GCCCD Grapevine

Volume 2, Number 1                                                                                     January 9, 1991

Improved Communication Planned for 1991

Members of the SIRP 2 Committee have been meeting regularly and have resolved to increase retiree communication and activities with the district and with each other. For starters, we hope to produce this newsletter more often and on a regular basis, at the very least bimonthly. We plan to include news of retirees as well as articles of general interest to retirees. In order to facilitate these efforts, we have been allocated an office (at least on a temporary basis) at the Grossmont College Campus in Building 300A. The phone extension is 342, hours have yet to be arranged since we’ll be sharing the office with several adjunct faculty. We’re also planning to expedite the mailing of notices of campus events and various newsletters (e.g., District Digest, UF Sentinel, etc.) to those retirees interested in receiving them.

 Mailing List…Final Notice!

If you are interested in receiving future mailings such as this or other newsletters, or wish to participate in other activities and have not yet notified us in writing, please do so as soon as possible. Fill out the Are You Interested? form in this issue and send it to the District Personnel Office, care of Sharon Wood.

 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

A number of retirees responded to the first edition’s questionnaire by indicating the following interests: Committee Membership (5), Computers (3), Discussion Group (1), Ham Radio (2), Handicapped Support (1), Photography (4), RV Travel (4), Summer Sports (Golf, Sailing, etc.) (2), Trap Shooting-Hunting-Guns (2), Winter Sports (1), and Writers’ Workshop (3). If you are interested in any of these activities or any others, and have not already signed up for them, use the Are You Interested? form to so indicate. We hope to contact some of you by phone so that you can contact each other and arrange to meet.

OTHER NEWS BRIEFS

The GCCCD Board approved Emeritus status for two more retirees, Dr. Sydney Wiener and Tom Scanlan, at their meeting on December 4, 1990.

RETIREE DIRECTORY FINAL NOTICE!

If you would like to have your name, address, and phone number listed in a directory which will be available to other interested retirees and have not already mailed in the form, please fill in the Permission to Release Address and Telephone Number form and send it too the District Personnel Office, care of Sharon Wood, as soon as possible. We’ll be compiling the directory and mailing it out fairly soon.

 Retirees Now Represented on Fringe Benefit Committee…

In a side letter in December, the District approved a restructuring of the Fringe Benefit Committee to include a voting member from retired faculty, since retirees continue to receive health benefits and insurance to age 65. The Retirement Committee nominated Tom Scanlan and his nomination was approved by the United Faculty. All District employees receiving benefits and retirees under age 65 should have received a health benefits questionnaire by now. Be sure to fill these out and return them promptly so that retiree interests can be served.

RETIREES TO BE HOSTED AT ALLIE’S

The District will be hosting a breakfast for the retirees at Allie’s on Navajo Road during the Professional Development Week, this January. The breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 23, and last until about 9:00 a.m. Please contact Sharon Wood in the Personnel Office if you plan to attend. This will be a buffet style breakfast…and we’ve heard it’s good!

Fred Helm, who taught laboratory and lecture courses on a part-time basis for about 20 years at Grossmont College, passed away last semester. For many years, he carried the astronomy laboratory program almost single-handedly. His enthusiasm and expertise played a major role in the development of the Astronomy program at Grossmont College. Although Fred had not taught at the College for the last several semesters, he will be remembered fondly by many students and his colleagues.

On January 3, 1991, Dr. Sharon Yaap, Dean of Communications and Fine Arts at Grossmont College, notified the staff that James "Biff" Baker, Grossmont College Theatre instructor for over 20 years, died Thursday, December 27, 1990 from heart failure.

Biff came to Grossmont College in 1966 and retired in 1987. He taught technical theatre and served as director of campus productions. Biff constructed innovative sets and scenery that made plays in the student union exciting and highly theatrical. When ECPAC was constructed, Biff single-handedly constructed a theatre in Room 247 so that there would be an on-campus playhouse. He also redesigned and constructed the performance area of Room 220.

Known in later years as a campus curmudgeon, Biff’s writings—letters, memos, notices—were filled with acerbic wit and satire.

"Nobody spent more hours working for the college while an employee than Biff" says his long-time friend, Neil Towne. "Biff was here from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 7 days a week. He was totally dedicated to the college."

All staff of the Grossmont Community College District and friends of Biff are invited to a memorial celebration to be held Friday, February 1, in the afternoon on the Grossmont campus. An exact time and location will be announced. Long time friends Larry Smith, Neil Towne, and Clark Mires will conduct the program.

A Biff Baker Theatre Arts Scholarship Fund is being established. Contributions will be gratefully received. Again, further information will be available soon.

 REQUEST FOR NEWS ITEMS…

If you have a news item (interesting new job, exciting travel experience, births, deaths, marriages, graduations, awards, etc.) which you feel that other retirees would like to hear about, please send the item to Sharon Wood in the District Personnel office or leave a short message on Tom Scanlan’s campus phone mail (Voice Memo Number 3158). This can be accessed via the Grossmont College switchboard, or directly by dialing 589-0337 with a touch-tone phone.
                                                                                Tom Scanlan, Editor