GCC to add Zoom chemistry lab

By CHARITY SMITH

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Ironwood - Gogebic Community College will soon add a third Zoom classroom. The Board of Trustees approved a contract for a Zoom chemistry lab at the Ironwood campus.

The college has been using the Zoom platform for instruction since March 2020. The college now has two classrooms dedicated to classes offered on Zoom - one located on the third floor of the Erickson Academic Building on the Ironwood campus and the other is at the Copper Country campus in Houghton. These rooms are used for in-person, remote and hybrid format classes, meetings, conferences and training sessions. They feature state-of-the-art audio visual technology, according to the college.

"It's really an extension of what we have been doing and it's really a neat technology," said college president George McNulty. "It's fascinating how technology has advanced, compared to technology that is still around."

The new Zoom chemistry lab will cost $34,080. It will be funded with Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III institutional funds. It will be located on the first floor of the academic building. There is no timeline as to when the new lab will be completed, said Kim Zeckovich, director of admissions, marketing and community relations.

Trustee Tim Kolesar said that chemistry is a "very interesting subject. ... It's fun," he said. Trustee William Malloy said he "never liked chemistry," to the amusement of the board.

The board approved the hiring of Jennifer Ansami as the new administrative assistant to the vice president of student services and athletics. She was the administrative assistant to the director of admissions, marketing and community relations. She has worked at the college since June 2013, having also been in the payroll office. The board authorized the search for her replacement in the admissions and marketing office.

The board authorized the purchase of four high-fidelity manikins and one auto extraction simulator for the Allied Health Department. The manikins will be used for patient simulations.

"The simulation items will allow us to increase social distancing in labs and simulation settings and allow instructors to conduct virtual demonstrations for students required to attend remotely due to quarantines," said Nicole Rowe, director of Allied Health. "Additional high-fidelity manikins will improve simulation experiences and train students to care for patients in the health care setting."

Trustee Susan Beals requested that the manikins, which were listed as having a "medium skin tone," be purchased with a variety of skin tones. She said that while it may seem trivial, it will help with the college's effort to maintain diversity. Rowe said she would do so. The manikins will cost the college $160,759. They will include a pediatric manikin for the Houghton campus, an advanced pediatric manikin for the Ironwood campus and two additional manikins (one for each campus).

The college will be leasing a new semi truck for its CDL program. The new semi is a pre-owned 2018 International Pro-Star LT with 350,000 miles on it. The college will lease it through FF Fisher Leasing Corporation. The truck will cost the college a total of $86,800 over the duration of the five-year lease. The truck the college has now has more than one million miles on it. Program director Connie Hicks said the truck is not able to be traded in, but it might be able to be sold for scrap.

The board also approved the list of 24 graduates for December 2021, congratulated them, and invited them back for the May ceremony - one with an Associate of Science degree, five with an associate of art degree, six with an associate of applied business, four with an associate of applied science, and eight with their certificate of completion in cosmetology.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lindquist Student Center.