Office of Instruction and Student Development Update-Week 14-November 25, 2015
Math Faculty Interviews – Del Norte
Last weekend Dean Dave Bazard chaired the Math Screening Committee including Mike Haley, Steve Jackson,
Todd Olsen, Rory Johnson, and Melody Pope. President Snow-Flamer traveled to Crescent City as well to meet
individually with the candidates after they completed their teaching demonstrations and interviews.
Student Development Leadership Group (SDLG)
Angelina Hill (Director of Institutional Effectiveness) met again with the Leadership Group to discuss
information on accreditation Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Support Services. This was followed
by a lively discussion regarding the scope of responsibilities for a proposed Dean of Students.
Professional Development Committee
I had the pleasure of meeting with the PDC co-chairs Crystal Morse and Kerry Mayer along with President
Snow-Flamer. The co-chairs provided an update of Committee’s progress and direction for the future.
Looking Ahead
Next week, the last week of classes, is a busy time for all staff and faculty. Remarkably, my schedule will be
relatively light with just a handful of standing meetings including the Education Master Plan Steering
Committee and Academic Senate.
Spotlight on Associate Faculty
Daniel J Dempsey teaches Physical and Cultural Geography. While completing his undergraduate work at
Humboldt State in the 1990's, Dan worked as a teaching assistant for the university's Geography Department.
He continued geographic instruction in East Africa as a US Peace Corps Volunteer on the island of Pemba in the
Zanzibar Group off the coast of Tanzania in 1999 and 2000. Returning to the US, he began graduate studies in
the Geography and Environment Program at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago in 2001. He worked as
a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the university while also teaching physical geography at Morton Community
College in neighboring Cicero. Before returning to HSU to finish his Master of Arts in Social Sciences as a
member of HSU's Environment and Community Program, he ran young adult public service conservation work
crews for the California Conservation Corps, taking the opportunity as a crew supervisor to introduce
geographic concepts to his subordinates in the field. Dan's dedication to young adult academic success is
fueled by his passion for the geographic sciences. His graduate thesis, "Hard work, Low pay, and Miserable
conditions..." supports his conviction that young adults are enabled in future objectives by understanding and
appreciating the exchange between human diversity and the earth systems that support us. If he isn't working
with students in the classroom or out surveying local salmon populations, he's planning his next
global exploration.
Spotlight on Staff
Gary (Thawatchai) Ronne was born in Thailand. He moved to the United States in 1972 after the Vietnam War
with his adopted family and became a U.S. Citizen when he was 19 years old. Gary has worked at CR for the
last 13 years. He was with the campus Bookstore for the majority of that time, and most recently transferred
to Counseling in July 2015. Gary’s “office” is the Welcome Center in the lobby of the Student Services
building. He is responsible for greeting students, answering phones, and scheduling appointments for
Counseling and Advising. He has built and plays the Taiko drum, he loves to cook and eat exotic foods, and
makes a really good Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut soup).
Happy Thanksgiving!