Sept. 28, 2017
Good afternoon, CF Team,
What a month it has been. Tragedies have struck Houston, Puerto Rico and Mexico, and we have dealt with our own Hurricane Irma. The old saying is “When the times get tough, the tough get going,” and that was demonstrated here at the college.
Special thanks to CF team members at all sites who came in during and after Hurricane Irma to protect our facilities and to get us prepared for re-opening. Team members from Public Safety, Facilities, Information Technology, Student Affairs, Business Office, Appleton, student-athletes and others all pitched in for cleanup and provided critical services such as systems checks, processing of student financial aid and payroll.
In an effort to recoup time lost to Hurricane Irma, we have cancelled activities scheduled for Faculty Professional Development Day, Wednesday, Oct. 4. Instead, the day has been designated as an optional instructional make-up day. Faculty may offer additional class time, labs, clinicals, workshops, study sessions, etc., for face-to-face and online courses. Since this was a published date for no day classes to students, students cannot be required to attend, but should be encouraged. Evening classes will take place as scheduled.
The Employee Health Fair will continue as scheduled Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Klein Center at the Ocala Campus. A Citrus Campus Employee Health Fair will be offered Thursday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit the employee benefits site for full information or schedule an appointment here. You can benefit from free screenings for cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure, get a flu shot and help the college win up to $15,000.
The college was recognized Sept. 19 by the Levy County Board of County Commissioners with a proclamation acknowledging our 60th anniversary and opening of the new Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus. Dr. Vernon Lawter, Lois Brauckmuller and Danielle Doty joined me in representing CF at the meeting in Bronson. The commissioners expressed their appreciation of the opportunities the campus brings to Levy County and its residents and stated it was nice to have a positive on the agenda after dealing with the hurricane. It was a humbling experience to accept the proclamation from commissioners.
Last week, Sept. 20, I joined donors, parents and middle school students at a reception for STEPS, Scholarships Taking Elementary Promising Students to CF. I was very proud of CF students Chriseanna Mitchell and Emmirial Griner, who shared their CF stories. They were an inspiration to the students and a great reminder of how we transform lives.
CF will host its second Friday Talks: Business Advancement Series with the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership at the Hampton Center Sept. 29. Amy Osborne will present on Tech Innovation and the Future. The free event will focus on staying ahead of the curve as the rapid pace of technology continues to change how we work, live and play. Doors open at 8 a.m. and the presentation begins at 8:30 a.m. RSVP to Danielle@OcalaCEP.com. Coordinate with your supervisor to ensure your schedule will allow attendance.
Our recent natural disasters remind me that we have so much to be thankful for. Let’s hope we are done with hurricanes for this season! Thank you for all that you do for our students, our college and our community.