Most college offices offline Aug. 11-12 for staff training, Teaching and Learning Days
Most staff at Clark College will be largely unavailable to the public while they participate in a collegewide staff training, Teaching and Learning Days on Tuesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 12.
Classes will continue as normally scheduled. Additionally, the following services will be available:
Clark College has carefully reviewed the Northwest Athletic Conference’s recently announced Return to Play for Fall Sports and made the difficult decision to not offer sports programming during the 2020 fall term.
This decision was based on the impact of the NWAC guidelines on Clark’s students and staff, as well as the continued increase of COVID-19 cases in Clark County and surrounding areas. As always, the safety of our students, employees, and greater community remains paramount.
This decision will directly affect the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country competition season, currently scheduled to begin this Fall. Clark will forego entering teams into scheduled NWAC competitions for the 2020 season. If future decisions are made, delaying the Cross Country season to winter term, there is a possibility for Cross Country to compete in the winter.
This decision also includes training and practice components for the Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, as well as the training and practice components for Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball, and Track and Field. The college will continue to closely monitor guidance from NWAC for changes to their 2020-2021 sports calendar.
“This is by far the most difficult decision I have had to make, since taking on this role,” said Clark College Director of Athletics Laura LeMasters. “Ultimately, the student safety and experience was at the forefront of our conversation, along with the safety of our coaches, trainers, and department staff. We are prepared to work with local health authorities and college administrators to return to play, when our campus and community can provide the safety and experience expected by those who attend Clark College.”
LeMasters added that the college appreciates each student-athlete who chose to attend Clark College and represent the Penguins in competition this fall, and will honor their athletic aid. “Should a student-athlete decide that another situation will allow them to be successful elsewhere, Clark College stands ready to assist in that transition,” she said.
Clark College will consider the status of subsequent 2020-2021 sport seasons for winter and spring at an appropriate time in the future and in accordance with the most current version of NWAC protocols for return.
As always, Clark College will continue to center its decisions on the health and safety of its student‐athletes, coaches, athletic staff, support members, and fans as it responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
Clark College announces online summer and fall terms
Clark College announced that it would continue offering most
of its classes only in online formats through the 2020 summer and fall terms.
“This was not an easy decision,” wrote Interim President
Sandra Fowler-Hill in an email to students on April 24. “We all want to be
optimistic that we will be able to return to classes face-to-face. But we have
listened closely to the CDC and Public Health’s caution that our ‘new normal’
will depend on what the virus does. There may be recurrent restrictions on
large gatherings by the Governor. We are a large institution with thousands of
students and more than 1,000 employees. We must consider our whole community’s
health and safety first and foremost.”
Fowler-Hill added that it was important to make the decision
in a timely fashion, so that students could have time to prepare for the
prospect of two more terms of remote learning, and faculty could have
sufficient time to thoughtfully adapt their courses for distance teaching.
The college has also moved its registration dates for summer
and fall terms in order to give faculty, staff, and students the time they need
to adjust their plans.
The college is working with state authorities to get guidance
on options that would allow some classes to run in-person labs during summer
and fall terms, using appropriate social distancing techniques.
The college is also waiting for additional guidance from the
state and from public health authorities before announcing any plans to shift from
fully remote operations to partially remote.
Fowler-Hill communicated the college’s decision to employees
in an email update. “I know this is
hard news to absorb,” she wrote. “We miss our campus. We miss our students. We
miss interacting face-to-face with each other. By making this decision
now, we will have ample time to improve our processes to best
support our students so they can learn online,
remotely, successfully, and safely.”
Clark College delays spring term until April 20
The Clark College campus is almost empty, but its work continues as it shifts operations online.
The global COVID-19 outbreak is altering every facet of modern life, including higher education. Clark College is rapidly adapting its operations to make sure students can continue their educational journeys without risking their health or the health of others.
Here are the ways Clark is adapting Spring Term:
Spring Term has been delayed until April 20. This will provide time for the college to move most of its work online. Most employees are working remotely. On March 19, most faculty and staff began conducting meetings online and by phone as they continue to strategize new ways to create the personalized learning and supportive community that has always distinguished Clark College.
Spring classes are being moved online wherever possible. Fortunately, the college has a history of providing eLearning solutions, and we’re leveraging that experience to help move many classes online. In other cases, classes will be taught remotely, with the professor delivering lectures in real time through video conferencing, while students participate remotely.
Clark College is modifying certain professional technical and science labs that require in-person hands-on learning. The college is following guidance by Washington Governor Jay Inslee to ensure social distancing and sanitization practices recommended by the CDC.
The college continues to offer the wide range of support systems for its diverse student body. Staff is available to students by phone and email during spring break. A list of department contacts has been included in the Campus Status section of the college’s COVID-19 web area.
President Sandra Fowler-Hill says Clark is responding to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak: “This is an extraordinary moment in time and tremendously stressful for our students, our faculty, and staff. I’m proud of the Clark College family for the way they’ve responded to this crisis and are working long hours to find solutions to help our students continue their studies during the COVID-19 public health crisis.”
