Parents Council Meeting Minutes
Parent Council Meeting Minutes
November 4, 2011
Members present: Cindy Banchy, Shelley Barton, Danny Chang, Becky Crouch, Sara Donaldson, Katie Kozisek, Sally & Jim Porter, Janet Schupbach, Karen & Steven Tardrew, co-chairs Sally Nordstrom ’78 & Kent Cooling ’78 and Kate Rose.
Sally Nordstrom and Kent Cooling welcomed everyone. We went halfway around the room introducing ourselves before our first presenter arrived and we finished the other half later during the meeting.
Lou Stark, Vice President for Student Affairs
This first-year class is the largest class in Coe’s history and is the most academically qualified. 48% are from Iowa and 52% are from the US & the world. Fri. night events (rent theater, foam nights, etc.) are popular. Over-crowding has been a concern since the semester began. There are now 28 students in overcrowded residence halls (the semester began with 70+ students in over-crowding). The college converted doubles to triples and purchased an eight-plex near campus. When Health Services moved from Armstrong-Douglas to the lower portion of the P.U.B. the college gained seven additional beds.
There are currently 1,107 students in residence halls; Lou’s first year there were 884 students living on campus. The administration is looking at ways to ease the strain by building an apartment type facility and possibly buying rental units.
There have been more mental health issues this fall than all of last year combined. Lou recently met with the student life staff at Cornell and Mt. Mercy and the same is true on their campuses. The majority of students are upper class students. We wondered if it the economy or stresses at home are affecting students. Coe has both in and out-patient counselors, thanks to our relationship with St. Luke’s. The student, the residence life staff and the coaching staff often identify that a student needs assistance. There have also been more alcohol-related issues which goes hand-in-hand with the mental health issues.
The growth of enrollment and geographic diversity creates challenges although these are challenges we sought, and as a result, we need to keep up with facility management. We’ve added classrooms and increased how food service is delivered. Over winter break new flooring was installed in The “U.” Coe does not have enough recreational space for conference competition and intramurals. Clark Field has portable lights which stretches its use. New floor in Eby helped, but a full renovation is needed, and this is part of the newest strategic plan. Athletics presented at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting. Indoor intramural recreational and competition space will cost $10 million including renovation of the track (indoor and outdoor) and Eby Fieldhouse. Currently intramural practices and games are late at night. The Board was receptive to this goal. Curt Menefee ’87, who is on NFL sports, is chairing a mini-campaign for athletics. Peterson fundraising efforts are looking good and will enhance recruitment. Coe does not want to get in a position where the college has more in loans than in endowment. Renovation is in the five-year strategic plan and is a priority. Coe placed in the top 25 in basketball, football, softball; volleyball just won conference; and tennis is regularly ranked.
John Chandler, Director of Athletics
Last year Coe finished 3rd in men’s sports and 5th in women’s sports in the IIAC; 65 student athletes were named All Iowa conference and 51 academic All-Iowa conference. The next two football games are important games. Football started shaky although they are now playing much better. Coe’s athletes are resilient and realize they have four years to do their best.
The coaching staff is excellent. Last year 400 students came to Coe; 185 are student athletes. Athletics is an extension of admission. 33%-35% of student body are student athletes and 45-50% are involved in intramurals. Since 1997 these facilities have been added or enhanced: climbing gym, athletic training room, fitness area, batting cages, wrestling room, baseball at Daniels Park, Clark Field press box, tiling, high jump pole vault and visitors’ seating at Clark Field. Full-time staff positions added since 1997: basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, wrestling, three athletic trainers, nine graduate assistants or internship positions. Coe has a deficit in staff and facilities which will directly impact enrollment.
What do we need in order to stay competitive in recruiting)?
- Clark Field and Clark Racquet Center: Replace outdoor and indoor track (Coe does not host an Iowa meet due to the condition of the track), permanent lighting, home seating and expanded press box, $1M.
