April 28, 2006

College to honor Professor Ken La Fountaine
On Monday morning, April 24th, at 4:45 am, a great friend and colleague of the College passed away at his home. Ken La Fountaine, professor of Native American Studies, was a revered and beloved member of the Shoreline Community College family, and it is with great sadness that we announce his passing. A memorial service will be held to commemorate his life on Friday, April 28th at 1:00 pm in the SCC Gym. A reception will follow at 4:00 pm in the PUB.

Ken was a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. He was raised in the Seattle and Edmonds areas and graduated from Meadowdale High School in Edmonds. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Native American Studies from The Evergreen State College and later, a master's degree in Public Administration in Tribal Governance. Division Chair for Ethnic Studies, Robert Colbert (of the Robert E. Colbert Lecture Series) hired Ken to teach Native American history as an associate faculty member in 1972, and over the next few years, Ken taught off and on in full-time and part-time positions at the College. In 1983, Ken was hired as a tenure track faculty member, receiving tenure in 1986. During the time that he taught part-time, Ken developed three courses: Native American History , East Coast; Native American History, Plains; and Native American, Northwest -- a total of 15 credits. He continued developing courses over his 34-year tenure and ended his career at the College Winter Quarter 2006.

The College's First Nations Club was already in existence when Ken began his work at the College. Henry SiJohn was a Native American professor at the College and acted as the club advisor. When he retired, Ken took over as advisor to the club. He served in that capacity for 26 years.

Ken became a voice for higher education in the Native American community. He mentored countless numbers of Native Americans to earn college degrees and many of those people have gone on to hold significant positions in their disciplines. A man who was passionate about diversity in education, LaFountaine served on a number of committees and boards to further the diversity and multiculturalism strategic directions of the College.

Andrea Rye, vice president of Student Services and former dean of the Intra-American Studies & Social Sciences division notes, "Ken has been a major force in the establishment and continued development of the Intra-American Studies program at Shoreline Community College, not only in American Indian Studies but Ethnic and Women's Studies as well. He was a member of the IAS division during its early stages of development and has created and taught courses in History and Multicultural Studies. His many contributions were instrumental in the established reputation that Shoreline Community College has maintained over the years as a Center of Excellence in Multicultural, American Indian, African and African American, Latino/a, Asian and Pacific Islander and Women's Studies."

Ken did more than teach a curriculum. He made the history he taught real, and with everyone in life, he made each student feel important. Many students came here because they had heard about Ken and his Native American Studies program. One family, in particular, appreciated the knowledge and compassion they garnered from him. Six sisters all came to Shoreline to study with Ken -- and all went on to earn (or are currently completing) bachelor's and master's degrees. Another student asked him to mentor her and she had the opportunity to work as his teaching assistant for one quarter. Years later, she would join him to complete their master's program at Evergreen together.

It was paramount to Ken that the College provide opportunities for multicultural studies. Multicultural Studies Professor Betsey Barnett worked with him since the early years at SCC. Over time, they became good friends, even team-teaching together. She says that "he's the reason we have multicultural core course requirements. He fought for it."

Rye says that whenever the division looked at any kind of initiative that would help students (or even people in general), Ken would not compromise. He was a man of conviction.

"He could draw a line in the sand harder than anybody I've ever met and just stand there," says Barnett of his passionate side. "He just wasn't willing to compromise -- ever." This deep-seated passion and commitment are two of the qualities that made Ken who he was.

Barnett and Rye both laugh as they recall the humorous side of Ken. "He was very passionate about his students writing well," says Rye. "One day he warned me that his students would be coming to see me about him returning all their papers to redo. He wasn't kidding." Forty students showed up to see Rye (she was dean at the time). They worked things out AND those students learned the value of putting effort into their writing.

Students and their success was always paramount to Ken. Over the years students continued to stay in touch -- in fact, a "La Fountaine network" allowed him to stay abreast of their achievements and more. "He let them know that he wanted to know what they were doing," says Barnett.

The last quarter that Ken was able to teach, his students were sensitive to his health condition. Barnett compliments them saying that they were very mature; very understanding. "They were wonderful. They understood."

