National Advisory Council
Central’s National Advisory Council will meet Friday-Saturday, March 23-24, on campus.
A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers
The Central College A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers are performing on the Fine Arts Series at First Congregational Church in Waterloo Sunday, March 25, at 4 p.m.
In addition, the Chamber Singers will perform at 11 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines Sunday, March 25.
Combos concert
The Red Combos will perform Wednesday, March 28, at 8 p.m. in the Cox-Snow Recital Hall.
Campus-wide health fair
Springfest 2007, the campus-wide health fair, will be Thursday, March 29, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Maytag Student Center. Register for free door prizes including four iPod shuffles. There will be 30 health-related stations.
Tests include:
Blood screening with a 10-hour fast recommended for best results. Drink 4-5 glasses of water the morning of the screening.
Bone density for $22 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Diagnostic profile with complete blood count for $25 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Prostate Specific Antigen for $21 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Free stations:
Blood pressure screening;
Body composition testing;
Central Campus Ministries;
Central Counseling Services;
Central First Responders;
Crisis Intervention—domestic abuse, sexual assault;
Crossroads;
Dental hygiene;
Des Moines Marathon;
Diehl Chiropractic;
Employee Assistance Program;
Everybodies Massage Therapy;
Iowa Dermatology, dermascan;
John Stoddard Cancer Center ;
MADD;
Nutrition services;
Organ donation;
Pella Community Ambulance;
Pella Health and Fitness;
Pella Pine Rest;
Pella Pregnancy Care Center ;
Physical fitness profiles by Central Exercise Science;
Red Rock Chiropractic;
Respiratory care, sleep disorders
Shaklee Distributor;
Smoking prevention;
Spiritual services, living wills;
Stroke detection plus;
Substance awareness, fatal vision glasses;
Wellness profiles, blood glucose, cholesterol test;
Women’s health issues;
Work Systems Rehab and Fitness.
Alumni Advisory Council 
Central’s Alumni Advisory Council will meet on campus Friday-Saturday, March 30-31.
Directors’ Week
Directors’ week is Tuesday-Tuesday, March 27-April 3. Come meet all the Central College Abroad program directors at the study abroad fair Thursday, March 29, from 4-6 p.m. in the Weller Center. Join us for the Mexico dinner Monday, April 2, at 5:30 p.m. in the side rooms of Central Market.
GOLD
Graduates of the Last Decade, including 2007 grads, are hitting Warrior Lanes, 190 Laurel St. in Waukee, Thursday, April 12, from 6-8 p.m. Cost is $15 per person for three games of bowling, shoes, pizza and pop. Additional beverages available for purchase on site. Payment required in advance. RSVP to alumni@central.edu by Friday, April 6.
No news.
Employee Spotlight - Dennis Doyle
Name: Dennis Doyle
Department: Communication studies
Title: Professor of communication
About me: Earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, master's from North Texas State University (now University of North Texas), and a doctorate from Southern Illinois University; married to Christy, a pediatric nurse practitioner in Oskaloosa; son Andrew, a freshman at Simpson; daughter Meredith, freshman at Pella High School; research interests: performance ethnography, interpersonal ethics and communication and gender; outside interests: golfing, hiking/camping, traveling.
Westphal attends meeting
Pat Westphal (modern languages) attended the annual meeting of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Language in Kansas City March 8-10. She is co-chair of an outreach program the conference sponsors, the extension workshop. Participants prepare to disseminate best teaching practices, and this year’s topic was assessment. The main theme of the conference was emerging technologies for teaching languages.
Green presents paper
Andrew Green (political science) presented a paper titled “Determinants of Support for Transportation Sales Taxes in California from 1980-2006,” at the 2007 annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association March 8-10 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Central hosted delegates
A group of visitors from across the globe visited Central College March 8 to learn how higher education in the United States works to incorporate policies and programs that promote a harmonious culture with diverse ethnic groups. The visitors, invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, included delegates from Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkey. Henry and Milly Vande Kieft (English) served as hosts. The group met with Central College representatives Brandyn Woodard (intercultural life), Anya Butt (environmental studies) and Kat Whitson ’99.
No news.
