Reflecting on 2004

It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by, with everyone at Cuesta getting older and perhaps a little wiser since the previous holiday season. Here are 12 highlights to reflect on for 2004, as Cuesta looks forward to the coming New Year.

1. New Vice Presidents

Dan Chacón

Dan Chacón has been named the Cuesta College Vice President of Student Support, He replaces Gil Stork, who retired this year after a nearly 40-year career at Cuesta.  

“Dan Chacón brings an enormous depth and breadth of experience to Cuesta College, with a career that spans five states and several community colleges,” said  Superintendent/President Marie E. Rosenwasser. “His talents will drive our Student Support Services to an even higher level of assistance for student success. Chacón’s involvement with the National Hispanic Council of Community Colleges, as a Fellow in its leadership program, reinforces his personal commitment to diversity.” Chacón is bilingual and the first in his family to attend and graduate from college.

According to Chacón, an excellent college values the people who work there, understands the community in which it operates and embraces its students as valuable members of that community. “In addition, as a student development professional, I believe that students are the most important people in our business. They are the people who use our services, pay our salaries and go to the polls and vote. They are not an interruption in our work – they are the purpose of it.”

Chacón has served most recently as the Dean of Student Development and Educational Services at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas. This came after his service as the Dean of Student Development at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona; the Vice President of Student Services at Spokane Community College in Spokane, Washington; and the Dean of Student Services at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico.

Chacón earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial education from Arizona State College in 1965, and his master’s degree in vocational administration from Northern Arizona University in 1969. His doctorate in higher education administration/leadership is in progress from Washington State University.

Chacón’s selection followed a nation-wide recruitment effort, which started in June. He will assume responsibility of his new position on January 1, but will be on campus after December 20.

Harry Schade

Passionate, visionary, collaborative and respected – a few of many words which describe the new but not unfamiliar individual who has taken the helm of Cuesta College’s instructional programs. Harry Schade has been named the Cuesta College Vice President of Student Learning. He replaces Susan Dressler, who is retiring at the end of this year.   

Schade has served as Cuesta’s Dean of Instruction, Humanities since 2001. “Harry has been an outstanding dean and faculty member. He has incredible strengths in developing collaborative relationships, working with faculty to develop new degrees and has proven instrumental in reaching out to more English as a Second Language (ESL) students,” said Superintendent/President Marie E. Rosenwasser. “He has taken ESL to new levels in terms of accessibility and program development. Harry is well-respected at Cuesta, and I’m delighted he has accepted this challenging position.”

Schade’s commitment to students is influenced by his personal experience and struggles as a first-generation college student. “It’s not enough to have students come to your classroom – there has to be a level of support, and a chance for that student to connect to the faculty, staff and institution,” said Schade. “I have and will continue to be a strong advocate for Student Learning Outcomes, which among other things has driven the creation of new Associate Degrees at Cuesta. An opportunity to earn a degree 

encourages students to identify with a discipline and receive recognition – not drop out of school. My commitments to improving student retention and promoting diversity will continue in the new position.”

Prior to serving as dean, Schade was a full time Sociology Instructor at Cuesta between 1996 and 2001, serving as the Social Science Division Chair between 1999 and 2001. In addition, Schade previously taught sociology at Allan Hancock College, was an adjunct instructor at Wayne State University in Detroit and was the Director of Admissions at the Detroit Institute of Technology. Private industry experience includes being the President/Owner of Cat’s Eye Corporation, a small publishing firm, a manager of Tower Bus Inc., and the owner/operator of Schade Farms, all located in the area of
Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

Schade earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from the Detroit Institute of Technology in 1971. His doctorate in sociology is in progress from Wayne State University. 

Schade’s selection followed a nation-wide recruitment effort, which started in June. He will start his new position on January 1.

2. Latina Conference

For the first time since its inception, the Latina Leadership Network’s (LLN) statewide conference came to the Central Coast. Cuesta College hosted the 17th annual conference, entitled “Nurturing Our Latina Spirit,” on March 13.

San Luis Obispo County Superior Judge Teresa Estrada-Mullaney was one of three keynote speakers for the event. She was San Luis Obispo County’s first female prosecutor, and was elected in 1996 as the county’s first female judge. Estrada-Mullaney is the only individual of Latino heritage to serve as a judge in San Luis Obispo County in the 20th Century. Other keynote speakers included Darlene Pacheco, who served as Vice President for Instruction and as Interim President at Moorpark College, and Maria Elena Ramirez, a counselor at Ohlone College. 