We cannot overlook Beth La Fountaine, Ken's partner wife. She provided many happy times for Ken and was there with him till the end. The College community grieves for Beth, as they do her husband.

The SCC Foundation will host the memorial service and Specialty Foods will provide catering services provided by the La Fountaine family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ken LaFountaine Endowed Diversity Scholarship, which was created in honor of Ken's advocacy for under-represented students in pursuit of higher education.

Click for Net News archive-Feb. 2006

Please read the Seattle Times obituary for more information on LaFountaine.

Sign the Guestbook created by the Seattle Times.

SCC joins City of Seattle as founding partner of Seattle Climate Partnership
Shoreline Community College (SCC) has joined the City of Seattle as a founding member of the Seattle Climate Partnership. The partnership will be modeled after the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in which participating employers commit to a series of actions to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve community-wide targets to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse emission and their effects on global warming. Partnership members will work with local government on solutions to protect our environment, and consequently, our economy.

“The College is proud to be a member of this Partnership. One of Shoreline’s core values is to recognize and sustain our natural environment,” says Interim President Lee Lambert. “SCC’s 83-acre campus showcases the beauty of the Northwest’s flora and fauna and inspires our environmental stewardship. We’re dedicated to helping achieve the Partnership’s community-wide climate protection goals as we join with founding partners Port of Seattle, Recreational Equipment Inc., University of Washington, Starbucks Coffee Company, Urban Visions, Lafarge Seattle, and the City of Seattle.”

SCC’s best interest in protecting the environment is also evident in its selection as one of 27 National Training Centers for the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium’s (NAFTC) standardized Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) and Advanced Technology training and outreach services. SCC is the only institution in the Northwest that currently offers both alternative fuel vehicle technician certification and consumer awareness training in alternative/advanced vehicles and fuels.

Next October the National Training Center at SCC will co-host (with the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition) the 2006 Washington State Odyssey Days to heighten public awareness about the importance of the use of alternative fuels and other practical solutions to reduce global warming. “The time is now to face the fact that we have to make climate-friendly choices and start decreasing transportation emissions from cars, trucks and off-road vehicles in the Puget Sound region. The price we pay for the effects on our physical health, the health of our local economies, and global warming, is getting too high, and we must take action to reduce these impacts,” stated Advanced/Alternative Automotive Training and Career Opportunity Consultant and Odyssey Days Coordinator, Madhuri Hosford. “This two-day event will showcase many types of new, advanced fuels, hybrid and other electric vehicles, and new technologies that offer here-and-now choices and practical solutions each of us can adopt today to make a difference. Odyssey Days participants will also get the opportunity to explore future energy-related careers in Washington State. Professionals in advanced energy technologies and alternative fuel industries and State and local legislators will address the viability of healthier transportation choices available now and in the future, and how they will affect our economy.” The 2006 Washington State Odyssey Days event will be held on SCC’s campus and will be open to the general public. The local is event is part of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium’s 2006 National AFV Odyssey, which will be held in more than 50 cities across the U.S. during October.

To learn more about 2006 Odyssey Days, contact Hosford at (206) 478-6621 or madhuri@oz.net. Contact Mark Hankins at x4758 or mhankins@shoreline.edu to learn more about SCC’s Alternative Fuel / Advanced Technology Vehicle training programs. For more information about the NAFTC, contact Judy Moore at (304) 293-7882 or judy.moore@mail.wvu.edu.

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Students, faculty, staff and community members help Katrina victims during break

The 19-member "Katrina Team" of SCC students, faculty, staff and community members came home from New Orleans with newfound understanding and empathy for those who experience great loss. The diverse team was organized by the SCC Rebel Alliance Club, the Black Student Union, and the Hip Hop Club. The team worked with Common Ground, a non-profit organization that was formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to provide immediate and long-term aid along the Gulf Coast. The SCC team helped gut, clean and repair houses and delivered food, water and clothing to the residents of New Orleans who continue to suffer the effects of Katrina. They worked in Tyvek suits with goggles and respirators to protect them from the toxic mold. >Click on Kudos for complete story.