Strategic Planning Initiatives
Strategic Plan goal 4.4: Cultivate an environment of continuous quality improvement.
Many initiatives on campus are focusing on this goal. For example, many productive discussions focus on improving assessment of programs and student experiences. We know we must prepare to systematically address how we know our students are learning and achieving the goals we have for them. The accrediting agencies are adamant that each college has clear goals for students and that assessments show the students are achieving those goals. When the AQIP visitors were on campus, the applauded Central’s stated plans to develop a sustainable assessment plan. The newly formed Institutional Assessment Coordinating Council has been working on various plans that will: assure a plan for assessing outcomes on a regular basis will be developed and implemented; identify learning outcomes linked to the goals for students; share results systematically for use in program evaluation; and assist departments in identifying desired outcomes and evidence of those outcomes.
A scaffold of assessment tools with their purposes in testing stated goals for students, costs and the institutional requirements for analyzing and disseminating results is being formed. Some of the skills/dispositions to assess in an aggregate way include critical thinking, problem solving, intercultural effectiveness, moral character and well-being. Additional inventories will give evidence of how the first year of college impacts students, as well as evidence of student engagement. Testing can be done periodically in each area rather than every year in every area so that over a 10 year span, each item will be tested at least once.
As a system of assessing becomes systematized, we are anticipating a shift in the culture to one of assessment. Eventually, we will not only have an improved assessment system, but clear outcomes we can prove through statistics and comparisons. These outcomes are essential to share, not only with accrediting agencies, but also with prospective students. Students and their parents are savvy consumers who want to know what they can expect from their years of study at Central College.
Submitted by Vivian Rippentrop (academic affairs)
Students Doing Interesting Things
Thanks to all whom completed reference forms on the Upward Bound Tutor-Counselor applicants. The following Central students have been hired to work Sunday-Saturday, June 3–July 21, 2007 Joe Burch ’07, Venice Chan ’09, Chad Dolan ’08, Jordan Edgerly ’08, Kelly Eysink ’08, Janna Hammes ’07, Curtis Johnson ’09, Amanda Roling ’08, Erin Sheehan ’09, Melissa Stewart ’07, Molly Turnroth ’09 and Aaron Zuspann ’07.
Angela Kirby joined facilities planning and management as a custodian.
No news.
We extend our sympathy to Karen Janssen (info booth) for the passing of her father Joseph Ryan March 2.
Congratulations to Joe Brummel (campus ministries) on the birth of his grandson Carson West Taylor born March 8.
Professional development March 29
A professional development opportunity will be Thursday, March 29, from 10-11:30 a.m. All staff are invited for refreshments and to hear Deadra Staton give a motivational presentation titled “Don’t Shoot Skinny Rabbits.” The retreat will be in the Graham Banquet Room.
Lunch and Learn April 12
A lunch and learn regarding Explanation of Benefits and How You Can Use your Health Insurance More Effectively will take place in Boat, Moore and Weller Rooms in Maytag Thursday, April 12, from 12-1 p.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m..
Required meeting for staff
All staff are required to attend an in-service titled “Pandemic Influenza, An Overview for the General Public” Wednesday, April 18, in van Emmerik Studio in Maytag from 1-2:30 p.m. The in-service is by Marion County Health, who is strongly encouraging major employers in the county to educate their employees on the pandemic flu. We understand all offices cannot be closed, and therefore, anyone who cannot attend will be able to view the video tape. Hourly staff will be paid regular work hours.
2007 holiday schedule
Friday, April 6, Good Friday
Monday, May 28, Memorial Day
Wednesday, July 4, Independence Day
Monday, Sept. 3, Labor Day
Thursday-Friday, Nov. 22-23, Thanksgiving
Monday-Friday, Dec. 24-28, Christmas
Open Positions
To review open positions and download an application click here or visit the college Web site at www.central.edu and select job seekers on the home page drop-down menu for more information.
Central College is strongly committed to creating a diverse community. In furtherance of that commitment, the college encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds, under represented groups and/or those who have had experience working with and/or interacting with individuals from diverse populations to apply. Central College is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates.
News items should be submitted to Abby Gonzales by noon Friday, March 30.