MARC APRIL 20, 2020 H 26, 2020
Register now for cybersecurity training
As we adjust to working from home, we need to work as securely as possible in order to protect the personal information of our students and colleagues.

Technology alone cannot fully protect us -  we  are the best defense. Hackers have learned that the easiest way to get what they want is to trick us into giving them our passwords, personal information, or clicking a malicious link to gain access to our computer and ultimately our data systems.
 
In order to help you recognize and be aware of these attacks, the District has identified some online cybersecurity training modules that all employees need to complete. All employees should contact  Nashona Andrade  (District Services Professional Development Specialist) as soon as possible to register and complete your training. Doing so is of high priority and should be completed immediately.
 
Thank you for supporting our District and our students by doing your part to avoid cyber attacks.
Chancellor's Office Virtual Town Hall
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is holding a Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, April 22, which will kick off the first-ever Board of Governors Virtual Advocacy Day. Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, members of the Board and Chancellor’s Office staff will be advocating for system priorities, including additional funds and resources necessary in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, to support the California Community Colleges and our students.

The Virtual Town Hall will also feature members of the Legislature and a moderated student panel. The Town Hall begins at 9 a.m. and participants are  required to register in advance at this link .
My home office: Tom Olmstead
  Today’s home office: Tom Olmstead, Grossmont College chemistry instructor

Describe your home office. My home office is set up in our kitchen next to the patio door so I can gaze at my wife’s secret garden. I have a webcam to dialog with students, plus an external overhead camera I switch to for writing on a mini whiteboard.

What is a typical day for you working from home?   I have four chemistry classes online with morning and afternoon lectures, Monday-Thursday and Zoom office hours, as requested by students, on Friday mornings. I get up early, eat breakfast and then begin my first Zoom lecture at 8 a.m. I spend the afternoons downloading files and posting videos to Canvas.

What tip would you pass on to other GCCCD employees? Don’t forget to drink fluids. Stay hydrated and pop a couple of vitamin C tabs for good measure. Students respond to words of encouragement, so take a few minutes as you start with Zoom to exchange niceties and listen to your students’ stories. They are often uplifting and will replace anxiety and boredom with hope and joy.
 
Share your new working conditions with your fellow employees and we'll feature them in the Remote Report. Take a photo of you in your home office and answer the three questions above. Send them to Anne Krueger . Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.
In the News
In the Remote Report, you’ll see important updates, get your questions answered, and learn ways to help us all navigate this new world of mass telecommuting. Issues of the Remote Report will be archived on the District Remote Report page

If you have news to share or discovered a tip that helps you work better remotely, pass it on. Please send your items to Anne Krueger , Christianne Penunuri (Cuyamaca College) or Lorena Ruggero (Grossmont College).