Over the next two years, Brookdale will be doing a lot more construction. The work at the Western Monmouth Center in Freehold and the Auto Tech building at Lincroft is well underway. As of June 19, you can see the interiors have been gutted. Work on both will be completed in time for the Spring 2010 term. But that means there will be work going on through the fall term. Auto Tech is moving much of its class work over to the Bankier Library. Western Monmouth will continue to hold classes, but students will need to negotiate their way around construction.

The Collins Arena work, which is beginning now in the summer of 2009, will take two years before everything is complete. The first step will be to build a Fitness and Event Center that connects to the current arena. That'll be in use next year while the Arena itself gets renovated.

Now for the blog stuff: did anyone know that all of this was happening or is this the first you heard of it?

Whaddaya think of Brookdale's Diversity Statement? Have you ever seen it? As you can see (below), it's really a bunch of statements. Brookdale's Diversity Council would like to know whether these statements really relate to you as a student, faculty member, staffer, or visitor to the college.

-Brookdale is a learning-centered community where student experiences prepare them for work and life in a diverse society

-Brookdale is a respectful and inclusive institution, which values differences in all people, not only in thought and point of view but
also in ability, status, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation

-Brookdale is an integral part of our communities and as such, Brookdale's administration, faculty, staff and students mirror the diversity of
Monmouth County and Central New Jersey

-Brookdale reflects the richness of the diversity of Monmouth County and Central New Jersey in its internal and external communications,
college life, curriculum and student services

-Brookdale reflects its diverse community and encourages personal growth and advancement in hiring policies, practices and professional
development for its employees

Let's get this started with my holiday wish. It's that we stop wasting paper on flyers that wind up in stacks on tables and invariably all over the floor.

I work for the college's marketing department, and I can say I'm my own worst enemy in all that paper that gets produced--and wasted. In the coming year, I'm going to do everything I can to save a few trees by convincing clients that there are so many other more effective ways of communicating information (about a special event, program, whatever) than a flyer.

Try using the Web site, which a lot more people see than a flyer. Or plasma screens in the Warner Center and CAR, or the entrance signs, or "On Hold" messages for people telephoning, or the online newsletter "Inside Track."

These will all get more attention than paper flyers--and because they're electronic they're environmentally friendly.

End of rant. So what's your holiday wish?

Given the number of people (an estimated 5,000 at Lincroft alone) who got caught when the lights went out on Tues., Dec. 9, we feel pretty fortunate that there weren't any major problems (at least that I know of).

Even so, a lot of students and staff faced a pretty scary situation. I'm curious to hear from anyone with comments about what went on around Lincroft or any of the higher ed centers.

If you're a student at Brookdale who likes to enjoy a cigarette before, during, or after class, I'm sure you understand the pain of have to walk through the cold to get to one of the gazebos seemingly located in wind-tunnels or out in the open where there is nothing to defend you against the elements.

This isn't just about Brookdale: It's any ATM anywhere. But the Brookdale stuff, I know about. Here's how it goes:
You're at an ATM, you get your cash, grab your card and fly. No problem, right?
Wrong!
There's some slug off in the corner that's been watching you. He saw the way you moved your fingers to key in your PIN. As soon as you leave, he swoops in to see what's on the ATM screen.
There's a message that says something like, "Do you want to continue?"
The slug hits "Yes."
There's a prompt for the PIN. He's a pro. He imitates the way you punched in the numbers with your fingers.
He's into your bank account.
He checks on the account balances and in a few seconds wipes you out.
That's just one way our students and employees can get ripped off.

Any thoughts on this?

Brookdale's Police Department is offering the following message for students and staff. They'd like the information title to be "Parking Lot #1- Your Default Lot." But since this is a blog, we don't go for fancy titles.

The Police also offer this teaser line: "Parking Lots Closed, No Parking Spaces, Long Lines of Cars?"

According to the Police, they offer the following solution to parking problems at Lincroft:

GO TO PARKING LOT #1. It’s a short ride down Museum Drive past Larrison Hall (LAH). We all know that parking is at a premium during the first weeks of school. This changes as the semester passes but there are still several peak time periods all year (after 10:00AM and then after 1:00PM). If certain parking lots are closed by the Police Department, it means that lot is full. The Police Officers are there directing traffic to help you find a lot with available parking spaces.

Don’t ride in circles around the other parking lots looking for a space to open up. Go immediately to Lot #1. Drive to the back of Lot #1 and turn left. The Trammell Trail starts there. The Trammell Trail is a short walkway that leads from Lot #1 right into the center of the Campus. The first branch to the left takes you right behind the Library. The Trail continues on to the Back Campus Road. The MAN, the MAC, and the MAS buildings are right there in front of you. The Student Life Center (SLC) is just to your right.

VOILA !!! You made it.

Make your life easier-------TRY LOT #1


Anyway, that's what the Brookdale Police suggest. What do you say to that?

Last year, through the College's "Governance" process (which involves students as well as employees from every department), Brookdale created a College-wide Action Team on Sustainability, a.k.a., the Green Team. The Green Team is supposed to be looking at everything Brookdale does--from styrofoam coffee cups to storm drains that go into the Swimming River reservoir--and come up with ways of making the College more environmentally friendly.

One result of the group's work are new recycling containers that separate paper from cans and general trash.

But what else should we be doing?

Your blogging is welcome and will be taken to heart by the College.