Monday, September 11, 2006

Dues are still past-due!

- Guests: Margery Lavin, Dean of the Empire Sate College was the guest of Bill McClary, and Mary Ellen Simer, Principal of the BH-BL High School was the guest of Mary Anderson. Ron’s wife Lila Serapilio also joined us.

- The Rotary Minute was shared by Ken Crotty who is celebrating his 20^th anniversary as a Rotarian this year. His father, too, was a Rotarian. Ken reminded us all about the importance of taking the opportunity with which Rotary presents us, to make an impact on our community. That is what makes Rotary fun and rewarding.

- Ron S. passed around a sign up sheet to help with the Interclub First Responders Honor Dinner that will be held in the East Glenville Fire Dept on Sep 10 between 2 and 5:00 pm. The Scotia Club, which is organizing the event, is asking for Rotarians to give 1.5 hours of time to help in the kitchen or for serving food. If you want to sponsor a First Responder and family you can do so for $20.

- Dick O’Rourke noted the Entertainment Books are in and ready to be picked up. They are $30 this year.

- Garry Morrow encouraged participation in the 9/7 Gift of Life Golf and Bocce Tournament.

- Linda was recognized for sponsoring the glow in the dark Halloween bags that will be added to the gift bags for the Apple Run.

- Bob Youmans led us in the classic tune “Good Old Summertime.”

We were very fortunate to hear a presentation from Dr. Gabriel J. Basil, President of Schenectady County Community College. Dr. Basil shared much about the current state of SCCC and engaged us all with the demographic shifts that are altering the role and function that a community college plays in today’s society.

The 1100 community colleges across the country, and 30 in NY State share many commonalities in their mission, including:

· Flexibility & Innovation

· Accessibility & Affordability

· Focus on Student Learning

The last of these three drive the decision making process at SCCC. Dr. Basil stressed that any changes or enhancements to the school’s academic and community programs, or even facilities, are driven by the question “What impact is this going to have on student learning?“

What makes SCCC unique is:

1. the campus setting downtown, with its small to medium size, and combination of historical and modern buildings;

2. the program mix, including Culinary Arts, Music, Aviation Science, Community Archaeology and much, much more;

3. the demographics of the student body.

The student demographics were fascinating. Some of the highlights include: 58% female, 18% ethnic minority, and only 60% from Schenectady County. Average age of the full-time student is 23 years old, with 68% being under the age of 21. A large portion of more mature adult students brings the average age of part-time student up to 33 years of age.

The school’s focus for growth includes cultivating additional involvement from the Capital District community and the continued work of the school’s charitable foundation. There are also some very exciting joint projects with businesses, the state of NY and other academic institutions.

One critical partnership is with Superpower (a superconductor firm), Union College, and SCCC. The focus is on providing the superconductor industry with knowledgeable technicians, and the students with valuable exposure to professionals in the field, technical skills, and engineering. The state has contributed $5 million, Superpower will be providing some of their engineers as professors, and both of the academic institutions will gain through being able to provide their students with a unique and practical look at cutting edge technology in the “real world.”