Dr. José Alicea Named Dean Of Academic And Student Affairs For MCCC’s West Campus

Pottstown, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) welcomes Dr. José Alicea as dean of academic and student affairs at its West Campus in Pottstown. In his new role, Dr. Alicea will provide strategic leadership in the delivery of academic credit and non-credit programs and student services that lead to increased student progression, retention and completion.

Dr. Alicea comes to MCCC from Roxbury Community College (RCC) in Massachusetts, where he served in various roles since 2003. He began his work as dean of continuing education and community services. After one year, he became assistant to the vice president of academic affairs for programs and student services, and later the dean for institutional effectiveness, during which time he led the President’s Institutional Effectiveness Initiative. He also served as interim dean for RCC’s Division of Business and Technology from 2008-2010.

Most recently, Dr. Alicea served RCC as associate dean of academic affairs, where he was responsible for special academic programs, projects and partnerships; reviewing and formulating academic policies; providing leadership within the major division of the college; and representing the institution in the wider community.

Dr. Alicea holds a Doctor of Education degree in Administration, Planning and Social Policy and a Master of Education degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, as well as a Master in City Planning degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Advocacy and Human Services from University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Pennsylvania Boasts Progressive Movement To Preserve Farmland

Before Bill Iams began raising beef cattle and planting acres of hay on a farm in southern Washington County, five generations worked the soil and raised livestock there.

Soon, Iams hopes to ensure the 155 acres in Amwell, which the king of England granted to his ancestors before the American Revolution, remain farmland forever.

“Look around at the changes in this area over the last 50 years, especially in the Washington area. North on Route 19 was all farms,” said Iams, 57, owner of Log Cabin Fence Co., a farming supply business off Interstate 79 in Amity. “Now you’ve got malls and everything else going on but farming.”

Iams awaits approval by a state committee to sell development rights to his farm to Washington County through the county’s Farmland Preservation Program, part of a statewide initiative to make certain that fertile land is used for agriculture.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/washington/6506932-74/farms-county-iams#ixzz39RSdt66P
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Vespa Sculpture Parks In Downtown State College

Counties constituting the Happy Valley Region of Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STATE COLLEGE, PA — Sydney Britton didn’t know what she was looking at when she took a break from her morning run Saturday.

“What the heck is it?” she asked.

She then took a step back to get a better view.

“Oh, I get it,” she said. “That’s actually kind ofcool.”

A 2-D version of a 16-foot sculpture of a Vespa is a new attraction in downtown State College next to the S&T Bank at the intersection of Fraser Street and Beaver Avenue.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2014/08/02/4289581/vespa-sculpture-parks-in-downtown.html?sp=/99/116/#storylink=cpy

With No State Oversight, Local Districts Set Their Own Communication Policies

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Luzerne County authorities last winter charged three school district employees with having sex with students.

A county jury last Wednesday acquitted one of them — suspended Hanover Area School District teacher Edward Evans. The other two face trial on charges they had sex with students.

After the Evans trial concluded, jury foreman Jeffrey Lotz said the jury couldn’t definitively determine if Evans had sex with an 18-year-old student, but he said Evans put himself in a bad position by taking the student into his bedroom. Evans admitted he picked the student up and took him back to his house to go over pamphlets on sexually transmitted diseases.

School districts can set their own policies on contact and communication between teachers and students outside of school. With no official state oversight of out-of-class communication, policies vary by school district.

Read more:http://citizensvoice.com/news/with-no-state-oversight-local-districts-set-their-own-communication-policies-1.1730161

Bethlehem Affordable Artist Housing Nearly Ready For Occupancy

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lofted ceilings. A rooftop deck. Bird’s-eye views of the former Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces.

An on-site art gallery. Personal studio space. Central air conditioning, walk-in closets and modern kitchen and bathroom facilities.

While it sounds like they could be, these are not features of a new high-end apartment complex in Bethlehem. In fact, these amenities are part of a new 46-unit affordable apartment complex set to open on Bethlehem’s South Side in October.

“We have people come on tours because they can’t believe this is affordable housing,” said Jolene Weaver, corporate marketing manager for Housing Development Corp. MidAtlantic, the apartments’ developer.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2014/08/bethlehem_affordable_artist_ho.html