UACCM PART OF CONSORTIUM RECEIVING FEDERAL GRANT

Two-year colleges receive $14.7 million federal funding to improve graduation, job placement rates

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Officials announced Tuesday the state's two-year colleges have received a $14.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to restructure higher education and target training to meet specific industry needs, strengthen technology-enabled learning, and allow students and workers more flexibility in scheduling classes.

"The project's goal is to accelerate certificate and degree completions by 15 percent by restructuring nearly 150 programs over the next three years," said Dr. Ed Franklin, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges (AATYC).

The Path to Accelerated Completion and Employment (PACE) Initiative will be a collaborative effort between all of the state's 22 two-year colleges to reduce remediation and increase degree production, with Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) leading the consortium. The program is coordinated through AATYC in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE), all of which worked together to receive the grant funding.

Support for development of the initiative was provided by Complete College America and the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.

"This is a tremendous day for NWACC and all two-year colleges in Arkansas," Dr. Becky Paneitz, NWACC president, said, "and more specifically for the students we serve. They will benefit from a program specifically designed to break down barriers they may have toward receiving the degrees or training they need to perform jobs in our state's largest career-growth areas."

Top education and government officials have clearly defined goals to change remedial education, increase retention and double the number of degree holders in the state by 2025.

"By redesigning classes and schedules to help working students balance jobs and college," said Shane Broadway, ADHE interim director, "we hope to significantly boost student success and dramatically increase the number of college graduates in the state. These dollars will enable our two-year colleges, employers and other economic development partners to create a workforce that is prepared for careers in high-wage, high-skills fields such as advanced manufacturing and health care."

Specific strategies for redesigning 42 associate's degree and 104 certificate programs include improving developmental education, streamlining certificate and degree pathways, reducing time-to-completion and credit-to-completion, enhancing support technology and systems, and overhauling student advisement to increase job placement.

"Baxter Regional Medical Center and ASU Mountain Home have been partners in training for many years," said Ron Peterson, CEO of Baxter Regional Medical Center, "and we look forward to this exciting new opportunity to fulfill the healthcare workforce needs in our community."

As part of the grant process, higher education officials reached out to business and industry to ensure jobs would be available to workers who completed training at the state's two-year colleges. Industry partners include North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, L'Oreal USA, Caterpillar, Wabash Wood Products, Eaton Corporation-El Dorado Chemical; Superior Industries International Arkansas, Firestone Building Products, Pace Industries, Baxter Regional Medical, Baptist Health, Tyson Foods Inc., CertainTeed Gypsum, South Mississippi County Hospital, Great River Medical Center and Arkansas Children's Hospital.

Representatives of the Congressional delegation were on hand for the announcement, along with several other local government leaders.

UACCM Foundation’s “Aiming for Education” Pulls in $10,000

On September 18, the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Foundation hosted the college’s fourth annual “Aiming for Education” shooting competition fundraiser at Point Remove Lodge. Eleven three-person teams and dozens of youth participants competed against each other in a variety of shooting games including clay pigeon shooting and team flurry exercises. Participants and spectators were also given opportunities to win one of several raffle ticket drawings, as well as dozens of door prizes.

The winners of the “Aiming for Education” shooting competition were as follows: Team Shoot First Place/First Flight - Mike Darr Jr., Dusty Darr, Mike Darr Sr.; Team Shoot First Place/Second Flight - Collin Cahill, Peyton Mayo, Don Cahill; Youth 11-14 years old, first place - Skylar Hughes, second place - Peyton Mayo, third place - Tyler Kersey; Youth 8-10 years old, first place - Carson Cahill, second place - Weston Crow, third place - Ty Gray; Adult Top Gun, Dusty Darr; and Youth Top Gun: Peyton Mayo.

