Report to the Community - Summer 2020
here for you ... even now.
Linn-Benton Community College continues to serve as a resource to our community during the coronavirus pandemic
LBCC Report to the Community Welcome to a special publication of Linn-Benton Community College. We want you to know that even during these uncertain days, your community college is still here for you with affordable education options that lead to college degrees, resources for building new skills and potential, help for small businesses, support for students of all walks of life and stages, and the partnership for building a stronger community for us all. We invite you to connect with LBCC and discover how you can continue to learn and grow, even during a pandemic. Help with remote learning is available--and we are here to help you succeed. Visit us at www.linnbenton.edu
LBCC Board of Education Vice-Chair Tony Lapiz Zone 6-7 Zone 1 Kristin Adams Zone 2-3 Dick Running Zone 4 Jeannie Davis Zone 5 Linda Modrell Zone 6-7 Joan Reukauf To reach a board member, please contact the board secretary: 541-917-4204
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A message from President Greg Hamann
SIXTH-LARGEST OF OREGON’S 17 COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Dear Community Members in Linn and Benton Counties, This June 30th, I will retire as president of Linn-Benton Community College – a position in which I've been privileged to serve these past 10 years. It's been the greatest honor of my career. And yet, I pictured a very different ending to my time at LBCC… Like many of you, I was looking forward to wrapping another great academic year, congratulating our graduates, and for me personally, being able to reminisce with and thank our community as I head into retirement. How things have changed in just a few short months ...
18,000
LBCC STUDENTS
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CAMPUS LOCATIONS ALBANY, CORVALLIS, LEBANON, SWEET HOME
SEVENTY ONE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION & TRANSFER DEGREE PROGRAMS
300
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY PARTNERS
42
ACTIVE CLUBS & CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS
In the midst of the anxiety and confusion brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, I still find that hope and heroes are everywhere. Here are just a few I see within the LBCC community.
• The LBCC faculty members who have worked tirelessly to adapt to an all-remote instruction platform so our students will continue to progress toward their goals seamlessly.
• The LBCC staff members who have developed a vast support network for students, almost overnight, and continue to support our facilities, equipment and resources.
• All of our incredible students who have made the transition to a new way of learning and are committed to staying on track to complete their programs.
• The community members who have generously given to the LBCC Foundation to provide emergency funds for students struggling to manage school during a time of lost employment, care for children and family, and totally new technology needs. In this special "LBCC Report to the Community," we wanted to share with you just a few stories of people who are "making it work" now – and how our community is coming together and succeeding through the power of education, even now. In these pages, we hope you discover all the ways in which LBCC can support you during this time with practical resources, connection, encouragement, and pathways to reach new goals. If you, your family member, your business, or your network, is in need of a path forward, we invite you to contact us to learn about obtaining an excellent education at LBCC. We are your community college…we are OPEN, and we are here to help you thrive. Even in the midst of a pandemic, sometimes we need to reflect on all that we have to be grateful for. As I step down from my position this June, I am incredibly grateful to YOU – all those who live, work and thrive in the Mid-Willamette Valley – for supporting LBCC all these years and for continuously investing in the future of our students and community. Sincerely,
Dr. Greg Hamann President, LBCC
visit us at: linnbenton.edu
LBCC Schedule of Classes SUMMER Quarter 2020 Vol. 27, No. 4 • Linn-Benton Community College Schedule of Classes (ISSN 012132) is published quarterly by Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany, OR. 97321-3755. Periodical postage is paid at Albany, OR. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Linn-Benton Community College Schedule of Classes, Advancement Office, Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany, OR. 97321-3755.
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LBCC Faculty Rise to the Challenge of Remote Teaching As the coronavirus pandemic converted homes into classrooms almost overnight, LBCC faculty have risen to the challenge with a spirit of resilience and a whole lot of creativity. Here are just a few examples of how teachers are helping college students stay connected and learning during this time.
Being a hands-on program, we weren’t even sure we could hold classes online. The more we looked into how we’d do it, the more we realized it gave us time to do a much deeper dive into the material with our students.
Students need to be able to work when it fits into their schedules, so I need to be as flexible as possible during this time.