Then she pointed out how Clark will continue to prepare students as our college, community, nation and world move forward: “The world we know seems to be changing right before our eyes. More than ever before, we must be a resource for our community. We are writing a new chapter in our history. Clark College will be nimble and bold in helping students succeed.”
Welcome, Professors!
Cuisine professor Aaron Guerra, seen here at the beginning of fall term, was one of eight faculty members to receive tenure on March 11, 2020.
Eight outstanding educators are the newest members of the tenured faculty at Clark College. Rhea Becke (career and academic preparation), Chris Boucher (diesel technology), Amy Laurel Bratton (communication studies), Alison R. Dolder (professional baking and pastry arts), Becky Engel (American Sign Language), R. Earl Frederick Jr. (cuisine), Aaron Guerra (cuisine), and Dr. Nick Macias (computer science and engineering) were all granted tenure during the Clark College Board of Trustees meeting on March 11. They will be honored at a college reception in fall 2020.
Tenure is awarded by the college’s Board of Trustees based on professional excellence and outstanding abilities in their disciplines. The granting of tenure is based on the recommendations of tenure review committees to the vice president of instruction, which are then forwarded to the president, who presents a final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Recommendations are based on self-evaluations, tenure review committee evaluations, student evaluations, supervisory evaluations, and peer evaluations. The final decision to award or withhold tenure rests with the Board of Trustees.
About the faculty members
Rhea Becke, Career and Academic Preparation
Rhea Becke holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Marquette University and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from University of Alaska Southeast. Before entering the teaching profession, she worked at the Juneau Alliance for Mental Health. She has experience teaching in public schools in both Alaska and Oregon, teaching English in Japan, teaching chemistry at Clark College, and teaching pre-college courses at both Mt. Hood Community College and Clark College.
Becke joined the faculty of Clark College in 2012. She currently serves as lead instructor for her department’s Math Applications course, a member of the Transitional Studies Standards Committee, and the Transitional Studies’ liaison to the Mathematics Department. Additionally, she is part of the first cohort of the college’s BUILD program, a yearlong employee development program providing intensive training in power, privilege, and inequity.
Rhea Becke described her teaching philosophy in the following terms: “My classroom is a learning community where students come as they are to actively engage with math in contextualized situations in order to become critical thinkers and problem solvers.”
Chris Boucher, Diesel Technology
Chris Boucher earned his associate degree in diesel technology from Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Washington. He also studied criminal justice at Santa Rosa College in Santa Rosa, California. He has industry-specific work experience at Peterson Caterpillar, Cummins Northwest, Pacific Detroit Diesel, Cummins Intermountain, and Smith Detroit Diesel.
“My teaching philosophy is fairly straightforward, in that I believe we learn by doing,” said Boucher. “Putting our hands on a task forces our mind to focus on the task at hand. As a teacher you must also demonstrate credibility to the student, which will reinforce their confidence in your qualifications. If the student doubts your experience, it will reduce your effectiveness.”
Amy Laurel Bratton, Communication Studies
Amy Laurel Bratton graduated summa cum laude from the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She earned her master’s degree in communication from Portland State University. Her teaching experience includes Portland State University, Portland Community College, and Clark College, as well as being a certified yoga instructor who trains other yoga instructors in public speaking and communication skills.
Bratton joined Clark College in 2005 as an adjunct and began a full-time position in 2011. She served as facilitator of the college’s Service and Leadership in the Community (SLIC) Club and is currently active in assessment work at the departmental and program level. She regularly engages in professional development opportunities at the college, especially on the topics of eLearning education and power, privilege, and inequity.
“My teaching philosophy highlights the play between theory and practice,” Bratton said. “I encourage students to discover new communication concepts and to see how these concepts apply to their daily lives. As an educator, I am continually inspired by the opportunity to empower community college students with their own communication skills.”
Alison R. Dolder, Professional Baking and Pastry Arts
Alison R. Dolder is an alumna of Clark College, where she earned her associate degree in baking management. She has a long professional career in the baking industry, including positions at multiple bakeries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire as well as the award-winning Pearl Bakery in Portland, Oregon.
Since joining the faculty at Clark College, Dolder has become active in the local community, participating on the Fort Vancouver High School Advisory Committee and teaching cooking and baking skills at the Boys and Girls Club of Vancouver. In 2015, she was received the college’s prestigious Exceptional Faculty Award.
Dolder says she strives to “engage, encourage, and support” her students: “I try to get the students excited about what they are learning and encourage them to dig right in and get their hands wet. I observe their learning styles and tailor my instruction to suit each students’ style.”
Becky Engel, American Sign Language
Becky Engel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Oregon State University and a Master of Education degree in Deaf education from Western Oregon University. Prior to joining Clark College as an ASL instructor, she taught at the Washington School for the Deaf.
