SAN MARCOS: Palomar College's director of communications, Mark Oggel, has resigned because he said his health was interfering with his job. He was hired in 2005.
“The college needs someone there full time to deal with what comes up,” Oggel, 58, said this week. “It's all on good terms.”
This summer, Oggel fell off a horse and injured his arm. He took a medical leave of absence July 1 through Sept. 22. He said he's still recovering from the injury and has surgery scheduled this month.
Oggel's last day at Palomar was Oct. 31.
Oggel said he plans to stay in North County and work on various projects. He has a background in journalism, marketing, public relations and public affairs.
The communications director's position will be filled internally on an interim basis for about one year, and then a hiring decision will be made based on the college's budget, Palomar College President Bob Deegan said. He said Palomar College is under a hiring freeze. –L.L.
Accreditation report for college finished
SAN MARCOS: A Palomar College report seeking accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges will soon be sent to the accrediting body.
When the community college's board of trustees approved the report Tuesday night, employees in the room clapped. Palomar has been working on the 400-plus page report since February 2007. Gaining accreditation is a major validation that can affect a community college's transfer credits, funding and grants.
The report will be mailed to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges in January, and a team of evaluators is scheduled to visit Palomar in March to verify and validate the report, said Berta Cuaron, Palomar's assistant superintendent and vice president of instruction.
Palomar's accreditation status is expected to be announced in June, Cuaron said. The college is seeking a full term re-accreditation of six years. –L.L.
Palomar to break
ground on building
SAN MARCOS: A groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the construction of a three-story academic building at Palomar College will be held at noon tomorrow.
The 100,000-square-foot building will house several departments, including business administration, American Indian studies and computer science.
The $37 million building will resemble the community college's natural sciences building, which opened last year.
Construction of the new building is expected to start this month and be completed in late 2010, officials said. The public ceremony will be held across from Building F on the San Marcos campus, in the Student Union pathway. –L.L.
Women's center will
honor philanthropist
POWAY: A classroom at the Jean McLaughlin Women's Center operated by the Palomar Pomerado Health district will be dedicated to Kymberli Parker, a local philanthropist, tomorrow morning.
Parker and her husband, former San Diego Chargers player Vaughn Parker, have donated to the health district's programs for breast cancer patients. She also has purchased a van that helps women get to their medical appointments.
Women's health classes are taught in the center's classroom. Topics include childbirth preparation, breast feeding and bone health. –L.L.
'Challenging year'
prompts cutbacks
DEL MAR: To deal with the poor economy, the Del Mar Fairgrounds is cutting back on training and other expenses but won't lay off any employees, fairgrounds general manager Tim Fennell said yesterday.
Fennell said he's “anticipating a challenging year” but said he doesn't plan to cut permanent staff members. At a meeting of the fairground's board of directors yesterday, he proposed a $59.4 million budget that projects revenues will grow just 1.6 percent over the previous year. The budget cuts spending on temporary services, entertainment and travel.
At the meeting, the 22nd District Agricultural Association board, which governs the state-owned venue, approved the budget by5-0, with four members absent, without any discussion.
Board members present were Kelly Burt, Ann Davies, Kim Fletcher, Barry Nussbaum and Russ Penniman. –T.M.
Staff writers and Linda Lou and Tanya Mannes contributed to this report.
