“The goal of TTC Green is to help create a sustainable future that will positively impact the college, our community and beyond,” said Dr. Mary Thornley, TTC president. “Our efforts feed into a larger global challenge and the emerging green economy.”

Thornley and Laurel Colless, founder and director, Energy Efficiency Partnership (EEP) and head of Research Development for Sustainable Technologies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, also announced plans to jointly develop curricula that will enhance TTC’s program offerings, including green building construction, engineering technology and management curricula and certifications leading to green careers. Virginia Tech experts will also consult with TTC officials as the college develops a comprehensive energy efficiency retrofit program.

“More attention is now being paid to growing the U.S. economy through new green jobs,” said Colless. “This is a very real goal and one to which colleges and universities like Trident Tech and Virginia Tech, with our scientific and technical expertise, can aspire: helping to educate a work force suitably prepared to meet the challenges of energy efficiency in the built environment.

“TTC and EEP hope to launch a training program with Veterans Green Jobs (VGJ) in the near future,” Colless added. “By providing veterans with green jobs education and career development in a supportive environment, we can help them make a smooth transition into civilian careers. This is just one example of the type of program we plan to offer as we develop curriculum for a green workforce.”

Dr. Yvan Beliveau, director of Myers-Lawson School of Construction and professor in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech said: “We will be working with TTC to develop green curricula for credit and continuing education programs including programs with articulation potential into four-year institutions. The educational emphasis will go well beyond energy efficiency assessments into implementations.”

Thornley also recently signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, symbolizing TTC’s intent to help minimize climate change. TTC is committed to improving energy efficiency to cut costs and to integrate sustainability throughout the curricula to provide students with the knowledge and skills to address the world’s critical energy and environmental challenges.

“We are proud to announce that TTC is the first technical college in South Carolina to sign the Presidents Climate Commitment,” said Thornley. “This is our pledge to continue and multiply efforts of reducing and ultimately neutralizing greenhouse gas emissions.”

To date, 643 college and university presidents have signed the commitment, including seven institutions in South Carolina.

In addition, TTC has been designated one of six Energy Efficiency Training Centers in South Carolina to deliver short-term energy audit, energy efficiency and weatherization training programs, funded by federal stimulus dollars. TTC will retrofit a small building on its Main Campus to meet the requirements as a “test house” for training related to weatherization.

Under the direction of Dr. Russell Darnall, TTC Green serves as an umbrella that focuses on the college’s sustainability objectives including green curricula and short-term work force training, student engagement, facilities and conservation, and public awareness. Darnall, who also serves as director of Manufacturing, Industrial and Construction Trades, will manage TTC’s energy efficiency training programs.

“TTC Green recognizes that Trident Tech has the responsibility to perpetuate green lifestyles through daily operations and knowledgeable graduates who possess the skills to support sustainability efforts. We are part of a community that thinks in terms of green initiatives, and we plan to continue to expand TTC’s role as a good community citizen,” said Darnall.

Bryan Cordell, executive director of The Sustainability Institute, plans to work closely with TTC in its efforts to create a sustainable South Carolina. “We are excited by Dr. Thornley’s bold vision which will establish Trident Technical College as a leader in sustainability both through the college’s commitments to achieve efficiency goals and through the green work force training TTC will supply to our communities,” said Cordell. “This training is an important and necessary component of the effort to create the diverse infrastructure of skilled workers needed to grow our local green economy.”

TTC Green also represents a grass roots approach by involving students, faculty and staff in efforts to contribute to viable solutions that help create a sustainable future. William Landry, TTC’s dean of Science and Mathematics, chairs the TTC Green steering committee that will develop the college’s plan to comply with the Presidents Climate Commitment and coordinate other TTC Green projects.

“TTC is producing graduates who are prepared for employment in an emerging economy that depends on green technology,” Darnall said. “Together, we will provide the knowledge and the training necessary in a sustainable future.”

For more information, e-mail TTCGreen@tridenttech.edu or call Darnall at 843-574-6826.

Funds for K-12 programs are based on the student population in each county. Library funding is generally based on a formula set by the General Assembly. In 2009, lottery funds were first awarded to the South Carolina Charter School District.

According to the release, in the year that ended on June 30, 2009, more than 97 cents of every dollar spent on the South Carolina Education Lottery was returned to the state as educational contributions, prizes, retailer commissions and payments to contractors.

You can see how much money has gone to your county by going to www.sceducationlottery.com/educationwins/county.aspx. Just find and click on your county.

The program will provide training to teachers on how to identify the warning signs of domestic violence and how to respond when they suspect abuse.

Experts say students who are victims of violence will often become isolated from their friends or experience a drop in academic performance.

A $10,000 grant from Verizon Wireless will fund the project in five pilot school districts, including Greenville, Charleston, Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale. Depending on the success of the program, it is expected to reach across South Carolina school districts through the 2010-11 school year.

Education Superintendent Jim Rex says teachers can play an important role in stopping domestic violence. Rex, who is also running for governor, says the program is needed because cases of domestic violence are rising.

Experts say children are present in a majority of domestic violence situations.