Since coming to Clark College, Engel has served as the advisor to the ASL/Signing Penguins student club, ASL Advisory Committee for Southwest Washington high schools, a judge for the Washington School for the Deaf’s Flying Hands ASL Literature Competition, the Emergency Building Coordinator Committee, and the Social Equity Task Force. Additionally, she participated in the creation of the college’s 2015-2020 Social Equity Plan and is a member of the first cohort of the college’s BUILD program, a yearlong employee development program providing intensive training in power, privilege, and inequity. In 2017, she received the college’s prestigious Exceptional Faculty Award.
“Due to my background in Deaf Education, I’m fortunate to have experience working with students from a wide background,” said Engel. “As a result, I adapt my teaching style to fit students’ needs. I am always willing to stop, circle back, and try a different teaching approach, knowing the other students would most likely benefit as well.”
R. Earl Frederick Jr., Cuisine Management
R. Earl Frederick Jr. earned his Associate in Applied Science degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, his Associate in Applied Science degree in baking and pastry arts from the Oregon Culinary Institute, and his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Warner Pacific College in Oregon. A Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation, he has held chef positions in the culinary services of Walt Disney World, Club Med, Job Corps, Nike, and Intel.
Since coming to Clark College, Frederick has helped launch the college’s Cuisine Management program and provided input on the design of its new McClaskey Culinary Institute. He serves as the program’s ServSafe Certified Instructor and Registered Proctor, ensuring students meet the rigorous requirements of this national food-safety program.
“I lead by example and lecture from facts,” Frederick said. “I tell my students that you’ll receive exactly what you put into the class. My motto: Don’t talk about it, be about it!”
Aaron Guerra, Cuisine Management
Aaron Guerra has decades of experience as an executive chef, instructor, and education and restaurant consultant. After graduating from the Western Culinary Institute with an associate degree in culinary arts, he worked as an executive chef at Portland’s Harvest Grill and The Restaurant at the Historic Reserve in Vancouver, Washington. He was nominated for the American Culinary Federation’s “Chef of the Year” in 2007, 2011, and 2014, and was named ACF Pro Chef Oregon’s Chef of the Year in 2014. His teaching experience includes Le Cordon Bleu/Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon; Northwest Culinary Institute in Vancouver, Washington; and Clark College.
At Clark, Guerra helped launch the college’s Cuisine Management program and provided input on the design of its new McClaskey Culinary Institute. He serves as department chair and is active in his community, founding a nonprofit called the Culinary Champions for Charity that raises money for local organizations. He also participates in a national group of leaders in higher education called the Deans and Directors Retreat.
“My teaching philosophy and approach is simple,” said Guerra. “I am a conduit of my experience, skills and knowledge from 30 years of being a chef to my students, fellow instructors and campus. My job is to help prepare the next generation of cooks and chefs and to help make myself, my coworkers and those I interact with on campus better with every opportunity.”
Dr. Nick Macias, Computer Science & Engineering
Dr. Nick Macias earned both a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in computer science from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.; a master’s degree in mathematics from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; and a doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic University. Along with his industry-specific work experience in both the private sector and as a civil servant, he has teaching experience at Duke, George Washington, Virginia Tech, Northwest Academy, Portland State University, Washington State University, and Clark College.
Dr. Macias joined Clark College in 2011. Within his department, he is actively involved in Guided Pathways, course assessment, community outreach, and student advising. He serves as faculty advisor for the Computer Science and Engineering Club; outside of Clark College, he volunteers with the Regional Arts and Culture Council. In 2017, he earned Clark College’s prestigious Exceptional Faculty Award.
“I believe learning happens through the search for answers, so I teach by raising questions in the material, in the subject, in ourselves,” said Dr. Macias. “I encourage students to make and embrace mistakes, as these raise the exact questions best suited to one’s own learning.”
The Weekly News: Week 34
This Week: Coronavirus Concerns
As a college, we are closely monitoring the outbreak of a respiratory disease known as COVID-19. We are in ongoing contact with Clark County Public Health. We will work with them to determine risk and exposure. We will act with abundant caution.
Our Number One priority is to safeguard the health of our students, staff, and faculty. We also want to do everything we can to help our students successfully complete their winter term studies.
Facilities Services staff are using COVID-19 sanitation guidelines from the CDC for routine cleaning, including common touch surfaces. Please understand that increased cleaning in high-use locations will result in service reductions or suspensions in low-traffic locations, such as private offices.
Our departments are building their operational plans should there be a temporary disruption to classes or college operations. We are taking into consideration all possible scenarios. That makes it hard for me to generalize our operational plan to you today because it’s dependent on so many variables. I want to thank the work of the Incident Response Team, which is meeting daily. We post updates to www.clark.edu under “Important Updates.”
Wash our hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching our faces with unwashed hands.
Don’t share food and drinks.
Clean and disinfect shared surfaces and objects that are touched frequently.
If possible, avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
We should stay home when we are sick. Stay home, rest, and stay hydrated.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. I will update over the weekend if conditions change.
Budget process
Thank you to all who have attended the budget forums this past week as coordinated by the Budget Committee.
I want to thank the Budget Committee—which includes faculty, staff, and students—for their work on this. To do their work, they need your help. They are asking you to submit ideas you have to help Clark College close a projected $5.4 million gap in the 2020-2021 budget. All budget proposals must be submitted via an online form by March 11.