- Eby Fieldhouse (was built when Coe had five men’s teams; there are now 21 men’s and women’s teams): Additional recreation space is needed (volleyball and basketball overlap and practice until 10 p.m.), locker rooms (Coe does not show visiting students the lockers rooms on campus visit days), staff office space, $8-9M.
John feels that the Board understands the situation but the amount necessary will make it a four-year project. Exercise is a stress reliever so fundraising from non-athletes should also be considered.
May athletic teams sponsor a camp? Yes, although NCAA rules determine the time these may occur, etc. The camps need to be organized and do a good job so they are popular with a good reputation.
Julie Staker, Dean of Admission; Cara Cavanaugh Joens ’06, Asst. Director of Admission; and Andrea Schupbach ’10, Admission Counselor
One of Andrea’s responsibilities is to be “mindful of parents.” Two out of three parents report they are very or extremely involved in their child’s search process; 5% are uninvolved. Communication to prospective parents includes: 10 emails a year, one publication, parent speakers at Iowa Private College Week and at other on-campus sessions. This year a new series of emails will be sent to sophomore and junior parents. Andrea asked Parent Council members to contact her if they’d like to assist with student recruitment.
It was suggested that a current parent be present at college fairs along with the admission counselor. On a college visit Tardrews were given a brochure listing students name, home school and hometown to assist with rides. Julie asked for assistance and feedback from PC members. Admission is also requesting quotes for their library of parent quotes. During Scholarship Competition and Admitted Student Weekend current parents are present to answer questions, greet parents, etc. The admissions staff was complimented because Coe’s counselor focused first on the prospective student and then invited the parents in to be interviewed. It’s also nice to honor the prospective student’s siblings.
There has been some turnover in the Admission Office. Chris Paasch ’06 is manages operations and Jill Kuhlers is campus visit coordinator. Laura Lyon ’09, Brian Nigg ’05 and Ross Yeast ’10 have left Coe. The counselors are: Mo Moos ’89 (regional rep in Minn.), Ryan Schissler ’10 (outside Chicago, northeast Ill.), Andrea Schupbach ’10 (western Iowa, No. & So. Dakota), Nancy Cruz ’11 (Ariz., N.M, Chicago area), Holly Fortner (Iowa), Cara Cavanaugh Joens ’06 (Chicago), Natalie Bordignon ’11 (Wisc., parts of the eastern US) and Molly Jorgenson ’10 (Chicago, Kansas City, Mo.).
Dick Meisterling, Vice President for Advancement
Currently the college has several initiatives underway. The Alumni Office has a “massive” staff of three who engage alumni in events here and around the country. The development side (fundraising) is supported by the alumni office events which help to engage graduates of all ages. There are three development officers, along with Dick and Pres. Phifer.
The Coe Fund garners unrestricted gifts to the college. Alumni are being surveyed about an interesting paradox – i.e., (extremely positive feelings among alumni that are inconsistent with the paucity of gifts received by the Coe Fund.) Coe’s participation rate last year was 23%, once again suggesting there is a disconnect between what our friends are saying vs. what they are doing. Aside, many schools like Carleton have huge staffs; in that case, they employ one full time staffer for each decade of alumni. Coe recruits more first generation students, which may be part of the equation. It is hoped the survey results will supply helpful data; the survey itself also includes an education component (i.e., do people know what an unrestricted fund does or is,) which may, in itself, prove beneficial going forward. Results will be published in the Courier. One of the reasons participation may have declined is because of a budget saving maneuver that took the Donor Report out of print format, and put it online. It will be published this year as a part of the President’s Report on the state of the college. The Heritage Club acknowledges those who make estate gifts. The department also does some research on prospective donors in terms of ability, propensity, etc.
Most large gifts target specific projects such as Peterson Hall. In that instance, construction will occur throughout the summer of 2012 so the building will be ready in the fall. The project bid was $8M, National Science Foundation awarded Coe $4.7M; fundraising is now at $3.5M. The goal is to raise $5M as the cost of the project has increased.