I’m still learning post-production so editing is taking me a very long time. My goal is to shorten the production chain so that I can post videos earlier for my class. It’s a lot of work but I’m doing this so that I can teach classes asynchronously. Students need to be able to work when it fits into their schedules, so I need to be as flexible as possible during this time. As faculty members we all have a common interest in helping our students, so we’re all figuring it out as we go. I'm proud of all the faculty and staff for what we've accomplished.
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There are a whole lot of scenarios of how people are handling this. The situation isn’t ideal, but we're keeping students on track. Some students had just one class left. This will allow them to graduate on time and that feels great. Chris Berry, Faculty Member Machine Tool Technology
- Joe Paris
It was a bit of a scramble to move spring term online in two weeks. I’m not an AV guy but I set up an amateur recording studio at home and quickly learned how to do video production. I’m using tools like OBS and Adobe Premiere to do things like record the screen and edit the videos. I have a digital whiteboard, a view of myself, and sometimes I share my screen to show slides. Students can use a picturein-picture view so that see me talking while they view class materials.
Joe Paris, Faculty Member Computer Systems
I’m presenting from the point of view of a machinist. I’ve quickly cobbled together a system where I use my cell phone mounted in a calculator cover and strapped to my chest. I have one camera from that view and another web camera filming my face while I’m talking. I think that’s important – to keep a personal touch. Students can click back and forth on the images during class. For one session, the class controlled my hands. I wore earphones, took directions from them, and became a sort of human robot.
In the social sciences, we study people. We were watching world events and talking about a policy and systems response about two weeks prior to the college’s administrative response. Wuhan and Corvallis, we’re alike – just like any two cities are alike. What they did there, and in Japan, and Spain, and Italy – that gave us insight into the anxiety we would face here. I’d say I clocked about 100 hours the week we heard we were moving classes online for spring. And that’s with previous online teaching experience! If I hadn’t done this before, I’m not sure how I could continue teaching five courses. Ironically, this virus allowed me a just-in-time teaching opportunity because the topic applies well to the study of anthropology. It gives me great teaching material for a long time to come and is an investment in my future courses. Unfortunately, this virus has amplified our social structures and the inequality in our society. I’ve had three students drop due to houselessness. They have safe places to sleep but no wifi. I’m doing my best for my 160 students with what is within my means. I’m teaching all of my courses asynchronously because even though it’s more work, it’s more equitable for my students.
has
Lauren Visconti, Faculty Member Anthropology & Women's Studies
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MAKING IT WORK Checking in with LBCC students learning at home Student Preciosa Cantu thrives in distance learning environment. Switching to an online platform for spring term classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic was not without its challenges. Yet every day, LBCC students have found ways to meet that challenge and make online college work for them.
In fact, many students, like Preciosa Cantu, have discovered they actually enjoy distance learning. As it turns out, Preciosa is doing better than ever in this online environment, and she believes she’ll earn her highest GPA yet this term. As a highly-organized and task-oriented learner, Precious discovered several reasons why her learning style is a good fit for the online class platform. “What I love about the distance learning model is that I have the freedom to do class my way and make the most of my learning style. I often struggled in class because there is usually just one way of learning. It can be hard to keep up. It seem like I spend a lot of time taking notes rather than actually learning. With online learning, I’m selfdirected. I have the drive to learn on my own. In class, teachers sometimes go in different directions or share personal stories, which can be distracting and confusing to me. I like staying focused on what I need to know. Being able to focus on the core reading and coursework has helped me to improve my grades this term.”
Preciosa Cantu, AS, Practical Business Management Legislative Affairs Director, LBCC Student Leadership Council Career Goals: To work as an event planner, and move into hotel management
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Roadrunners Stay Connected Students at LBCC come from all walks of life— yet every student shares the goal of finishing a college degree and becoming a success for themselves and their families. Now the coronavirus pandemic makes connecting to one another even more challenging, but students are finding their way. Whether it's holding coffee-study hours over zoom (even in Spanish!), checking in at a new student Instagram channel (RoadRunnersOnTrack_ LBCC), or working with the Student Leadership Council to learn about volunteer opportunities, Roadrunners are persisting. The college has created a new "Term Toolkit" online that helps answer questions and puts students in touch with support staff when they have technology challenges or just need general support. "Community" is LBCC's middle name!
