The Evergreen State College Newsletter (April 1, 1985)

Item

Identifier
Eng Newsletter_198504.pdf
Title
Eng The Evergreen State College Newsletter (April 1, 1985)
Date
April 1985
extracted text
Office of College Relations
Library 3114

Next Newsletter—April 19
Photos by Photo Services

EVERGREENERS IN THE NEWS

Congratulations to Galleries Director Sid White and Reference Librarian Pat
Matheny-White, whose article on Northwest Chicano/Latino artists is featured in
Chicano Art History: A_ Book of Selected Readings, recently published by the
Research Center for the Arts and Humanities at the University of Texas.
Cheers for John Dion—he's graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Illinois
University and will begin a master's program through Eastern University at
McChord Air Force Base, all while working hard in the Registrar's Office.
Dean of Student Services Gail Martin has been appointed to the Monograph
Board of the National Association of Student Personnel Administratiors. Her first
assignment is to edit a monograph on Values Education, and, second, to develop a
monograph on minorities on campus.
Faculty Member Larry Eickstaedt visited Dixie Elementary School near Walla
Walla this week as part of the statewide Artist-and-Scholar-in-Residence program.
He teamed up with poet Emily Warn to give schoolchildren new insights into the
study of natural history and creative writing.
Financial Aid Director Betty Muncton passes the news that Governor Booth
Gardner has proclaimed the week of April 21-27 as "Student Employment Week."
Welcome aboard to new hires Kelli Noonan, accounting assistant II in the
Business Office; Son Kim Huynh, custodian; Karan Wade James, financial aid counselor; Kirk Talmadge, Security Officer, and Roland Hanson, custodian.
BURNOUT SURVEY RESPONSE

Thirty-five Evergreeners responded to the February 22 Newsletter Burnout
Survey with a variety of answers and suggestions. Only three readers answered
"No" to the first question "Does burnout exits on campus?"
Two-thirds of those who answered the survey felt that the phenomena is
widespread and often intense. The remaining third feel the problem is "not that
serious" and isolated. Nine readers felt that burnout is "primarily a staff
problem," while the rest think burnout affects staff and faculty equally.
In a four-page answer to the survey, Facilities staffer Ron Wilkinson points
out that the college has a "systemic" handicap relative to other four-year colleges because of our size. "Bigger schools have a tremendous economy of scale,
backups when people are sick...and the ability to specialize more at the individual level and this means more accomplishment with less stress."
"More money" and a "stable budget situation" ranked high on Greener's lists
of solutions. All-campus forums, "getting rid of the dead-beats," and "a real commitment to the letter and spirit of the Social Contract" were also suggested.
The Newsletter thanks the readers who responded to the Burnout Survey and the
Newsletter Survey. If you haven't responded to these surveys and are interested in
doing so, we are always happy to hear from you. Please send any and all comments
to Mark Clemens or Keith Eisner at Library 3114.

Newsletter
The Evergreen State College

April 19, 1985

ONE YEAR LATER

by Keith Eisner, Information Specialist
The swallows, which had come
back to campus the week
before, were building their
nests and singing in the
sunlight. We were celebrating
a 17.26 increase in Spring
Quarter enrollment over the
past year, and the first presidential search was narrowed
down to three candidates. It
was a rare and beautiful
morning in a wet and cloudy
spring.
Then everything changed.
Shortly after 9 a.m. 21-yearold Elisa Tissot was fatally
shot by former student Michael fj
Pimentel in the college cafeteria. The grief and horror of
ELISA'S FAMILY
that moment and of the
following days and weeks have been well chronicled by the media, the Cooper Point
Journal and this publication. What effects from that day do we feel now, a year
later? How have we changed? "For most of us," says Ken Jacob, director of
Auxilary Services, "it was our first experience of violent death. It affected us
powerfully, and still affects us, especially those that knew her, were witnesses
or were involved in comunicating with her family and friends." He and several
other staff members consulted with Dr. Michael Kelch, then a King County psychologist specializing in witnesses-and-victims-of-violent-crime trauma.
Jacob relates that Kelch identified four stages that victims and witnesses go
through: "denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Kelch also said that everyone
who was there or closely connected will go through these stages, and if they don't
get professional help within two months, they are likely to rearrange their mental
life around that event. My concern," concludes Jacob, "is how many people here
have reorganized their life around the murder?"
"People who didn't have any feelings then, might feel them this week,"
cautions Shary Smith, director of Counseling Services. "It's important that people
don't feel there's something wrong with them because those feelings are still
there." Smith reports that Counseling kept a light schedule of appointments on
Wednesday (the anniversary date) so as to remain open for drop-ins.
"There's a sense of not taking each other for granted," says Dean of Student
Services Gail Martin, "a sense of vulnerability. Elisa's death violated the ethos
of Evergreen as a gentle place, where violence doesn't occur."
Cont'd on page 2

