JOHN GRINDELPRESIDENT’S MESSAGEApril 1, 2003Ms. Nakamura has informed the President’s Office that the missing Newsday journalist/former Cerritos College student Moises Saman is alive and has been found in Jordan. We are thankful to receive such good news. The following website has the story
JOHN GRINDELPRESIDENT’S MESSAGEMarch 31, 2003
This morning, Monday, March 31, the Los Angeles Times ran a story about two New York journalists in Baghdad who have been missing for a week after being taken from their hotel last week for questioning by Iraqi security officials. One of those journalists, photographer Moises Saman, attended Cerritos College from Fall 1993 through Summer 1995 before transferring to CSU Fullerton. I would like to thank Diane Nakamura for bringing this fact to my attention. Hopefully these missing journalists will surface soon, unharmed. In another way this war is striking close to home. While I do not know how many of our students may be serving in the Gulf Region, I do know that one of our employees is serving with the U.S. Marines in the Gulf Region.
The war in Iraq as well as the State budget crisis and its impact on Cerritos College and its faculty, staff and students, to say nothing of what may be going on in people?s private lives, are creating a very stressful environment for all of us.
Given this context I would like to remind everyone that the District provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which is available to all permanent employees. The services of HelpNet are paid for by the District and are available at no cost to the employee (within the plan guidelines). An employee?s contact with the EAP is confidential and is not reported to the District. If you are feeling a lot of stress I would encourage you to take advantage of the program. Some symptoms associated with stress are: irritability, restlessness, difficulty in concentrating on our daily tasks, feeling more impatient with people and situations around us, feeling a loss of personal control, disruptions in our sleeping patterns, and the like. There is no need to feel ashamed if you believe that you need help.
Human Resources Office has EAP brochures that are available to permanent employees. Employees may also call HelpNet directly at (800) 435-7638. HelpNet also has a website at http://www.employeeassistanceprograms.net/welcome.htm.
