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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1992)
FEATURE May 20,1992 THE CLACKAMAS PRINT Page 5 Student Activities Director moves to Athletic Department Helping students Jackson's 'number one job' by Heidi Branstator Staff Writer Jim Jackson can often be seen riding in to school on his bicycle early in the morning, but his qualifications for his new job go much further than his personal interest in staying in shape. July 1, Jackson will take over as Director of Health, Physical Education, Community Recrea tion and Athletics - the position now held by Carol Peterson. Jackson is currently CCC Stu dent Activities Director and wrestling coach. Jackson grew up in a small town outside Rochester, NY called Caledonia. “It looks a lot like this area,” he said. Jackson lived there When he got out of the Marine Corps, Jackson went back to school. He received his second undergraduate degree in educa tion from the University of Iowa. “So I could coach and teach,” he said He got his first teaching job in 1982 at a high school in Iowa, where he taught Physical Educa tion and sophomore biology,, which was incorporated with health, during his four years there. “While there, I got the op portunity to deal with a number of different national organizations, National Wrestling camps, and for four years I got to help coach the Iowa Jr. National wrestling team,” he said. "/ happened to run into Norm Berney. Literally. I backed into his car at a wres tling tournament. I ended up paying for the damages to his car and shortly after that he called me and ...he said Are you interested in coaching?”' through high school and then went on to the U.S. Naval Academy. After four years, he received his Bachelors Degree in Operations Research. It was a lot of math and science, he said. In 1973, he was commis sioned into the Marine Corps on active duty. Jackson spent the next seven years there. “While I was in the Marine Corps, I got the opportunity. I happened to be in the right place at the right time, to be a part of the Mari ne Corps w res11 i ng team and then take over as the head coach for six of the seven years.” During that time, Jackson coached wrestlers who qualified for World Teams, Pan American Teams and Olympic Teams. Jackson became the Base Athletic Officer, where he gained a lot of experience that will be helpful as he begins his new job here at the college. Jackson said “The athletics, automotive, boat docks, base stables, gymnasium and golf course, all... came under my direction.” In 1987, Jackson packed up and moved to Oregon. “A big influence was tme of the athletes I coached who made the Olym pic team in 1980. He was.from Portland and he encouraged (me) to move out hoe. So I did,” Jackson said. When he moved here, Jackson began working as an Activities Director at an athletic club in Portland. He ran the swimming pool, weight room and racquet ball courts. His last year and a half there, Jackson worked as the general manager. He worked mostly with the sales staff. When he left there, Jackson went on to spend two years at Portland State University where he finished his Masters. After that, things began to fall into place for Jackson. “I happened to run into Norm Boney. Literally,” he said. “I backed into his car at a wrestling toumamen t. I ended up paying for the dam ages to his car and shortly after that he called me and... he said ‘Are you interested in coaching?’ We offer more than just pizza!!! Come in today for lunch and try any of the items in our value lunch. 19140 S. Molalla Ave. Oregon City Italian dishes and sandwiches! I said, ‘I sure would be.’” Jackson received the posi tion of head wrestling coach and part-time instructor at CCC. Many people in the Physical Education Department were on sabbatical that year. “Because I could teach a variety of classes in a number of areas, I was hired on/’ he said. Jackson worked part-time for about two years. When the full- time position in Student Activi ties opened up, he applied and was hired. “That was a big deal to me because I realized that the community college setting was what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a part of this,” he said. “It’s understandable why many people stay on for long periods of time. It’s a great place to work, and you’re working with a great group of people.” Jackson enjoys his position in Student Activities, but feels that the change is in his best in terest. He said, “When Carol Pe terson’s job came open, obvi ously I had to think long and hard about whether that was a change I wanted to do. I feel that I am better talented and better suited to do things in the athletic area. That’s where my expertise lies.” Working with students is a part of Jackson’s job that is very important to him. “What I would not want to do is take a position that would take me out of, or away from, daily contact with students,” he said. “That’s when I’d really miss things.” Jackson said that athletics is just a small part of the job he will Jim Jackson is leaving his current job as Student Activities Director and will begin his new job as Director of Health, Physical Education, Community Recreation and Athletics in July. ing our students, whether they are physical education majors, whether they are just students taking physical education classes or they are student-athletes. Help ing those people be successful in their area is probably my number one job,” he said. “I’m sure there are hidden things in that job that I’ve yet to "One of the things people asked me when I first came over (to ASG) was, 'are you going to miss teaching?' Once I was into this, I realized the answer was actually no, that's what I'm doing here, teaching. It's just without a classroom." be starting soon. He will also be in charge of making sure the right classes are offered, instructors are scheduled, the Physical Educa tion and Athletic Department’s budgets are controlled and see ing that the teams are successful. “Overall, I think I can say that my number one job is help find out about,” said Jackson. He knows that “we’re going to make mistakes,” but Jackson plans to learn from them. He is confident that there will be a lot of help for him while he is learning his new job. Jackson said that the “whole department has excellent instruc tors, the coaching staff is fabu lous and the sports staff is tre mendous. It certainly is an ideal situation to move into.” Jackson will con tinue to coach wrestling for at least the next two years. All the applicants for the job who currently coach a sport at the college agreed to continue coaching for two years if they received the job. At that point, other options will be investigated. “I’m trying to get more ac tive all the time,” said Jackson. When he does ride his bicycle to work, he thinks he rides about 20 miles a day. Jackson’s three main activities are running, wrestling and biking. He said that he tries to get something in everyday. Jackson discovered that teaching and learning are not confined to the classroom set ting. “One of the things people asked me when I first came over (to ASG) was, ‘are you going to miss teaching?,”’ he said. Once I was into this, I realized the an swer was actually no, that’s what I’m doing here, teaching. It’s just without a classroom,” he said. Clackamas CIO position filled New job like 'homecoming* for Rothi by Nolan Kidwell News Editor The new Chief Information Officer (CIO) position here at the college is being filled by Paul Rothi, the former Director of Computer Operations and the computer center at Pacific Lu theran University, in Tacoma, Washington. “I started off there as an assistance programer, and I just had more opportunities to be come available,” said Rothi. “We supported about 1,000 central computer users and 100 PCs.” Rothi has only been here at CCC for about two weeks, un like the other new positions hired from within the college. He has found that CCC has a lot of pos sibilities. “I like it. I like the people here. They have a lot of vision of what they might be able to do here at CCC,” he said. “I grew up here in Portland and in Canby, so this was kind of a homecoming for me,” Rothi explained. He had seen the position photo by Nolan Kidwell Paul Rothi advertised in an educational magazine, and sent a resume. He said that he was glad to take the job when it was offered to him, in part because it was so close to where he had grown up. The job of the CIO is, as Rothi puts it, “strategic planning and direction.” The Rothi as the new CIO, will strategicly be plan ning for information technology, on-campus telecommunications and the computers currently in operation. According to Rothi, CIO is a rather new position in the world of computer technologies. He said that he looked forward to the “planning issue as a whole” in his new position. “I think that I’ll enjoy this job,” Rothi said.
