By Cynde Puckett
In Motion Staff Writer
Recognition and awards were highlights at the November Board of Trustees meeting, with the Departments of Athletics and Mathematics being featured.
Daytona State College’s Dean of Health, Wellness and Intercollegiate, William Dunne, presented awards for academic achievement to Head Coach of Women’s Golf, Laura Brown, and Head Coach of Men’s Baseball, Tim Touma.
The women’s golf team in 2014-15 had a cumulative grade point average of 3.71. The men’s baseball team’s cumulative GPA for the same year was 3.67.
DSC College President, Thomas LoBasso, recognized Marc Campbell, Department Chair, School of Mathematics for responding to the rising cost of textbooks.
“Effective in the spring semester, Marc, through his leadership, and his team, have written their own textbook for the first level of math prep. It will cost students zero for that class for that textbook. By fall, the second level will also be created,” said LoBasso.
Campbell said, “Not one cent was given to the faculty for doing this. They did it all on their own. No royalties are being paid for this, as well. We had about 80 percent of the faculty members who participated in this first textbook. It’s them that should get the praise, because they worked really hard.”
LoBasso presented the second edition of the alumni magazine, featuring recipes by Chef Costa Magoulas, Dean of the Mori Hosseini College of Hospitality and Culinary Management. He also spoke about plans to create a homecoming event for the College.
“One of the initiatives that I’ve asked to begin is to try to create a homecoming event for the college. I think athletics will play a big role in that homecoming event. In addition to that, there are a lot of our academic departments that have good relationships with alumni. We’re really going to try to coordinate all these efforts and have something here on campus in the fall to try to build a new tradition for the college.”
The Accrediting Board of Engineering Technology visited the College and will give the outcome of the visit in the coming months. ABET accreditation is desired by colleges with engineering programs.
LoBasso described how the two-percent decrease in DSC tuition was made possible: strategic reorganization; administrative staff reductions of 8 percent this year and 15 percent for a two-year period; and operating expense reductions.
The decrease in personnel through reorganization led to a savings of $1.2 million. The reduction of operating expenses saved $527,000. In total, 1.72 million, which met the 2 percent goal.
Through participation in the Holiday Bazaar, the Career Employee Association raised $177 for the Student Award Fund and the Professional Council raised $302. The CEA also recognized Assistant to the School of World languages and Speech, Diane Mathers, for all she does to help.
Faculty Senate, Chair of Online Studies and Professor, School of Mathematics, Andrea Reese, recognized Ethan Repyneck as Faculty of the Month. He has taught at the School of Mathematics for 12 years, mostly on the New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater campus, where he is lead instructor and Chair of the Intermediate Algebra Committee.
Reese said, “By using iPad applications he has developed an interactive classroom that has benefited the students greatly. He has presented seminars on the iPad at various conferences and College wide, and has just been selected to present at the International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics in Atlanta, Georgia.”
Approval was given for major program and course revisions in Radiology to become a 24-month program, instead of the current 30-month requirement. Additional approval of new programs and courses included: Advanced Technical Certificate in Construction; Associate of Science in Engineering Technology; and Introduction to Deaf Culture.
In addition to all these items, the Board unanimously approved the non-recurring payment proposal presented to them at the meeting. Because the College was able to increase enrollment over the projected budget it made possible the 2 percent decrease in student tuition beginning Spring semester.
The one-time payment of $1,000 will be provided to full-time permanent employees and pro-rated for part-time permanent employees, employed as of July 1 and will be effective Nov. 30. For all eligible employees, this one-time payment of $1,000, less applicable taxes, will be included in the Nov. 30 paycheck.