Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the College Budget
Budget conversations are open to all
As President Harrison mentioned in his keynote address on In-Service Day, the college will soon hold a number of open forums/conversations to discuss the college budgeting process. Forums have already been scheduled with Staff Advisory Council, Instructional Support Council, and Instructional Council. The campus community is welcome to attend any of the five Budget Conversations as follows:

 

Testing Center expands hours
On Monday, November 1, College Testing Services will begin extending the hours for the Testing Center at the Columbus Campus and the Westerville Off-Campus Center to provide additional time for students to take tests with a minimum wait.  The expanded hours will be offered through Thursday, December 9.

The Columbus Campus will offer hours Monday –Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

At the Westerville Center, hours will be Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (with the addition of 4-8 p.m. starting on November 15); Tuesday and Thursday, 4- 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Be sure to tell your students to bring photo ID and know their Cougar ID number when reporting to the Testing Center. Academic tests will not be administered one hour prior to closing. Placement tests are not administered two hours prior to closing.

	Seminar from ITDL “Teaching with the New Electronic Tools - No Walls. No Halls. No Problem!” No longer does learning have to stop at the door. Instruction has evolved, and so have the tools and channels. Attend this half-day session with Instructional Technologies and Distance Learning to get a hands-on look at how you can take the tools we have to create your own "brand" of instruction. No more PowerPoint—you can use new open source tools for lecture presentation. Learn about mobile learning, content sharing, podcasts, easy video and animation creation, new search tools, and more. New innovative tools and ideas, as well some past favorites, are presented each time ITDL offers this event. When: Friday, November 5 (1-4 p.m.) - Register Where: Innovation Center, CT 106

Special edition of “Screen ’n’ Speak” is Wednesday
Join the office of Diversity Programs on Wednesday, November 3, at 5 p.m. in WD 404 for the “New Muslim Cool” event, a very special offering from the Screen ’n’ Speak series.

Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth. A panel discussion and viewing of the award-winning documentary film “The New Muslim Cool” will get the discussion started. 

The 2009 film, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS, follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam. Yet, as he rebuilds his life with a message of faith through hip-hop music, the FBI raids his mosque—challenging him to embark on an even deeper exploration of his religion, profiling, tolerance and American identity.  The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kimberly Brazwell at ext.2426 or email diversity@cscc.edu. 

	More Cougar Conversation Partners are needed! You can help a Columbus State student become a better English speaker. Due to the overwhelming interest in the Conversation Partner Program, more English and Spanish-speaking volunteers are needed. The Cougar Conversation Partners Program matches native English speakers with non-native English speakers to provide an opportunity for individuals to practice language, share cultural heritage and gain confidence in the communication of thoughts and ideas.  Participation in the Cougar Conversation Partners (CCP) Program is a great way to gain volunteer experience and to become or remain proficient as a language learner.  For more information or to schedule a time for CCP to come and speak to your group, contact the Conversation Partner Program at ext. 2426 or email ccp@cscc.edu.

International Education Week is November 15 – 19
International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of the U.S. effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

If you are interested in collaborating with Diversity, Study Abroad and TRIO Programs on a program idea for this special week, please contact Ike Engel at nengel@cscc.edu. 

New study abroad opportunity to Japan coming June 2011
Columbus State students enrolling in Anthropology 299: Japan: Land of the Rising Sun this Spring Quarter will have the opportunity to study abroad for 11 days in Japan. This brand-new study abroad trip is being coordinated by faculty members Erica Swarts and Rebecca Mobley through Columbus State’s Office of Diversity, Study Abroad and TRiO Programs.

From its ancient history and connections to mainland Asia, to becoming the world’s third largest economy, Japan offers an excellent opportunity to study different aspects of culture (history, economics, religion, politics, art and architecture, group dynamics, etc.) Highlights of the trip will include:

• Guided tours of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima

• Excursions to the Great Buddha of Kamakura, ancient imperial palaces and medieval castles, the Golden Pavilion, Meiji and Miyajima Shrines, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum

• Visit trendy shopping districts such as Harajuku

• Travel on the superfast Shinkansen (bullet train)

• Sumida River cruise to Asakusa, Tokyo’s “amusement center”

• Visit to Hakone National Park, site of Mt. Fuji and more.

For more information about this exciting trip, contact Erica Swarts at ext.5041, email eswarts@cscc.edu, or Rebecca Mobley at ext. 5582, email rmobley@cscc.edu.