ONE YEAR LATER, cont'd from front page
The realization that such a thing "can happen here" expresses itself in negative and positive ways. "I don't feel as free," says one Evergreen sophomore who
wishes to be unnamed, "I am more paranoid about walking to ASH or the parking lot
alone." "We've lost a sense of innocence," says another student, "Everybody who
comes here isn't so trustworthy."
"We're still going out at night checking suspicious-looking cars and
suspicious-looking people," says Chief of Security Gary Russell, "but our level of
fear and caution has increased since last year's incident. It reminded us that
some of the dangerous people we are hired to protect the college from are armed."
On the positive side, observes Jacob and others "the campus community is
not only paying closer attention to potentially dangerous people, but channeling
their concerns to faculty and staff." Smith reports that Counseling Services has
had the opportunity to give more preventative care to domestic violence situations
this year than before because people are taking threats and symptoms much more
seriously—both victims and perpetrators.
"The Domestic Violence Law has made it much easier for us to protect a victim of harassment," says Russell, indicating that it has already protected a
student this year. The Anti-Harassment Act, known as the "Tissot Bill," which
goes into effect this year will streamline the process of obtaining a
restraining order. Russell adds that Security is also receiving more reports of
potentially harmful situations than they did last year.
"Elisa was a person of extraordinary kindness and concern for others,"
comments Martin, "What happened to her has caused us all to re-examine our
impulse to be kind. We have had to re-think the best way to help a person."
Perhaps the most positive legacy we have of the incident is the memory of
Elisa herself—a bright, giving, young woman. That memory was honored Wednesday
when a group of thirty friends, relatives and community members gathered behind
the Library to plant a tree in her memory.
"Elisa contributed so much in her short life," says Smith, "She was a sensitive, loving person who was feminine and strong. To this day she reminds me of
living fully, of not wasting time, of being who I truly am."
In a few weeks the dogwood that was planted will bear bright pink blossoms
(Elisa's favorite color). Perhaps when we see them we will call to mind some of
Elisa's last words written in a paper for a program with Faculty Member Kirk
Thompson: "We can emulate the Helpers and learn to listen with a heart. And we
can also understand the necessity for a dual perspective of empathy as well as
objectivity."
ORGANIC FARM PUTS ON A NEW FACE

by Mark Clemens, Director of Information Services
"Things are really cooking down here right now," says Pat Labine, Evergreen
faculty member in ecology since 1981. She's talking about the college's Organic
Farm, where springtime has been an accompaniment to a flurry of activity.
Sunshine, and lots of it, is the most miraculous effect of the recent
changes. Two acres of trees that stood on the south side of the Farm's garden beds
were cleared away to make way for more light. Although logging the trees had been
proposed as early as 1972, debate amongst the college community postponed the project until this year. Now the Farm's greenhouses, which used to stand in shade
through the winter months, will have sunlight year round.
The tree removal is just one of many improvements outlined in a five-year