A variety of workshops were featured at the conference, including “Exercising Your Leadership Options”; “Retention and Success of Latino/a Students”; and “Multiple Solutions to the At-Risk Puzzle.”

3. SLO Campus Library Expansion

Construction crews are busily uprooting the landscape and tilling the earth behind the library building in order to lay the foundation of the SLO Campus’ Library Expansion and Reconstruction project. 

This $13.5 million, 49,617 square foot addition to the college’s main library on the San Luis Obispo Campus reconstructs the existing Library/Administration Building, addressing a critical shortage of space for the library and Student Services. It provides space for a Curriculum Innovation Center and the District’s Main Data Processing Center, along with office space for the Health Center, Instructional Services, Employee Learning and Innovation Center, Computer Services and General Services.

The complex project involves three separate stages: (1) redirection of voice and data transmission from the campus’ main distribution frame in the library, (2) construction of the expansion and (3) relocations – moving Student Services into the new offices of the library expansion while their original offices are being remodeled, then moving them back when the remodeling is done. The other departments mentioned above will then occupy the new offices.

The construction timeline is expected to be approximately two years.

4. Passage of Proposition 55 Funds North County Construction Projects

Cuesta worked in conjunction with Cal Poly and Allan Hancock College to get the word out to voters about Propositions 55, 57 and 58. The three institutions hosted a press conference in January at Cuesta’s San Luis Obispo Campus, to inform local voters on the statewide ballot measures and what those measures would mean to education. Relief was in the air of many Cuesta offices on Wednesday, March 3, after voters approved Propositions 57 and 58, and narrowly passed Proposition 55.

Proposition 55

Good news for Cuesta came in the form of the passing of Proposition 55, an initiative that will provide $12 million to fund major construction projects on-campus. Approximately $11 million of the funds for Cuesta are being used to construct a 30,050 square-foot Learning Resource Center/Library at the North County Campus. The new facility would be the second permanent building on the campus, providing critical library, classroom/laboratory and staff support functions for instructional programs that are now housed in temporary, modular buildings. Proposition 55 also will provide $1.4 million in funding to equip the new facility.

Proposition 55 will provide $520,000 for the planning and working drawings of a 17,480 square-foot Trades and Technology Complex at the North County Campus.

In addition, the measure provides another $560,000 for planning and working drawings for the reconstruction of science laboratories on the Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus. The project will eventually reconstruct the existing chemistry and biology laboratories and provide an additional 2,000 square-foot lab consisting of a greenhouse and a lath house.

Propositions 57 & 58

What if Proposition 57 and 58 had not passed? Cuesta could have faced budges cuts of up to 20-percent, which would have been devastating to faculty, staff and students. Proposition 57, which approved the $15 billion deficit-bond to reduce the amount of cuts necessary for a balanced budget, was approved by 63.3-percent of the voters. It’s companion, Proposition 58, prohibits the use of future deficit-bonds to balance the budget, and expands the Governor’s power to declare a fiscal emergency, requiring the legislature to stop other action and address that emergency. The two ballot measures were linked – both had to pass together.

5. Grant for Bridge Program

Cuesta College's Office of Workforce Development Projects recently was awarded a $50,000 New Connections Fund grant by The James Irvine Foundation to support its Bridge to Success program.

Bridge to Success is a two-part program designed to reach out to “at risk” high school students at a critical time in their lives. Through the Bridge program, high school students may both make up potentially deficient high school credits and earn college credits while being introduced to higher education, and specifically to the academic and vocational paths open to them at Cuesta College. These students also become eligible for a scholarship at Cuesta for up to $200 and are able to make full use of academic career and personal counseling services, the library, and Learning Skills Lab. Through the summer program they are also provided with on-campus employment.

Eleven high school seniors in this past year's Bridge to Success program are now enrolled at Cuesta College.

