April 2006 - San Diego Community College District

we
San Diego Community College District
City College
Mesa College
Miramar College
Continuing
Education
with excellence
April 2006
To Serve and Protect
Governor Schwarzenegger
visits City College.
Coverage begins on page 2.
Many of the brave souls who fight fires,
respond to medical emergencies and rescue
swimmers get their training through Miramar
College’s public safety degree and certificate
programs.
The Regional Public Safety Training
Institute at Camp Nimitz houses all or portions
of four public safety instructional programs
that have had an incalculable positive effect on
protecting the people of San Diego County for
many years.
These programs include fire protection
technology, emergency medical technician
(EMT) and lifeguard training. They share
the Nimitz facility with the law enforcement
academy, which has graduated 7,454 peace
officers since its inception 37 years ago.
(The February issue of WE – With Excellence
showcased the law enforcement branch of the
regional institute.)
Nimitz is located on land that once was part
of the U.S.
Naval Training
Center in Point
Loma.
Hundreds
of professional
firefighters,
emergency
medical
personnel
and lifeguards
serving
throughout
San Diego County have trained at the institute.
Fire protection technology began in 1968, while
EMT training started in 1990 and lifeguard
training commenced in 1996.
The programs train professionals for several
cities in the region, as well as the San Diego Fire
Department, the Hartland Fire District and the
California Department of Forestry.
“Most San Diegans know that San Diego
Community College District (SDCCD)
graduates help to fuel the economy, but many
don’t realize that they also serve and protect the
people and property of the entire San Diego
region,” SDCCD Board President Marty Block
stated.
District Chancellor Constance Carroll says
that in changing times we rely on these trained
professionals more than ever before. “In this era
of catastrophic natural disasters and homeland
security challenges, we are proud to play a
continued on page 4
We—With Excellence | april 2006 Chancellor’s
Message
The Politics of Personal Commitment
Constance M. Carroll, Ph.D.
Chancellor,
San Diego Community
College District
Governor’s
Equalization Funding Since 1979, the effort to equalize
community college funding rates
per full-time student was largely
unsuccessful. The governor has
taken a personal interest and has
directed the ongoing funding:
For the 57 Underfunded
Community College Districts
Budget Act 2004 - $80 million
Budget Act 2005 - $30 million
Budget Act 2006 - $130 million
(proposed)
Total: $240 million
Impact on San Diego
Community College District
2004 - $2.3 million
2005 - $929,440
2006 - $3.8 million (proposed)
Total: $7.1 million
A former Speaker of the House,
Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neil, Jr., once told
the story of his father’s ill-fated run for
the Cambridge City Council. As the
story goes, his father attributed his loss
to the fact that while he had run an
effective campaign overall, he had taken
his own neighborhood for granted.
“Let me tell you something I learned
years ago,” he told his son. “All politics
is local.” Speaker O’Neil lived by and
ran his own campaigns by this same
adage, which accounted for his decades
of success as an elected statesman.
Recently, the governor of California, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, visited San Diego City
College, for a press conference and a tour of
one of the college’s instructional programs.
During the course of the visit, the governor
spoke very candidly about his own experiences
and the benefits he received from attending
a community college. It was clear that much
of his support for the California community
colleges in general, including the special needs
of the 57 underfunded community college
districts, stemmed from this personal history.
It occurred to me then that another way of
expressing such a political commitment might
be to say “All politics is personal.”
“Most people don’t know,” he said, “but I’m
actually a product of a (community) college.”
His devotion to this type of educational
institution “is because it had a tremendous
effect on me.” In addition to increasing the
overall budget for the California Community
Colleges, the governor has proposed the third
year of funding needed to equalize funding for
low-revenue districts to bring them as close as
possible to the 90th percentile of the average
per-student funding for community colleges.
The pursuit of equalization funding has been
an ongoing effort that began in the early 1980’s
san diego community college district
but has only made significant progress in the
last two years when the governor set his special
funding plan in motion.
“This community college here (City College
and the San Diego Community College
District) will gain $3.7 million from this
(equalization) program. And rest assured
that my administration will continue to do
everything that we can to make sure that we
provide the kind of funds that are necessary for
City College and community colleges. And
it’s not just because I’m partial to (community)
colleges because I went to one but I think
it’s the right thing to do . . . . So we want to
work with you and I will continue promoting
vocational education, career education, and
education in general.”
