NEW SEMESTER SEES CHANGES TO CSCE, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING

Student engagement is at the heart of a move for campus-based leadership of programs that fall under the Center for Scholarly and Civic Engagement (CSCE) banner. Administrators said the change will allow programs like Book in Common, the Distinguished Speaker Series, Constitution Day, and others to make a stronger connection with courses at the campus level.

Beginning this semester, programs which are academic in nature and which fall under the Leadership Development Institute, will have campus-based leadership. Dean Brenda Carter at Central Park Campus, Dean Wendy Gunderson at Preston Ridge Campus and Dean Millie Black at Spring Creek Campus, will oversee scholarly events and activities as well as the Leadership Development Institute.

Leadership training opportunities outside of the classroom, including Leadership in the Movies nights, service projects, Leading the Pride Summer Camp, field trips and more will be overseen by Student Engagement representatives at each campus – Michael Gregorash at Central Park Campus, Donna Okaro at Preston Ridge Campus and Stephen Rogers at Spring Creek Campus.

Dr. Albert Tezeno, vice president of Student and Enrollment Services, said the move will provide students with more chances to take part in activities and for the programs to be more responsive to student needs.

“We want to make sure students have the opportunity to be involved, not just district-wide, but at the campus level,” he said. “If we can divvy it up to each campus, hopefully we can get more students involved.”

Dr. Tezeno said that the change should be a positive one and that students should not worry about their favorite programs being lost in the shuffle.

“We are not dropping any programs,” he said. “We are definitely going to reassess (the programs) to see if anything that we are doing needs to be enhanced.”

He said he hopes the move will encourage student leadership in the programs, as well as overall growth in student involvement.