The committee again acknowledges that this is a tight timeline, but hopes you will take advantage of this opportunity to share your thoughts on the important budget decisions that need to be made. We appreciate the many proposals (more than 200 to date) that have already been submitted.
We’ve also heard that faculty and staff would like a place to share ideas for generating revenue. Feel free to use the existing online budget proposal form and simply note that you are submitting a recommendation to increase revenue and not a recommendation to cut the budget.
The committee has developed budget priorities to be used in reviewing the recommendations it receives. It is posted on ClarkNet under “Budget Process (2020-2021)”. If you need an alternate format or an accessible version of the Budget Priorities document, please contact Bob Williamson at bwilliamson@clark.edu or at 360-992-2123.
Who is your representative on the Budget Committee? Here is the linkto the budget committee members with their contact information. When you see them, please thank them for their work.
The committee will be submitting a prioritized list of budget proposals to Executive Cabinet on March 20.
Clark College Climate Improvement Task Force
I’m pleased to share updates from the Climate Improvement Task Force. In their first three meetings, they’ve had wide-ranging conversations about our college community and their approach to this work. The task force is committed to a grassroots approach to guide their recommendations in addressing themes identified in the Fall 2019 Climate Survey. They will invite conversation and solicit your feedback throughout the process.
To date, they have:
established group norms and agreements
determined how they will work together as a task force, with constituencies, and with the college as a whole
dedicated themselves to modeling shared governance and open communication as a task force
committed themselves to using feedback from our climate survey and other avenues to guide their recommendations
Here are the Members of Climate Improvement Taskforce:
Justin Allen
Traneesa Frazier
Shanda Haluapo
Heather Leasure
Dalila Paredes
Jenny Shadley
David Sims
Arwen Spicer
Erin Staples
Sarah Thorsen
Robert Weston
Rashida Willard
Bryton Williams
Melissa Williams
Feddie Young
We understand there is no simple fix to our college environment and that a task force cannot resolve all the challenges that employees face. However, I am grateful to the members of the task force who are rolling up their sleeves in this effort toward systemic change for a healthier and more inclusive college culture. I fully support their process and their work.
Accessibility
I encourage all of us to check out Accessibility Made Easy, a Canvas resource to support staff in creating accessible content.
The content is easy to follow, providing steps and resources for creating accessible documents. The topics cover tools commonly used at Clark College: Microsoft Outlook 2016, Microsoft Word 2016, Microsoft PPT 2016, and Adobe Acrobat DC for PDFs. This content was put together by Instructional Accessibility Specialist Tre Sandlin and Director of Disability Support Services Megan Jasurda. Thank you, Tre and Megan!
Upcoming ODEI Trainings
On a related note, I wanted to pass along to you the upcoming opportunity for Disability Justice 101 training.This course qualifies for both B.U.I.L.D. and PPI credit.
During this training, participants learn about the intricacies of the disability community, including affirming and non-affirming language, types of disabilities and learn about neurodiversity. Participants will also learn what these concepts mean and how to put the tools into practice in the Clark College community. This course will take place on March 18 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in GHL 213. Sign up here.
Preventing violence and harassment
Clark College received a three-year grant from the Office of Violence Against Women to reduce and prevent sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking. One of the main goals of the grant was to embed training, information and supports into our existing structures. I’m pleased to report that since July 2018, more than 3,000 Clark students have received Bystander Intervention and Consent training in their College 101 classes. Kudos to Cath Busha, who helped write the grant; Tavish Bell, who served as the first project coordinator; Flyn Alexander, who is overseeing the grant until it ends this October; Heather Adams, who worked with Tavish to develop the training curriculum; and Kristin Sherwood, who included this important information in her College 101 curriculum. To learn more about resources available to help students and employees report and recover from sexual misconduct, visit www.clark.edu/cc/survivors.
Congratulations, Susan!
Please congratulate Susan Maxwell. Thankfully she’s not leaving Clark College but she is taking on new responsibilities with SBCTC to help our fellow colleges implement ctcLink. Starting March 16, she will become an SBCTC employee. She’ll maintain her office here four days a week and will spend 20 percent of her time working on ctcLink for Clark College.
Thank you, Susan, for your work and your leadership at Clark. You’ll be a great asset in helping other community colleges make the leap.
Congratulations, Andy!
Great news from our student led Indy Newspaper. Former Indy photo editor Andy Bao, who’s now at UCLA, just won Student Photographer of the Year from the National Press Photographers Association. Also, the Indy won third place out of 9 for best community-college newspaper at the Associated Collegiate Press’s mid-winter conference in San Francisco on Feb. 29. Kudos!
Upcoming events
I am looking forward to some fun upcoming events next week at Clark College – here are a few reminders:
Treble Ensemble Concert is Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. The location is 401 E 33rd Street at the Vancouver First United Methodist Church. Free admission for everyone.
The Winter Choral Concert is Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. The location is 401 E 33rd Street at the Vancouver First United Methodist Church. Free admission for everyone.
