
Science has the youngest average age of all programs at Okanagan College (21.8 years) followed by Trades
Pre-apprenticeship at 23.5. Health and Social Development is the
program with the oldest students. See the
IR web site for more IR Factlets or check the next
edition of Inside Okanagan College.
A tip from Security Manager Arch Doody
The following is a tip Arch found and wanted to share with Okanagan College staff:
Put
your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside
your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic
button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will
continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.
If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your
house, odds are the burglar won't stick around. And remember to carry
your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can
work the same way there.