PUB Update
Provided by Bev Brandt and Kae Peterson
In 2004-2005 the Legislature approved a COP (Certificate of Participation) of $15,000,000 to renovate the PUB at Shoreline Community College. The renovation must be repaid using locally generated funds that are not part of the College’s regular state allocation, tuition or class fees. Capital funds approved for this project cannot be used for operations or for any other project. This is a “stand alone” approval project including the special use permit from the City of Shoreline for construction.

For several years the students have been assessed themselves a PUB renovation fee to make this project possible. Many years ago and the college had attempted this project, but was not successful through the State System capital request process. Double click here for more information.

Students to vote on increase of PUB renovation fee
The Student Senate voted last week to place a measure on the ballot for the Student Elections being held on May 2nd and 3rd that would increase the PUB Renovation fee. Students will vote "yes" or "no" to increase this fee from the current amount of $3 per credit for up to 10 credits to a fee of $3 per credit for up to 12 credits. The Senate has estimated that this would bring in an additional $57,000 in revenue each year.

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee visits SCC to talk about Alternative Energy Initiative

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee was on campus April 24th to talk about the state’s Alternative Energy Initiative. Rep. Inslee’s visit, a part of the College’s Earth Day 2006 celebration, was coordinated by the College’s Wordly Philosophers and Dismal Scientists Club. Community members were invited to Rep. Inslee’s talk, as well as other activities scheduled throughout the week. The PUB Canteen was packed with students; Rep. Inslee commented on how great it was to see so many students interested in learning about the Alternative Energy Initiative.

Other Earth Week Events
Dr. George Divoky, seabird biologist and director of the scientific non- profit organization, the Friends of Cooper Island, talked about his research in the arctic as it relates to global warming. His research is among the first biological indications of the impact of recent Arctic warming. The Environmental Club coordinated Dr. Divoky’s presentation as well as a performance by environmental folk singer Dana Lyons. Visit the web site for more Earth Week events.

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Ribbon cutting for Red Cross disaster relief supply center

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Monday, April 24th for the Red Cross disaster relief supply center dedication (DRSC), located at the northeastern corner of the College campus. The building contains cots, blankets and other shelter supplies that can be quickly loaded onto trucks for transport to an emergency community shelter. The College made a commitment to provide the location for the center at no charge for a 20-year period.

“We are quite pleased that our campus can be utilized by the American Red Cross to house this critical storage facility," says Interim President Lee Lambert. "Our College is here to serve our local community, and this project is a demonstration of the partnership between the Red Cross, the city of Shoreline, and the College. Particularly during a time of crisis, we want to be of service to the city and its residents.”

The City of Shoreline was selected as one of eight King County American Red Cross emergency supply sites. One has been placed in Carnation, one in Federal Way and the SCC center is the third one to be built. The DRSC will play a critical role in helping the Red Cross prepare for future catastrophic disasters in King County.

Randy Stegmeier says that helping the City of Shoreline out by putting the center on campus supports future partnerships with the city. "This partnership enables the Red Cross to respond to a local emergency with supplies very quickly," says Stegmeier.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Shoreline, Maggie Fimia, gave remarks for the Mayor of Shoreline, Bob Ransom. The Deputy Mayor thanked all partners for making this center possible. "We are very fortunate to have this resource in Shoreline. It’s another example of how working together we can share our experience and resources to help all our residents," Fimia said.

The Shoreline DRSC was paid for through a donation from the Joshua Green Foundation.
The Red Cross is soliciting cities, school and fire districts, parks departments, faith-based groups and large corporations for other locations in King County. It is important to have these disaster relief centers distributed geographically throughout the county so that supplies can get to a shelter as quickly as possible.

Some roads or bridges may become inaccessible during a disaster and having supplies located in multiple areas increases the chances of being able to access supplies when or if they are needed.

The American Red Cross is the country’s leading disaster relief organization, providing immediate emergency relief to those in need and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Students, faculty, staff and community members help Katrina victims during break

A number of faculty and students have shared some of their experiences and thoughts since their return home. Student Peter Smith could not believe the destruction at the site where the levy broke. "There, everything was literally flattened for four square blocks in front of the levy." Smith, along with the rest of the group, was shocked at how little had been done since Katrina. Faculty member DuValle Daniel wondered how they could have ever relied on that levy for protection. On a positive note, however, the volunteers were impressed with the acceptance and appreciation given them by those who had lost everything.