Clark College Automotive Open House is Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. The location is the Auto Shop in AA1 on the main campus. This is open to students, their families, and anyone interested in our Dealer Ready Automotive Technology programs. Our partnerships with dealerships include Toyota, Honda, Dick Hannah, and Audi.
I am also looking forward to attending the Nursing Pinning Ceremony, Dr. Chris Hill’s visit with the Guided Pathways Team, a lecture at the Port of Vancouver on Doing Business with the World, Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance Springfest at Pearson Field Education Center, and the Vancouver School District Foundation Luncheon with the Clark Foundation staff.
Great things continue to happen every day here at Penguin Nation as we wrap up Winter Quarter. As I was waiting in the Decker Theatre Lobby last night for the doors to open for the musical Bare I overheard a community member say, “This theatre adds so much to the culture of our city. Thanks for being here.”
Thank you for all you do to make Clark College a great place to work and to learn.
Clark College restricts activities on campus due to COVID-19
A computer illustration of the novel coronavirus seen microscopically, created by the Centers for Disease Control.
Clark
College is closely monitoring the outbreak of a respiratory virus called
COVID-19. At this time, there are no cases of COVID-19 in Clark County,
according to Clark County Public Health.
Because the safety of students, staff and faculty is top priority, today the college formally activated its incident response team to identify issues and prepare for possible impacts that could be caused by COVID-19.
The best source for information about Clark College’s response efforts is www.clark.edu/covid-19.
CURRENT STATUS: On March 13, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed an executive order restricting activity at all community colleges statewide. To slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health, Clark College will move to remote operations beginning Tuesday, March 17. The restrictions are in place beginning March 17 through April 24, 2020.
Essential college operations will continue. “Essential college operations” include Security, Student Affairs, Facilities Services, IT, computer labs, Administrative Services, Human Resources, the Bookstore, and the childcare center (CFS). Other employees who can work remotely will do so. If you are an employee who is unsure whether you should report to work in person or remotely, please contact your supervisor.
OngoingPlanning
Clark College is in the process of developing contingency plans for spring quarter, utilizing online learning. More details to be released soon.
We will continue to provide updates on this rapidly developing situation in several ways:
Text messaging to students, staff and faculty using RAVE
Social media (@ClarkCollege on Twitter, “Clark College – Vancouver, Washington” on Facebook)
Thank you for your understanding and patience as we address this unprecedented situation. We are committed to the safety and well-being of our students, our staff and our faculty.
Clark College is in daily contact with the Clark County Public Health in monitoring the risk associated from COVID-19 and is taking appropriate precautions such as disinfecting high touch surfaces around campus such as doorknobs, handrails and light switches.
Students and staff can help by practicing everyday preventative actions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Don’t share food and drinks.
Clean and disinfect shared surfaces and objects that are touched frequently.
If you can, avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
Please stay home when you are sick. Do not report to work or attend classes if you are ill. Stay home, rest, and stay hydrated.
The CDC government website is a great resource.
Correct information is a powerful tool and dispels mis-information that can
lead to stigma and discrimination.
While
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, the disease is not specific to any ethnic
group or national origin. The risk of infection is based on exposure to disease
such as travel to an area where the disease is occurring.
Staff and students can help to reduce stigma and discrimination by speaking up if they hear, see or read harassing comments or misinformation.
Clark College is closely monitoring the situation to make timely and prudent decisions that protect our employees and students. The college will practice an abundance of caution during this period of time.
Clark College will update this article when any relevant developments occur. This article was last updated at 6:59 a.m. on March 15, 2020.
The Weekly News: Week 32
The big news this week: a new President
Friday marked a major milestone for Clark College as the Board of Trustees announced the selection of our next President. The board voted unanimously to offer the position to Dr. Karin Edwards who has, pending agreement on contract terms, accepted our offer to be our next college president.
Dr. Karin Edwards
Dr. Edwards brings the experience, knowledge, skills, and values most critical to achieving Clark’s mission over the coming decade.
Dr. Edwards began her 36-year career in community colleges as an Admissions Counselor. She has served as president of Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus since 2014. She’s an outstanding choice bringing experience, expertise, and passion to the work at Clark. Read more about her on Clark 24/7.
The college began this work a year ago, and I want to thank each of you who have contributed along our collective journey. Engagement has been key to a transparent, equitable and inclusive process, and we are grateful for everyone who has played a part in preparing for this important moment in Clark College history.
I’ll be updating you along the way as we know more about the transition and identify opportunities for you to connect with our new President as soon as she begins.
Also, we have formed a collegewide onboarding committee to help Dr. Edwards in her first 90 days. More to come on that. We want to encourage all our faculty and staff to have input on how best to welcome Dr. Edwards to Clark.
College Master List emails
I want to thank the Climate Improvement Task Force. One of their first projects will be identifying ways for employees to dialogue around issues that are top-of-mind.
We are in the midst of ongoing and, in many cases, unsettling change at the college. I am grateful to all of you who care deeply about Clark, our students, and those you work with. Because change is difficult, I want to honor the need for space to engage in honest and difficult conversations.
