Feature
May 10,1989
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
Page 5
Jones excited about upcoming school year
by Caree Hussey
what’s going on at school. It’s
important in building a person’s
Feature/Managing Editor
Tim Jones will be serving as self. It helps in realizing your moral
Associated Student Government’s and civic duties.” He is currently
vice president during the 1989-90 serving as a vice president’s sena
school year.
tor in ASG.
Jones is the youngest of four
Jones recently changed from
children and, he states, “the tough a biology major to a business
est.” Jones was bom in Seattle administration major. He hopes
and lived there for the first two to get into industrial waste man
years of his life. He says he has agement. “It’s a real growth area.
“good memories of Seattle be I like higher level management
tween the ages of zero and two.” decision making.”
Jones has attended Blue
As for his future, Jones says
Mountain, Walla Walla and Pierce he wants to “get school finished.
Community Colleges. Last year My career is my future.”
he moved to Oregon City to live
Jones is currently working full
with his brother. “I’m trading rent time but wants to assure the stu
fof babysitting my niece,” he said. dent body that “I’m stopping at
Jones raced bicycles last the end of summer so I can as
summer. This was one of the rea sume the duties of vice president”
However, he is com
sons he decided to attend Clacka
mas. “I rode my bike around here pletely serious about his duties as
(jo train for racing). It’s a beauti vice president “Pm going to make
fulcampus. I liked thesetup of the sure things get done in a timeiy
and orderly manner,” he said.
buildings. It’s convenient.”
According to Jones, he will
Jones’ next step was to talk to
some instructors. “I was impressed make every effort to . communi
by the quality of instructors and cate-with the students. “I wartt
by how much they give to the stu them to beaware that I’m working
forthem. Myofficewillbe opento
dents.” - -
This is his first year at Clacka anyone.”
He wants the students to know
mas and so far he says,”I’m really
happy. It’s worked out well. I can’t who he is and feel free to talk to
him. “I’m going to get up in class
name a bad instructor.”
Jones got involved with stu and make every class I’m in aware
dent government because, “it’s a that I’m the vice president, If you
great way to meet people and the see me in the hall come up and
half tuition waiver helps finan talk to me. I’m willing to listen to
cially. It gets you more involved in anyone.”
photo by Jillian Port«
Tim Jones, who will be serving as the ASG vice president during
the 89-90 school year, Is eager to hear students' opinions.
He is very positive about the
upcoming school year. He said
that he has talked to ASG Presi
dent-elect Garret Lytle and feels
that their personalities are very
compatible.
Jones stated that he would
like to thank the students for elect
ing him and give a special thanks
to Leslie Barton (the current vice
president) “for helping me out
and knowing what the job is and
what to do.”
'
911 program training students for challenging career
as professional emergency dispatchers
by Caree Hussey
Feature/Managing Editor
The 911 program here at
Clackamas is only one of two
programs of its kind in existence
in the U.S. The other program is
at Portland Community College.
The program was started fall
term of this-year. It is a one year
certificate program. In June, the
first class will graduate.
The program was started
because, “the industry came to
us,” explained Jim Brouillette,
chairperson of the criminal jus
tice department. “There is a 60-70
percent attrition rate in the first
year for dispatchers,” he stated.
This means that 60-70,percent of
the dispatchers that were hired
are leaving during the first year.
Brouillette attributed this to
“culture shock There are a lot of
stresses placed on dispatchers. It’s
ten minutes of boredom and seven
hours of panic. They can’t just
leave during a crisis if their shift is
over. People are not prepared.”
Being a 91 ^dispatcher is not
just a job. According to Brouillette
it is a “total commitment to a
career. The overtime is large.
Dispatchers are very dedicated and
conscientious. They have to be
high-level decision makers. They
are constantly on the razor edge.”
Because of the demands placed
on dispatchers, this program was
bom. The students attend classes,
but are also expected to put in 12
hours a week doing co-op work
experience at different 911 cen
ters in the tri-county area. They
are moved around to different sites
so that they learn how the various
centers are run. Students are also
"it's ten minutes of
boredom and seven
hours of panic. They
can't just leave
during a crisis..."
required to ride along with police,
fire and ambulance on occasion.
Also included in the program are
classes on crisis and stress man
agement. “We prepare you for the
stress,” j stated Brouillette.
Throughout the year, students ate
evaluated. “It’s a constant ré-
learning process,” explained
Brouillette.
The advantages to going
through this program are “your
odds for getting a job are higher,
and you’re more attractive for
hiring.” The disadvantages are “it’s
very demanding. You have to
dedicate nine months of your life
to the program and yow might
decide that you don’t like it There
are no guarantees, but it isn’t a
waste of time. It’s valuable for any
occupation,” Brouillette said.
Getting into the program is
not an easy task First an applica
tion must be filled out. The appli
cation deadline for next year’s class
is May 31. Applications may be
obtained by contacting . Jim
Brouillette at ext. 560. Testing is
done on June 3. It is a four and a
half hour written test.
If applicants are successful oh
the test they are called in for an
oral interview. The interview panel
consists of representatives from
the college and from 911 dispatch
centers. The point of this inter
view is to make sure that the per
son can “think fast. They have to
have a good speaking voice. We’re
not really concerned with specific
answers to questions. Fingerprints
are taken and a criminal history is
run,” Brouilette explained.
The prospective students are
then placed on a list and the top
30 are selected for the class. “We
are trying to ensure the success of
the program. It is an elite group.
But you can be sure that we are
conscious of your needs and are
going to assist you,” explained
Brouillette.
There are advantages to the
job itself “The pay is good: $15,000
to $20,000 to start. It can run above
that with overtime. There are fringe
benefits. There are advancement
opportunities-managers and su
pervisors come from within the
ranks,” stated Brouillette.
Currently there is legislation
pending in Salem for minimum
education standards for dispatch
ers in Oregon. If it passes,
11 (911) Dispatchers
are the responders ON THE LADDER
to cries for help. It's
TO SUCCESS.
a critical profession." ■ Transfer programs applied toward
Brouillette feels that “we will have
a leg up in providing training.”
Brouillette said that he has al
ready been “besieged with inquir
ies” about the program. He has
been contacted by people in Austin,
Texas; British Columbia; Wyoming
and Montana.
Tie foresees that being a dis
patcher “will develop into a true
profession.” He stated that dis
patchers are the “link up to have
someone respond to an emergency.
A lot of things can go wrong You’re
dealing with human lives. Dispatch
ers are the responders to cries for
help. It is a critical profession.
We’re training professionals.”
Bachelor degree requirements
■ Professional degrees in Art, Man-
! agement, Music & Pastoral Ministries
■ Individualized degrees that adapt
coursework to career goals
■ Prior learning credit for those with
applicable work/life experience
■ Classes scheduled evenings, week
ends and weekdays
(503) 636-8141
1-800-634-9982
Marylhurst College
Marylhurst, Oregon 97036
|
centimeters
26
-19 43
55.93
oö . öu
29.37
13.06
-49.49
54.91
-38.91
30.77
3U.//
27
43.96
52.00
30.01
ou.ui
28
82.74
3.45
81.29
o'**
Colors by Muriseli Color Services Lab
30
50.87
-27.17
-29.46
L*
a*
b*
1