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The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College
June 6, 2014
The President’s checklist by Katelyn Hilsenbeck
I am very positive about the future of the college and very excited about moving this institution forward
The Advocate As the end of the school year approaches, Debbie Derr paused to look back on the standout memories from her first year as Mt. Hood president – including one that hasn’t happened quite yet. “Commencement is always a very important time of the year. As you work in community colleges, you realize that’s why we’re here, that’s what we’re all about,” she said. As Mt. Hood’s newly named president last spring, Derr attended the commencement ceremony, but this year, “I get to be the emcee, be the individual who shakes hands, and welcomes students to their now-alumni status,” she said. Other top memories for 2013-14 include the convocation at the beginning of Fall Term, working with ASG leaders and “reconnecting with the community and meeting many, many new people, but also having the opportunity to connect with old friends and supporters of Mt. Hood,” she said. Derr has enjoyed her interactions with Laura Aguon and Eduardo Ortiz, ASG president and vice president, she said. There are more highlights of her return to MHCC, where she previously
Debbie Derr MHCC President worked on the administrative team from 1987 to 2002. “(One that) I’m most grateful for is the opening of the Diversity (Resource) Center and the reality that that dream never died,” Derr said. “The fact that when I was here before, we had worked so hard to bring a Diversity Center… to actually come back and have that opportunity to cut the ribbon and being a part of that dream come true, that’s another thing that was a highlight of my year at Mt. Hood.” On the other hand, she said her biggest challenge this year was, and is, dealing with the ongoing budget struggle. Specifically, “working together to be able to continue to mitigate (a) high tuition increase but also recognize the fact that we had to make some reduc-
Today is the last day to withdraw from college
tions and that we lost some important people here,” she said. Recent budgettightening included the elimination of 16 nonteaching positions, including layoff of eight employees. “That was challenging, that was difficult.” Derr continued, “It’s not difficult to address budget concerns… what’s difficult is whenever you have to eliminate positions and recognize the impact that you have on staff and their families. That’s the worst.” Looking forward, she emphasized the importance of “finding out what is core to what we do” at Mt. Hood and more focus on reconfiguring the positions and responsibilities of MHCC employees. Her own goals for the academic year have not been completed, as they were more long-term goals, she said. She plans to set specific goals instead of over-arching goals for next school year. “It isn’t over. I think that’s the piece that people recognize — there’s going to be continual ongoing change for the institution,” she said. The completion of the new MHCC strategic plan during Fall Term will help guide her goals, she said. Top ongoing goals remain student success and (degree/certification) completion, financial stability, community engagement and the passage of a general obligation bond, she said. Program cuts are not on the radar for
GED Graduation is June 13 at 7 p.m. in the Earl Klapstein Stadium
Derr. “We have not looked at that at all, quite frankly,” she said. “We’ve been looking at the possibility of needing to develop some new programs. We have to look at continuing to provide a unique footprint for the college” and new programs could be part of that identity, she said. “The breadth of the programs that we have here is important to our students,” she said. She said she could foresee expanding or re-engineering technical and career education. Although there may be concerns over the future of MHCC, Derr isn’t worried, she said. “For me, I’m not uncertain about the future of the college. I am very positive about the future of the college and very excited about moving this institution forward,” she said.
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to see Derr review her year
Commencement is June 14 at 10 a.m. in the Earl Klapstein Stadium
Six instructors receive recognition from Foundation
Slice of Life
by Greg Leonov The Advocate
Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate
Breakdancers entertained people in the Main Mall Thursday, sponsored by the Hospitality and Tourism Program.