Some of those conversations have bubbled onto the College Master List with increasing frequency. I want to acknowledge the courage inherent in many of the emails. They raise important questions and they are calls to action for deep and meaningful dialogue.
I want to remind everyone that the College Master List is not intended to be used as an open channel for discussing specific people, or calling into question a person’s integrity or credibility.
As stated in administrative procedure 455.035, the Master List is meant for messages of broad interest to the entire college community, including class closures, safety, security and health notices, and facilities maintenance updates. To that list I would also add bias-based incident reports, First Amendment activities, and information about the budget and the college.
I understand, however, that the college needs an easily accessible forum for sharing thoughts and perspectives on a wide range of issues critical to our institution. As a college we will begin steps to review our current communications tools and policies, updating our guidelines on using email distribution lists and ClarkNet to support college conversations.
In the meantime, I ask that all members of the college community refer to administrative procedure 455.035 on the use of the College Master List before hitting the send button with a collegewide message.
I am grateful to the Climate Improvement Task Force for their willingness to help guide us in the process. With so many important issues facing the college, from the projected budget deficit to the hiring of a new president, I know faculty and staff are looking for ways to express their thoughts, make recommendations, and be heard.
Budget process
The Budget Committee is finalizing instructions for the college to assist in the development of the 2020-21 budget. This process will allow all members of the college community to contribute proposals. Input is vital as the college anticipates a $5.4 million shortfall in the 2020-21 budget, which will result in an approximate 8% cut.
It is important for all of us to see the projections and the numbers and to have a chance to ask questions as we move forward through this process. The budget committee will be loading budget documents onto our intranet for your ongoing review.
Three budget forums will be held:
February 27, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., PUB 258
February 28, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., PUB 258
March 3, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., FHL 126
I want to thank the Budget Committee, which includes faculty, classified, staff, and students. I want to encourage all of us to participate in this process. The committee will develop a list of ideas on how we can close the gap. They will prioritize ideas and submit them to the Executive Cabinet. The EC will give weight to the recommendations in making budget decisions and reporting back to the committee. This is difficult work and it is important we do it with respectful communication, discourse and transparency.
Kudos to Mechatronics
Washington Governor Jay Inslee met with some of our mechatronics students this past week. The program was recently certified as part of Washington State’s Career Launch. It opens the door for ongoing support and investment from the state into mechatronics. Kudos to Professor Chris Lewis, Interim Dean Armetta Burney and everyone on the team for their work.
I had the opportunity to hear the students explain to the Governor how the program has provided opportunities for them. They are employed by SEH America, which provides subsidizes their tuition. They receive classroom training, on-the-job work experience and will complete a college program—making them valued employees and providing them with opportunities for advancement.
The Governor also met with additional businesses in Clark County that are planning to partner with Clark College through Career Launch. It’s a great success story, impacting students in the best possible way.
Employee Giving Campaign
So far, 188 members of the faculty and staff (both current and retired) have provided critical support to our students through the Foundation’s Employee Giving Campaign. Thank you!
I hope you’ll consider making a gift to any area of the college that you feel passionate about. When you do, you’ll help unlock a matching gift for Penguin Pantry when 220 individuals donate $10 or more by June 18, 2020. The goal is within sight. An additional $5,000 will go to the Pantry once the goal is reached, helping to reduce hunger on our campus.
Thank you to everyone who has given already. And thank you for the many ways you give back every day. Visit the Foundation’s Employee Giving Challenge website for details. It’s so easy to give, I just clicked on the link and contributed to the campaign.
Kudos to DEI Team
This week the college hosted the inaugural NW Regional Equity in Higher Education Conference organized by our amazing DEI team (Rashida Willard, Dee Harris, Alyssa Voyles, Melissa Williams and Rosalba Pitkin). Speakers from Washington (including Clark College), Oregon and Idaho presented on Creating Inclusive Systems Beyond Diversity: Equity in Practice. The feedback from participants throughout the region has been exceptionally positive. For all of you who were able to attend, your insights will be valuable to our work. For all you worked so hard to make this happen, congratulations and thank you! As one participant said, “Thank you for leading the way and thank for just being so incredibly…AWESOME!”
Next week
I hope you can all join me for the 2020 State of the College this coming Wednesday, February 26from 11:00 a.m. to noon at Gaiser Student Center. We’ll take a look at where we’ve been and where we’re going; the challenges and the achievements. We will announce the inaugural recipients of two new employee awards: the Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award and the Exceptional Administrative-Exempt Award. Please bring a donation of non-perishable food for the Penguin Pantry. I look forward to seeing you.
Great things continue to happen every day here at Penguin Nation.
Thank you for all you do to make Clark College a great place to work and to learn.
Clark College announces new president
Dr. Karin Edwards
Today Clark College marked a major milestone when its Board of Trustees announced its selection of Dr. Karin Edwards to be the college’s next president.
Dr. Edwards comes to Clark College with an impressive history of leadership, including her current position as Campus President of Portland Community College Cascade. (Full bio listed below.)
