Laura Gonzalez, Spring 2009 Assistant Managing Editor
Two new deans, Jose Luis Fernandez, dean of career and technical education, and Barbara Anderson, dean of academic affairs, were appointed on Aug. 11 and Sept. 1, respectively, at Pierce College.
Fernandez worked as dean of vocational education at Hartnell College in Salinas, Calif., for 10 years. Anderson has been working at Pierce College for seven years, first as a teacher and then, as the chairwoman of the speech department.
“One of my goals is to have an outstanding work relation with faculty. I want to continue to achieve world class cutting edge career and technical education programs. I also want to achieve a high level of student success in the different programs,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez has a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and two masters’ degrees in international business administration and Spanish. Before coming to Pierce, he was also a teacher at California State University, Monterrey Bay in the school of business.
“I see my role as an advocate for my departments and to help them do what they need to do to meet student’s needs, and ultimately help students be successful here and beyond if they decide to transfer or start their career after Pierce,” Anderson said.
Anderson was also the Director of the honors program before she accepted her new position as Dean of Academic Affairs. Anderson used to be a sign language interpreter. She has a bachelor’s degree in deaf studies and a master’s degree in communication.
According to Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, Vice President of Academic Affairs, one of the most important factors in the selection process of the new deans was their teaching experience.
“For both of them, one thing that always drew my attention is that they both have had considerable teaching experience as well. For a dean who is working with a lot of faculty, it is good to know what the classroom is like and to understand what the students’ experience in the classroom. That, for me, is very important. Faculty respects a colleague that has spent a good amount of time in the classroom,” Abu-Ghazaleh said.
The career and technical education department creates relationships for the college with the industry and oversees federal grants. The academic affairs department works with more than ten different programs in the college including athletics, diction studies, child development, history, sociology, and criminal justice economics, among others.
One of the expectations that Abu-Ghazaleh has from the new deans is to have a close relationship with the faculty. He believes that more than a supervisor, the dean of the department should provide guidance and work together with the faculty to achieve student success.
“The key function of any dean is to provide leadership without overly directing the activities of faculty,” Abu-Ghazaleh said.
College deans are in charge of supervising and work with the faculty to make sure the students are getting the education they need. They are also in charge of creating programs that will help students succeed in the careers they choose.
When asked about what they most like about Pierce College both deans agreed that here at Pierce the working environment is one of the best ones they have ever experienced.
“The students here are great. They are really motivated. I like the diverse population. I like that people come here from all over the planet. It is an exciting campus to be on and people that come to Pierce are interested in their future and trying to achieve their dreams and so they’re driven,” Anderson said.
Fernandez, who is new to Pierce College, said that believing in the students is the most important tool any professor has.
“My dream is to make sure our students achieve their dreams. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I was a teacher. I believe in the students. I want the students to believe in themselves and to develop the skills to make them achieve their dreams and become successful,” Fernandez said.
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