How will the fundraising be managed for athletics remodeling? The amount of money needed is larger than what is needed for Peterson. One donor is willing to donate .50 on the $1 but athletic alumni will not likely contribute the other half. As a result, projects will be done on a “mini-campaign” basis, depending on the priority of the project and an analysis of target audiences. Right now the remodel of Eby is not on the radar as a major initiative.
Would it be helpful to promote Coe’s Coe Fund position in terms of other ACM schools? This information is included in Dick’s cover letter with the survey. How does Coe do in relation to getting alumni back to campus? Dick says we are in the middle of the pack. Once Peterson is completed it will be a big accomplishment to show off to donors, friends and prospective students.
Steve Feller, B. D. Silliman Professor of Physics & Mario Affatigato ’89, Professor of Physics
This summer during the Peterson Hall renovation there will be 14 physics students off campus in Italy, England, Canada, ISU and Corning, NY. The renovation plans are 95% final. The timeline is: Nov. 15 go to bid; end of Dec. bids will be opened; early April moving out; and demolition begins in May. Right now the plan is to remodel the building only but there is a movement afoot to sponsor equipment and research equipment for the building.
Has the Big Bang theory helped Coe’s program? Brian Green from Columbia has popularized the concept. It has not hurt the physics program. Parents Council was invited to “A Minute of Science and Ice Cream” every Fri. Physics Club is visiting the Fermi Lab. 1,400 elementary and middle school students were on campus last week for Playground of Science. Where will the science program be after the renovation is completed? A new faculty member, Ugur Akgun, is involved with high energy physics and he is working on detectors and high energy physics including work at CERN, the great new accelerator in Switzerland and France. He will work with 5-10 students (just as Steve and Mario do) on this research. Four physics faculty members do research with 30 students every summer. It’s expected that the program will grow a bit and add more students. Physics graduated 15 students in May.
Peterson Hall will not be larger – the research space will be larger and there will be less storage. First floor two classrooms, more research space and a student lounge. What direction are you telling students about a career in physics? The majority of students seem to have choices. Some of Coe students work at Rockwell; 70-75% of their students go to graduate school; of 15 majors, ten went to graduate school (engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, nuclear/physics engineering, materials). In general, a physics student during their junior year determines the field of engineering they want to pursue. With a BA from Coe a student would take two additional years to get a master’s degree and then three to five years for a doctorate.
A student has never been turned away from taking a class. If another section is required we enlarge the class or a new section of the class is added. Tutors available, faculty have an open door policy and help is available. If a student realizes the course is not working for them they make the decision. Modern Physics started this fall with 19 now down to 18 because a student dropped. Students asked so many questions Steve added a one hour evening session to talk about the students’ questions.
Kate Rose, Dir. of Parent Programs
For the first time we had a welcome for most of the fall sport parents. It was before a parent-coach meeting, but it was an opportunity for athletic parents to become family with Parent Programs.
We talked about changing the format of our meetings to be topic focused (i.e., the flood, facilities, etc.). Would it be better to have two to three people address the topic to parents’ council? We’ll try a blend of reports and topics for our next meeting, and we’ll evaluate it afterward.
We had a crash course on the Silent Auction tasks followed by lunch and a group photo.
Jean Johnson, Director of Alumni Programs
Jean has been at Coe for more than 20 years. An alum is a person who has completed a years’ worth of credits. Our mission is to maintain the relationship between Coe and the alumni.
Coe has 11,286 graduates who are solicitable; we have other alumni who have asked not to be solicited. The total alumni population is over 14,500. Linked In and Facebook are helpful resources for the alumni office.