Leaders face both opportunities and
challenges. Whether they are community
college presidents or board members or
chancellors or academic senate presidents or
classified staff leaders or student government
presidents or governors of a state, leaders have
special responsibilities because of their impact
on others. Some of their decisions may be
well received while other decisions may not.
However, there should be some core in their
decision-making that is uniquely personal,
and when this happens, it usually has the most
beneficial impact of all.
Front
SPOTLIGHT
&
Center
Governor Makes Historical Visit
Below: City College
Machine Technology
Professor Jack Bollinger
gives Governor
Schwarzenegger a
tour of the machine
technology lab and
classroom. City College
President Terrence
Burgess (in back) and
Chancellor Carroll
accompanied the
governor on the tour.
Right: City College
engineering student
Gaby Baylon
was the student
selected to speak
along with the
governor and
chancellor.
Above Right: State
Deputy Secretary
of Education Scott
Himelstein addresses
a large contingent of
San Diego news media
along with Governor
Schwarzenegger and
Chancellor Carroll.
During Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
historic February 23 visit to San Diego City
College, he received many thanks from some
50 community college leaders whose campuses
stand to benefit from his continuing financial
support of community colleges.
“My budget will pump $130 million of
equalization funds into the community college
system to even out the amount of spending
for each student and wipe out inequities
between rich and poor districts,” Governor
Schwarzenegger announced.
His proclamation received the
loudest ovation of several during
the late morning press conference,
which drew a large contingent of
local broadcast and print news
media, as well as community college
trustees, chancellors, presidents,
faculty and staff leaders and other
top administrators from all five
districts within the county, including
Grossmont-Cuyamaca, Southwestern,
Palomar and
MiraCosta.
The governor’s
whirlwind visit
provided the higher
education leaders,
students and faculty
with the opportunity
to meet and talk with
the governor.
For most, contact
was brief. For
engineering student
Gaby Baylon and City Professor Jack Bollinger
and Pat Dorris, it was much more. With news
media in tow, Bollinger guided Governor
Schwarzenegger through a machine technology
lab class for close to a half-hour.
“He was personable and asked us a lot
of questions,”
the instructor
reported. “The
governor was
genuinely
interested in
what we were
doing.”
Bollinger
also noted that
the governor’s
visit showed
machine technology students “the importance
of what they’re doing.”
Ms. Baylon was selected to speak at the
press conference, held shortly after the tour.
She related her community college experience
to the governor, who attended Santa Monica
Community College. “A lot of students benefit
from community colleges,” Baylon stated. “My
experience has been great, and I have learned a
lot to prepare for transfer to UCSD.”
The 4.0 GPA student pointed out that
“City College has provided me with so many
leadership opportunities.”
Governor Schwarzenegger is believed to be
the first California governor to visit a college
within the San Diego Community College
District. He is also the first governor to address
the equalization problem forthright.
For the third consecutive year, the
governor’s budget provides equalization
funding. This year, he is requesting that the
California Legislature approve $130 million
in equalization monies for the underfunded
community college districts.
For almost 30 years, the 72 California
community college districts have been funded
at vastly different rates. The San Diego and
Foothill-DeAnza community college districts
have been leading the effort to change the
funding inequity.
We—With Excellence | april 2006 Front
SPOTLIGHT
&
Center
Public Safety Training
continued from page 1
“ . . . these
programs have had a huge success on the region as a whole.”
-Professor Larry Cook, Fire Protection Technology
major role in preparing the people who
work to keep our community safe.”
George Beitey, the new Miramar
College dean of public safety, noted
that the training received through
these programs sets the foundation for
providing qualified safety professionals
to the people of San Diego County.
“The courses are varied and deep,
everything from wildland fire training
to expanded homeland security training.
In times like these, that kind of crossdiscipline training is crucial.”
Enrollment numbers illustrate the increasing
popularity of the programs. During the
2002-03 year, there were nearly 450 students
enrolled in the three programs combined, and
that number increased to almost 500 students
during 2004-05. Another growth burst is
expected when final enrollment numbers are
counted for the 2005-06 year.
“Enrollment should continue to grow
as the population increases and we expand
the programs,” said Professor Larry Cook,
department chair for fire protection technology.
