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WedNEsdAy, ApRil 5, 2000
Norm Berney is National Advisor of the Year
DIANA SCRIVNER
Associate News Editor
Norm Berney, advisor of the Asso
ciated Student Government (ASG),
received the National Advisor of the
Year Award last month in Washington
D.C. at the American Student Asso
ciation of Community Colleges
(ASACC) conference.
Any of the 140 advisors who are
involved in the ASACC organization
are eligible for the award, according to
Berney who is also the president of
the Advisors Institute. Each year the
award is decided by the Executive Di
rector, the ASACC board and by stu
dents. It is based on how active and
how visible an ASG is in its home col
lege, and in the ASACC organization.
“I wouldn’t have it (the award) ex
cept for the students' actions,” said
Berney.
Clackamas ASG members Mariah
Kreinheder, student access officer, and
Bryan Fuentez, administrator assis
tant, read a compilation of quotes about
Berney, collected from various stu
dents.
“The quotes really meant a lot,”
said Bemey. “That’s what’s been so
amazing to me this year, when students
have come and thanked me for the
things I’ve done.”
“I don’t get teaiy-eyed very often,
because I’ve won awards before, but
I did," he commented.
Along with the students' speech,
Bemey spoke about some Clackamas
programs, including Child-care grants,
the Young Parents Opportunity Pro
gram and Pell grants. He also men
tioned lobbying for education, which
was the main reason Clackamas' ASG
was at the conference. Bemey an
nounced he will retire as ofNovember
2000, although he expressed interest
in remaining a part of ASG in some
aspect.
Bemey has been at Clackamas for
29 years. In that time, he has worked
as a coach for cross country, wresting
and track from 1971-89; a counselor
from 1974-92; and as the ASG advisor
TONY MCMICHAEL/ Clackamas Print
Bryan Fuentez, administrator assistant, and Mariah Kreinheder, student access officer, speak
about ASG Advisor Norm Berney as he recieved the National Advisor of the Year Award.
since 1992.
“I have had national awards before,
nationalcoachoftheyear,butthisone
was even more meaningful to me, be-
cause it wasn’t just a specific audi-
ence,” said Bemey.
Darris: students speak loudly against administration
Continued from page 1
that degree in our catalog—we re not
taking any actions on our part to do
anything about that. We feel like
The college encouraged Darris to
there’s a process that’s been set out.
attend the St. Kitts school.
Dean is in communication [with the
According to both Darris and De
ODA]. My understanding is that there
partment Chair Don Hartsock, Darris
hasn’t been a final decision.
was approached by Eric Lewis,
“I’ve reassured Dean that the col
Clackamas psychology instructor
lege isn’t taking any action with the
and colleague of Darris, with the
case. We’re not going to stop rec-
idea of attending Berne. After look
ognizing that de
ing carefully at
gree,”
added
the school, Darris
Connett. “Alan is
decided not to at
I’ve reassured Dean
saying that if we
tend because it
choose to recog
wasn’t an offi
that the college isn ’t
nize [the degree]
cially accredited
taking any action
that’s our pre
institution. Ac
rogative. There
cording
to
with the case. We’re
hasn’t been any
Hartsock, the de
not going to stop
thing that we’ve
partment chair
recognizing that
looked at or
then convinced
found out that
the instructor to
degree.
we’d want to re
reconsider. Darris
Dian Connett
verse in any way.
then submitted an
Dean of Instruction
[The
ODA]
appropriations
doesn’t have any
request for funds
authority to tell
to Liz Goulard and
the college ‘you can’t give him
Kay Davis, former deans at the col
credit on the pay scale’ or ‘you have
lege, and eventually it was ap
to get money back that maybe you
proved.
helped pay for that degree.’ Alan
In separate interviews with
Keyser and Dian Connett, dean of doesn’t have the authority to do
any of that. I think it’s very prema
instruction, both administrators ex
pressed a feeling of disapproval that ture to say that Dean’s degree is not
an outside agency has brought into going to be recognized.
“Dean is an excellent instructor.
question a degree that the college
has already taken a stance on, as Everyone has recognized his teach
ing ability. Whatever he thinks he
well as feelings of support for Darris
needs to do, we really want to sup
through this ordeal.
port him in that—if he wants to keep
“The college has taken a position
of saying that it recognizes the de
gree that he received,” noted
Keyser. “Frankly, I think [the ODA]
should stay out of it. Dean is a very
good teacher and I think it’s unfor
tunate if he feels that he needs to
leave, somewhat precipitously, to
defend himself.”
“The college learned that Dean’s
doctorate had come into question
the same time that Dean was noti
fied by Mr. Contreras,” noted
Connett. “We weren’t aware that
office had the authority to look at
degrees—we were as surprised as
he was. What we’ve said and what
we’ve clarified is that we will still list
teaching, if he wants to take a break,
if he wants to start his sabbatical.”