Events are held where we have population hubs. For most events we invite alums, parents, donors or friends of the college. We take advantage of the opportunity to feature well-known alumni. For instance, Marv Levy ’50 will be here next week for the Coe vs. Cornell game, book signing, reception, football team meeting, Quarterback Club and Admitted Student Weekend.
This fall 422 alumni returned to campus for Homecoming. Some of the things the Alumni Council has done in the past few years are as follows: raised $25,000 to create the Harris Lamb Scholarship, equipped the Clark Alumni House with larger televisions and purchased a sound system for The “U.” Coe’s football coach was named Coach of the Year by Liberty Mutual Insurance and the alumni association received $20,000. These funds were used for the set-up fee for Coe license plates in Iowa, putting the Kohawk logo at the Clark Field, contributing to the Staker Family Football Fund and two $2,000 grants for students to assist with an extended learning experience off campus. Next fall these students will report to the Alumni Council about their experience. The Alumni Office is looking at an alumni survey. The state of Iowa has nearly 6,000 alumni; next largest alumni population is in Chicago. We held over 75 area events last year.
Jean and Kate co-advise the Student Alumni Association (SAA). “Beat Cornell” T-shirts were designed by the SAA Director of Public Relations and have been sold as a fundraiser for the Coe Emergency Fund. This fund is for students, faculty and staff who have a crisis and need a financial boost. This is a gift; not a loan. SAA also hosts the Brat ’n Beverage Tent at Homecoming which is a tailgater for 600+ people before the football game. SAA also organizes career events, networking events and a party on campus for children of faculty, student and staff.
During first year orientation “Once a Kohawk, Always a Kohawk” is a PowerPoint history of the college and traditions shown to students. They learn the Fight Song, t-shirts are tossed out and they get pretty riled up. In March the Alumni Office administers the senior survey to gathers information about their commitments on campus, friends, graduate school, job, etc.
President Phifer
Fall enrollment led to largest number of students ever living on campus. In August there were 75 students living in triples. Coe is doing well. Endowment did well until June 1 and now things are bouncing around. The college needs to make 5-6% in the endowment to pay the bills. Coe is doing well athletically – volleyball and tennis won the conference championship. Athletics do not dominate the college but they represent us well. The challenge for the college going forward is wanting to grow which is happening and then managing the changes caused by the growth. The prospect is for Coe to be a bit larger next fall. The goal is to be 5% larger for fiscal reasons which strains our infrastructure.
What does this mean? Purchase apartments for supplementary housing. Meal space is tight. Academic space solution is to build another floor on the library. The library was built in 1988 with the option of adding another floor for books (!). But, in fact, we need space for classrooms. Lower Gage will become auxiliary dining space for enrollment up to 1,450. Need to add faculty and staff, but plan to be behind the curve on this to be sure the growth is sustainable. The college is committed to adding faculty in order to preserve the student faculty ratio. Coe needs more athletic space. Eby was built in 1930 when the student body was 650. This is approximately a $12 million fix. There is a donor that is interested in contributing half of the needed amount; need another donor to do the other half. Athletic space is on our horizon. It is a critical need for the non-team athletes. The plan is to add on to Eby – double the size and simultaneously update locker rooms, etc. Parking will be a problem and a solution being considered is to convert space on E Avenue and 14th Street.
Coe will also offer students a cheaper incentive to park off campus. Additional athletic facilities will enhance admission efforts. (If expanded Eby Fieldhouse with lower rooms etc., we will be ahead of the game.) Pres. Phifer doubts construction will be before his June 30, 2013 retirement.
The Board of Trustees has established a search committee of six or seven trustees and two faculty members, and they’ve hired a search firm which provides access to qualified candidates.
“Spending rate” is what you can draw down by June 30 to pay bills. Fifteen years ago Coe was drawing down 18.5%, which was 20% of our endowment. Coe is currently drawing down 6% which will make the job much more attractive to the right candidate. Pres. Phifer’s top priority is to finish Peterson and provide some back-up housing to accommodate the increase in students.