“Certainly these programs have had a huge
success on the region as a whole.” And that
success has resulted in the integration of all the
public safety programs, Cook explained. “They
all work together. All of the new lifeguards
in the county are trained by us, and every
firefighter must be EMT certified.”
Miramar College President Patricia Hsieh
said that the fire technology department is
starting paramedic training, and firefighting
programs that follow state guidelines, which
is expected to open the door to training
firefighters serving throughout the state.
In the lifeguard program, students can earn
an associate degree or certificate as an open
water lifeguard professional, believed to be the
only program of its kind in the world. The open
san diego community college district
water lifeguard professional certificate program
is a three-unit, intensive 80-hour program, while
the degree program is more in depth.
Mary Kjartanson, EMT program
coordinator, says the number of EMT training
sessions increases every year. “Our programs
continue to evolve,” Kjartanson said.
For the past six years, training Marines for
emergency medical situations has been on the
rise, and that “training has accelerated with the
situation in Iraq.”
Constantly updating instruction is critical
to the success of the EMT program. “We do
extensive research and keep on top of the trends
in the health care industry,” Kjartanson said.
“For example, the American Heart Association
is changing its CPR methodology. That’s a
significant change.”
The future for EMT calls for more
continuing education and more advanced
courses in many areas, including pediatric
EMT, advanced life-support training and
implementation of new technology.
“Our safety programs have absolutely
had a huge effect on the region,” Kjartanson
continued. “We have the most classes and
the most students, and offer the most
comprehensive training. We’re going to
continue expansion and continue to update and
fine-tune our training.”
News
from
City
College
“World-Class” Harry West Gym
Energizes Athletics, P.E. Programs
Terrence J. Burgess
President
San Diego City College
Barely six months old, the new Harry West
Gymnasium is already a success and is expected
to expand City College’s athletics and physical
education programs.
The long-awaited facility opened in
October, and now hosts intercollegiate and
professional sports, along with physical
education classes, as well as students and
faculty simply seeking fun and exercise.
The Harry West Gym houses three
regulation basketball courts, six badminton
courts and three volleyball courts, and a greatly
expanded locker room for students. The venue
seats as many as 2,000 spectators.
The San Diego Siege of the National
Women’s Basketball League plays home games
at the gym, as does the City College men’s
basketball team.
The gym will soon be in even more demand.
Plans are to revive the City women’s
basketball team and establish men’s
badminton and volleyball teams.
Women’s volleyball and badminton
teams already exist at City.
“It is extremely gratifying to finally complete
this magnificent facility, which has been in
planning for over a decade,” said City College
President Terrence Burgess. “Since our old
gymnasium does not meet intercollegiate
athletics competition requirements, we have
been forced to play home games in off-campus
venues for the past 40 years. Now, we have a
facility that is world-class.”
The arrival of the gym is also good news
for the community. “Although our primary
interest is in instruction and student athletic
competition, we plan to make the Harry West
Gymnasium available to community groups as
time slots are available,” Burgess said.
A dedication ceremony and tribute to the
late Athletics Director Harry West, took place
March 2. Conceived by West in 1988, the
ambitious building project endured numerous
delays and budget cuts. But
the persistence of three college
presidents, three chancellors and
other SDCCD leaders kept the
project alive.
Health and Athletics Dean
Marianne Tortorici said the
new sports complex will go
a long way in “helping our
students build self-confidence,
self-esteem, sportsmanship and
communication skills.”
City College Athletics
Director Cassie Macias said,
“One of the primary objectives
of the Health, Exercise Science
and Athletic departments is to provide students,
faculty, staff and the community-at-large
exercise and sports options to enhance their
quality of life and provide an understanding of
the relationship between exercise and wellness.”
We—With Excellence | april 2006 News
from
Mesa
College
NFL Quarterback Takes the Helm
Rita M. Cepeda, Ed.D.
President
San Diego Mesa College
Smoke-Free?
Fed up with inhaling
secondhand smoke on
campus, freshman Kendra
Jackson, an asthmatic, began
campaigning this semester to
make Mesa College a smokefree campus. Since announcing
her intentions at a recent San
Diego Community College
District Board of Trustees
meeting, the smoke-free
crusade has caught fire.