Students express frustration with
the administration
With the announcement of his de
parture last week, many of Darris’
students filled their instructor’s tiny
office to express feelings of support
throughout the day, and many spoke
with members of the ASG to see what
support they could generate through
the student government offices with
the idea of a public rally. A contro
versial newsletter written by one of
Darris’ students was also circulated
around campus early this week.
“We’re losing an incredibly awe
some teacher,” said Julie M. Smith,
one of Darris’ Honors students.
“My daughter is at this college—
this is her first year. This is the sec
ond teacher that she is going to lose
in her first year of college.”
Some students feel that, while this
degree has been brought into ques
tion by an outside agency, Darris
has been subject to much harass
ment by members of the adminis
tration over the years and also see
a connection with the recent retire
ment of Dr. Donald Epstein.
“We’re representing the stu
dents, not Dean,” noted Luke
Precourt, student. “We’re talking
about [the administration] trying to
harass teachers that we like—
whether they’re through the ap
proved channels or not. We are not
fighting for Dean Darris, we are try
ing to bring our own grievances
against the administration. I want
that to be clear.”
“First it’s Epstein, then this,” said
Matthew Coleman, student. “It’s a
continuation of teacher after
teacher. It seems like all the great
teachers are leaving. I know Dean
was one of the best experiences of
my college education. Before I took
his classes, I was kind of an aver
age student—really didn’t care
about my education and took easy
classes—I never really pressed my
self because I never knew what my
limits were. Now I know and I press
myself to those limits as much as
possible because of that experi
ence.”
“The saddest part is that it con
tinues—first Epstein,” noted Matt
Steketee, student. “It’s not even
that we’re taking good teachers out,
it’s that when people speak their
mind they get put down for it—for
thinking. Why are [the administra
tors] taking away people that we
like? The students should have a
choice about who teaches at this
college—who we like. We’re not
voting that David Koresh be a
teacher here, we’re saying that cer
tain teachers have the credentials
and should be able to teach here.
When they take them away with Instructors fill the void in Darris’
out [the students] having a say in classes
it, that pretty much sucks.
“You can’t replace Dean with an
“Dr. Epstein was not forced out other Dean,” noted Connett. “So we
of here but he was harassed,” con have to start from there and there’s
tinued Steketee. “Dr. Darris was not going to be some disappointment
forced out of here. It’s secondary [by students], I spoke briefly with
issues that are put on him so heavily, the department chair [Hartsock] yes
very conveniently, that he doesn’t terday [last Wednesday], and I think
have the money or time to represent he’s found replacements for all of
himself and still teach at this college the classes. The social sciences de
and then he can’t do this job. It’s partment is a large department and
very convenient that he can’t do the they have a lot of part-timers so
job while he’s dealing with the whole that’s kind of the good news—that
other issues. That’s kind of what’s if they need to do some shifting
happened. [Some administrators] around they can, fairly quickly. I’m
have understood that there are cer very sorry that it’s happening just
tain routes that they can take and as the term is starting. If we had seen
they’ve understood that they can’t it coming or if we had seen some
do it through the college. So by put anticipation then we could have
ting separate pressures on them, planned ahead. I just want every
they’ve not forced teachers out but body to try and make the most of it
it’s made them unable to perform and pitch in and let’s support Dean
and the students in his classes.”
their jobs here.”
Berne: U.S. recognizes it
approved Darris’ completion of the
Ph.D.inl998.
According to Darris and Fishell,
requirements.
Those requirements for a foreign Beme University is a school of high
university are listed in Part 600 of the merit and academic quality. Students
amended Higher Education Act of and professors alike leave the univer
1965. Section 600.54states the require sity with a great sense of accomplish
ments to determine whether a foreign ment and honor. It is clearly accred
institution is eligible to receive federal ited, they say, and accepted in the
monies and is comparable to an insti United States as a comparable institu
tution of higher learning in the US.
tion.
Alan Contreras of the Degree Au
The website lists those require
thorization Board said that a "degree
ments as:
1) Admits regular students who have from Beme would not be illegal in the
majority of States. However, Oregon
secondary degrees completion.
2) Is legally authorized to award de has strict laws concerning accredita
grees (associate, baccalaureate, gradu tion status."
Robert McKieran of the US De
ate or professional).
Beme University's website says it partment of Education states that,
has been recognized by the United "Beme... is an eligible institution
States as an accredited university and [to have Title IV Standing.]" In
eligible for Title IV funds (federal mon order to obtain Title IV eligibility
ies to the school). It is accredited by it has to "produce evidence that it
the World Association of Universities is legally authorized... to provide
and Colleges, the Accrediting Commis post-secondary education."
Since recognition of accreditation
sion International and by the Ministry
of Education from the government of and allotment ofTitle IV funds are de
cisions of the US Dept, of Education,
St. Kitts.
Darris noted that College President Contreras was unclear how the state
John Keyser recognized this after he has any jurisprudence in this matter.
Continued from page 1