Six members of Mt. Hood’s faculty received annual Distinguished Teaching Awards recognizing their outstanding contributions to their students. They will also get a $500 stipend award, which they will receive during a presentation at the MHCC District board meeting scheduled for Wednesday. The instructors being recognized are Harry DeWolf, accounting instructor; Chris Jackson, philosophy and religion instructor; Paul Morris, Computer Information Systems instructor; Pat Hanrahan, Planetarium director; Myra Wecker, Health/PE Zumba tone instructor; and Janet Bakes, instructor for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. All of the instructors were excited for their awards. “The best part about the recognition is that the nominations and comments came from my students; those mean the most to me,” said DeWolf. “I have had some challenging positions before joining MHCC two years ago and this one ranks right up there. I always feel if I am going to do a job, I always want to make a difference and I want to do my very best every day; even on the tough days.” Jackson called receiving the award “one of the highlights of my teaching career. And it is also very humbling,” he said. “There is a lot of teaching talent at Mt. Hood Community College. I am honored to be among so many talented and passionate colleagues.” Paul Morris vividly described the announcement of his award: “I was teaching my class, all the lights were out — doing an overhead pre-
sentation simulation. My colleague, Wayne Machuca, walks in and he loudly proclaims, ‘It’s too dark in here!’ And then he flips on the lights, and I’m looking at him like, ‘What are you doing?’ “Then, all of a sudden, an entourage of students and fellow colleague instructors, as well as staff people, walk in, and then comes President (Debbie) Derr. I knew what was up when this entourage walked in,” he said. Hanrahan said the award is an “amazing honor.” He is a part-time instructor and loves his position, he said. There’s “no greater job,” he said. He was surprised when Derr and Dean of Science Steven Goldsmith came into his astronomy class to present his award. Goldsmith stayed to give Hanrahan and his class a congratulatory speech. Myra Wecker was in the middle of a new Zumba routine when a group came into her class to present her award. “I was totally shocked and was wondering why all these people in nice clothes were coming into my Zumba class,” she said. “I cried when she (Derr) read to me that I was nominated for the part-time faculty award for excellence in teaching “I couldn’t believe it and I am still on Cloud Nine. I am very honored and humbled by this award and I count my blessings and this one is a huge one,” Wecker said. Bakes was unavailable for comment. According to Pam Benjamin, executive assistant to the president, “Recognition of the outstanding work of faculty members is a high priority of the MHCC District Foundation.” Each year, as many as three full-time and three parttime faculty members are honored, and receive the $500 award from the Foundation, she said.
Volume 49 Issue 31
VP position filled by Doughty by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate Debbie Derr, MHCC president, has selected Richard Doughty as new vice president of administrative services, beginning July 21. Two public forums were held for Doughty on May 21, during which Derr said she received positive feedback on him. She said that comment forms collected revealed that forum attendees were “impressed with his background and approach to challenges, his openness and willingness to share — he was genuine.” Derr said filling this position would add “Consistency, reliability, quality” at Mt. Hood. “Why I say that is for so long, people have been wearing so many hats.” The VP position has not been filled with a full-time position since 2011. She said she selected Doughty because he is “someone in who has real expertise in the areas of finance, information technology, facilities, and (to) just solidify what we’re going to be able to do to move forward. “He brings to us, as well as the business piece, (an) administrative piece… an understanding of the importance of communication, transparency, engaging people in process,” she said. At the forum, Doughty was questioned on his lack of bond experience. (Mt. Hood has set a goal of winning a public vote, in May 2016, on a general obligation bond to pay for major campus improvements.) But Derr does not see this as an obstacle. “The reality is that we will be working with a team of people” on the bond, she said. “His role in that will be to be able to bring us an infrastucture, a foundation or what we’re going to need to do to be able to build the cases to go out into the community” and win support, she said. Derr noted that both she and Al Sigala, director of MHCC Foundation, have bond experience. “I’m not as concerned about that (Doughty’s bond history) because of the depth and breadth of the other experience he will bring to us. “I’m feeling very, very positive about the people that are around the President’s Council table,” she said. Bill Becker, financial adviser to the president who has pinchhit in Doughty’s position since January, will remain at MHCC through July before stepping down.
2013 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
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