As we have witnessed the housing bubble, etc. the question was posited: Is there an “education bubble?” The sticker price goes up and causes resentment and confusion. Tuition pays 70% of the operation. A third of education is paid by the college. Salary and technology are the two largest components of the budget. It is clear that a college education is now essential to be successful. Pres. Phifer believes there will need to be fundamental restructuring in how financial aid is disbursed, etc. He does not think government will be involved in this rearrangement but that higher education will create this restructuring. In academic circles there has been some conversation about a three year school where AP course credit would count for both high school and college credit. As students move on to advanced study it is clear that education will build on what you know from previous course work and learning.
President Phifer was asked what he hopes the next president will continue, what is special about Coe? He arrived at Coe in 1985 as Dean. Due to a variety of reasons his introduction to Coe was not full of butterflies and light. There is something special about Coe, and it took two years for him to articulate it. Coe has a remarkable combination of values. The college honors excellence here, both in the classroom, on the playing fields, in the concert hall, etc. yet there is also a wonderful attitude of acceptance. Coe’s culture expects you to do your best, but also accepts you for who you are. The community has an open personality that cherishes excellence and will help foster that attitude going forward.
On the east campus 49 of 64 properties have been purchased. All of the properties on C Avenue, facing the football field, have been purchased. Coe hopes to take up that stretch of C Avenue, remove the houses, make it green space and expand the fence currently around the football field. When the fire station is purchase (after the city is ready to build a new fire station) and it will remain a part of the East Campus. It could house 32 students, storage, concessions and soccer field near the firehouse.
Parent Council thanked President Phifer his leadership and integrity.
Respectfully,
Kate Rose
Dir. of Parent Programs
Parent Council Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2011
Welcome by Kate Rose
The history of the victory bell was reviewed and its current link to Admission. When a prospective student deposits in the Office of Admission, the respective admission counselor rings a bell. Everyone cheers for the new, soon-to-be Kohawk! Julie Staker ’93 is the new Dean of Admission. Parent testimonies are needed for recruitment packets and may be sent to jstaker@coe.edu. Kate circulated the Parent Hospitality sign up form for New Student Move In Day, Aug. 23. Parent Council discussed adding a late fee to the Family Weekend registration forms. A majority of parents register after the deadline which means Kristy and students are working two or three nights until 11 printing name tags, assembling packets, etc. Many agreed that this type of “preventive” tool is acceptable; however, it was mentioned that “we do not want to nickel and dime parents.” The wording on the registration form should be clear, with the fee stated bold. Danny suggested an incentive for early registrants.
Calendar review included early Homecoming and late Family Weekend. The back cover of the Courier promotes the 100th anniversary of Flunk Day. Courier Flunk Day coverage. Many different events are planned for May. All are welcome to attend!
Sally Nordstrom ’78 and Kent Cooling ’78, Chairpersons
Welcome! Sally and Kent attended the Peterson Hall preview/reception this past week. This summer, preliminary work will be done and then in April of 2012, renovation will begin and will be completed in time for classes to begin in August of 2012. Both reminisced on Coe’s outstanding athletic year and recapped the Contemporary Issues Forum with Ken Burns. Another good year on the Coe College campus!
Introductions (with child updates and Coe stories) of all present: Kent Cooling ’78, Sally Nordstrom ’78, Janet Schupbach, Becky Crouch, Dennis Yossi, Danny Chang, Perri Carnes, Cathy Carnes, Shelley Barton, Kate Rose, Jeanne Miller, Paul Miller, Katie Kozisek, Jim Porter, Sally Porter, Kristy Staker ’08 and Kate Rose.