Students, faculty, staff and
administrators have joined
with Jackson’s Smoking
Investigation Committee
(SIC). Avid supporters of the
smoke-free campaign include
Mesa College President Rita
Cepeda, Interim Dean of
Student Affairs Damon Bell
and Health Services Director
Suzanne Khambata.
SIC launched its campaign
on Valentine’s Day with a
well-attended three-hour
event held outside the
campus Learning Resource
Center, complete with
free pizza, speakers and
plenty of smoking cessation
information. Jackson is the
daughter of San Diego Board
of Education member Shelia
Jackson, who also actively
supports the cause.
Former National Football League
Bills and Indianapolis Colts.
quarterback Matt Kofler has Golden West
His coaching career spans 18 years at the
College on his mind.
college, university and high school levels. In
That’s because Kofler will make his game1998, he joined the Mesa physical education
faculty full-time and the football program as
day debut on Sept. 2 as the new Mesa College
Olympians head football coach against the
the Olympians’ offensive coordinator and chief
Orange County team, the first contest of the
of recruitment.
Kofler took the head
2006 football season.
Great expectations
coaching reins after
are always placed on
Head Coach Martin
the shoulders of new
Moss, a former Detroit
head coaches, and if
Lions defensive lineman,
Kofler’s playing and
retired at the end of the
coaching days are any
2005 season. Moss,
reflection on his ability
who served at the helm
to coach Mesa, then
for nine years, moved on
fans can gear up for
to Miramar College as a
quality football.
full-time counselor.
Mesa Athletics
Kofler said that
Director Dave Evans
he wants to cultivate
said he feels that Coach
respect for the game of
Kofler “can lead our
football itself among
football program to
student athletes.
the excellence we’ve
“Players owe the game.
been accustomed to in
The game does not
owe them a thing.
the past.” Dean Evans
also noted that Kofler
They compete for the
is a skilled, established
privilege of playing the
recruiter with close ties Former NFL quarterback Matt Kofler coaches
game itself, and playing
his new team, the Mesa College Olympians
to area high schools.
for this team.”
Kofler said his recruitment efforts are
As a student-athlete in 1979, Kofler led
the Mesa Olympians to the South Coast
bolstered by the stories he shares about
Conference championship. That same year,
Olympian players who secured scholarships to
he was named California Community College
complete their undergraduate educations at
Offensive Player of the Year and selected as an
four-year universities and, in some cases, went
All-American. His teammates dubbed their
on to professional football.
captain most valuable player.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from
From Mesa, he went on to play for San
San Diego State and a graduate degree from the
Diego State University where he still may hold
University of Oregon.
up to nine Aztec passing records.
Kofler intends to be 1-0 when Mesa returns
For the NFL, he quarterbacked for two
to campus for its first home game on Sept. 9.
The opponent: the Dons of Santa Ana College.
teams between 1982 and 1987 – the Buffalo
san diego community college district
News
from
Miramar
College
Fledgling Science, Tech Complex
Already at Capacity
Since opening its high tech
laboratory doors just one year ago,
Patricia Hsieh, Ed.D.
the 40,000-square foot science
President
and technology facility at Miramar
San Diego Miramar College
College has already reached capacity.
With an increase from two to eight
labs, a course offering growth of 110
percent in biology and 145 percent
in chemistry, and the addition of four
new faculty -- with three more slated
to be hired this fall -- the science
Rex Vargas, Miramar alumnus
program at Miramar is definitely
on the move.
Linh Quach, Miramar graduate
For the first time in the
history of the college, this spring
equipment with the biotechnology program.
Miramar offered all courses needed
The Southern California Biotechnology Center
for the chemistry major, according to
being based at Miramar also contributes to
Business, Math and Science Dean Mary
program growth.
Benard. “Our students no longer have
Meanwhile, a second expansion of the
to leave us to complete their major
Proposition “S”-funded science and technology
requirements elsewhere.”
building is already being planned.
