The PSSA exists to enhance the overall work environment of the Brookhaven College Professional Support Staff, assist the student body through scholarships and other endeavors and work to uphold the image of Brookhaven College in general.
If you have not had an opportunity to read Dr. Lassiter’s Weekend Memo #57 you may want to do so. From a PSS perspective, you may find it timely and interesting.
Jayne Sims, in the Business Studies Division, has recently received her associate degree from Brookhaven. Congratulations, Jayne.
Bridget Lynch, daughter of Laurey Lynch, celebrated her 18th birthday on July 4. Congratulations to this “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Bridget also learned that she received all “5’s” on her physics, calculus BC and English literature AP exams, a very nice accomplishment. You may have seen Bridget around campus this summer as she works in the math lab as a clerk and tutor; in addition to working, she spent part of last week in Austin for orientation at St. Edward’s University where she will attend this fall.
Lauren Nicole Gust, granddaughter of Susie Coffman was born on May 23. Lauren weighed five pounds, 14 ounces and was 18 inches long. Andrea Gust, Susie’s daughter, is a 2004 RN graduate of the Brookhaven Nursing Program and is currently employed at Presbyterian-Plano; she recently earned her Labor and Delivery State Certification. Congratulations to all!
New Member(s):
New FOTP:
The PSSA welcomes each of you!
NOTE:
If you are not a PSSA member or a Friend of the PSSA, you are encouraged to join. Interested individuals should stop by Room S072 and, after paying the $5 dues, Mildred Kelley will add you to the membership roll.
This Courtyard Chatter edition features another valued employee and PSSA member, Mathewos Kassa, who works in the Institutional Effectiveness and Research Department as a coordinator of statistical processes. He has been instrumental in promoting the PSSA and its activities by serving on the Fund-raising Committee and assisting in other ways as requested.
In his position Mathewos “conducts institutional research and effectiveness activities through data collection and analysis.” While this sounds like pretty esoteric stuff, what it actually means is that he produces reports that show rates for enrollment, retention, graduation, etc., as well as preparing ad hoc research projects. Most likely you or your department have been the beneficiary of his many support services.
Mathewos has been with the district for five years, three of which have been at Brookhaven College. Prior to transferring here he worked in the Research Department at El Centro College and before joining DCCCD he worked as a market researcher for Ethiopian Airlines.
In addition to the responsibilities of his core position Mathewos teaches economics as an adjunct instructor in the Business Studies Division; he is now in his second year of teaching and is a well-loved instructor.
Mathewos received his bachelor’s degree from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and his master’s degree in economics from UT Dallas where he is currently studying for a Ph.D. in economics. He is fluent in English, French and of course Amharic, his native Ethiopian language. If you are not familiar with Ethiopia you may be surprised to learn that it is famous for its coffee (in fact that it is where coffee originated) and that it ranks ninth in world coffee exports and continues to grow its shipments. Juan Valdez, watch out!
Even though Mathewos completed a Spanish course at Brookhaven, his expertise in this language is now pretty much limited to “holá” and “adiós.”
He met his wife Lamrot at University in Addis Ababa, Ethopia (which in Amharic translates to “new flower”). They have been married 10 years and have a 3½ -year-old daughter, Raiye and a 1½ -year-old son, Caleb. Lamrot also is a DCCCD employee and holds the position of finance manager at Mountain View College. Mathewos considers Brookhaven College to be a great place to work and is proud to be a part of the research team. He also looks forward to being involved in the campus environmental/recycle program that is starting this fall.
When Mathewos is not studying, teaching or doing research he can be found in his kitchen cooking delicious traditional Ethiopian dishes.
If you do not know Mathewos, look him up and introduce yourself.
Mathewos, as with all Brookhaven College employees, we are glad you are here and appreciate your contributions to the College.
On behalf of the PSSA, Charles Purdy and Anand Upadhyaya in the Tutoring Office spearheaded an initiative to allow employees access to the campus gymnasium. Their dialogue with Rodger Bennett resulted in employees now being allowed to use the facility under the guidelines set forth in Mildred Kelley’s July 6 Wellness e-mail. All employees are encouraged to make use of this new opportunity when they can.
Upcoming events include the monthly PSSA meetings scheduled at noon on July 25, and Aug. 24. The location for both meetings is Room A203. The August meeting has been changed to Friday to accommodate the ECHS, as well as an attempt to determine if Friday would be a better day for the meeting. As we move forward, we will adjust meeting days as necessary to accommodate members. Hopefully you can attend the meetings, but if this is not possible please take the time to read the minutes which are distributed to members via e-mail and then archived on the intranet.
Although some months away, the annual PSSA membership drive luncheon will be held this fall and in December we will have our PSSA holiday event which will include food, entertainment and door prizes. We hope to make this December event the best ever but to make this happen will take some effort on the part of our members. Toward this end, if you have ideas and/or are willing to chair the committee or assist in organizing, soliciting door prizes, etc., please contact a PSSA officer.
Our membership continues to grow and we encourage the membership and active involvement of all professional support staff. Our 2006-2007 membership, as a percent of eligible full time employees, is now 65 percent and the objective for 2007-2008 is 90 percent.
Some of our new members may not be aware of the PSSA sponsored “Employee of the Month” program that recognizes a PSS Employee for outstanding contributions to Brookhaven College. The EOM Committee, chaired by Stephanie Sarles, encourages nominations for this honor and the committee also invites you to participate in the monthly presentation. Although we hope that all PSS employees would be a PSSA member, membership is not a requirement for this award.
If anyone has items for inclusion in this column relating to the PSSA, FOTP or members please let me know.