FARM, cont'd
Organic Farm development plan, submitted last September by Labine, fellow Faculty
Member Mike Beug and Jean MacGregor, assistant director of the college's Center
for CommunTty~T3evelopment. The plan calls for strengthening academic offerings and
research opportunities, developing a Summer Farm Program and possibly a 3-2 double
degree program with
Washington State University,
DTF TO EXAMINE EVERGREEN GOVERNANCE
and upgrading the Farm to
make it a public showplace
by Roger Dickey
became the real decision making
body.
for alternative agriculture.
Charles McCann, Evergreen's
Three lunch time forums exam"You can't have a farm
ined governance at Evergreen last first president, spoke of "how we
without a farmer," says
thought we were for the first nine
week.
Labine, referring to Susan
The Evergreen Council called the years."
forums to call attention to goverMcCann explained some of the
Moser who was named manager
nance issues, educate the communi- early ways of assuring discussion,
of the Organic Farm last
ty, solicit opinions and form a DTF such as the deans' breakfasts held
fall. Other recent additions
to make recommendations on the once a week. He said that once a
include a six-foot fence
future of governance here. The DTF week he made himself available to
built by Beug for $10 and a
is scheduled to report back to the anyone from the community who
greenhouse built last quarter
Evergreen Council before the end of wanted to speak to him, but fairly
the school year.
soon he was by himself each Thursby students of the
The DTF's first meeting will be in day on the third floor balcony of the
"Ecological Agriculture"
Library 2205 at noon on Thursday, library.
program, taught by Labine and
April 25. If you want to volunteer
Joe Olander returned to the mike
Faculty Member Russ Fox. Also
or need further information contact later to answer questions and said
Matt Detering at 866-9531.
that he too was making himself
new are 200 dwarf fruit
Faculty, classified staff and ex- available to the community every
trees, including apple, pear,
empt staff are especially needed.
week. He said he spends a portion
cherry, plum and kiwi, which
On Tuesday, April 9, Evergreen of each Wednesday afternoon in the
are still being planted.
president Joe Olander told a crowd Board Room and is available to
This quarter, "Ecological
of approximately 50 people that he various segments of the college on
Agriculture" students are
was concerned about the discrepen- a rotating basis. For information on
cy between how Evergreen's the exact schedule of his open hours
concentrating on putting in
documents say it works and how it call the President's Office at x-6100.
the Farm's market garden, and
actually functions.
Wednesday's forum gathered
Moser and Beug are avidly
"At
Evergreen
you
have
a
unique
more expressions of concern and a
seeking students who want
structure," Olander said. "It is one
couple of suggestions for alternate
summer internships in alterof the things that attracted me the
governance sytems. Evergreen stumost. But it ain't working no matdent Bill Lott spoke of the need for
native agriculture.
what he called group memory. He
Next year, Labine will be ter how you measure it."
He pointed out that, in fact, lots said that Evergreen has little comon leave to finish her book
of other groups on campus now per- imunication outside of programs and
on gardening for nutrition
form those functions and the coun- there is a need for an information
and self-sufficiency, while
cil is pretty much a joke. Olander center run by students.
On Thursday, approximately thircharged the council to make the
the "Ecological Agriculture"
practice and the document conform. ty people, predominately students,
program continues under the
Dick Schwartz, vice president for met to exchange ideas and form a
guidance of Beug and Faculty
business and former acting president DTF. The DTF is charged by the
Member Larry Eickstaedt. The
of the college, said our governance 'Evergreen Council to canvas the
Organic Farm will continue,
system "hasn't worked as well as we community and report back to the
council before the end of school with
would have liked."
to further Evergreen's
"During the Dan Evans era," recommendations on the future of
national reputation as one of
Schwartz said, "the President's governance.
the few undergraduate colleCouncil was put together and it
ges that offer small scale,
organic agriculture as a per- GOVERNANCE QUESTIONNAIRES ARE AT CAB INFORMATION CENTER. PLEASE FILL ONE OUT IF YOU CAN'T
manent part of its curricuMAKE THE NOON, APRIL 25 MEETING IN LIB 2205.
lum.

