The Current Online

by Adam Conder

Is literature dead? Susan Satterfield, the English instructor behind Longview’s Literary Festival, doesn’t think so. On October 2 and 3, the festival will host authors from a variety of genres, including local children’s author Richard Jennings and Kansas City Star columnists Lewis Diuguid and C.W. Guswelle.

“A good mix of people are coming. There will be a little bit of everything,” said Longview creative writing instructor Terri Lowry, who is helping coordinate the festival. [...]

Congress approves an increase in benefits for education in Armed Forces

by CHET SMITH

Are you struggling with paying the costs for your college education? Are your student loans getting larger and larger? Would you like to have up to $9,000 per year to apply to tuition and other expenses? Maybe you should ask Uncle Sam for some help with your problem.
The education benefits for new recruits and current members of all branches of the Armed Forces are increasing. For students who are interested in serving their country in the military sign up for three years, total benefits could be as much as $28,800.
In late December 2001, the U.S. Congress approved the GI Bill Education Benefits and Expansion Act. The first of three incremental increases in monthly payments for approved studies took effect in January 2002. Payments amounts will increase again in October 2002 and October 2003. The new benefits, which can be as much as $650 per month today, will increase to a maximum of $800 in 2003. These increases in educational benefits were enacted to assist the Armed Forces in their recruiting efforts and to increase enlistment.
Interested individuals can enlist in the service they prefer, Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force, and even complete their current calendar year of study before leaving. New enlistees may also be eligible for a Delayed Entry Program so they can finish a two- or four-year degree before entering the service. For students needing help to repay federally insured student loans, a loan repayment program is available that will repay loans up to a maximum of $65,000.
If staying close to home is important, similar educational benefits are also available in the reserve components of the various services. Those who join a reserve unit can continue their education and be paid for attending unit meetings one weekend a month and two weeks training in the summer.
Excellent educational benefits are also offered to new recruits of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard units. These benefits are a combination of some of the federal GI Bill benefits and contributions by the state where the guard unit is located so the amounts will vary. National Guard recruits can also continue their education and receive pay for attending unit meetings one weekend a month and two weeks of training in the summer.
For Longview students who join local units, both Missouri and Kansas will pay up to 100% tuition assistance. One Guard program for new recruits who are attending college allows them to schedule their basic and advanced individual training over two summers to minimize impact on education.
Numerous alternatives and special programs are offered by different services, depend on whether active duty or reserve service is selected. Special educational benefit incentives may be offered at various times for different military jobs and specialties.
Recruiters from all armed services are frequently set up in the Longview cafeteria to talk to students and answer questions.

Safety personnel training and hiring will take time

by CHET SMITH

The security at all Metropolitan Community College campuses will be changing and the changes will be significant. But most of them won’t happen quickly. Some are planned for completion next year and others have a goal of 2006 for full implementation.
As reported by The Current last October, MCC administration hired a security consulting firm, Clarence M. Kelley and Associates, in early 2000. Their task was to make an in-depth review of security procedures at every MCC campus and to make recommendations for improvements.
After getting the report and reviewing, it the administration officers endorsed three of the consultants’ main recommendations for implementation, then informed the campuses in the MCC September FYI newsletter. Immediately, the academic faculty senate approved a resolution opposing the security plans because the group had not had an opportunity to comment about the report and its recommendations, in accordance with MCC’s shared governance policy.
In the following months, faculty members from the senate were included in the change process. Diana Grahn, president of the faculty senate says, “We held meetings with both the administration and the Kelley report writers. It was decided that no action would be taken on any recommendation until a new safety superintendent was hired. Our group had a representative on the hiring committee who participated in the selection process and we’ll be part of ongoing planning.”
Because the report recommended the consolidation of control for all campuses, the position of public safety superintendent was the first change to be made. Several applicants were considered and Domenic R. Brouillette, who has been the security manager at Maple Woods, was selected. His previous security experience included 11 years at Crown Center, several of those as director of security.
“Several systems recommended in the report are in the process of study and research or implementation,” Brouillette comments. “Action is underway now to set up the command and control center in the Business and Technology Center at I-435 and Front Street. In time the center will be staffed 24 hours a day and existing and new electronic safeguards at each campus will be connected to the center and monitored continuously. Safety staff can be dispatched from the center to any campus when needed.”

