BSC July Activities Review

Campus Activities

• Through intensive recruiting efforts, Bluefield State College has added three minority faculty members, including two blacks, beginning with the Fall 1998 semester

• The College has hired five additional black employees (two Educational Outreach Counselor, Student Information Systems Technician, two Presidential Staff appointments--Director of Multicultural Affairs and Director of Title III/BRACE Program). Of the 15 position vacancies at the College for the calendar year 1998, seven were filled by black applicants (and one black applicant declined the position because of the salary). Of the remaining positions, one was not filled due to budgetary considerations, six (including four of the faculty positions) had no applicants who identified themselves as black, and one is waiting on acceptance

• Announced Homecoming '98 week (Oct. 3-9, 1998) program of activities, including Founder's Day speaker

• Developmental classes are being offered to 30 students, free of charge, through the M.O.R.E. (ÒMinority Outreach Recruitment Effort) program, in an effort to increase BSC's minority student enrollment. To date, 15 of the 30 students enrolled in the M.O.R.E. classes have enrolled for the Fall 1998 Semester

• College prepared for the second of two new student orientation sessions, August 7

• Began the second of two five-week summer sessions, July 6

• BSC's Educational Opportunity Center received notification from the U.S. Department of Education that it has been designated to receive a grant award of more than $216,000 for the fiscal year beginning Sept. 1, 1998

• College purchased a new institutional display through a donation given in partnership by Turner Vision and the Wisdom Channel

• Participated in the annual "Business Expo," sponsored by the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce

• History instructor accepted invitation of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum to speak at its August, 1998 symposium

• Agreed to co-sponsor, with the Bluefield Holiday Inn, the November, 1998 reater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours" program

• History faculty member participated in FACDIS four-week study-travel tour of Brazil

• Nursing faculty member accepted invitation to deliver scholarly presentation at sixth annual Associate Degree Nursing Faculty Development Conference in August

• Telecast throughout Bluefield-area cable system two Bluefield City Board of Directors' meetings and the monthly Mercer County Board of Education meeting

• College announced it will conduct a two-semester National Registry EMT-Paramedic Program at its Bluefield and Greenbrier Community College Center campuses, beginning August 25. Graduates of the program will qualify to take the National Registry Paramedic Examination

• BSC's Director of Multicultural Affairs met with numerous community, public schools, alumni, church, and civic organizations, with a focus on recruitment of minority students, faculty, and staff, and improving community relations

• BSC Center for Economic Enhancement completed Organizational Diagnostic training needs assessment (funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program) for Triple S Manufacturing Corporation (Beckley, WV). Training strategies that address the identified needs have been developed. Bluefield State College is coordinating the efforts of the Monroe County Manufacturing Extension program in delivering a welding certification program for the firm. Welding certification is one of the priority areas identified in the needs study. The Academy of Careers and Technology in Raleigh County will also be invited to participate in this project and further develop their welding program. (This program is funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program.)

• Completed the first session of "Kids Kollege," a one-week summer enrichment program for children (grades 1-5). The first session had more than 30 children enrolled, and the second session (scheduled for August) has a registration of more than 40 students.

• Center for Economic Enhancement is developing a comprehensive teleservices skills training program for both United Telysis and Invest in America. Telysis already employs more than 100 people at a local call center. Interbank is in the process of opening a call center. (Both programs are being developed through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program.)

• Coordinating development of a workplace education program for B.F. Goodrich (Union, WV). The project involves assisting the company in evaluation of different alternatives for testing the basic skills of its employees with respect to the jobs they perform and developing training to meet these needs. Proposals have been obtained from Concord College and the WV Workforce Education Program. Each service provider will assess and profile one representative job, and training options will be developed based upon that profile. The program will be expanded for other jobs if the initial pilot is successful. (The program is funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program.)

• Completed "Grammar and Usage," and "Effective Business Writing" seminars for the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce and its membership of more than 700 companies and organizations. This same program is scheduled for September at the Greenbrier Community College Center of BSC as part of a larger effort to address the needs of business and industry in the Greenbrier Valley.

• Completed a variety of well-attended programs for the Creative Retirement Center. Five of six computer workshops for adults (50 years and better) have been sold out, and waiting lists for three additional classes have been established. These additional classes will be scheduled for September. Other programs involving nature retreats and trips to sites of local interest have also obtained full registration.

• Completed an 80-hour underground mining course for individuals interested in obtaining certification to work in underground coal mines

• BSC Center for International Understanding (CIU) concluded a four-week training program (June 20-July 18), "Electric Power Systems Management" for 16 electric utility officials from Bosnia. Program is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

• CIU has been awarded a one-week training program, "Building for the Future: Youth Development," for 20 youth from the Republic of Georgia and Abkhazia (to be implemented in cooperation with Legacy Internal of Bedford, VA), August 2-9, through USAID

• CIU received notice from USAID that it has been awarded a two-week program, "Community Development" for 12 Azerbaijani social workers, September-October 1998, in cooperation with Delphia International (Washington, D.C.)

• USAID is currently reviewing a CIU program proposal, "Bank Supervision," for nine banking officials from Bosnia-Herzegovina

• CIU is disseminating international bids to West Virginia companies

• CIU is currently participating in trade mission in Novgorod, Russia (July 19-August 2), with six area civic/business leaders and officials, along with CIU Director

• CIU has received approval from the United States Information Agency (USIA) for sponsoring internships and home stays for eight Russian entrepreneurs, August 24-September 19

• CIU is implementing international trade and investment export assistance service activities in its offices in Saratov (Russia), Bombay (India), Bratislava (Slovakia), Baku (Azerbaijan), and Dnipropetrovosk (Ukraine)

• Marketing and recruiting students for participants in English as a Second Language (ESL) program for International Students and their spouses,

• Recruiting for ESL and degree-seeking students through the CIU Caucasus-Central Asian Republics Bureau in Baku, Azerbaijan; presently seeking an ESL instructor to send to Azerbaijan to teach ESL courses, beginning September, 1998

• Through its Washington, D.C. Bureau, CIU is negotiating relationships with foundations and development organizations in Europe for development projects and international trade

• CIU has created and advertised four full-time positions, including: CIU Washington, D.C. Bureau Coordinator, CIU English as a Second Language Coordinator, CIU Program Assistant, and CIU Global Trade Initiatives Research Assistant. Selection process will commence upon CIU Director's return from trade mission in Russia