“Aiming for Education” brought in $10,175 prior to expenses for the UACCM Foundation thanks to the following sponsors: (10 Gauge Level Sponsors, $2500) Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Point Remove Lodge, and Winrock Farms, Inc; (12 Gauge Level Sponsors, $1000) Conway Co. Regional Water District and Green Bay Packaging AR Kraft Division; (16 Gauge Level Sponsors, $500) Blue Diamond Café, Hagans Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep, Southwestern Energy, and Wildcat Wireline; (20 Gauge Level Sponsors, $250) Entergy-Arkansas, ESS Oilfield Services, Roberson Tire, State Farm Insurance, and TME Inc., (.410 Sponsor Level, $100) Academy Sports and Outdoors, Central Arkansas Dust Control, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Arkansas, Mike and Susie Dunaway; Healthcare Pharmacy; Johnson & Ruff, CPAs, P.A., Liberty Bank of Arkansas, Rich and Natalie Moellers, Petit Jean State Bank, Price Flying Service, and Tires for Less. Prizes were donated by AGFC- Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center, Cashwell’s Natural Health, Ducks Unlimited, Roberson Tire; Tobacco Corner Plus, and Wendy’s. Ducks Unlimited also partnered with UACCM by providing assistance with the youth competition.

More information and photos from this year’s event are on the UACCM Web site at www.uaccm.edu. For questions about this event or information on how to be a part of next year’s “Aiming for Education” please contact Morgan Zimmerman at (501) 977-2085 or zimmerman@uaccm.edu or Mary Clark at (501) 977-2011 or clark@uaccm.edu.

Trout Fishing in America to Play at UACCM

Trout Fishing in America to Play at UACCM’s 50^th-Year Party

The four-time, Grammy-nominated music group Trout Fishing in America will be the headliners at a free concert on the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) campus on Thursday, October 13 at 7 pm.

The concert will close UACCM’s community-wide party that evening, which celebrates three major milestones for the institution: fifty years since its creation by the Arkansas General Assembly; 20 years as a two-year college; and 10 years as a member of the University of Arkansas System. UACCM invites the public to attend the family-oriented event, which will begin with a free barbecue and chicken dinner at 5 pm. Weather-permitting, events will take place outside on the campus grounds between the Fine Arts Building, The Plaza, and the Business Technology Center.

UACCM was established as Petit Jean Vocational Technical School by the 1961 Arkansas General Assembly. In September of 1963, as the newly-constructed school prepared to open its doors for the very first time, an invitation was extended for the community to attend a free BBQ and chicken dinner, and this party will pay tribute to that historic event.

Trout Fishing in America is a musical duo which performs folk rock and children’s music and has received much critical recognition for both family and adult music. The duo is composed of Keith Grimwood (upright bass, Clevinger bass, bass guitar, and vocals) and Ezra Idlet (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, and vocals). Grimwood and Idlet formed Trout Fishing in America on the streets of Santa Cruz, California. The band was based for many years in Houston, Texas, but moved to the Prairie Grove, Arkansas area in 1992.

Both the concert and the dinner are free and open to all residents in UACCM’s six-county service area. More information, including an updated schedule of events, is available at www.uaccm.edu or by calling (501) 977-2011.

UACCM Connects to ARE-ON

UACCM First of 22 Two-Year Colleges Connected to ARE-ON

Fiber Through Arkansas e-Link

The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) today held an informative presentation on its plans for the future connection to the new Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE-ON).

As one of Arkansas e-Link’s partners, ARE-ON is a state-of-the-art, fiber optic network that provides internet bandwidth for colleges and universities across Arkansas.

According to Mike Abbiatti, executive director of Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE-ON), “The Arkansas e-Link initiative is an excellent example of what happens when three critical higher education organizations, UAMS, AATYC, and ARE-ON, join forces with a common vision. E-link is not about fiber infrastructure, it is about what we DO with the infrastructure to improve healthcare and education for the citizens of Arkansas.  E-link will be a factor in empowering the Natural State in changing its national perception from “poor me” to ‘FOLLOW ME!’ ”

In August 2010 the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), accompanied by officials from federal and state agencies, received a $102 million grant from the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), known now as Arkansas e-Link.

Arkansas e-Link, a three-year project, will enable fiber connections and/or bandwidth upgrades in all 75 counties and in 135 Arkansas communities, including 81 Arkansas hospitals, all two-year colleges (four-year colleges are already connected), eight public libraries, all state human development centers, the state’s trauma network, community health centers, mental health clinics and home health agencies; 474 community anchor sites total.