6. Current and Former Student Accomplishments

Cuesta students, both current and former, have been making their mark on the world. Here are a few for 2004:

• Congratulations to John Knutson and Cuesta College Vocé!  Cuesta’s award-winning vocal jazz group was the only college choral group from California selected to perform at the American Choral Director's Association National Convention, scheduled February 2-5 in Los Angeles.  Vocé will perform at the convention on Friday, February 5 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Biltmore hotel in Los Angeles. Invitations to the conference were granted to a chosen few based on a taped audition and a minimum of three years choral directing experience.
  
• The Cuestonian, the on campus, student produced newspaper for Cuesta College, was honored by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) in August for its efforts during the Spring 2004 semester. The ACP presented The Cuestonian a “Best of Show Award” in the General Excellence category, second place, for two-year institutions at the 2004 National College Publications Workshops in Washington, D.C.
  
• Brandon Downing, a former student and a current instructor at Cuesta, won his first Emmy for his work as the Production Manager at KSBY-Channel 6. Brandon’s Emmy was for Outstanding Achievement in Direction/News, given by the Pacific Southwest Regional Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The award was presented last summer at the
  30th Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards ceremony in downtown San Diego.
  
• The Fashion Design and Merchandising Department is very pleased to announce that two of their students were scholarship winners in their Alpacafest West Student Design Competition. Le Dao, a second year Cuesta fashion student; won second place for her design, receiving a $300.00 cash scholarship award. Dao also placed first in the Consumer award; winning a beautiful engraved plaque. Kara Duffy; who is a Cuesta transfer design student from Boston, placed third in the competition. She was awarded a $200 cash scholarship.

7. Faculty Retreat

Another successful “Faculty Retreat” was pulled off in October, thanks to the hard work of Jennifer Sanders-Moreno, Bailey Drechsler, Jan Gillette, Frank Ha, Alisa Klinger, Allison Merzon and Cheryl Ziehl. The event was held in Santa Barbara, giving faculty the opportunity to celebrate good teaching, renew their commitment to learning, rediscover why they originally chose the profession and stimulate the exchange of information and ideas by building an expanding network of communication. The Cuesta Foundation contributed more than $3,400 for this retreat.

8. New Management

New faces in the management ranks brought a fresh perspective to Cuesta this year. Along with the new Vice Presidents, Cuesta hired Bradford Anderson, Executive Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations, Anna Davies, Dean of Instruction, Science, Mathematics and Nursing, Karen Tackett, Director of Contract Education and Community Programs and Patrick Schwab, Director of Academic Support and Disabled Student Programs and Services.  

Bradford comes to Cuesta from Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. in San Jose, where he served as General Counsel and the Interim Director of Human Resources. He has extensive experience in employment law issues and human resource policies.

Bradford graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor degree from the State University of New York School of Law in 1987. He received his bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Purdue University.

Anna comes to Cuesta from Washington State, where she served as the Division Dean for Health and Human Services at Clover Park Technical College. Anna also served as the Faculty/Department Head for Social Services and the Executive Director for Combined Services for Successful Employment at the same institution.

She has her A.A. degree in general studies from Tacoma Community College, a bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Washington University, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from City University in Bellevue, Washington and is working on her Ed.D. in Community College Leadership from Oregon State University.

Karen is a well-known figure in the local community, having owned and managed a local public and community relations business for the past fifteen years. Project development, communications and financial management are just a few of Karen’s many talents.

Karen has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in social science and psychology from Cal Poly. 

Patrick comes to Cuesta from Oregon, where he served at Portland Community College as the Department Chair for the Skill Center. He has been the Chief Operating Officer for the Urban League of Portland, and the Director of Technology, the Director of Information Systems and the Director of Academic Computing for Chemeketa Community College in Oregon.

Patrick earned Ed.D. in community college leadership from Oregon State University, his master’s in education from CSU Los Angeles and his bachelor’s in social science and education from Portland State University.

9. Major Gifts from Cuesta Donors

The Cuesta Foundation generated more than $2 million in private gift support this year. Notable gifts include $100,000 from John and Kirsten Swift for the SLO Campus science lab remodel; and $125,000 from Jim and Lyn Baker for the new SLO Campus Theater Arts Building and another $5,000 to start an endowed fund for the Master Chorale.

In addition, three endowments were established bearing the names of prominent Cuesta retirees: Barbara George, Gil Stork and Susan Dressler. The title for the “Dr. Barbara H. George Fund for the Greatest Need” pretty much sums up who the money is for – students with evidence of financial need. This criteria of student financial need also applies to the “Dr. Gilbert H. Stork Scholarship.”

