C
Focus on the future
Motorcycle
class from NIU
on campus
ourier
October 5, 2012 • NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON!
SINCE 1967
VOL. 48, NO. 6
Page 12
Business Solutions guides Continuing Education students to a path of employment
Jordin Gignac
News Editor
Business Solutions has
worked with the college
to provide more job opportunities for students just
out of college with many
degree and certificate
programs in high demand
fields.
Business Solutions is a
Professional Development
designed to help students
fill in the gaps of knowledge that their career
field requires by signing
up for affordable on-site
training courses.
“While we frequently
address a short term individual’s or company’s gap
in skills and knowledge,
we are strategically looking at the total workforce
development picture for
the great DuPage region,” Dean of Continuing
Education and Extended
Learning, Joseph Cassidy
said.
Business Solutions has
gained over $300,000 in
revenues this year to help
COD achieve its goals
with Continuing Education classes and students.
“Business Solutions first
stopped a significant operational loss within BPI for
the college [and] within
one year [we] achieved a
positive net return,” Cassidy said. “By year two,
Business Solutions more
than tripled its net reve-
Photo by Jordin Gignac
Massage Therapy developer Pat O’Shaughnessy and Enrollment, Management and Technology Assistant Victor Moore demonstrate what the
massage therapy students enrolled in a Continuing Education course will learn by using all new massage tables.
nue goal.”
Cassidy said that Business Solutions has not
only increased its service
but has made a big financial contribution to the
college as well as a contribution to students who
enroll in specific classes.
“The largest growth
[that I have seen from
Continuing Education]
has come in working with
employees from across the
region who enroll in short
term certificate trainings
like Pharmacy Technolo-
gy, Vet Assistance, Dental
Assistance, CDL truck
driving, and Massage
Therapy,” Cassidy said.
According to Cassidy,
the students who enroll
in those specific classes
are typically trying to get
their license or finish a
degree.
Cassidy said that Business Solutions has impacted those students by
helping them gain immediate employment.
“I know Business Solutions has had an impact
Tammy Duckworth visits campus
on our community and
ultimately that is why we
are here,” Cassidy said.
Michael Batts, President
of the Entrepreneurship
club, approached Cassidy
at the board meeting and
said he was very interested in getting their help in
the business field.
“The Entrepreneurship Club wants to be an
advocate for the agenda
that Business Solutions
stands for,” Batts said.
“We also want to help
assist Business Solutions
Senior Citizen Parking
Omar Vazquez
Staff Writer
Photo by London Summers
From speaking at the Democratic National Convention to a group of approximately 40 attendees at the college, Democratic candidate for the 8th district in Illinois Tammy Duckworth treats the speeches the same. Touching base on subjects
such as discussing politics, her feelings on the roles of community colleges, the
benefits of Grants and the opportunities that accompany them or her 29-year-old
campaign manager, Duckworth was able to connect with the audience.
as well as work together
to host future events that
broadcast their agendas
and our agendas.”
Cassidy said that Batts
and the rest of the Entrepreneur Club would be
useful for Business Solutions to be involved with.
“I see a student club
like the Entrepreneurship
club is critical to connect
us with future generations of business people,
thinkers and innovators,”
Cassidy said.
See Solutions, Page 3
As the college’s main
campus has been given
a face-lift with recent
construction, some might
be surprised to know that
there are now parking
spaces for the elderly students who attend classes
on the main campus.
“[The added parking
spaces are] designed to
meet the special mobility
issues of some of our elder students,” Joe Cassidy, Dean of Continuing
Education/Extended
Learning said.
Cassidy has been involved in the process of
creating more accessible
parking for the elderly
students since the plan
was put into action when
it was decided that Continuing Education classes
would be moved to the
college’s main campus.
Although the parking
is mainly for the elderly students who attend
COD, all students can
use them as well.
The parking is reserved
for the elderly students
only Monday through
Thursday from 8:00 a.m.
through 2:00 p.m. After
those times, parking is
then available to all students and members of the
community.
“At all other times,
these spots can be used
by any and all students
and community members,” Cassidy said.
The college decided to
implement the parking
plan after first testing it
out on the West Campus;
where Lifelong Learning
classes were also taught.
See Parking, Page 3
Solutions, from Page 1
According to Batts, Cassidy should be receiving
an email from Batts in
the near future.
Other aspects that
Business Solutions will
cover in the future are
ways in helping entire
industry groups with
the help of an economic
development group called
Choosing DuPage and
Business Solution’s Board
of Advisors and industry
partners.
“We are fleshing out a
plan with Choosing DuPage, our Board of Advisors
and industry partners to
address long range skills
and knowledge needs for
entire industry clusters,”
Cassidy said. “You could
say we must be agile and
switch between the micro
and macro regional economic view continuously
to ensure Business Solutions can continue to grow
its positive impact on
COD and the region.”
To view Joe Cassidy’s speech,
scan the QR code
with a smart phone.
Are you ready?
If you’re ready to transfer into a bachelor degree program, consider
Parking, from Page 1
Since Continuing Education recently moved to
the Student Resources
Center, the school worked
in conjunction with the
Lifelong Learning students to make accommodations as soon as possible for elderly students
with disabilities.
It may not have an
impact on all students at
COD; but it will make a
vast impact for the Life-
COURIER • OCTOBER 5, 2012
long Learning students
now attending classes on
the main campus during
the allotted times that
the spots are reserved.
“The total number
of spaces for Lifelong
Learning students with
mobility issues should
not have a noticeable
impact on the overall
parking for the rest of
the campus users, though
it will have a big impact
on the Lifelong Learning
students,” Cassidy said.
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to Saint Xavier today!
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or visit www.sxu.edu, Keyword: transfer
News
Briefs
Learning Commons
provides student help
Since The Learning
Commons was moved to a
11,800 square-foot room
earlier this year, students
have taken advantage of
using what the facility
offers.
The Learning Commons
is located in room 2102 in
the SRC.
For imforation on how to
get tutored call the Learning Commons at (630)
942-3941 or visit the COD
website at www.cod.edu/
academics/learning_commons/tutoring.
COD to host a college
fair on Oct. 16
The 30th annual college
fair being help on Oct. 16
will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
at the Student Services
Center.
High school students
will be able to attend the
College fair as well as
COD students.
There will be representatives from each college
around the fair to answer
any questions about the
college tey represent.
For more information
call the Admissions office
at (630) 942-2380 or the
COD website.
I IT GOES BOTH WAYS

SAFETY IN THE CROSSWALK:
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