“What makes this grant so critical to Arkansas is that our state ranks 50th in the percentage of households with a computer, 50th in percentage of households with Internet access and 46th in percentage of households with broadband access,” said Debbie Green, project director of Arkansas e-Link. “Arkansas also ranks third worst in the country for early deaths. So the need is obvious, and we’ll be able to vastly improve upon those statistics.”

UACCM along with the other education sites will have the ability to deliver distance learning, provide new opportunities for sharing curriculum and other resources, and increase the ability of two-year colleges to meet the training needs of businesses and industries in their communities.

UACCM Chancellor Dr. Larry Davis said “We are honored to become the first Arkansas community college to connect with this new fiber-optic network that will provide nearly unlimited bandwidth for colleges and universities across Arkansas. ARE-ON opens up expanded opportunities and gives us the resources we need to fully develop our ability to help our students succeed.”

Key partners include the Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network, Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Department of Human Services, Baptist Health, Arkansas Hospital Association, Arkansas State Library and Community Health Centers of Arkansas.

University of Arkansas System President Dr. B. Alan Sugg said, “This new network infrastructure gives our educational community unlimited potential throughout the state and beyond. Through Arkansas e-Link, we will have one of the most connected health care and education systems in the U.S. It has far-reaching implications to improve educational opportunities, increase access to health care, and enhance economic development. The Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network should serve as a role model for other states.”

Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Deadline Approaching

We will be accepting Fayetteville Shale Scholarship applications until Friday, September 30, 2011.  We have a few leftover scholarships to give away for this Fall 2011 semester.  Please announce on the website, facebook, blog, etc.

Requirements:

Petroleum Technology Major

Full-time student with at least six hours of courses that count towards the Petroleum Technology plan of study

2.75 GPA or higher

First-semester students will be awarded based on high school GPA, ACT scores, or COMPASS scores

High School GPA must be a 2.75 or higher. 

Students using ACT score must have a minimum score of 17 on math, 19 on reading, and 19 on English. 

Students using the COMPASS score must have a minimum score of 26 on algebra or 49 on pre-algebra, 83 on reading, and 77 on writing.

Students who have completed 12 or more hours (including developmental) at another college or university must have a 2.75 or higher transfer GPA.  The transfer GPA supersedes any HS GPA or test scores.

RAFFLE!

Wondering why that camouflage duck blind is set up in the lobby of the UC?  For a small donation to the foundation you can sign up for a chance to win it!   We will also be giving away a one night stay at two different lodges in the Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Conservation Center in Southwest Arkansas!

For a $1 donation you will receive one chance for the prize of your choice, or for a $5 donation you will receive 6 tickets.

Stop by the Institutional Advancement office in UC 104 today to make your donation!

Drawing will be held at the Skeet Shoot on Sunday, September 18, and the winner will be notified by phone.

Thanks for your support of the UACCM Foundation!

Plaza Menu 9/12/11

Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Breakfast served from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Lunch served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Daily Specials

All specials include a drink

Monday, 9/12/2011

Chicken and rice............................................................................................ 6.50

Steamed vegetables

Fresh baked roll

Tuesday, 9/13/2011

Tex Mex Lasagna........................................................................................... 6.50

Salad

Fresh baked roll

Wednesday, 9/14/2011

Shepherd’s pie............................................................................................... 6.50

Green beans

Fresh baked roll

Thursday, 9/15/2011

Build your own burritos  ............................................................................... 6.50

(Ground beef, black beans, salsa, cheese, tomato, jalapeños, lettuce)

Mexican rice  

Friday, 9/16/2011

Pork chops .................................................................................................... 6.50

Mac and cheese

Brown beans

Corn bread

Please visit uaccm.edu/plaza for a complete menu

Treasure Hunt! YAARRR!

UACCM E-Mail Instructions

A UACCM e-mail account is available to all students. Accounts for First-time entering students will be set up by the first day of classes. Your account will remain active between semesters as long as you are pre-registered for a following semester. All important campus information is distributed to students through their UACCM email. You must have a signed Computer Account Form on file with Computer Services agreeing to the UACCM Computer Usage Policy. Returning Students do not have to complete a form each subsequent semester at UACCM.