Absent: Deb Yossi, Cindy Banchy, Jock and Sara Donaldson
John Chandler, Athletic Director
Welcome to Coe/back to Coe! John is representing the Athletic Department and Student Affairs. He has been at Coe for 23 years and works with students, athletics and fundraising. Student Affairs update: Mandi McReynolds is leaving her position as Director of Service Learning and Campus Engagement as she is moving to Des Moines. Health Services is moving from Douglas Hall to the lower level of “Charlie’s” P.U.B. which will provide more room for the nurse and add a couple of student rooms for housing in Douglas. New apartments have been purchased on 16th Street and E Avenue and will be available for 24 students this fall. Overcrowding has been an issue, so new apartment space will be an asset to student life. Some athletes who were placed in triples this year want to stay in triples; many students will rearrange. Athletic Department Update: Spring seasons are underway. These are very short seasons. Both baseball and softball are playing today, as well as track, tennis and golf. Fall athletic season was very successful. Men’s and Women’s Cross Country finished 4th and 7th respectively. Football finished 9-2, making their second straight appearance to the playoffs and they finished ranked 14th in the nation. Soccer teams improved and they’re optimistic for 2011 season. Women’s golf finished 5th in the IIAC. Teams practice and play at Elmcrest Country Club in a trade-off arrangement with the College (members can use Coe’s pool). The volleyball team finished 7th in the IIAC. 18 student athletes were named Academic All-Conference this fall. Men’s basketball finished 2nd in the IIAC. The women’s team won the IIAC tournament for the first-time in Coe’s history. The first and second rounds of the national tournament were hosted at Coe. Kohawks made it to the Sweet 16 this year – a very fun season! They finished 13/14th in the nation. Men’s and women’s swimming teams competed in the Liberal Arts Meet and finished 4th and 7th respectively. Wrestling finished 2nd in the Iowa Conference with 4 All Americans and one National Champion. 18 students named Academic All-Conference for winter athletes.
Current athletic projects are in the works: Outdoor renovating for football, soccer and track arenas to include home and visitor seating, field lights, new outdoor track, expanded press box ($400,000 project) and new indoor track. This will allow night competitions and additional practice times. Fundraising is underway and $45,000 has been raised in the past three weeks. Improving athletic arenas to provide ample space for practice and spectators is a priority. Renovating Eby is another project on the list; this is an $8-10 million project. Even though facilities are not up to par, “We do more with less.” Coe is the only school in the Iowa Conference that doesn’t have a full-time strength and conditioning coach. Coe has a part-time GA (Matt Walter) and he is the the primary off-season strength and conditioning coach and he does a phenomenal job. Athletics is an extension of the Office of Admission. 180-190 students of the 2015 class will be athletes. 38%-40% of the student body is composed of student-athletes. More Coe “Fast Facts” are here. Coe attempts to provide students with the best experience by having quality coaches and facilities.
Questions and Answers
How many students participate in intramurals (IM’s)?
IM’s + intercollegiate athletics = 80% of the student body. Coe is a very active campus.
How are IM seasons/sports decided?
IM’s are coordinated by the basketball GA. Time was limited this spring, so basketball IM’s were “forced” to be coed.
Are there “cut-policies” at Coe?
Unless there are an overwhelming number of interested athletes, the team will not cut. However, this is not always the case. This past basketball team began with 35 athletes before cuts were made due to coach-to-player ratio. The College must work within the realms provided from a coaching and facility standpoint. Coe tries to recruit the best athletes with the ultimate goal being able to win the Conference Championship, and ultimately, compete in playoffs.
Softball?
Currently ranked 9th in the country. Expectations high…to reach 2011 NCAA regional.
How do you recruit?
The recruiting process usually begins well before senior year of high school. “Good coaches” have deep connections to high school coaches and maintain these relationships within the state and contiguous states. Emails, letters, phone calls, home visits, recruiting trips, etc. all help to bridge and strengthen relationships among parents, players, high school coaches etc. When compared to schools that can offer athletic scholarship, Coe stresses academic vigor and strength of majors and academic programs at the College. Key in recruiting is to get prospective student on campus to meet coaches, professors and Coe students. Athletes in an athletic program at Coe are here because they want to play.
