The
4 Feature
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008
Clackamas Pr
Ideas go through ringer to become classe
Kyle Steele
Feature Editor
Each term the course catalog
hosts a wide selection of new and
different classes, but how do these
courses develop and become avail
able at Clackamas?
While the initial stages of cre
ating a class may vary, all ideas
have to go through the same basic
trials before they can be funded.
Committees, deans and the state all
have a hand in the creation of every
course and what each of them means
for students who will be transferring
to a four-year university.
The idea .
“In my department, offering a
new class is a largely collaborative
process between an instructor and
the department chair,” said English
Instructor Trevor Dodge.
Dodge has created a number of
English classes, including Games
and Literature and Introduction to
Literary Theory, which are new to
the college this term.
Concepts for classes are gener
ated by more than just instructors
and department chairs; businesses,
professions and even students can be
part of this step.
“A new class may come from
an instructor’s passion for a par
ticular subject, or from a need we
see students or the community have,
or an area of interest that is new,”
said English Department Chair Trista
Cornelius.
Writing up an outline
Once the subject of a new course
has been established, the next step is
for instructors to write up a course
outline.
“This form helps faculty make
learning outcomes, grading criteria
and course content concrete and con
sistent,” Cornelius said.
Included in the outline are student
learning outcomes, which describe
what the course will teach students
during the length of the term and
why the class, is wanted or neces
sary.
After the first draft is fin
ished, it is then given to the
department, department chair
and the dean, who finalize
details and needs that they feel
the class should meet.
All the way to state
When the final touches have
been made to the course out
line, it is time to fill out a New
Course Form.
Questions on the form
regard how the class will meet
degree requirements, the goals
of the class and the number of
credits.
“Coming up with ideas
for new courses may be dif
ferent for each department,
but the process to the state
for having them approved is
the same,” Curriculum Office
Administrative Assistant Lynda
Graf said.
The state reviews the informa
tion and weighs it against similar
courses offered by other commu
nity colleges and four-year univer
sities. Once it has been reviewed
by the state and has passed all
testing, it can be entered into the
course catalog for the next year.
Illustration by Kyle Steele Clackamas Print
Other considerations
While many courses are regis
tered with their own course number
provided by the state, some experi
mental courses initially receive a 199
or 299 number from the college.
“We can run a class under those
numbers twice, and then we need
to get an official state number,”
Cornelius said. “The only catch is
that th<
and 299
transfer a
fives on
English
would n
fill ‘Ait
Letters’i
ments f
AAOT/
for exam
The i
for
(
ing clas
relafivelj
same ft
departing
student j
always«
in this pr
' “ M
courses
been i
due to <
demand,” Graf said.
Some instructors and dep
chairs seek input, in order tc
mine what the student body u
needs, so that their departme
better serve the school.
Cornelius said,“I go to tin
ers routinely and ask what
heard students needing [or] i
in terms of classes, times, day
Judy Clark: the voice of Clackam
Kyle Steele
Feature Editor
Operator Judy Clark answers the phone from her desk in
the Community Center on the Oregon City campus.
A desk near the south'
entrance of the Community
Center could be considered the
nerve center of the entire cam
pus. Running that area is Judy
Clark.
Clark works as the switch
board operator, a job that
requires answering questions
and connecting callers to their
instructors
or
department
extensions. The position usu
ally makes her the first person
a caller will actually talk to
over the phone, and has made
her the official voice of the
college.
“I enjoy helping and direct
ing people,” she said.
In addition to her duties as
the switchboard operator, Clark
does reception work, as well as
helps students and staff with
their questions in person at her
desk.
“There is a satisfaction in
knowing you can help people
and that they appreciated the
information we give them,” she
said.
A 20-year employ;
Clackamas, Clark still
people walking by with a
or a quick hello in be
calls, and keeps up a b
and friendly attitude.
“Clackamas becomes
family to both staff am
dents,” she said, “and on
is to help everyone as mi
possible so they can have
cessful college experienc
Outside of her job wi
college, Clark enjoys spe
time with her real family,
cially her grandchildren,
ages range from three to
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