Office of Instruction and Student Development Update-Week 11-April 8, 2016
Del Norte Board Meeting and Ground Breaking
The Board of Trustees met Tuesday in Crescent City at the Del Norte Education Center. Consent and
discussion/action items were addressed in a thoughtful and timely fashion. Two items on the horizon
elicited lively discussion. BP/AP 3570 Smoking on campus received opposing perspectives and the
College’s nearly $18 million pension liability provoked concern. Following the Board meeting, College
officials participated in a ground breaking ceremony for a new science building anticipated for a fall
semester completion. Site Director Rory Johnson and his staff graciously hosted the meeting and ground
breaking.
Del Norte Telepresence
At Tuesday’s Board meeting, a student gave an articulate and moving testimony about access to higher
education. Central to his perspective was the importance of TelePresence (interactive video) for DN
students who otherwise would not have access to College of the Redwoods curriculum. This semester we
offered five courses: POLSC 1 (Political Controversies), AJ 7 (Current Issues/Administration of Justice),
MATH 50A (Differential Calculus) and 50B (Integral Calculus), and BUS 18 (Business Law). One of
these courses, POLSC 1, originates from Del Norte and is streamed down to Eureka. Four of the five
courses had students who participate from the Klamath-Trinity site as well.
We currently have eight TelePresence courses scheduled for Fall 16, with the possibility of up to three
additional courses to be added to the schedule. We’re particularly excited by the development of two
courses in our Police Academy. This will allow students in the Academy to significantly reduce the length
of time that they are required to come down to Eureka to achieve their POST certification.
Instruction/Student Development Personnel
Faculty screening committees were active this week. Interviews were completed and recommendations
forwarded to the President for the chemistry position. Counseling and Earth Sciences are next in line. In
the student development area, Cheryl Tucker will be leaving her position as EOPS Director and lead a
special EOPS project later this month. Thanks to her leadership, CR has the highest percentage of EOPS
students per student headcount in the State at around 13%. The EOPS leadership transition timeline
includes an April appointment of an Interim Director and immediate search for permanent EOPS
leadership. I am grateful to Cheryl for her service to the District.
Professional Development
The Professional Development Committee sponsored Understanding CR’s Collective Bargaining
Agreements for Managers presented by Crystal Morse, Pete Blakemore, and Mike Haley on April 8.
Next week offerings include two Brown Bag Book Discussions–Between the World and Me at the Del
Norte Center by Ruth Rhodes and The Yellow Birds by Jacqui Cain and Crystal Morse on April 15.
Deanna Herrera-Thomas and Philip Mancus will present Understanding Stereotype Threat, also on
April 15.
Spotlight on Associate Faculty
Mike Goldsby graduated from CR in 1972 and has served as Associate Faculty in Addiction Studies
since 1987. Following graduation from Humboldt State, Mike worked as a Deputy Public Guardian and
Alcohol and Drug Administrator for Humboldt County. He was Program Director of Inpatient and
Outpatient Chemical Dependency Treatment, Family Recovery Services, at St Joseph Hospital for 17
years. He recently retired from the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health. Mike
volunteers for the Union Labor Health Foundation and the Multi-Agency Juvenile Justice Coordinating
Council. He and his wife Lydia DeZordo live in Ferndale and have two adult children. Mike enjoys
Aikido training, travel, cooking, hiking and backpacking.
Leira V. Satlof teaches Acting/Introduction to Theatre/Voice and holds degrees from the Manhattan
School of Music (Bachelor of Music: Operatic Performance) and Humboldt State University (Master of
Fine Arts: Directing Musical and Operatic Theater). She has been both stage director and musical director
for operas, musical theater productions, revues, plays, and original works for more than 20 years. She has
been on the faculty of Dell’Arte International, Santa Rosa Junior College, and the California State
Summer School of the Arts; and has served as Cantorial Soloist and music director of Congregation
Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa. Leira is the Artistic Producing Director of Ferndale Repertory Theatre.
Leira returned to this area to open a (now defunct) farm to trailer food truck called Nature's Serving. She
still likes to cook.
Amy Berkowitz has been teaching noncredit for College of the Redwoods since fall 2014. She was part
of the pioneering team that established CR’s Cap & Gown Program. She also taught in last summer’s
Bridge to College Program. Amy currently teaches Work Readiness at the CR classroom in The Job
Market. Amy has her Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture. In addition to teaching for CR, Amy is
a licensed Landscape Architect with a modest private practice. She has authored several technical books
and manuals. She and her husband Cliff are the founders of Lost Coast Communications, where she has a
radio program on KHUM seven days a week. They have two sons: Alexander lives in New York where
he is an actor and a waiter, Michael is a freshman at Eureka High. They have three rescue dogs. Amy is
also a practicing artist working in both fiber arts and stained glass; she loves to garden and read.
Have a great weekend!