And the science program growth
Miramar Science Program will continue. With the expansion
Reaches Far and Wide
of course offerings and faculty, there
Miramar Chemistry Professor Daphne
is great potential for chemistry and
Figueroa
keeps tabs on her former students,
biology program interface and sharing of
even those across the globe. But there’s another
kind of chemistry going on here …. four
Biotechnology Grants
former students are now two married couples,
Miramar College’s Southern California Biotechnology Center (SCBC) was
and all of them use their Miramar science
recently awarded $147,875 from the AMGEN Foundation. Over the next three
education in their respective careers. Dr.
years, this grant will help enhance science literacy in San Diego County high
Rex Vargas, the college’s 2004 Distinguished
schools by providing curriculum, equipment and supplies to teachers that use
Alumnus, is a Long’s Drugs pharmacist in Mira
the AMGEN Bruce Wallace Laboratory Curriculum.The curriculum is designed to
Mesa and a Carmel Mountain resident. Wife
help students learn how to use the tools of modern biology.
Michelle works in the local biotech industry.
And to teach area high school teachers more about biotechnology, the San
Currently, graduates Linh Quach and wife
Diego Workforce Partnership obtained a $2.5 million federal grant.This summer,
Cheri Smiley are both in the U.S. Navy. Cheri
teacher training will take place at the Miramar College-based Life Sciences
is now a dentist, stationed on an aircraft carrier,
Summer Institute.The high school teachers will be taught by biotech industry
while husband Linh is the only American
professionals and Miramar faculty. Also, the SCBC will partner with the Salk
military pharmacist in Kuwait. “Never in my
Institute’s educational outreach department.
wildest dreams did I see myself here,” he said.
We—With Excellence | april 2006 News
from
Continuing
Education
Polio & War Don’t Derail Degree Quest
Rudolph Kastelic
Interim President
San Diego Continuing Education
Injured Surgeon
Gives Back
Dr. Steven Guber recently
donated $5,000 to the
SDCCD DSPS (Disability
Support Programs and
Services) Trust Fund
Account. Dr. Guber is a
former student in the
Acquired Brain Injury
(ABI) Program offered
through North City
Continuing Education,
which meets on the Mesa
College campus.
Dr. Guber suffered a
traumatic brain injury
after falling off a
mountain bike and hitting
his head on a rock. Prior
to the injury he was a
vascular surgeon.
His donation will be
used for scholarships for
Continuing Education
ABI Program students
who matriculate to Mesa
College.
Even if polio long ago
slowed the walk of Mowlid
Mohamed, the spirit of the
19-year-old Kenyan has rarely
wavered.
Mohamed is working on his
GED studies at the District’s
Mid-City Campus. From
there, he hopes to move on
to college classes and earn his
degree, possibly in biology.
This journey is part of an
eventful lifelong trek for the
ever-smiling student, who
contracted polio as a child, and Student Mowlid Mohamed (left) and Rick Kneeshaw
moved to Somalia from Kenya
noticed that the metal crutches he was using
several years ago.
barely worked. “When I saw these crutches I
“In the country where I come from, there
did a double-take,” DeCarli said. “I couldn’t
was war, and this made it impossible to stay,”
believe he was actually getting around with
Mohamed said of his home country Somalia.
these things. The metal was dented and rickety,
“I then spent six years in Kenya, but there is
and audible from down the hall. The forearm
no life for me there, either. It is very difficult to
pieces were scuffed and worn, the holes for the
study and work.”
locking system were so damaged that the pins
Through perseverance and intelligence,
threatened to pop out at any second.”
Mohamed managed to get through 10th grade
DeCarli did some research and located Rick
while attending school in Somalia and Kenya.
Kneeshaw, a San Diego activist in the disabled
He moved to San Diego about five months
community, who also contracted polio as a
ago to join his mother, who was already living
child. Kneeshaw bought Mohamed a new pair
here, and immediately sought to continue his
of crutches and gave him a computer system so
education. In December, Mohamed visited
he could keep up with his studies. Mohamed
Mid-City Campus, where DSPS Counselor
has since qualified for Medi-Cal and Social
Jamila DeCarli befriended him.
Security benefits. Meanwhile, Mohamed is job
“Within minutes of our visit, Mowlid really
hunting. He would like to assist ESL students
impressed me,” DeCarli said. “He held his
at Mid-City.
head high, spoke with great articulation and
“I am working on my science and math,
confidence, and revealed the brightest smile I’d
with plans to go to college,” he said. “I am
seen in my office in a long time. He asked me
interested in becoming a lab technician, and
lots of questions about the college system and
studying science. When I first arrived, my
the different degrees available, and the process
English wasn’t very good, but people have
he would need to go through to get there. I
helped me learn the language. I enjoy teaching
could tell that given the right support and
and tutoring, and now I would like to help
tools, he would become quite accomplished.”
others learn.”