The group participated in a march downtown where they heard New Orleanians express rage that the government had done so little, if anything for them, and actually prevented them from leaving. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were two of those who spoke at the rally.

What did they take away from the experience? "The knowledge that so many volunteers were willing to sacrifice their blood, sweat and tears for other people in need," says Smith. Sintayehu Tekle says that what he experienced he will have to live with for the rest of his life. "For the time I was there, I felt the devastation the people were going through. I felt that I was in a third world country; the smell, houses destroyed and some the streets were like ghost towns." He was struck by the expressions on the faces of the residents — "from the look on their faces they didn't even look like they had been harmed. They hide it so well that they don't show."

"For me, I was just overwhelmed with the level of destruction," says faculty member Linda Warren. "I also felt angry that the government has done so little to help, both during the hurricane and flood and now." She was amazed, however, at the grassroots volunteers who had left their jobs to volunteer for six months, and for some, a year. "We met a construction worker, medical students, a specialist in environmental clean-up, an herbalist -- all giving of their time."

The hard work and commitment of the SCC group did not go unnoticed. The family who they were helping made lunch for the team every day -- red beans and rice, BBQ chicken, and turkey necks and rice. They visited with "Ernest" and "Pat" each day, using the neighbor's porch as their porch was filled with dust and debris.

Daniel was struck by the numbers nailed to the devastated houses and inquired what they meant -- one set of numbers indicated the organization that had checked out the house; the other, how many bodies were found inside. "That was a sobering moment for all of us." Daniel asked a teenager if he and his friends talked much about Katrina; the response was "we like to pretend like it didn't happen." The young man was wearing a school uniform and when asked what school he attended, he said, "The YMCA." His school was destroyed. In addition to the toxic conditions and poverty, another difficult reality for Daniel was that racism was still alive and well in New Orleans.

The SCC team consisted of 14 students, (Candice Choate, Meichih Chang, Helen Amelesom, Ndey Caesay, Derrick Drungo, Azmara Oesta, Meron Tewoodemedhin, Kataryzna Mroz, Sintayenu Tekle, Yeming Fong, Robei Fiwi, Dung Nguy and Marisa Lauferz), two faculty (Duvalle Daniel and Linda Warren), one administrator, Lillie Plummer, and two community members have also joined the Shoreline team.

Claudette Thomas was the volunteer community organizer who went to New Orleans prior to the SCC trip and made all the arrangements and contacts for the team. She also worked with the team in New Orleans. Her impressions are many and do not paint a pretty picture of how color and privilege continue to survive and support the U.S. economy.

The Journal Newspaper will feature the Shoreline CC Katrina trip, including photos by part-time photography and videography student, Dung Nguy.

SBCTC completes assessment of CME
Representatives from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), Instruction Commission, Workforce Education Council, industry, and directors from the Center of Excellence, recently completed an assessment on the progress of the Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME), located at SCC. The assessment team reviewed survey results from industry, workforce and education and found positive responses from all constituencies. The SBCTC will continue to provide funding for the center for the next four years as a result of the positive assessment.

The assessment team found that excellent partnerships have been formed with industry and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and K-12 partners; and that excellent . connections have been made with regional workforce development councils and economic development initiatives. The assessment team was impressed with the College’s manufacturing program and the core basic manufacturing curriculum that will be used by colleges across the state and region. Team members look forward to implementation of a statewide manufacturing marketing program and noted the national attention the program has received. The efforts of the CME Director Phil Savereux were also applauded in the assessment.

In his role as director of the center, Savereux was encouraged to lead statewide initiatives and activities that support manufacturing and its role in industry; for example, developing a statewide platform to assist the manufacturing industry. The assessment team suggested that Savereux continue to create relationships and to find out how the center could help other manufacturing programs in the state system.

The CME is an alliance of employers, industry associations, educators, community-based organizations, government, and labor— all working together with both public and private funds, to support manufacturing in the State of Washington. The partners support the industry through the development of training programs and other resources to produce an effective, highly skilled manufacturing workforce.

