October 6, 2005

Staff Employee of the Month Scott Rombauer enhances enrollment

Scott Rombauer

As an enrollment advisor, Rombauer coordinated the campus visitation program and led the middle school program visits, for which he developed a targeted presentation, an interactive experience, and a campus tour, and created a newsletter targeted to the middle school audience.

"Students, school representatives, and parents are always full of compliments for Scott and have expressed great appreciation for his organized and disarming presentation style, as well as the thorough information he provides," comments Tari Blaney, director of admissions. "He never complains and always goes the extra mile for students, advocating and following through on issues to ensure resolution."

In admissions, his other duties included recruiting at high schools and special events, presenting forums on the dropped for non-payment policies, and serving as the co-chair of the Strategic Enrollment Management's "Rappers" subcommittee, where he helped convert prospective students into applicants who registered and paid.

According to his nominator Ken Conner, dean of Enrollment Services, "Scott is very adept at multi-tasking, and he's not afraid to volunteer his time and talent, yet he is very unassuming in his demeanor." He continued, "If a crisis comes up unexpectedly, Scott can always be counted on to take care of the issue. He is cheerful and a very positive influence on others, whether they are staff, students, prospective students or parents."

His ability to multi-task and advocate for students will certainly come in handy in his new role as co-coordinator of the Teacher Quality Enhancement Scholarship Program with Laura Shady. Rombauer uses his creativity and results-oriented approach to meet with students who want to pursue a teaching career in mathematics or science at the middle school level. Through advising, he helps students who are maintaining a 2.5 grade point average in the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree programs, gather information about the $2,500 per-year scholarship that guarantees them a job in the Columbus Public Schools' middle school system for the same length of time as the scholarship was received.

"I am definitely surprised and honored," said Rombauer of his recognition. "I appreciate the recognition and I thank everyone very much."

Small Business Development Center hosts entrepreneurial seminar

Beginning October 11, the Small Business Development Center housed at Columbus State will offer a NxEntrepreneurs Business Plan Development seminar. The intensive, 10-session NxEntrpreneurs program is designed to help participants learn to develop and run a growth business and produce a comprehensive business plan to guide decisions regarding growth.

The sessions will cover topics such as: planning, vision and mission; organizational matters; marketing and sales success; the language of business; managing your money; financing your business; and the deal-making process.

The sessions will be held every Tuesday from October 11 to December 13, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in Nestor Hall, Seminar Room J. The seminar costs $225 and includes all materials and books.   For more information, call ext. 5300 or visit http://cscc.edu/cpe/sbdc/NXLvlCourse.asp.

McGohan Brabender newsletter to help you take a more active role in health care

Many people are trying to discover ways to reduce their rising health care costs. One such way is through the possible use of generic drugs instead of brand name drugs.

In the October edition of "McGohan Brabender Taking Control," a newsletter dedicated to helping you take a more active role in your health care, the differences in cost and efficacy of generic and brand name drugs is discussed. To read more, click here.

Judith Dann address Columbus Latin Club on Greek mythology

"What Good is Myth" will be the special topic addressed by Judith Dann, Ph.D., assistant professor in Humanities, at the Greater Columbus Latin Club's meeting on Saturday, October 8 in Nestor Hall Seminar Room B.

Classical Mythology has exercised a strong hold on the intellectual life of the West for over 2,000 years. Myths are continually being reinterpreted and reworked in ways that speak as much to the concerns of our world as they do the world in which they originated. They are, as Lillian Doherty noted, "good to think with." However, the cultural appropriation of myth by moderns begs the question, what insights into myths are warranted? How can teachers of mythology relate meaningful historical concepts and content while being mindful of the limitations of the sources and their interpreters?

The lecture is open to the public and all are welcome. The Greater Columbus Latin Club is providing coffee, doughnuts and bagels at 10:30 a.m., with the presentation beginning at 11 a.m.. Following the lecture, a brief business meeting will be held.

Columbus Marathon seeks volunteers

The Columbus Marathon is seeking volunteers for this year's October 16 race.

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:

• Course Monitors: Volunteers are placed along the 26.2 mile course to direct participants during the race. Contact John Umpleby at (614) 786-0239 or samumpleby@netzero.net.
• On-Course Timing: Volunteers call out mile splits and estimated finish times to participants. Shift one is 6 a.m.-noon and shift two is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Contact Steve Fleak at (614) 638-7179 or steve.fleak@jpmchase.com.
• Expo and Registration/Merchandise Store: Volunteers assist with registration, assemble goodie bags, distribute runner apparel and race day packets. Marathon store volunteers assist with merchandise, inventory replenishing and help customers.

As an official volunteer, you will receive:

• Official Columbus Marathon apparel.
• Invitation to the volunteer appreciation party on October 16 from 4 p.m-7 p.m. at Cotter's, 50 W. Nationwide Boulevard.
• Entry into a raffle for thousands of dollars of prizes.
• Inclusion in the results book.
• Nomination for "Volunteer of the Month" for those who give extra effort.

To register as a volunteer, visit www.columbusmarathon.com , click on "volunteers" then "register" and follow the instructions. For more information, contact Jen Romey at (614) 229-8960 or jromey@columbusmarathon.com.

Tips to protect you from identity theft

Last week the Ohio Supreme Court issued a public records opinion stating that state-employee home addresses are generally exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act. Under this opinion, if someone makes a public records request for information on you as an employee, Columbus State is no longer required to release your address. This decision joins medical information requests, which have always been exempt from the Public Records Request.

"This is good news in light of the fact that the number of cases of identity theft is on the rise and is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States," says Terri Williams Miller, assistant director of Human Resources.

In order to eliminate identity theft or minimize the potential of it happening to you, Williams Miller offers these suggestions:

• When ordering checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name included. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
• Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "Photo ID Required."
• When writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, do not put the complete account number on the "memo" line. Instead, put only the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to your credit card number.
• Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine and copy both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. You may also want to photocopy your passport and carry it with you when you travel.

If your credit cards and identification are stolen, there are four national credit reporting organizations to call to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. The numbers to call to place a fraud alert are:

• Equifax:                                                                 1-800-525-6285
• Experian (formerly TRW)                                   1-888-397-3742
• Trans Union                                                         1-800-680-7289
• Social Security Administration (fraud line):    1-800-269-0271