For the “Dr. Susan Dressler Fund for Faculty Professional Development,” the recipient must be a faculty member who has agreed to disseminate information about their learning activity to a broad group of faculty through a workshop and/or printed or electronic material.

10. Retirees

A total of twenty people retired from Cuesta this year. We are all going to miss Ann Grant, Terry Bowen, Darlene Nelson, William Richmond, Ann Bernhardt, Sharon Blattner, Linda Long, Donna Morris, Gilbert Stork, Burma Workman, Noma Summers, Genene Boldt, Susan Burchiel, Dwight Panter, Anne Bachmann, George Courtney, Barbara George, Claudia Hayner, Pete Hagen and Susan Dressler (note: Susan is technically Jan. 3, 2005 – but who’s keeping track…..)

Efforts to replace them are furiously underway.

11. Awards for PIM and Instructional Services

Public Information and Marketing (PIM) and Instructional Services received statewide recognition in March, when Cuesta’s spring 2004 class schedule won first place at the  Community College Public Relations Organization’s (CCPRO) annual conference in Sacramento. This award represented an incredible (and sometimes painful) collective effort between PIM and Instructional Services.

As everyone on campus knows, PIM Photographer and Publications Coordinator Stephen Gunsaulus makes Cuesta College look good. The judges of the CCPRO awards thought so as well, awarding Cuesta first and third place in the statewide photography category. Cuesta’s television commercial on financial aid, which was developed, shot and produced for under $1,000, won third place against ad spots that cost thousands of dollars.

In addition, both departments collaborated on Cuesta’s first-ever CD-Rom catalog. The CD contains the entire catalog in an interactive, HTML format, along with a printable PDF file. It was created and developed by Anna Chaffin and Rosaline Rancour in Public Information and Marketing and Leanne Fiorentino in Instructional Services. The CDs are being “burned” or duplicated entirely on-campus.

12. Athletics Has Another Great Year

The accomplishments of the Cuesta Athletics department in 2004 are almost too numerous to list. Here’s a few highlights:

• Bob Mariucci’s brother came to town – and the Athletics Department raised nearly $35,000 to show for it. Steve Mariucci, the head coach of the Detroit Lions and the former coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was the keynote speaker at a fundraising dinner and auction held by the Cuesta Athletic Boosters on March 26 at the Paso Robles Inn. The proceeds from the event will go towards a new restroom facility near the soccer and softball fields, an upgrade for the dugout facilities at the softball and baseball fields, bleachers at the new track facility and the development of a fitness facility in the Athletic Fieldhouse.

• Cuesta College Wrestler Jeremy Waldram, a long-time Paso Robles resident, was named the 2003 Pepsi Scholar Athlete of the Year, a statewide honor that recognizes only one male and female athlete from California Community Colleges each year. Jeremy was picked out of 11 nominees, who in turn were selected out of more than 20,000 community college student athletes statewide.
  
  “I was truly impressed and admired Jeremy’s dedication to his family, his education and his love for the sport of wrestling,” said Athletics Director Robert Mariucci. “I truly believe Jeremy exemplifies the true meaning of a student/athlete at the community college level.”
  
  Jeremy is enthusiastically involved in many college activities, competing on the intercollegiate varsity wrestling team for two years while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He is a two-time All Western State Conference Academic Team member, was named Cuesta College’s Most Valuable Wrestler and is the recipient of Cuesta’s Warren Hansen Scholar/Athlete of the Year Award. He also was selected by his teammates as team captain. All of these accomplishments came before he transferred to Cal Poly with his 4.0 GPA to major in Pre-Med.

• If anybody can fill the shoes (or swimming trunks) of Terry Bowen, it’s John Marsh. The longtime Central Coast resident has been named the new head coach of Men’s Water Polo and Men and Women’s Swimming/Diving at Cuesta.
  
  Marsh is not a stranger to Cuesta College Athletics. In 2002, his first year as assistant coach, the Cuesta men’s swimming and diving team won its thirteenth conference crown and also finished second at the State Championship Meet for the third time. The men also placed second in 1995 and 2001 and were third in both 1993 and 1998. The women have won a total of 17 conference titles and have ranked second and third at the State Championships.