That’s the report from South Carolina Lawyers Weekly:

The two students each received $50,000, and two family members who filed the suits on their behalf received $25,000 apiece ….Title VI prohibits allowing a racially hostile educational environment in schools and programs receiving federal financial assistance and provides for a private cause of action for violations….

Both students were African-American, and so was most of the elementary school’s student body, according to [the students’ lawyer, Lawrence C.] Kobrovsky….

[The younger student] claimed she suffered emotional trauma because she was subjected to racial and sexual slurs at … elementary school … Despite complaints, school administrative staff and district officials allowed the abuse to “escalate to the point where [she] was physically threatened, assaulted and battered,” the suit alleged.

“You have a culture where to act like you want to do well in school is considered acting white. And that is part of why we’re saying that it was racial, even though the students were all of the same race because they weren’t acting how the others thought they should be acting as members of that race,” Kobrovsky said….

Interactive showcase gives IT service providers hands-on experience with the latest technology solutions

COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Zenith Infotech Ltd., an international company serving over 4,000 IT service providers worldwide, will host an interactive technology showcase Jan. 12, 2010 from 2:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel, located at 200 Stoneridge Drive. Snacks and drinks will be provided. The event, one of 124 U.S. open houses scheduled for the first quarter of 2010, is sponsored by Autotask, the leading provider of web-based IT services management software, used by thousands of IT service professionals worldwide.

IT service providers attending the open house will see live demonstrations of ‘managed services’ infrastructure and business continuity products and services. Together, these solutions enable small- and-midsized companies to automate IT processes and more efficiently run their business operations. Those attending will also receive a free 45-day trial of Zenith’s managed services offering or a 30-day trial of its business continuity solution.

“We developed these open house events to demonstrate how services like backup and disaster recovery and outsourced networking can help IT services providers generate recurring revenue,” said Barb Burk, Zenith Infotech senior director of marketing. “By migrating from a traditional break/fix to a managed services business model, they can better forecast revenue and resource requirements. And when these solutions are delivered via the Web, they can scale their business offering quickly, conveniently and cost effectively.”

“I was drawn to Zenith’s technology offering, mainly because I liked how all of the tools were remotely hosted, and that everything was Web-based,” said Eric Shorr, president of PC Troubleshooters. “I also liked that I didn’t have to be concerned about hosting a management server at my office, which my techs would have to monitor. With the Zenith model, I can instead have the techs out in the field, serving customers, rather than back at the office, managing a server.”

For more information or to register for this event, visit www.zenithinfotech.com/register.

About Zenith Infotech

Zenith Infotech Ltd. is a leading provider of remote monitoring and management (RMM), backup and disaster recovery, and virtual help-desk solutions for managed services providers worldwide. The company’s award-winning solutions enable its technology partners to scale their business without increasing their overhead.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091228/LA30713LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Zenith Infotech

CONTACT: Lynette Bohanan of CommCentric Solutions Inc., +1-813-727-0196,
lbohanan@commcentricsolutions.com, for Zenith Infotech Ltd

Web Site: http://www.zenithinfotech.com/

(From left to right) Vicky Gray, Tim McBride and Jean Mitchem were chosen as Spartanburg Community College's Educators of the Year for 2009.

Spartanburg, S.C. – Three members of Spartanburg Community College’s faculty and staff have been named the college’s recipients of the South Carolina Technical Education Association’s Educator of the Year awards. Each year, SCC’s faculty and staff submit nominations of colleagues who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and dedication to the college. Recipients are chosen from the college faculty, staff and administrator/manager categories.

Jean Mitchem, SCC’s custodial supervisor, was chosen for the administrator category. Vickie Gray, administrative assistant for learning resources, was chosen for the staff category.  Tim McBride, an SCC math instructor, was chosen for the faculty category.

Award recipients will be recognized at the 2010 annual SCTEA conference in February at Myrtle Beach, S.C.  The SCTEA was organized in 1974 to offer enrichment and professional development for individuals working in state institutions for technical education.

Individuals interested in applying to the college for the spring semester that begins in January can apply in person at the SCC central campus in Spartanburg, the Tyger River Campus in Duncan or the Cherokee County Campus in Gaffney. An online application is also available at www.sccc.edu.

With dramatic increases in core curriculum classes such as English and math, college officials have already planned additional classes in these areas for the spring semester. During the fall semester, enrollment in math classes grew 26 percent and social sciences enrollment grew 31 percent.  To help meet the demand, the college has also increased the number of online and hybrid classes (blended class with online and classroom components) and created flexible start dates for many courses.

“Many of our students have full-time jobs so they need flexible class options,” said Kelley Jones, SCC’s executive assistant to the president.  “To meet that need, the college now offers eight different terms within each semester with staggered start and end dates.  We call these FlexStart terms, and they help students work college classes into their busy schedules.”

Other programs such as SCC’s therapeutic massage certificate program offer classes entirely on the weekend so that students with full-time jobs can attend college.

Many of the college’s health care programs stay at capacity each semester. “Currently we have 2,025 students enrolled at SCC that plan to enter a health care program once they complete pre-requisite courses such as English, math and biology,” said Dr. Rita Melton, dean of health and human services at SCC. “However, enrollment in several of these programs is limited by the number of clinical sites with the capacity to accept our students for the required clinical rotations that are part of their course work.”