While getting to know Mohamed, DeCarli
san diego community college district
kudos
Accomplishments
TV Program, State Panel
Features Chancellor
Chancellor Constance Carroll was
featured in February on a primetime
C-SPAN2 television program, “Students
& Leaders.” Dr. Carroll was among
“national leaders, who visited six San
Diego area high schools for hour-long
discussions with students,” C-SPAN
programming stated. She visited with
students at Oceanside High School.
Also in February, Chancellor Carroll
moderated a panel discussion
featuring University of California
President Robert Dynes, California
State University Chancellor Charles
B. Reed and California Community
College Chancellor Mark Drummond.
&
Achievements
Their topic: “Access, Quality, and
Accountability: Lessons Learned from
the California Master Plan.”
Tsunami Relief Volunteer
City College Physician Debra Carroll
recently spent a month providing
medical assistance to tsunami victims
in Aceh, Indonesia. Working with the
International Medical Corps, a nonprofit humanitarian organization,
Dr. Carroll used her training in
epidemiology, disease causation and
containment to help victims and provide
training to health care personnel.
After the tsunami, there were shortages
of local medical personnel to provide
basic primary care, forcing Dr. Carroll’s
group to set up operations from scratch.
Tom Hawthorne Honored
Long-time San Diego businessman and civic leader Tom Hawthorne (front row, center
with his wife, Dorothy) has contributed an estimated $1.27 million in cash, heavy
equipment and in-kind support over the past 15 years to the Miramar College diesel
technology program. In February, the SDCCD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to
rename the college’s diesel technology
building the “Tom Hawthorne Diesel
Technology Center.” Hawthorne is
founder and chairman of the board for
Hawthorne Machinery Company, which
employs about 800 and is headquartered
in Rancho Bernardo. Building renaming
ceremonies were scheduled to take place
March 29. At a recent SDCCD Board of
Trustees meeting, an artist’s rendition of
the renamed building was presented to the
Hawthornes. From left (in back) are Trustee
Bill Schwandt (seated), Board President
Marty Block and Trustees Maria Nieto
Senour, Rich Grosch and Peter Zschiesche,
and Student Trustee Francisco Fabian.With
the Hawthornes (front row) are Miramar
College Patricia Hsieh (left) and Chancellor
Constance Carroll.
To compound matters, Dr. Carroll
worked in a city where rebel violence
and political turmoil were commonplace,
creating access problems for medical
volunteers.
“It was exotic, demanding, interesting,
exciting, terrifying - all the things
one might hope for from a working
adventure in a far flung locale,” Dr.
Carroll stated. “I left with a renewed
appreciation for the relative ease and
comfort of my life here, and a profound
respect for my new friends and
colleagues still working tirelessly to help
the people of Aceh.”
Miramar Awarded Disability
Assistance Grant
Miramar College was recently awarded
a “Breaking Down Barriers to Assistive
Technology” grant from Premier
Assistive Technology, Inc. The oneyear grant, valued at $44,000, includes
an Unlimited Site License to a suite of
assistive technology software.
We—With Excellence | APRIL 2006 kudos
Accomplishments
&
Achievements
Dean Joyner Retires After 50 Years of Military Service
City Selected for National TV
City College Dean James Adron Joyner,
a retired Navy Chief Warrant Officer
who has managed the college’s aviation
contract at Naval Air Technical Training
Center in Pensacola, Florida for the past
eight years, has retired.
Since his retirement from the U.S. Navy
in 1978, after serving 23 years of active
duty, he has been employed with various
colleges supporting government training
contracts. In his most recent position,
he managed as many as 150 San Diego
City College instructors who teach in a
variety of technical aviation courses.
For his efforts and service to the
nation for over 50 years, he has been
nominated to receive personal letters
of appreciation from President Bush,
San Diego City College has been selected
as one of the few colleges nationally that
will be featured in a Public Broadcasting
System television documentary and
produced by the Merrow Company’s
Learning Matters, Inc. President
Terry Burgess said, “The program will
be designed to tell the story of our
community colleges, the important role
they play educationally and socially,
and the terrific job we do in serving
our communities on very, very limited
resources.”