“What I love about the distance learning model is that I have the freedom to do class my way and make the most of my learning style." CONNECT 7
Serving our COMMUNITIES then and now Under President Greg Hamann’s leadership Linn-Benton Community College has been a powerful voice, at both the state and national levels, for improving the quality of life for all Oregonians—especially residents of Linn and Benton counties.
LBCC’s automotive programs partner with the National Coalition of Certification Centers.
Occupational therapy assistant associate degree program begins.
2010
2011
Automotive program partners with SnapOn Tools.
With the needs of our communities in mind, LBCC has undergone several innovation-based reforms to increase college completion rates while at the same time reducing student costs. Through advocacy efforts on Oregon’s Quality Education Commission, the Governor’s Reentry Council, the Department of Corrections Reentry Council, and on numerous task forces, the college’s reach and effectiveness has increased significantly. Along with many valued industry partners, new programs and workforce pipelines have been developed and new teaching facilities built thanks to the support of you, our community members. Together we have risen to meet the needs of employers, helped spur economic growth, and stabilized employment in our region. LBCC has been a vital part of Linn and Benton counties since 1966. In those 54 years, there have been challenges, but we have faced them together. Let us walk this path together again during this healthcare pandemic and through its aftermath – as individuals, teachers, students, parents, industry leaders, and community members.
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LBCC is selected as one of 30 community colleges nationwide to participate in the American Association of Community College’s Pathways Initiative
2016 Non-destructive testing and evaluation associate degree program begins.
2012 Achieving the Dream begins. Student success initiative brings a special focus on the first-year experience to help reach their educational goals.
State-of-the-art Healthcare Occupations Center is opened in Lebanon
2017
The passage of a $34 million bond provides LBCC with funding to upgrade and expand programs and facilities.
2013
2014
Advanced Transportation Technology Center opens in Lebanon, bringing stateof-the-art technology.
Surgical technician certificate program begins.
2018
20-year commitment to the Degree Partnership Program with Oregon State University is reaffirmed. The first of its kind in the state.
$3 million in economic development funds to purchase new program equipment.
Automotive program partners with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
2015 Pipeline partnership created. Economic and workforce development partnership between local businesses,city, county leaders, area school districts and LBCC for pathways that lead to jobs.
Degree partnership Expansion of the LBCC agreement is signed with Benton Center breaks Western Oregon University. ground in Corvallis.
2019 Hamann leads the college through thoughtful discussion on freedom of expression, resulting in LBCC receiving national recognition for the facilitation of civil discourse.
Machine Tool Program partners with Festo Didactic.
2019 Affordability initiative is established to provide emergency funds for marginalized students to help them stay in school.
HOT HEALTHCARE CAREERS Fast-Track Your Way to a Medical Career at LBCC! Though many parts of our economy have been turned upside down with the current Coronavirus crisis, healthcare careers are still in high demand! If you’re ready for a new career, have a passion for working with people, and desire to be part of a team of medical professionals, read on. At LBCC, you can prepare for a career as a medical assistant, sleep technologist or phlebotomist. Employers in our region are looking to fill these positions right now.
Applications for this program are open now, and recent graduates are already working in our communities.
Cal Mowery graduated in December 2019 and is already working as a sleep technician at Peace Health in Salem. “The program provided a nice balance of online coursework, in-class labs, and onsite clinical time,” said Cal. “It gave me a good base to work from, and provided everything I needed to step right into a new career as a sleep technician.” APPLY TODAY
Accredited by: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Applications: Accepted through May 2020
Program dates: June 29, 2020 – March 19, 2021
In this program you’ll learn a broad range of skills – from scheduling appointments, billing and bookkeeping to taking patient histories, drawing blood, dressing wounds and more.
More information: www.linnbenton.edu/sleeptech
“We are excited to offer Medical Assisting as a oneyear certificate program,” said Linda Carroll, dean of health care programs at LBCC. “This will greatly reduce the overall cost and the time it takes students to finish. It will also help to meet the need of our partners in the medical industry, where demand is high for trained medical assistants.”
Phlebotomists are also in high demand right now! They help admit patients, draw blood, collect samples, and process them for medical laboratories. The average wage for a phlebotomist in our region is $18 per hour.
