Aug 21, 2018

The 2018 fall semester at College of the Mainland began with the traditional Convocation lead by college President Dr. Warren Nichols on Monday, Aug. 20.

Nichols gave a presentation on the upcoming $162.5 million bond referendum on Nov. 6 to employees during a morning meeting in LRC-131 and an overflow crowd in TVB 1101. The informational report detailed how the bond package mirrors the college’s Academic Master Plan.

The bond referendum calls for the construction of three new buildings – STEAM/Allied Health, Industrial Careers and Student Success – as well as an expansion of the physical plant, theater renovations in the Fine Arts building, technology upgrades. Also included is the demolition of the police station, Administration building and Technical Vocation building.

Nichols further explained that voters within the COM Taxing District – Dickinson, Hitchcock, Santa Fe and Texas City (including La Marque) school districts will decide on the referendum. The construction of the proposed new buildings will be staggered with the STEAM/Allied Health building being first followed by the Industrial Careers building and then the Student Success Center. The Technical-Vocational building will house employees displayed from other buildings as construction ensues.

The cost to taxpayers once all the bonds are sold will be about $141.55 a year or $11.80 a month. Nichols explained that the anticipated increase is the equivalent of about 4.5 gallons of gasoline or three tall mocha frappuccinos from Starbucks.

Early voting for the Nov. 6 election starts on Monday, Oct. 22. College of the Mainland and the COM Learning Center in League City are both polling locations during early voting and on Election Day.

Nichols shared with employees that the college is a financially healthy institution with a growing enrollment. He also gave an update of maintenance projects on campus, announced the grand opening of the new COM Conference Center for Oct. 22 and gave an overview of a recently completed compensation study.

Prior to the morning meeting, employees were treated to breakfast in the library mezzanine and then moved outdoors for a group photo with employees wearing yellow construction hats. The photo was taken by COM photographer Scott Turnbough.

New COM employees introduced during convocation include:

Student Services

Cassandra Himes – College Connections Advisor

Robin Holman – TRiO Upward Bound, Academic Advisor

Joel Philistin – Financial Aid Advisor/Literacy Educator

Monique Wylie – Financial Aid Assistant

Instruction

Robin Berneathy – Classroom Aide, Child Care Lab

David Burks – Assistant Professor, Math

Paul Chance – Assistant Professor, Networking

Sandra Coleman - Math

Stephanie Davis – Computer Lab Assistant I

Naomi Grimaldo – Administrative Assistant II, Public Service Careers

Christopher Hall - Biology

Theresa Henry – Assistant Professor, Nursing

Sonia Kukuch – Administrative Assistant II, Lifelong Learning

Angela McGehee – Child Development Lab School Assistant

Adrian Mejia – Faculty, Process Technology

James Mubiru – Assistant Professor, Biology

Anna Munson – Collegiate High School Instructor

Paige Parrish – Associate Dean of Continuing Education

Debra Ramsey – Assistant Professor, History

Sonia Robinson – Teacher - Lab School Child Care

Bridgette Simmons – Teacher – Lab School Child Care

Ray Stockton – Lab Assistant, Continuing Education & Workforce Programs

Carl Taylor – Assistant Professor, Business

Loretta Teeples – Child Development Lab School Assistant

Tonita Touchstone – Teacher – Lab School Child Care

Dave Wall – Accelerated Craft Program Coordinator, Continuing Education & Workforce Programs

Institutional Advancement

Sean Barnes – Creative Services Manager

Ruth Rendon – Communications Officer

President

Chris Bridges – Systems Administrator I, Information Technology Services

Christine Brasher – Staff Attorney

Kenneth Ingram – Police Officer

Staci Mizell – Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness

Gavin Raines – Computer Support Specialist

Alfonso Tijerina – Police Officer