@PimaNews

July 1, 2009

Contents

• College Updates
  • Computer Systems Unavailable
  • In Memoriam
• Benefits: New Benefit Plan Year Begins July 1
• College Plan
• Inside Story: All College Day
• Pima People
• Upcoming Events

College Updates

Computer Systems Unavailable
    Beginning: Thursday, July 2 at 7 p.m.
    Until Friday, July 3 at 11:30 p.m.

Due to required database maintenance, the following services will be unavailable during the above times:

• Online registration
• Financial aid status
• Online admissions
• Posting/viewing grades and transcripts
• Online class schedules and course descriptions
• Online fee payments
• Pima Reports
• Telephone registration and payment
• Banner Forms

Banner will not be available during this process as we must restrict access to the production database (PCCP). Blackboard Vista will be available during this downtime.  MyPima will be available however any service that relies on Banner will not be available.   Student and employee email will not be affected.

We regret the inconvenience.  This outage is required to update student records prior to migrating information into MyDegreePlan.  College staff will be working as quickly as possible to perform the needed updates.

In Memoriam
We regret to inform the College community that on Wednesday, June 3, a group of 17 Burundian and Congolese refugees went to Willcox to apply for jobs. On the way back, the van crashed. The following current and former PCC Adult Education students were killed in the crash: Bernadeta  Nahimana, Albino Misigayo, Elizabeth Mimani, Josephine Kalomo, Domitila Nduwamungu, Neema Kitubure.

Additional information about the victims can be found here.

Benefits: New Benefit Plan Year Begins July 1

As of July 1, 2009, CIGNA is the health insurance provider for College employees. If you made changes to your dental or flexible spending accounts, this also is the date they take effect. CIGNA’s customer service number is 1-800-244-6224.

Employees with CIGNA coverage now can access www.MyCIGNA.com to do such things as:

• find out more about local hospitals;
• explore topics on medicines, health and wellness;
• and view claim details, benefits and participating providers.

To get access, you initially will be asked to provide your date of birth, home ZIP code and CIGNA ID number. (This is the “U” number found on your CIGNA ID card. If you don’t know your CIGNA ID number, call 1-800-244-6224 to request it.) Your Social Security number will not work to access any CIGNA information. From there, you will be able to set up a user name and password.

College Plan

The Office of Planning and Institutional Research is currently documenting the completion of Strategy 5.2 of the 2008-2011 College Plan. The strategy calls for the College to develop an “instructional facilities model.” Pima is accomplishing this is by redefining or reconfiguring existing spaces into formal and informal learning areas; evaluating the practices of other higher education institutions that are recognized leaders in maximizing the use of technology and classroom space; and by educating the College community on flexible learning spaces.

Inside Story: All College Day

This year’s All College Day, kicking off the academic year, is Aug. 21.

A committee of about 15 employees has been planning the event since April. This year’s theme is “Overcoming Challenges.”

About 1,300 faculty, adjunct faculty and staff are expected to attend. It begins with a full breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by remarks from Chancellor Roy Flores and a keynote speaker, which the committee is still finalizing.

“All College Day is the only day of the year that the Chancellor brings together all of the employees, including adjunct faculty, to give his address for the upcoming year,” says College Events Coordinator Christy Yebra.

All College Day concludes with College-Wide Discipline Area Committee (CDAC) meetings, where faculty members discuss issues pertaining to their discipline. 

Invitations go out the week of July 20. Please RSVP by Aug. 14.

Pima People

• Dr. Penny Turrentine, Assistant Program Manager at the West Campus Learning Center, has received the “Woman of the Year” award from the Presidio Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.
• Henry Rubin, Manager of Broadcast Operations at the Community Campus, received a National Emmy Award for his work at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Upcoming Events

• July 1: Financial Aid Application processing deadline
• July 3: Independence Day Observed (College closed)
• July 6: Summer Session B classes begin
• July 14: Jail and Bail PCC Staff Council Fundraiser.  Donate online at www.pima.edu/jailandbail
• July 25: PCC Night with the Tucson Toros at 7 p.m., Hi Corbett Stadium
• August 20: Faculty Accountability begins
• August 21: All College Day
• August 26: Fall Semester begins
• September 7: Labor Day Holiday (College closed)

@PimaNews is an electronic newsletter for employees of Pima Community College. It is published by the PCC Office of Marketing and Public Information. @PimaNews is published weekly during the semester and every other week during the summer. Back issues are available at www.pima.edu/pimanews. Please send announcements and news items to pimanews@pima.edu by noon the Monday before publication.