To log on to a network computer on campus:

Your USERNAME is: first initial + middle initial +last name + last 3 digits of your Student ID Number. For example, if your name is John C. Doe, your username will be JCDoe321. If you do not have a middle initial, substitute an 'x' i.e.. JXDoe321.

Your PASSWORD is: first initial + your Student ID number. The first initial must be uppercase and no dashes are used, i.e. J987654321

Your email address is: username@uaccm.edu i.e. JCDoe321@uaccm.edu

To Access email: 

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Type in https://mail.uaccm.edu/owa
3. Type Domain/username (JCDoe321)
4. Type Password (J987654321) (remember that the first initial must be uppercase and no dashes)

UACCM Earns NAEYC Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation has recently announced that it has granted accreditation to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton’s Early Childhood Development Associate Degree Program. UACCM is one of twelve associate degree programs sponsored by eight institutions of higher education to receive the accreditation this year.

This brings the total number of accredited programs to 136 since the accreditation system was launched in 2006 and UACCM is one of only three accredited two-year colleges in the state. The accreditation system establishes professional preparation standards to raise the quality of early childhood teacher education, and in turn raise the quality of early education programs serving young children. Accredited associate degree programs provide access to the profession and a strong foundation for the diverse pool of early childhood teachers that are needed in the field.

Federal Head Start regulations call for an associate’s degree or higher for teachers, and many states include early childhood associate degrees in their Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for child care and preschool programs. NAEYC’s professional standards for early childhood degree programs provide a high measure of quality by which teacher education programs can be evaluated.

Along with the  NAEYC accreditation, The Arkansas Department for Higher Education has given UACCM’s Early Childhood Education Department approval for a birth to 5 years old teaching credential from the Department of human Services Division of Childcare and Early Childhood Education. After students graduate with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education and meet all the requirements, this credential will open more job opportunities as well as give them more potential to earn a higher paying salary.

For more information, visit www.UACCM.edu or call 1-800-264-1094.

UACCM ARE-ON Presentation

The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton invites area residents to attend an informative presentation on its plans for the future connection to the new Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE-ON). ARE-ON is a state-of-the-art, fiber optic network that will provide nearly unlimited internet bandwidth for colleges and universities across Arkansas. The goals of the ARE-ON project, which has now been named Arkansas e-Link, are to improve opportunities for schools to deliver distance learning, provide new opportunities to collaborate with other schools by sharing curriculum and other resources, and increase the ability of two-year colleges to meet the training needs of businesses/industries in their communities. UACCM will be the first of 22 two-year colleges in the state to be connected to the network. 

 The network is being made possible through a grant received by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). UAMS was the receipt of a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) Comprehensive Community Infrastructure grant in the amount of $102,131,393 from the National Telecommunications Information Administration of the Department of Commerce. The overall grant will support UAMS’s $128 Million effort to expand bandwidth capacities and broadband equipment at 474 of the state’s community anchor institutions.The project is expected to be completed in three years.

The press conference and information session at UACCM will be held on Tuesday, September 13, from 1 pm to 2 pm in UACCM’s Business Technology Center, Room 203. Guest speakers will include Dr. Larry Davis, chancellor of UACCM; Mike Abbiatti, executive director of ARE-ON; Debbie Green, BOTP project director; Dr. Alan Sugg, University of Arkansas System president and chairman of the Board of Directors of ARE-ON ; and Shane Broadway, interim director of Arkansas Department of Higher Education. The speakers will be followed by presentations by UACCM faculty and staff who will be providing information and demonstrations of the school’s plans for the new network. For more information, please contact UACCM Chief Information Officer Mary Clark at 501-977-2011 or by -mail atclark@uaccm.edu.

Students R HEROES

Concerned about Friends

or Family Members?

Students R HEROES

FIRST MEETING: Thursday, Sept. 1

X Period (12:05 – 12:45 p.m.) Library (LC) 103

Students Responsible for

Health Education, Recovery Opportunities

and Enthusiastic Support.

HEROES care about the health and safety of peers/family;

offer responsible options for alcohol, drugs and tobacco; and

·      Provide special events for UACCM students

·      Offer alternate ways to have fun

·      Inform & educate ·Help save lives

·      Sponsor Prizes & Giveaways

COME! GET INVOLVED!