“Dr. Edwards is an incredible leader,” said Trustee Paul Speer. “Her ability to help close achievement gaps between student populations, her work in equity, her work in partnerships in workforce development, and her previous experience in a presidential role were certainly very influential in the board’s decision. When you look at her track record and at the information we gained during the course of this process, what you’ll find is an individual who is incredibly aligned with our stated values and the needs of our college over the coming decade.”
Today’s announcement is the culmination of a rigorous search process that began last summer following the retirement of President Bob Knight. Working with a national search firm, the Board of Trustees was able to attract 65 applicants from across the country who were reviewed by a Search Advisory Committee composed of college employees, community members, and other key stakeholders. The committee narrowed the field down to a limited number of finalists. Three finalists visited the college for interviews and open forums, and trustees visited their respective campuses as well.
The Board of Trustees made the final selection based on the position profile, personal interviews, and a review of the data and recommendations gathered from the committee and from student and community forums held with each candidate on the Clark College campus. More information about the search process is available on the college’s Presidential Search web pages.
“Clark College Foundation has assisted Clark College with philanthropy for nearly five decades, helping the college align with the needs of Southwest Washington’s businesses and organizations while making college possible for those who face barriers to higher education,” said Eric Merrill, chair of Clark College Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We are committed to working with the new president and introducing her to vital community partners in order to sustain Clark College’s future.”
Dr. Edwards will be the college’s 15th leader in its 87-year history.
Dr. Edwards says she is excited to step into her new role, the exact date of which is still being determined along with other hiring details. “I have a full heart today, she said. “I’m excited to begin a new chapter as President of Clark College and grateful to everyone at Portland Community College who has walked with me these past six years. We have a great deal to be proud of, developing programs and support services that help our students succeed.”
Dr. Sandra Fowler-Hill, who has served as Interim President during the 2019-2020 academic year as the college conducted the presidential search, said she will continue in her current role until Dr. Edwards is able to join the college in summer 2020 and will help with the onboarding process.
About Dr. Karin
Edwards
Dr. Karin
Edwards’ 36-year career at community colleges spans roles from Admissions
Counselor to Campus President. Since July 2014, she has served as president of
Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus. In that role, her responsibilities
at PCC Cascade include supervising the advanced manufacturing programs at PCC’s
Swan Island Trades Center, a 20,000-square-foot facility housing the college’s
Apprenticeship and Trades department, as well as PCC’s Maritime Welding
Training Center at Swan Island, which trains welding students and has MOAs with
Vigor Industrial.
Her community
service includes serving on the board of directors of Portland Community
Reinvestment Initiatives and on the advisory board of the Oregon Association of
Minority Entrepreneurs, as well as being an active member of the Partners in
Diversity Leadership Council and the Oregon Presidents Council of the Oregon
Community College Association.
Dr. Edwards
earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her master’s degree in Higher
Education Administration at State University of New York at Albany, and her
doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at Johnson and Wales University in
Providence, Rhode Island.
About Clark College
Located
in Vancouver’s Central Park and serving up to 11,500 students per quarter,
Clark College is Southwest Washington’s oldest public institution of higher
education. The college currently offers classes at two satellite locations: one
on the Washington State University Vancouver campus and one in the Columbia
Tech Center in East Vancouver.
The Weekly News: Week 31
This week
This past week I enjoyed
celebrating with our community 30 years of research and community collaboration
at WSUV. And, the Business and Health Sciences Unit invited me for some
Q&A. Thanks to the BHS faculty and staff for sharing your thoughts and
concerns with me. I especially enjoyed hearing about learning in action in a
Professional Selling Class. A student developed a sales pitch as his final
project to propose to another student in the class. And, she said, “Yes!”
Thanks James Ron Powers, Adjunct Professor, for sharing the adorable pictures.
At the L.E.A.D. meeting on Friday
we got a sneak preview of what will be presented at the upcoming budget forums.
VP Bob Williamson and Director of Business Services, Sabra Sand, did an
outstanding job of describing a very complex topic in an open and transparent
way.
Budget
The Budget Committee is
finalizing instructions for the college to assist in the development of the
2020-21 budget. This process will allow all members of the college community to
contribute proposals. Input is vital as the college anticipates a $5.4
million shortfall in the 2020-21 budget, which will result in an approximate 8%
cut.
It is important for all of us to
see the projections, the numbers and have a chance to ask questions as we move
forward through this process. The budget committee will be loading budget
documents onto our intranet for your ongoing review. It’s at https://clarknet.clark.edu/governance/budget.
Three budget forums will be held:
February
27, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., PUB 258
February
28, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., PUB 258
March
3, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., FHL 126
I want to thank the budget
committee, which includes faculty, classified, staff, and students. I want to
encourage all of us to participate in this process. The committee will develop
a list of ideas on how we can close the gap. They will prioritize and submit to
the Executive Cabinet. The EC will give weight to the recommendations in making
budget decisions and reporting back to the committee. This is difficult work
and it is important we do it with respectful communication, discourse and
transparency.
