The Assessment Proficiency Project at LLCC is designed to increase understanding of assessment practices and to promote a culture of assessment through participation in identified assessment activities. Open to full-time faculty participants and program directors, APP will offer an opportunity to complete assessment activities during the 2017-18 academic year. Upon completion of the project, full-time faculty participants who have met the project requirements will receive additional professional development funds equivalent to the annual amount in the current contract. There are six spots available. Applications are due to the LLCC Office of Academic Effectiveness on Sept. 1.

Assessment Proficiency Program – 2017_2018

Office of Academic Effectiveness brochure

Loggerpalooza takes place Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Because of expected rain, it will take place inside of A. Lincoln Commons. The event features music by DJ Yinka, vendor booths, free food and more!

The James S. Murray Gallery at Lincoln Land Community College is featuring the colored pencil art exhibit, “On the Move” by L.A. Fuller Aug. 21-Sept. 14. You are invited to attend a reception with the artist, which will be held Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the gallery.

Also, encourage students to attend as part of Welcome Week. If they’re waiting for a 6 p.m. class, they can stop by the gallery to get a cookie and view the art!

Fuller, of Champaign, Illinois, paints with acrylic on canvas, but more recently has been focusing on the medium of colored pencil. The focus of her drawings are the landscapes that she encounters during her hikes and exploration of the outdoors. In particular, she has taken an interest in water and how it changes the materials that lie beneath its surface.

Congratulations to Andrew Blaylock, director, campus services, on the birth of a new baby boy, Luke Benjamin Blaylock, born Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 7:13 p.m., weighing 8.0 pounds and measuring 20 inches. All are home and doing well!

We extend our sincere condolences to Karla Wilham, information technology specialist, on the passing of her mother, Rose Mary Root, on Aug. 18. Services are being held on Tuesday, Aug. 22 in Rushville. Read the full obituary.

We welcome students as weekday classes begin today! There are still timeslots available if you would like to assist in greeting new students as they arrive and helping them find their classrooms.

To sign up, please add your name to this Welcome Week sign up sheet or contact Amy Flynn at amy.flynn@llcc.edu.

On Aug. 21, Samantha Reif, associate professor, will be live streaming the total solar eclipse from southern Illinois from approximately 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. She’ll be going live on the Lincoln Land Community College Facebook page every half hour to let others experience all the interesting phenomenon associated with an eclipse and to answer questions. These video feeds will be shown A. Lincoln Commons, where there will also be supplies on hand for people to make pinhole viewers to safely monitor the eclipse for themselves.

Read Samantha’s essay, “The eclipse: a once in a lifetime experience! Here’s what to know,” to learn more about this once in a lifetime experience and get important eclipse safety tips.

The LLCC Department of Academic Innovation and eLearning is excited to offer access to SoftChalk Create Version 10 and SoftChalk Cloud to LLCC faculty and staff. Please read below for more information and to learn how to get started using these exciting programs.

1) Click this link for some general information regarding SoftChalk Create Version 10 and the new SoftChalk Cloud.

2) To access your account activation key and activate your SoftChalk Cloud account, visit the Blackboard Shell called SFC000BL (SoftChalk v10 at LLCC).

3) You can always contact Barry Lamb at barry.lamb@llcc.edu or Gary Bach at gary.bach@llcc.edu to learn more or for help getting started with SoftChalk Create 10 and SoftChalk Cloud.

Please note: During the transition to SoftChalk Create 10 and SoftChalk Cloud, you will still have access to SoftChalk Create Desktop Version 9 as you have had over the last few years. However, you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to SoftChalk Create 10 and SoftChalk Cloud as soon as possible.

Convocation for faculty and staff will be held Friday, Aug. 18 in Cass Gym beginning with breakfast at 8:30 a.m. The presentation starts at 9 a.m. with these topics and speakers:

• Strategic Plan Update – Dr. Jason Dockter, professor, English
• SteppingSTONES Campaign – Karen Sanders, executive director, LLCC Foundation
• Higher Learning Commission Persistence and Completion Academy – Dr. Lesley Frederick, vice president, LLCC Student Services and Dr. Alison Stachera, professor, English
• President’s Message – Dr. Charlotte Warren

Attendees are encouraged to bring an item(s) for the LLCC Food Pantry that assists students with food insecurity. All food items must not be expired, and single serve/individual portion items are preferred. For suggested items, visit www.llcc.edu/food-pantry-list.

Monday, Aug. 21 kicks off Welcome Week and the first day of fall semester weekday classes. Special events during Welcome Week include:

Monday, Aug. 21

• 8:30-10 a.m. – “Coffee with a Cop”
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – free food, photo booth and welcome kits
• 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – solar eclipse activities, including Facebook live video feeds in A. Lincoln Commons and supplies to make pinhole viewers to safely monitor the eclipse

Tuesday, Aug. 22

• 10 a.m.–2 p.m. – Loggerpalooza! (outside of A. Lincoln Commons), featuring music by DJ Yinka, vendor booths, free food and inflatables

Wednesday, Aug. 23

• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – bingo, prizes and food
• 10 a.m.-3 p.m. – free haircuts sponsored by the Black Student Union