MEDICAL ASSISTING PROGRAM With wages averaging $18-20 per hour or more, medical assistants are in high demand. LBCC's fourterm certificate program can get you on your way to a great paying career in about one year!
APPLY TODAY
Accredited by: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health ............ Education Programs - financial aid approval pending, ..... anticipated by fall 2020
Applications: Open June 15, 9:00 a.m. and until filled (first come, first served)
Program dates: September 2020 – June 2021 and summer 2021 practicum
More information: www.linnbenton.edu/medicalassistant
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PHLEBOTOMY PROGRAM
Cal Mowery, Sleep Technician, Peace Health Sleep Technology program graduate, 2019
SLEEP TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM Sleep. We all need it. For those of us who struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, sleep technologists are here to help. If you’d like to help patients solve their sleep problems and improve their overall health by doing so, this may be the career for you! Sleep technologists work as part of a clinical team, under the supervision of a licensed physician, to monitor, record, and analyze patient data during sleep and wakefulness. At LBCC, you can learn to be a sleep technologist in just nine months. Through LBCC’s comprehensive, online certificate program, which combines online course work, lecture, hands-on practice and a clinical practicum, students learn the skills needed to work as a polysomnographic technologist, or sleep technician.
If you’re looking to become part of a team of medical professionals in just 15 weeks, look no further! Take a cue from Andrea Croft, who graduated from the Phlebotomy program last December. After helping people for 12 years in retail, Andrea decided she could really make a difference in people’s lives by entering the medical field. Just months after graduating from LBCC, she was working as a full-time as a phlebotomist at a local hospital - a job she finds very rewarding.
Andrea Croft, Phlebotomist Phlebotomy program graduate, 2019
HEALTHCARE CAREERS START HERE
APPLY TODAY
Applications: Accepted through May 2020
Program dates: June 29 to October 16, 2020
More information: www.linnbenton.edu/phlebotomy
Employers in your community are hiring! Apply by May 31 at LinnBenton.edu/applynow 11
Keeping
Roadrunners on Track
LBCC faculty and staff are finding innovative ways to support each other and to help students continue on their educational path in this new online teaching and learning environment. As happened elsewhere with COVID-19, many things at LBCC changed practically overnight. When it did, our faculty and staff sprung into action. Facilities staff immediately instituted new cleaning and safety protocols for the physical plant and, though most staff are now home, they are still on site keeping the campuses running. Information Services ensured students, faculty, and staff had the necessary tools to learn and work from home. Student Services and Academic Affairs increased their outreach and support to help students deal with the added stresses of this extraordinary time in history. One such student student measure is a new online "Term Toolkit" with updated contacts, resources, FAQs, and daily tips for success to aid students with the transition online. You can check out the new Roadrunners on Track video series, linked from our website home page. There are some helpful tips even for those who are not students! Another change affected incoming students. New student writing placement tests-- so important for starting an educational journey at the correct level--were suddenly not an option. The writing faculty stepped up for students and quickly devised an equitable workaround to manually receive and review writing samples. Each student essay is reviewed by two readers, and the student is then assigned their writing class placement. Though the workload is sizable, faculty are confident that they are placing students into the correct writing level.
"This is an important way we can help our new students be ready for classes, whether they're taught in-person or online" -Matt Usner, writing faculty and project lead
These are just some of the ways in which our community rose to support students. The LBCC community puts students first!
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INFORMATION
SERVICES
rises to the challenge!
569 new ACCOUNTS IN APRIL
164
FACULTY AND STAFF REQUESTS FOR REMOTE ACCESS LAST MONTH
400%
AT-HOME DEVICES LAST MONTH VERSUS ENTIRE PREVIOUS YEAR
170
ONLINE MEETINGS OR CLASSES EACH DAY
You, too, can help students Join our caring community of donors
This pandemic has been challenging for many people, and LBCC students are no different. You already know this, because LBCC students are your friends, your neighbors, maybe even your family members – and they need all of our support. If you are in a position to give, we ask that you join the LB community and step up for students! Your gift to the Roadrunner Student Emergency Fund will help a student meet basic needs so that they can stay in school and graduate to a brighter future. Please consider donating today! Visit: linnbenton.edu/givenow
29,000
ONLINE MEETINGS AND CLASSES SINCE APRIL 1
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Supporting Small Businesses During COVID-19 If you’re a bit worried about the small business owners in your community, you’re not alone. Many community members are purchasing gift certificates, take-out meals or shopping locally online to ensure their favorite neighborhood establishments can ride out this worldwide health crisis until stay-at-home and social distancing orders are relaxed. We reached out to one of our small business clients for a firsthand account of how they’re navigating this chaotic season. We immediately reached out to our SBDC advisors. We didn't know what was going to happen, so we, as a team, created plans and strategies for different outcomes.