Florida Governor Bush, senators from
Tennessee and Florida, as well as Navy
leadership ranging from the Chief of
Naval Operations to the Commanding
Officer of NATTC Pensacola, Florida.
Paul Chason, a City College associate
dean that worked with Joyner, stated,
“With extreme pride, we applaud Dean
Joyner for over 50 years of dedicated
service to our country and especially
for training thousands of sailors and
Marines, many who are now some of our
nation’s leaders.”
VP Armstrong Garners State Honors Mesa College Vice President for Instruction
Elizabeth Armstrong has been recognized for
administrative excellence by the Association
of California Community College Administrators.The statewide organization
said that Armstrong was fostering a special commitment to teaching and the
success of students. Armstrong joined Mesa as vice president for instruction in
2002 after three years in the same post at Cañada College, where she had also
served as the dean of science, technology and learning resources. Earlier, she
taught chemistry at Skyline College. In 2003, Cañada College named its math,
engineering and science facility after Armstrong in recognition of her efforts on
behalf of students seeking degrees in those fields.
10 san diego community college district
Motorcycle Donation
The Miramar College Advanced
Transportation Technology (ATT)
program recently received a donation
from Sacramento City College to assist
with the development of a motorcycle
technology instructional component
at Miramar. The donation consists of
two motorcycles, two offroad vehicles,
two motorcycle lifts and eight engines.
According to Greg Newhouse, ATT
Director, an advisory board is now being
formed.
Auto Tech Professor
Masterful
Miramar College Automotive Professor
Joseph Young earned a semi-finalist
distinction at a national Volvo Master
Technician competition. Top scoring
competitors were scheduled to compete
in the finals at the Volvo North America
Rockleigh, New Jersey campus, March
27 - 30. Given the complexity of the
testing, this achievement distinguishes
Young as a top performer among all
Volvo Certified technicians nationwide.
kudos
Accomplishments
Antiquing Pays Off - Big Time
A Mesa College professor’s purchase
of a $3 picture frame has triggered a tale
of international intrigue, a journey into
the world of art thievery and a story with
many twists. In fact, Adjunct Professor
Diane Carlson, who teaches a fashion
program course in visual merchandising,
has already written a treatment for the
movie. Only trouble is, she does not
know how it ends.
The story starts in 1967, when
Carlson walked into an antique shop
in her native Minnesota and found the
precise hardwood frame she had in mind
to mount a drawing of a Viking ship.
When she brought it home and
dusted off the grime, she discovered a
chalk drawing of two medieval warriors
on skis. Carlson thought about throwing
it out, but something about the image
“was compelling.”
As it turns out, Carlson had happened
&
Achievements
upon an 1849
treasure of
Norwegian
art by painter
Knud Larsen
Bergslien. Carlson
dubbed it,
“The Flight
of the Infant
King,”
referring to
King Haakon
IV, who ruled
Norway from
1217-63.
About 11
years ago,
Olympic Games officials asked to
borrow “Flight” for a traveling exhibit
commemorating 100 years of Olympics
history at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
The work disappeared. She sued in
2000, and after a three-day trial, a jury
awarded her $300,000 in damages.
Carlson bought a condo in Rancho
Bernardo with the money, but she has
never given up the search for the stillmissing work of art.
“I just hang on and keep hoping,”
said Carlson, who thinks the piece could
fetch $2 million. “Somebody has seen it.
Somebody knows. Somebody will come
forward one of these days.” Alumnus Mayor Sanders is Graduation Speaker
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders
is scheduled to be the 2006
commencement speaker at his alma
mater, Miramar College, on June 1.
Sanders spent 13 years at Miramar’s
Regional Public Safety Training
Institute, first as a student and then as
an instructor and top administrator.
Commencement ceremonies will take
place on campus at Hourglass Field. City Schools Trumpets KSDS-Jazz 88
KSDS Station Manager Mark A. DeBoskey (center) receives recognition for in-kind
contributions to San Diego City Schools at a recent San Diego Board of Education
meeting commemorating Arts Month.The presentation was made by school board
member Luis Acle (left) and Karen Evans, director of Visual & Performing Arts for
City Schools.The San Diego City College-based radio station conducts an Instrument
Donation Program (nearly 100 instruments collected in two years) and has donated the
Jazz for Young People Curriculum that is now in 25 city schools. Meanwhile, the Visual
and Performing Arts Department of San Diego County Schools system has asked that
KSDS explore placing the curriculum countywide.