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Faculty collaborate and publish ESL/healthcare textbook

Faculty members Judy Penn (left) and Elizabeth Hanson (right) collaborated on a new textbook entitled, "Anatomy and Physiology for English Language Learners," which was recently published by Longman. The textbook is designed for use in content-based ESL instruction courses, as well as self-study. Target students are ESL students who are planning a career in healthcare. It is written at the high-intermediate level of English. I

"When we first developed the ESL 091 course (Anatomy & Physiology for ESL), we searched and searched for an A&P book that was readable for students at this level. There really were none. We decided to write our own, and incorporated language skills, study skills and culture notes along with the content," says Penn. The textbook is designed in a workbook format. Penn says that she and Hanson have seen an increase in the amount of content they can cover in a week's time since the text was introduced three weeks ago. Students say the book is easy to understand.

Team Aftershock Photo Shoreline CC student wins engineering student paper competition
Kenmore resident and Shoreline Community College (SCC) engineering student Jeromy Kostner took first place for his presentation of a human-powered paper vehicle in a student paper contest hosted by the Western Washington American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at Seattle University last month. Participants presented engineering projects and fielded questions from judges. Competitors were judged for content, organization, delivery and effectiveness, and discussion of their presentation. Kostner competed with students from the University of Washington, Seattle University and Green River Community College. The students were judged by a panel of senior ASME representatives.

Kostner presented the paper vehicle that he and his SCC team, “Aftershock” built for a competition last year, winning first place for most innovative design and second place for vehicle performance. The SCC team broke the official course record and was recognized for good planning as well as one of the best designed for performance vehicles ever entered in the annual competition. The SCC team competed against 17 teams to win this competition.

Kostner will graduate this spring with a transfer degree in engineering. He plans to continue his education at the University of Washington or Seattle University.

Shoreline Splash: A Festival of Learning
Shoreline Splash: A Festival of Learning will take place from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, May 12th. The SCC community is invited to this evening of events that celebrates the many successes of SCC students, faculty, staff and administrators. The PUB will become activity central, with activities happening throughout. The Splash Stage in the main dining room will feature music, drama and dance performances by students between 6 and 8:30 p.m. and Funkngroove will provide music throughout the evening. The Festival Stage in the Staff Lounge will feature poetry, spoken word, hip hop, and acoustic musical performances. Shoreline Expo, in the PUB Canteen, will feature display tables that showcase club activities, class projects, the Study Abroad Program, and other cultural experiences. A global dessert dock will feature a free smorgasbord from local restaurants that will represent the many cultures of our students. Not to be overlooked is a film festival in the Administration Building that will feature student videos and film shorts.

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Spring Recital
Friday, May 12th, 7:30pm, Music Bldg, Room 818
Graduating music students who have had intensive music study at Shoreline Community College will be presenting a spring recital. Each student will perform an individual section comprised of various composers and styles or one major composition. A reception follows the recital.

Pop Recital
Friday, May 19th, 12:30pm, Music Bldg., Room 818
The music department presents a new recital featuring pop vocal and instrumental students performing music.

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Concert Band
Tuesday, May 23rd, 7:30pm, Shorecrest Performing Arts Center
$7 General Admission • $5 Senior, Students, SCC Faculty and Staff • $3 SCC Students with ID and Children

The Music Man
Book, Music and Lyrics by Meredith Wilson
Based on a story by Meredith Wilson and Franklin Lacey
7:30pm, May 26-27 &- Jun. 1-3, College Theater
Meredith Wilson's folksy musical salute to his home state Iowa creates a delightful picture of Midwestern Iowans in 1912. Traveling salesman and conman Professor Harold Hill arrives in River City to try his luck. His usual scam is to sell non-existent instruments and uniforms for a youth band, collect the money and then disappear before anyone can catch on. The one thing he didn't bargain on was falling in love. The object of his affection, Marian the librarian, finds out that he is a fake. Now Harold must redeem himself in the eyes of Marion and the town. Enjoy many timeless hits such as “Seventy-six Trombones”, “Gary Indiana”, and the barbershop quartet harmonizing “Lida Rose.” $14.00 General Admission • $10.00 Seniors, Students, SCC Faculty/Staff • $ 8.00 SCC Students with ID & Children.

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May 29, 2006 Memorial Day - Campus is Closed
The campus is closed today

COLLEGE GALLERY