Brouillette added that “other issues are still under discussion, like uniform security rules that can apply to all campuses. Since different campuses are located in different police jurisdictions, the requirements for security officers at each one must be researched before final decisions are made on training.”
Brouillette notes, “Besides the jurisdiction issues affecting the hiring and training of new safety officers, the salary structure for them is being impacted by district budget constraints.”
New officers are needed at most campuses to replace those who have left for other jobs, retired or been called to active military duty. Lyle Koch, Longview safety supervisor, is short of staff although he expects to fill the positions soon.
Koch says, “In particular, National Guard and Army Reserve mobilizations have reduced the Longview security staff. One of my former officers is in Kosovo. One went to Texas and another one quit to join the service.”
The MCC district has just released a 2002 Emergency Preparedness Procedure booklet to all campuses. It has information and instructions on what to do in eight different categories, such as fire, utility and weather emergencies and even bomb threats. The section on Violence and Crime states, “always call the police first, and then call campus security.” That directive is especially good advice considering the current shortage of officers at Longview.
Other changes, new programs and security systems recommendations are in various stages of planning but most are also impacted by budget constraints. These include additions of closed circuit TV, intrusion alarms and duress alarm/call-for-help stations at all campuses.
The photo ID card program that was piloted on a voluntary basis at Maple Woods will be the model for future implementation at all campuses. Card use can be expanded to serve as an entry access system to eliminate the out-of-date use of locks and keys.
Right now, overcrowded and illegal parking is the greatest concern at Longview for students, staff and faculty. Because of increased enrollment and the loss of spaces caused by the Liberal Arts building expansion, students are parking in faculty/staff-designated spaces and in handicapped or no-parking areas in all lots except the Recreation Center. But the campus safety staff is so decimated, there are no guards available to regularly patrol the lots and give parking tickets.

Moving in between the lines

by CHET SMITH

Media Credit: Megan Logan Robinson-Walker dropped her dreams of journalism, in search for something more rewarding

Look! In the Longview Liberal Arts Building! Is it a student — is it a teacher? No, it’s a striking, soft-spoken instructor from the English Department. Dawnielle Robinson-Walker has been a member of the Longview faculty since 1999, and this year her English classes include Basic English and composition courses, literature and creative writing.

Robinson-Walker is a Kansas City native who attended Catholic school, then became a student at the University of Missouri planning to study journalism. After the first year, she switched to a dual major in English and African American studies and graduated with a B.A. While an undergraduate, one summer was spent as an Intern at the Kansas City Star. As is typical for cub reporters, she got a “choice” assignment writing wedding and obituary notices. The newspaper experiences that summer caused her change to English and teaching.

After graduating from MU, she attended Kansas State University, graduating with a master degree in English with emphasis on creative writing. While at KSU she wrote brochures, student magazines, proposals, and grants for the Multicultural Student Organization while acting as Coordinator for that group.

She continues her writing now by entering short fiction contests and creating stories on the Internet. Robinson-Walker is also the Faculty Advisor for Shorelines, the fine arts publication at Longview.

Cris Cobb, a junior at UMKC and a former Robinson-Walker student, says, “Dawnielle allowed me freedom to explore my thoughts and showed me I could be successful in writing”.

Mark Mahan from the same class and now a junior at Rockhurst University says, “Her class gave me confidence I could be a good writer, and I know I am a better writer now”.

Robinson-Walker gets fulfillment in her work from continuing to learn more about the profession of teaching. Also, she says, “Being able to motivate and guide students who really wish to learn and improve gives me great satisfaction.”