Gaucho Agenda: 11/15-11/21/2013

Welcome to The Gaucho Agenda. This podcast covers events of interest on campus from Friday, November 15^th-Thursday November 21^st. 

Friday and Saturday, the GCC Creative Writing Department is hosting the Arizona Poetry Society’s annual conference. Planned events begin Friday evening and continue all day Saturday and include: workshops, panels, and open readings. So, if you would like impress your date with your intellect, or publicly declare your admiration for him or her, consider attending. It will be held in the Student Union Queen Palm Room; that’s room 104D.

 

GCC Career Services reminds you: “Now is your time to shine and land your next job”. This Monday, they are having another session of the popular workshop, “Winning Interview Techniques”, from 11am to 12:30, at the Career Center which is just north of the Student Union. Please RSVP to Dayna Mathews if you plan to attend.

Have you ever thought about having really short hair? Think you could rock that look even better than Michelle Williams? Well, this Tuesday, Locks of Love will be on campus for a hair event/ponytail donation. Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. So, stop hiding behind that hair and get behind a worthy cause instead. Donate to Locks of Love, Tuesday, from noon to 6pm, outside the Student Union.

If poetry isn’t your thing, but you do like to write, enter the Creative Writing Slam this Wednesday, November 20^th, at 7pm, at the Student Union. You may pre-register or register at 6:30pm the day of the event.

If you need inspiration, stop by the sculpture exhibit, “Monumental Misconceptions” also in the Student Union, Room 104D. These Ancient Egypt- inspired works by artist Greg Patrenos incorporate modern elements such as circuit boards and neon lights. The show continues through December 5^th, and we have posted photos of a few of the monuments here. 

 

 Last, but not least, in sports news this week, the Gaucho volleyball team will be playing in the National Junior College Athletic Association Championship, yes- that’s the national championship, November 21-23, in Toledo OH. The Gauchos became NJCAA Region I champs when they defeated Phoenix College last Saturday. Good Luck to Coach Lisa Stuck, her assistants, and the Gaucho volleyball team. Have a great week, everyone!

Peoria football 10-11-13

HTC facelift

GCC Sophomore Kaylene McCannon enjoys the new space at HTC1.

From "The Pit" to "Computer Commons",                                    HTC1 facelift almost complete

After being closed all summer, the renovation of the High Tech Center 1 (HTC1) building at Glendale Community College is almost complete. The space reopened in time for fall classes with a significantly changed look that reflects its new purpose. 

"It promotes an improved study environment, and that's what we went for", says Jeff Necker of GCC Technology Support Services. One of the major changes that facilitated this goal, per Necker, was the redesign of the work spaces from pod-like groupings to rows of desks. This new arrangement still allows small numbers of students to work together, but discourages larger social groupings that often cause disruption. New furniture that coordinates with the overall color scheme of aqua and gray contributes to the comfort and enjoyment of the surroundings. Necker says these colors were chosen to create "an open, welcoming environment".

Other changes have impacted how students experience the new HTC1. Staff assigned to answer students' questions are now located at one central desk, making them easier to find and more approachable. A large video monitor above the desk provides information such as hours of operation and facility rules. Probably most significant, however, is the addition of 144 Lenovo computers that has eliminated the "towers" previously on the floor. Not only were the older models in the way of and often kicked by users, but they also made it more difficult for staff to keep the area around them clean. For those who prefer to use their own computers, new areas have been created specifically for that purpose. Necker felt that it was crucial to provide this option: "Having your own device, having your own work with you is now the key to success in college". 

There are some issues remaining, however. In addition to the usual touch-ups that one would expect under such circumstances, students and staff are required to go to another building to use the restrooms. Although the HTC1 restrooms are expected to be open in 1-2 weeks, the current situation is a considerable inconvenience as students must pack up all of their belongings each time they leave the building.                                                                                                                       

Except for this matter, GCC Sophomore Kaylene McCannon is impressed with the transformation. She cites the addition of comfortable seats and sitting areas, larger working spaces around the computers, and more places to use her laptop as being the most positive modifications: "It's quieter than the Student Union now, the chairs are more comfortable, and it's very clean". 

Faculty and staff have also felt the impact of the redesign. Although instructional spaces remain for the photography and digital arts departments, all other previous classrooms have been eliminated. These areas will now be occupied by the Office of Information Technology (OIT) which includes the following departments: Service Desk/Technical Support, Network Services, Operations, and Applications. Previously, OIT units were scattered in different areas of campus. Necker says that locating OIT in one building will improve efficiency: "All of IT will be together in a collaborative work environment".

Although some OIT staff have not yet made the move, all are expected to be relocated by the end of this month. On September 30th, a formal ceremony is scheduled for staff and invited guests to celebrate the transformation of a building that had seen no significant changes for 26 years.

In the meantime, Jeff Necker says that students are welcome to provide feedback about HTC1 to the service desk or to him, personally. Just don't call it "The Pit".