Drum line improvements?
Group is not “claimed” by any one particular department. 15-member drum crew need outdoor skins.
Additional outstanding athletic accomplishments:
In the Fall, the Coe College Women's Tennis team finished 2nd in the IIAC Tournament with Tia Lucero capturing the Flight A Singles title - she teamed with Michelle Schupbach to win the Flight A Doubles title. Lucero was also named the IIAC MVP. In early March the Coe Women's Indoor Track and Field Team finished 14th in the NCAA meet with Keelie Finnel capturing the National championship in the 800 meters - the Coe 4 x 400 meter relay team also finished as All-Americans with a 7th place finish.
Roger Johanson, Professor of Teacher Education
Roger is in his 25th year at Coe. He attended and ran cross country at Luther College. In recruiting, one must “play-off” the quality of the institution. There are various expectations in different liberal arts colleges. The United States is among the countries that don’t have a ministry of education; much like our Constitution, Coe and United State’s education policies are still evolving. However, there is a strong dedication to education within the state. Iowa has been very aggressive to develop high quality education for all students. Understanding the definition of “high quality” education is challenging. Coe must respond to the mandates from the state of Iowa so that teachers seeking licensure have taken the courses that will prepare them. There is a change in elementary education curriculum that will be instituted in fall 2011. This change requires that elementary teachers have at least nine credit hours in the core areas of English, mathematics, science and social studies. Coe’s reading endorsement faculty has two new members in recent years. Beginning this year, a minor in education is being recognized. Minors should compliment not only the student, but also what field they desire to teach in. Coe is one of the few colleges that still offer physical education as an endorsement. Coe faculty observe student teachers at least once a week and provide time and encouragement to reflect on their school experiences. Constructive criticism plays a large role in each student’s development in becoming an outstanding teacher. The Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) began in 1993. The MAT program pairs with Coe’s Athletic Department for the GA (Graduate Assistant) program. Each GA is offered free tuition and approximately a $10,000 stipend/year to coach and assist in recruiting in their desired sport. Teach for America is designed for students who did not participate in teaching education. Although it is somewhat of a competitor, Teach for America is available for Coe grads, and allows for continued education. It is primarily designed to assist liberal arts graduates without education training to become teachers relatively quickly. A “Teaching Education Program Overview” is provided on the handout.
Questions and Answers
Is the methods course new?
The methods course teaches connecting each particular subject with learning activity possibilities. A practicum is when the student is actually visiting and observing in various classrooms to learn styles of teaching. Who “you” are directly affects the kind of a teacher “you” are.
Challenges?
Under paid teachers. The societal recognition of the value of teachers? Compensated appropriately? Current political discussion that teachers are not qualified, overpaid, etc., is untrue and discouraging for conscientious teachers and students.
Gordon Mennenga, Visiting Assistant Professor of English & Advisor for the Coe Review
Gordon started as a high school teacher in Iowa. He attended the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, taught at a variety of colleges, and then wrote full-time for “A Prairie Home Companion” and Garrison Keillor. He looked into Iowa colleges and landed a spot at Coe, teaching film and creative writing. In addition to teaching responsibilities, Gordon advises the Coe Review (CR), a published magazine since 1972. CR is supported by student funds. Two issues are published each year. Students involved take a specific course designed to staff the CR and teach publishing aspects. CR was positively reviewed recently and is already receiving submissions for the fall edition. There are ten editors in New York who are Coe graduates and assisted in editing the CR. There is a website and current discussion about making this site more interactive – a work in progress! Independent studies are very popular within the creative writing curriculum. “By hand” promotion is used in New York in a variety of locations around the United States. The audience and number of contributors is greatly enhanced; thus, the CR receives enhanced prestige and popularity. Manuscripts and poems are submitted for consideration by current Coe students and the general public. In Iowa, every school has some version of this magazine, but here – quality issues are prevalent. The main goal is to make students “writers.” There are a lot of people who like to read and write, and these are very great qualities! Gordon stresses the importance of reading to all students and people he instructs/advises. Overall, students devote a lot of time to the CR and the experience serves them very well in their future and in acquiring future jobs.
