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Southern Oregon University

The President’s Page

EDUCATION 

Ph.D., English Literature, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1978). Dissertation entitled The Possibilities of History in Five Novels by Sir Walter Scott

M.A., English Literature, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1973)

B.A., magna cum laude, Honors English, University of Pennsylvania (1972)

 

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS 

Governor's Executive Development Program (Texas), 2004

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Senior Fellows' Program, 2004

Management Development Program (MDP), Harvard University, 1994

 

ACADEMIC  EXPERIENCE 

Southern Oregon University (2006-present)

  • President and Professor of English 

Stephen F. Austin State University (2003-2006t)

  • Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of English 

California State University, Stanislaus  (1996-2003)

  • Dean, College of Arts, Letters and Sciences, and Professor of English 

California State University, Hayward (now CSU East Bay)  (1981-1996)

  • Director, Office of Faculty Development and Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching (1994-1996)
  • Interim Dean, School of Arts, Letters, and Social Sciences (1992-93)
  • Chair, Department of English (1991-92; 1993-94)and Chair, Academic Senate (1993-1994)
  • Full Professor, Department of English (1992). Tenured, Department of English (1991)
  • Associate Professor, Department of English, and Director, Composition Program (1987-91)
  • Full-Time Lecturer, Department of Marketing (1981-1987) 

University of California, Berkeley  (1980-1981)

  • Writing Consultant, MBA Program 

BOOKS 

  • Business Communication: Principles and Processes, second edition. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1993). First edition: Holt, Rinehart & Winston (1988)
  • American Women Writers: Diverse Voices in Prose Since 1845 [ed. with E. Barrett]. St. Martin's Press (1992)
  • Business English for Industry and the Professions, Dryden Press (1986)
  • Susan Ferrier, G. K. Hall & Co. (1984)

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS 

  • "Developing International Partnerships for Deep Learning: Beyond the MOU”  [presenter] American Association of Colleges and Universities (January 2011), San Francisco, CA
  • "Living with (and Embracing) Change in Public Higher Education" [presenter] Oregon State University Humanities Council (April 2008), Corvallis, OR
  • "Commitment and Engagement: Southern Oregon University Prepares an Experienced Workforce" [presenter] Dankook University (October 2007), Korea
  • "Academic Advising: The Provost's Challenge" [panel convener and presenter] American Association of State Colleges and Universities (February 2006), Charleston, SC
  • "Issues in Student Advising" [panel convener and presenter] American Association of State Colleges and Universities (July 2005), Snowbird, UT
  • "Supporting Faculty in Lean Budget Times" [panel convener and presenter]. American Association of State Colleges and Universities (February 2005), San Diego, CA
  • "Part-Time Faculty: Evaluation and Professional Development" [panel presenter]. American Association of State Colleges and Universities summer meeting (July 2004), Albuquerque, NM
  • "From Hiring to Retiring: Mentoring Faculty Throughout Their Careers" [panel presenter]. Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences national conference (November 2002), San Francisco, CA
  • "The Dean's Role in Planning a Building for Classrooms and Academic Departments: Processes and Approaches" [panel presenter]. Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences national conference (November 2001), Washington, D.C.
  • "Managing Curricular Change" [panel presenter]. AAHE Summer Academy (July 2001), Breckinridge, CO
  • "Connecting the University and Community Colleges: A Partnership that Brings Results for Students" [panel organizer and presenter]. American Association of Higher Education national meeting (March 2001), Washington, D.C.
  • "Transforming General Education: Process for Change." American Conference of Academic Deans national meeting (November 2000), San Francisco, CA
  • "Evaluating Creative Work: Ensuring Fairness in the Review of Arts Faculty" [panel organizer and facilitator]. Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences national conference (November 2000), Toronto, Canada 

SELECTED ARTICLES / PROCEEDINGS 

  • "Southern Oregon University: A Case Study for Change in the 'New Normal,'" Proceedings, TIAA-CREF Institute, Smart Leadership in Difficult Times (November 2009)
  • "The Ones We Didn't Hire," Chronicle of Higher Education Career Network (February 12, 2002)
  • "Creative Thinking in the Mountain Air: CSU Stanislaus" [invited article]. AAHE Bulletin, (December 2001)
  • "What Does a Dean Do?" Chronicle of Higher Education (March 9, 2001)
  • "The Possibilities of History in Old Mortality." Philological Quarterly 58 (Summer 1979)
  • "History and Language in Scott's Redgauntlet." Studies in English Literature XVIII (Autumn 1978) 

SELECTED GRANTS / AWARDS 

  • CASE 2011 District VIII Leadership Award

  • Membership, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, University of Pennsylvania, 2011

  • Primary proposal writer and principal investigator for W. M. Keck Foundation grant, $440,000 to equip a language laboratory (January 2003)
  • 2002 Educator of the Year Award from the Portuguese Education Foundation of Central California (December 2002)
  • California State University system grant (with I. Guzman Wagner) to design and implement a three-year collaborative math and English project with local high schools, $402,000 per year (1999-2002)
  • California Commission on Teacher Credentialing grant (with I. Guzman Wagner) for CSU Stanislaus Blended Program of Undergraduate Teacher Preparation, $50,000 per year (1999-2001)
  • California State University Academic Opportunity Fund award to design, organize, and host a system-wide conference on enhancing collaborative learning through technology, $15,000 (1995)