Here’s a few stats for the Cougars during 2004:

Men’s Basketball

• 9-17 overall, fourth place in the Western State Conference
• Guards Mike Green and Isaac Ansah named 2004 All-WSC First Team
• Green led conference with 25.0 points per game

Women’s Basketball

• 10-15, third place in the Western State Conference
• Guard Lauren Villa and Forward Jessica Cox named 2004 All-WSC First Team

Baseball

• 20-16 overall, won eighth consecutive Western State Conference title
• Reached post-season for ninth straight season- first round
• Shortstop Dustin Kelly named WSC Player of the Year and All American
• Outfielders Mike Brown and Jimmy Gardiner named 2004 All-WSC First Team
• Pitchers Joe Gulden and Justin Klipp named 2004 All-WSC First Team

Softball

• 21-24 overall, finished in second place in Western State Conference
• Reached post-season for fourth straight season- first round
• Coach Allison Merzon named WSC Coach of the Year- 3rd straight year
• Third base Stephanie Azevedo named 2004 All-WSC First Team- 2nd straight year
• Catcher Heather Sanders and First Base Erica Avila named All-WSC First Team

Men’s Swimming

• 6-1 overall, finished in second place in Western State Conference
• 16th place finish at the State Championships
• Diver Sean Clark was WSC and State Champion on both boards- 2x All American
• Diver James Hanson second in State on 1-meter- 2x All American
• Women’s Swimming
• 5-2 overall, finished in second place in Western State Conference

Women’s Tennis

• 12-3 overall, won Western State Conference title
• Reached post-season, 3rd place final State Ranking
• Coach Mike Napoli named WSC Coach of the Year
• Freshman Jessie Ritchie named WSC Player of the Year and All American
• Sophomore Breanne Greer named 2004 All-WSC First Team- 2nd straight year
• Freshman Mary Monley and sophomore Jenny Main on 2004 All-WSC First Team

Men’s Track & Field

• Finished in third place in Western State Conference
• 22nd place finish at the State Championships
• Pole Vaulter Chase Shealy was WSC Pole Vault Champion
• Thrower Adam Madsen was WSC Javelin Champion
• Jumper Jason Johns was WSC Long Jump Champion
• Shealy set school pole vault record at 17-3

Women’s Track & Field

• Finished in second place in Western State Conference
• 7th place finish at the State Championships
• Vaulter Tamara Neely was State Pole Vault Champion
• Coach Jani Johnson named WSC Coach of the Year
• Runner Christina Reyes was WSC 800 and 5,000-meter Champion
• Hurdler Keri Gross was WSC 400-meter Hurdle Champion
• Vaulter Christine Silva was WSC Pole Vault Champion
• Silva and Neely set school pole vault record at 12-0
• Reyes set school 5,000 meters record at 17:48.30
• Korina Jones set school steeplechase record at 12:20.43

Men’s Cross Country

• Finished in sixth place in Western State Conference
• Harrier Chris Stehula named 2004 All WSC First Team

Women’s Cross Country

• Finished in sixth place in Western State Conference

Women’s Soccer

• 10-8-1 overall, finished second in the Western State Conference
• Forward Anamarie Glass named 2004 All-WSC First Team- 2nd straight year
• Tawny Lopez, Karen Weatherby and, Tracey Duke on All-WSC First Team

Women’s Volleyball

• 13-10 overall, finished third in Western State Conference
• Reached post-season- first round
• Kati Purchase and Shannan Hillier named 2004 All WSC First Team

Men’s Water Polo

• 16-11 overall, Won Western State Conference title
• Reached post-season for twenty-sixth straight season- second round
• Coach John Marsh named WSC Coach of the Year
• Two-meter man Jon Avrett named WSC Player of the Year and All American
• Sophomore Patrick Kuga named 2004 All WSC First Team
• Freshmen Jeff Chaney, Jeff Ranta and, Cole Gauthier named All WSC First Team

Women’s Water Polo

• 15-13 overall, second place Western State Conference
• Two-meter man Elysia Sauve named WSC Player of the Year and All American
• Natalie DiMora, Aimee Semans and, Beth Wickholm named All WSC First Team
• Sauve broke school record with 151 career goals

Wrestling

• 9-4 overall, second place Western State Conference
• 14th place finish at the State Championships
• Sophomore Ernie Varela named All American