Southwestern Oregon Community College
"Southwestern Oregon Community College fulfills the educational and cultural needs of our diverse communities by providing equitable access to exceptional teaching and learning in a collaborative, engaging, sustainable environment, which supports innovation, lifelong enrichment, and contribution to global society." College Mission Statement
In September 2012, I began at Southwestern Oregon Community College as the Dean of Lower Division Collegiate and Developmental Education. This position has enriched me with significant, meaningful learning, teaching, professional, and personal opportunities. This section of my teaching portfolio documents my activities and contributions to the faculty and the college.
Do Well. Do Good: Southwestern Vision Statement. About half way through my first year at Southwestern, I drafted a vision statement of how I see Southwestern and where I envision where it is headed based on the goodness of the people here and the struggles they have as they go about their daily work. I like the connection between the race to the South Pole by Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott. They both experienced the same challenges, but only one succeeded--what made the difference? Amundsen's success was because of his perspective, preparation, discipline, risk, and flexibility. That vision statement and presentation are available through the above link. I'm organizing this page by adhering to the principal areas within Faculty Report of Yearly Service based specifically on Southwestern's Core Themes:
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Access
There is an inseparable connection between academics and student support services. I appreciate that Southwestern has combined both areas under the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. The impact of this came to me while watching a tug boat towing a large ship into the bay. It wasn't until I saw the tug turning the ship around in the bay that I realized that two tug boats were necessary as they pushed in opposite directions. Both academics and student support must effectively collaborate to guide students. Conferences, workshops, professional organizations, and initiatives have helped me understand my responsibilities within the relationships among teaching and learning, teachers and students, and academics and career. |
Conferences
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Professional Organizations and Websites
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Workshops and Webinars
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Learning and Achievement
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Curriculum Development
Developing new and existing courses continues to be one of my most significant professional opportunities. I'm also fortunate to teach while here at Southwestern when I'm daily reminded of the central roles of students and of learning. Developing courses allows me to incorporate all aspects of professional enrichment into focused projects and activities. When developing a learning-centered curriculum, I incorporate the elements and relationships of rhetoric: logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos which I refer to as subject content, teacher, students, and readiness. I've added the fifth element of perseverance. Below are the courses I have created, developed, or taught. |
Southwestern Courses
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Faculty and Course Evaluations
One of chief responsibilities as a dean is to observe and assess faculty instruction and lower division collegiate and developmental education courses. It's not uncommon to visit and write evaluations for twenty or more faculty and courses each term. This opportunity strengthens my own teaching by observing excellent, innovative, and caring teaching.
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Program and Discipline Reviews
In 2013, Southwestern implemented formal program and discipline reviews. As a dean, I was responsible for assisting faculty in gathering data and writing the program reviews. The reviews are part of a four-year cycle. Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learnig is the center of all we do at Southwestern. All of us who teach, whether teaching for the first time or as an emeritus, can strengthen our courses and teaching. To provide a professional development framework for all faculty, I have adapted brief teaching concepts and strategies guide documents to share with the faculty. Below are a sampling of teaching and learning guides. Southwestern Presentations
At times I'm invited to make presentations to different groups most often because of my position. These opportunities allow me to examine more closely my roles and responsibilities as a dean, teacher, and professional.
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- SWOCC Teach. In an effort to support part-time faculty, each term we create a newsletter that focuses on different aspects of teaching and the classroom.
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Community Engagement
To demonstrate community engagement, I will identify how I reach beyond Southwestern to participate in other learning and administrative communities. These communities also include professional and leadership readings. |
"Enhancing Student Success and Retention" " 2012 National Freshman Attitudes Report" "Bringing Developmental Education to Scale" "Why Rethinking Developmental Education is a Priority" "General Education Reform: Unseen Opportunities"
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