Five of SCC’s 18 health sciences programs – medical assisting, nursing, respiratory care, radiologic technology and surgical technology – have weighted admissions criteria which selects students based on their individual classroom performance, community involvement and other factors to ensure that the most qualified students have the opportunity to enter these programs. SCC’s health care programs can currently seat 536 curriculum students each semester.

Many of the college’s industrial programs such as welding and machine tool technology were at capacity for the fall term. SCC’s horticulture program experienced a 46 percent spike in enrollment this fall and the college’s teacher education programs currently have 200 students pursuing an associate degree that will transfer seamlessly to USC Upstate’s School of Education.

To meet demands for the fall semester, the college hired seven additional full-time faculty members and three more new hires are planned for the spring semester.  The college also hired 22 percent more adjunct instructors in the languages and humanities departments than were hired for the fall 2008 semester.

“The growth at SCC has been tremendous,” said Jones.  “We know that in this economy, people are turning to college for the training and skills they need to get a good job.  Our goal is to make sure that every student is served and that each one has access to the classes and resources they need to earn a degree and find a good job.”

Full-time (12 or more credit hours) students from Spartanburg and Cherokee County will pay $1,697 for the semester.  Full-time students from Union County will pay $1,956, that’s $165 less than the fall semester. The Spartanburg County Commission for Technical and Community Education voted to reduce tuition for Union County residents beginning in January 2010 due to the opening of SCC’s Quick Jobs Development Center in Union.  The new tuition structure is now in effect.

“We congratulate the administration for recognizing that the manual needed to change,” said Pat Schleisman, PE, regional director of Woodworks Southeast. “The previous policy was based on some long-standing misperceptions, but as Arkansas recognized last year when its prohibitive legislation was changed, wood offers a lot of benefits—especially to school districts trying to cope with decreasing budgets and increasing numbers of students. The reality is that wood schools can easily meet the same exacting standards for safety and service life as other materials, but provide much needed advantages related to cost, speed of construction, design flexibility, energy efficiency and sustainability.”

“Although heavy timber construction was already permitted, the Committee adopted the IBC language allowing wood for Type III and Type V Construction* with no significant amendments,” said Bryan Readling, PE, Senior Engineered Wood Specialist for APA – The Engineered Wood Association. “This change is great for school districts, which can now get more school for less money, and it’s also great for the South Carolina economy which is heavily dependent on forestry and wood manufacturing.” According to the South Carolina Forestry Association, 67% of the state is forested and the wood sector is the largest manufacturing employer.
In terms of cost savings, the following examples have been reported to APA for Arkansas schools originally designed in steel or concrete and converted to wood framing following the legislative change:

•Eldorado High School – 318,000 square feet
o Wood framing saved $20 per square foot for a total savings of
$6,360,000

• Newport Elementary School – 125,000 square feet
o Wood framing saved $21 per square foot for a total of
$2,625,000

• Fountain Lake Middle School – 48,000 square feet
o Wood framing saved $40 per square foot for a total savings of $1,920,000
(Note: bidding took place before steel prices dropped)
In addition to cost, a study released in 2007 by McGraw-Hill Construction found that the education sector was the fastest growing market for green building—an area where wood excels.

In addition to being the only major building material that’s renewable and sustainable, wood is the only material with third-party certification programs in place to verify that products being sold originate from a sustainably managed resource. North America has more certified forests than any other part of the world and, according to State of the World’s Forests reports published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, has as much forested land now as it did 100 years ago.

Independent life cycle assessment (LCA) studies show that wood is better for the environment than other materials in terms of embodied energy, air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and offers more efficient resource use. It’s also an important tool in the fight against climate change—because it continues to store the carbon absorbed during a tree’s growing cycle and because substituting wood for fossil fuel-intensive materials such as steel or concrete results in ‘avoided’ greenhouse gas emissions.

It was these and other benefits that helped convince the South Carolina Public School Facilities Committee to change the manual. “Wood schools offer excellent performance in earthquakes and high winds, so they’re common in California,” said Schleisman, who worked with APA and the South Carolina Forestry Association to demonstrate the advantages of wood schools. “We started this process by taking a delegation from the Southeast on a tour of California wood schools—to let people see for themselves the kind of warm and inviting learning environments that can be created while providing all of these other benefits.”

The tour was attended by architect Chris Voso, an advisor to the subcommittee evaluating the issue for the Office of School Facilities, who said it gave him an opportunity to see firsthand that wood is a viable option for schools. “When properly detailed and constructed, wood framed buildings give the school district a facility that meets all International Building Code requirements concerning life safety at the same time freeing up budget dollars to be used on needed educational spaces,” he said. “The decision to remove the restrictions on wood construction in schools gives the owner and architect another option for designing schools that meet today’s sustainable construction goals in a cost-effective way.”

For more information, visit woodworks.org to download the publication, “Designing Wood Schools” (http://www.woodworks.org/file/PD/publications/Wood_Schools.pdf).