We—With Excellence | april 2006 11
Alumni
CONNECTIONS
Updates
&
Achievements
Holy Moly, Harry, You Scored Again!
Left: The late Harry West as
a University of California,
Berkeley running back, circa 1951. Right: Halfback West (right) at
City College with teammate
Jesse Thompson (1949). Below Right: Athletic Director
West, shortly after his 1991
retirement.
San Diego Community
College District
3375 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, CA 92108-3883
619-388-6500
www.sdccd.edu
Published by the San Diego
Community College District,
Office of Public Information
& Government Relations.
Board of Trustees: Marty Block, J.D.
Rich Grosch
Bill Schwandt
Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D.
Peter Zschiesche
Constance M. Carroll, Ph.D.,
Chancellor
Editor: John Nunes
Publication Coordinator: Mary Lee
Contributors: Carol Beilstein,
Heidi Bunkowske, Bruce Kauffman,
Lynne Mayfield, Sandi Trevisan
Graphic Production: Anne Wolf
The San Diego Community College District
is governed by its Board of Trustees. No
oral or written representation is binding on
the San Diego Community College District
without the express written approval of
the Board of Trustees.
Dreams do
come true. Sadly,
Harry West did
not live to see his
become reality. The former City College hall of
fame athletic director/beloved coach/star athlete
died in 2000, almost 12 years after he began
campaigning to replace the college’s aging gym
that didn’t even house a regulation-size basketball
court.
For more than 30 years, Harry toiled tirelessly
on behalf of City College -- first as its star
halfback, and then as an educator, coach and
administrator. Getting a new gym built was to be
his last hurrah before retirement.
In tribute to the man and his many
contributions, the new athletic facility was named
the Harry West Gymnasium, a rare honor within
the California Community College system.
On March 2, about 225 persons paid homage
to the man at a ceremony to dedicate the fivemonth-old gym. Not surprisingly, everyone
interviewed used similar words to describe Harry:
“Absolutely the greatest friend, easy-going, full
of energy, optimistic, a mentor, organized, great
communicator, a strong recruiter, all heart.”
“What a great guy. That’s the first thing that
comes out when you ask people about Harry,”
said retired City Baseball Coach Bernie Flaherty,
who helped organize the dedication. “Everybody
liked Harry.” San Diego Superior Court Judge
Terry Scott, who played football in 1961 for West
at City, spoke at the building dedication. “Harry
showed us the way on the field, quietly and
patiently. I don’t recall that he ever raised his voice
and he always had a word of encouragement. If I
ever thanked Harry, I didn’t thank him enough.”
Retired head football coach John Kovac hired
Harry as an assistant coach in 1961. Three years
later, Harry became Mesa College head coach.
“Harry beat us the first three years.”
While coaching, West developed future NFL
pros including Jeff Staggs, Bill Gay, David Lewis,
Wally Henry and Saladin Martin. In his youth,
Harry West was quite the football player as a star
running back for San Diego High School, City
College and UC Berkeley, where he helped take
the team to the 1951 Rose Bowl.
KNSD-TV reporter and 1971 City alumnus
Whitney Southwick said, “Harry was more into
the student scholar aspect. He understood the
value of education.”
Harry also made his mark advocating for
women in sports. Retired City Tennis Coach
Bob Bacon said that Harry was the first college
athletic director in the state to allow a female
on the varsity tennis team. We won two state
championships with Robin Harris.”
Harry was also instrumental in bringing the
NCAA’s National Youth Sports Program to City
College. The program provides more than 300
disadvantaged youngsters with athletic programs
and a glimpse of college.
When City Baseball Coach Jake Molina was a
high school athlete, Harry recruited him to play
football and later as a coach. “Harry would do
anything for you…It’s sad Harry can’t see this
gym.”
Leo West, Harry’s widow, said he was “a loving
man who saw the best in everyone. Everyone
who had the good fortune to know him loved and
respected Harry.”