*Lunch break*
Michelle McIllece, Career Services Coordinator
The Career Services (CS) Office includes three full-time staff members; all have worked in a variety of other industries prior to coming to Coe. Michelle graduated from the University of Iowa with her undergraduate and masters’ degrees. She has experience in human resources and non-profit organizations. This year Career Services is employing a GA from the University of Iowa, Carl Mehta. Early in 2009-’10 data showed a decrease in student attendance at CS workshops. After reconfiguring the workshop format, the 2009-‘10 Annual Report ultimately shows a record number of workshops and attendance during the academic year. This report is available online.
The Career Service mission is: “Our mission is to empower people to clarify their values as they discover and develop their skills, abilities and passions for life.” Practicum requirements for graduation are fully communicated to students. Some of these opportunities include: internships, honors thesis, study-abroad, research, independent study and more. Based on these experiences, many students learn about themselves and develop a better sense of their passions and the direction of their career path. Programming trends include fewer traditional workshops and shifting toward classroom workshops. CS has been creative in reaching the students, as opposed to simply letting the students find them. In the past year, there have been an increased number of one-on-one meetings. There is some concern about student online presence and how employers perceive potential employees. Social networking is a hot topic; there has been a large request for presentations regarding different social networks. LinkedIn is becoming popular and could positively help students to connect with employers. Traditionally, Pet Therapy Day has been the largest “event” that CS offers to students. Many workshops and presentations have been added to the list such as “Major Fun,” and “Are there really jobs out there?” Programming initiatives have spiked – including a collaborative retreat with the Office of Admission, a presentation to the entire Residence Life staff, as well as a presentation at a state-wide conference.
In addition to advertising Career Fairs, CS also organizes trips to certain recruiting events throughout the year. Emails are sent every Monday about upcoming opportunities, fairs and workshops. Coe Connections is another valuable resource for students to access potential employers and build online relationships. A variety of communication has to be used in order to reach the students at the right time – this largely depends on “when the student wants to hear it.” CS manages their portion of the Coe website, which includes approximately 400 links to help students discover their career path and potential jobs. This website also includes graduate school information. From July 1, 2010 through April 1, 2011, 804 jobs have been posted on Coe Connections and over 1,300 employers are registered with the system.
Kate Rose, Alumni Office
The Alumni Office plans roughly 70 events per year. There are three full-time staff members in the Alumni Office. When a student graduates, they begin receiving “Class Letters,” which are coordinating and mailed by the Alumni Office. 50% are mailed electronically and 50% are hard copy. A mirror group of Parents Council is the Alumni Council, composed of alumni from most decades. This representative group also meets biannually. The biggest excitement in the Alumni Office is the Peterson Hall NSF grant and upcoming renovation. An online periodic table is being used to leverage fundraising for this project. The handout includes all of the events coordinated by the Alumni Office and participation numbers. Nine individual colleges completed a networking event in Minneapolis this week with 70 alums from nine colleges participating. The 100th Flunk Day (a huge Coe tradition) celebrations are planned for this coming May. All upcoming events can be found here. Suggestions for fall presenters: rhetoric/communications major, Writing Center, nursing program, ACM representative and Dennis Barnet.
President Phifer
He was unable to attend the meeting. If you have any questions for him, send them to Kate at krose@coe.edu.
Special Announcements
Sally and Kent were given a gift in thanks for chairing Parent Council for two years! Perri and Cathy were thanked for their faithful service to Parent Council. Hannah graduates in a month!
Respectfully submitted,
Kristy Staker
Assistant Director of Parent Programs, Public Relations Coordinator, Assistant Volleyball Coach
