Honoring Our Part-Time Faculty
Jim Gouveia
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College of Education students benefit from the richness of experiences and expertise offered by our diverse faculty, including part-time faculty. Allan Brazier, Associate Dean, says, “Part-time faculty play important roles in the College of Education. Their skills and perspectives enrich the curriculum so students are exposed to new ways of thinking. They give us the flexibility to replace faculty on leave, ensuring the continuity of the curriculum.”
Carol Schaafsma, who teaches part-time for Adult Education and Higher Education Leadership (AHE), says, “Teaching part-time helps me stay abreast of the issues and challenges in community college instruction. My students’ experiences at their institutions add realistic application to the class.”
Jennifer Webster, also teaching part-time for AHE, says that she and her students benefit, “I have two children and live in Salem. Working part-time gives me the opportunity to be with my children and still have an impact on education.” Rich Shintaku, AHE Department Chair, says, “Jennifer is a phenomenal teacher. She is active professionally in her field, up-to-date on current research and practices, and very student-centered.”
Teaching for the Department of Teacher and Counselor Education, part-time faculty Jim Gouveia says, “Teaching part-time allows me to take my clinical experience and knowledge and share it with incoming professionals in the field. It is my way of giving back to the profession that has fed my soul and my body for 20 years.” Jim’s “day job” is as program manager for Alcohol and Drug Treatment programs for Benton County Health Department in Corvallis, Oregon.
Part-time teachers like Jim bond with their students. “I like to take time in class to know students and what their personal career goals are. It is very important to me to make class material practical and applicable to the real world for each individual student,” he says. Jennifer Webster agrees, “I connect with students electronically, but really enjoy the intensity of the classroom. We form strong relationships and build connections for a long-term learning adventure!”
Allan Brazier says, “We deeply appreciate everything our part-time faculty bring to our students and our programs. They add different dimensions and depth to our College.”