LBCC Extended Learning The SBDC team at Linn-Benton Community College has been an invaluable partner for many local small businesses during this COVID-19 health crisis. In the past six weeks, our team has: Advised more than 200 businesses since the COVID-19 outbreak became local Helped these businesses to find $1.1 million in crisis funding Advised local nonprofits - something new to our SBDC teams!
To speak with an SBDC Advisor for free, register online at www.linnbenton.edu/sbdc. If you or someone you know would like the most upto-date information about COVID-19 resources for small businesses, visit this resource page developed by the SBDC State Network Office: https://bizcenter.org/covid-19/.
offers many online classes in communitybased education
Amidst the current COVID-19 health crisis, LBCC’s Extended Learning program is offering a variety of low-cost, online community education classes and small business development courses to anyone interested in learning at home. Topics include fitness, art, language, driver’s safety, professional development, small business and more.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION CLASSES
Here is the advice they gave us.
More than 40 community education online classes are now being offered in fitness, art, history, language, professional growth, and more. Classes will be taught using several different online platforms including Zoom and Google Hangouts. Classes are being offered at a reduced rate of $19 to $49. View the online schedule at www.linnbenton.edu/communityeducation.
Being a small business, we were able to adapt and restructure our methods of serving our guests. We used social media, printed signs, and various "open for business" lists to communicate to our guests, and provided a safe way to deliver our food.
CORPORATE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LBCC’s Corporate Trainer recently partnered with the Albany Chamber to bring the Chamber’s long-running Leadership Edge program to a remote platform. If you are a mid to large size business and are in need of Corporate Training and Professional Development, please email houdet@linnbenton. edu for more information.
We implemented car side pick-up, rearranged our store, as well as marked 6-foot distanced waiting areas for our guests to pick up their food at a safe social distance. I reached out to our third-party food delivery partners, and asked them all for a reduction in commission. Only one of the three companies obliged, but it was still well worth asking as our delivery portion of our revenue went from 15% to 65% on average.
DRIVER’S EDUCATION CLASSES
LBCC’s Vehicle Safety Program has two new remote offerings: Driver Permit Preparation, beginning May 20, and Teaching Your Teen to Drive, with two section offerings, one beginning May 6, and one beginning May 13. Classes cost between $15 and $29.
We also contacted our vendors, landlords, and any other holders of our debt. We asked each of them individually what they could do to work with us in the event we had to close, or were unable to make a payment. This was vital in creating a plan to navigate our "worst case" scenario. We did not want to wait until things got bad to know what we're going to do. We used this same logic in applying for grants and loans. We aren't sure what the future will hold, but for today we're open, safe, and have backup plans in place to react accordingly to most any situation. – Mark and the Cheesy Stuffed Burger family
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ANYONE can be a learner!
LBCC noncredit classes are open to everyone. For these Extended Learning class offerings, you will need access to the internet and a phone, computer, or tablet. Register today by calling 541-917-4840. Please leave a voicemail. We will return your call within 24 hours. Or, register by email at extendedlearning@linnbenton.edu/.
Mark Encke with Stephen Fuller, SBDC Adviser Cheesy Stuffed Burgers 453 SW Madison Ave, Corvallis
Community Education 15
6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321-3755
Residential Postal Patron
LEARN ANYWHERE & ANYTIME!
The coronavirus pandemic has changed so much for us all, but one thing hasn't changed: your ability to pursue your dreams. At Linn-Benton Community College you don't have to have all the answers. Begin with your interests – and we will help you find a path to a degree. Even right now ... LBCC will get you on the road to success so you don't miss a beat.
541-917-4811 admissions@linnbenton.edu linnbenton.edu
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