Legislative Update
The 2020 legislative session
passed its halfway mark Tuesday as fiscal committees reached their deadline for
passing bills out of committee. The House and Senate used the remainder of the
week for floor action debating and voting bills ahead of the Feb. 19 floor
cutoff date. The Senate confirmed several community college trustees this week
including Reekah Strong.
A bill to fix the funding
structure behind the Workforce Education Investment Act is headed for the
Governor’s desk. Once he signs, it will put into place a funding structure
supporting the 2019 act, which includes the Washington College Grant and Guided
Pathways.
President Search
The Board of Trustees has narrowed
the field of presidential candidates to two: Dr Karin Edwards and Dr. Sara
Thompson Tweedy. Their bios cans be reviewed on the Clark College Presidential Search Page.
The Board has identified a few
key follow up questions for the two finalists. They have asked them to provide
additional information that will be used to help make a final decision expected
next Friday, February 21st.
The College began this work a year ago and I want to thank each
of you who have contributed along our collective journey. Engagement has been
key to a transparent, equitable and inclusive process and we are grateful for
everyone who has played a part in preparing for this important moment in Clark
College history.
Sad news at Concordia University
As many of you already know,
Concordia University Portland announced this week that they will be closing at
the end of this spring term.
This heartbreaking news has
brought up questions. One set of questions is around what we are doing for
Concordia students. Earlier this week, I reached out to Concordia’s president to
offer any assistance we can provide in supporting their students. Student
Affairs is planning on attending a transfer fair at Concordia next week. And
I’ve asked HR to reach out to their HR department to connect with employees who
may be eligible to fill open positions here.
The other set of questions
revolve around whether what happened at Concordia could happen at Clark. It’s
important to understand that we are two very different institutions: Concordia
is a private university with a large online graduate-degree program, while
Clark is a public community college. Accreditors were concerned enough about
Concordia’s finances to require additional monitoring; Clark just received a
very complimentary financial audit with no findings. This informative article in
Inside Higher Ed explains in greater depth how Concordia’s troubles developed.
Nevertheless, this news has impact
on our community. Some Clark students were planning on transferring there; some
Clark employees are midway through graduate programs at Concordia, or have
children who are attending there, or are alumni themselves; and many of us know
people working at the university. I want to extend my sympathy to everyone
affected.
Kudos to Team
Thank you Cath Busha, Dean of Student Engagement, who has agreed
to serve as Interim Title IX Coordinator pending hiring of the Director of
Compliance position. Genevieve Howard, Associate Vice President of
Instruction, and Mike See, Director of Safety and Security, will serve as
Deputy Title IX Coordinators. I appreciate all the ways our staff pitch in
during times of challenge.
Clark survey of students on food and housing insecurity
This week, The Hope
Center for College, Community, and Justice released its #RealCollege
2020 National Report. 330,000 students at more than 400 colleges and
universities were surveyed about food and housing insecurity.
Here is the data specific to Clark College:
36% of respondents experienced food insecurity in the prior 30 days
46% of respondents experienced housing insecurity in the previous year
17% of respondents experienced homelessness in the previous year
55% of students at Clark College experienced at least one of these forms of basic needs insecurity in the past year
28% of food-insecure students utilize SNAP benefits
It affirms the importance of our wrap-around services for students to help them stay on the path, acknowledging the barriers that they face in their pursuit of a certificate or degree.
Faculty
Honors
The Faculty Excellence Award
Committee encourages all of us to nominate an outstanding instructor,
librarian, counselor, or department head for the Exceptional Faculty Award.
This award is professional
recognition of the highest order, as it spotlights the instructor’s teaching
excellence and positive impact for all to see. Faculty members can nominate
their peers as well.
For more information and to
nominate your favorite instructor or an outstanding peer, please go to http://www.clark.edu/cc/efa. The
deadline for making your submission is March 13, 2020.
Next week
I hope you all
enjoy the three-day holiday weekend. I will be attending the Association of
College Trustees (ACT) new trustees orientation and legislative advocacy
conference with our trustees.
Next week the
college is hosting the inaugural NW
Regional Equity in Higher Education Conference organized by our amazing DEI team (Rashida Willard, Dee Harris,
Alyssa Voyles, Melissa Williams and Rosalba Pitkin.) Speakers from, Washington
(including Clark College), Oregon and Idaho are presenting on Creating
Inclusive Systems Beyond Diversity: Equity in Practice.
We are also
hosting the Columbia River Economic Development Council Education Committee at
CTC. I am looking forward to presenting an overview of our programs and
Francois Wevers, Director of Economic Partnerships and Customized Learning,
will be providing a tour of the CTC Building. And, I am honored to serve on a
panel of regional community colleges at the Greater Portland Inc. Economic
Summit to share the great work we are doing.
Great things
continue to happen every day here at Penguin Nation. Thanks to our wonderful
Grounds Crew (and some sunshine) the crocuses and daffodils are blooming, and
the campus looks beautiful!
Thank you for
all you do to make Clark College a great place to work and to learn.