Office of College Relations
Library 3114

Next Newsletter—April 19
Photos by Photo Services
except as noted

EVERGREENERS IN THE NEWS:
CLEVELAND GREEN—STAFF EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
"I did take something once that didn't belong to me," says
Custodian Cleveland Green, April's Employee of the Month.
Green relates he was five when he and a brother took a
lock and cow bell from his Uncle Pete's farm in Mississippi.
"When my mama found out about it, she marched us back a
mile-and-half to Uncle Pete's farm," following up every
step with a switch of a rattan stick. "It was a mighty
long walk," he recalls.
Since that day Green has spent his life giving and
returning. In his 11 years at the college, he's returned
over $3,000 cash to some very relieved Evergreeners. "He
not only does a beautiful job of helping maintain our
workplace, but he's always pleasant and thoroughly
; trustworthy," writes one coworker.
If Green hadn't wished to do something special for his grandchildren for
Christmas, he might never have come to Evergreen. In 1971 he retired from the Army
after 28 years of service in three wars—World War II, Korea and Vietnam—and
settled in Olympia with his wife, Agnes. When his daughter, Mary Alice moved to
Olympia with her four daughters, Green decided to earn some extra cash for
Christmas presents. "I planned to work for only three months," he recalls
laughing, "and here I am 11 years later!"
"Lovely people," says Green, is what has kept him here. Education has also
kept him here. After working the night shift, he'd often be in class the next day
during the mid 70's, studying with faculty members Craig Carlson, Lovern King,
Maxine Mimms and Mary Ellen Hillaire. After transferring from Fort Steilacoom
Community College, he graduated from Evergreen in 1977.
Green is also an ordained minister with the New Covenant Pentecostal Church
and is committed to evangelical work during his free time. He received his call,
he relates, while recovering from a back operation after his service in Vietnam.
"I was flat on my back and couldn't move, so I had to listen."
In addition to hunting, fishing and raising hounds—three life-long passions—
Green attends many of the college's lectures, plays and events.
Asked about his plans, Green responds that he hasn't made up his mind about
retirement, but wants to "make sure I leave them all happy." He also took the
opportunity to say something to all Evergreeners who read the Newsletter: "I
appreciate being here and I love each and every one of you—faculty, students,
staff and the custodial group. I hope I didn't leave anybody out!" Thank you,
Cleveland, and congratulations.
Another Greener in the News is Library Acquisitions Specialist Jacqueline Trimble, who returned to work on March 1. Trimble, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage
last October, began working again on a half-time basis, but has since re-scheduled to quarter time to ensure a healthy and lasting recovery.

Newsletter
The Evergreen State College

April 5, 1985

EVERGREEN TO WIDEN THE SEARCH FOR NEW ACADEMIC DEAN
The search for a new senior academic dean will begin anew. That was the decision
Provost and Academic Vice President Patrick Hill announced at the Faculty Meeting
on Wednesday, April 3- Current Dean John Perkins has agreed to stay on as Senior
Dean until his replacement can be found.
The Academic Dean Search Disappearing Task Force recommended two candidates
in March for Hill to consider—Evergreen Faculty Member Rob Knapp and Tulsi Saral,
a program director at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in Texas. In both
cases, the DTF expressed significant reservations. The DTP asked Hill to further
scrutinize the two finalists relative to these reservations, including how the
finalists met the search criteria for a dean with "budgetary expertise of the
finest quality." Hill reported that two factors increased his concerns: the
current economic crisis in the state, and President Joseph Olander's clear emphasis that a dean with strong budgetary credentials is of the highest importance to
Evergreen.
"Joe defines his job in terms of external pressures and realities," Hill
said. "He wants to concentrate on raising money for the college, and he thinks my
job during the past two years has been overly focused on budgetary matters."
Between them, Evergreen's top two administrators thought the institution
needed a more experienced hand to oversee how the academic side of the college
spent its money. Hill said Knapp, whose credentials were otherwise "excellent,"
would have been able to acquire the necessary budgetary skills, but that the new
dean must have those skills already. Nor was criticism meant of Perkins, Hill
emphasized, because "we are changing what we expect the budget dean to do."
Hill thanked the members of the Search committe, DTF Chairperson Charles
McCann and support person Kris Liburdy, for their long hard work, which produced
for his consideration "at least two, and maybe three, excellent candidates." The
new search is expected to begin within the immediate future, pending clarification
of the budgetary situation for the 1985-87 biennium and further discussions
regarding the position between Olander and Hill.
WHAT'S THE DIFF?: EVERGREEN'S LIBRARY TAKES A UNIQUE APPROACH TO LEARNING
By Mark Clemens, Director of Information Services
People who really know how things operate in Evergreen's Daniel J. Evans Library
know that in many ways it isn't like any other college library in the country, let
alone Thurston County. That includes students who spend a lot of time studying and
doing research there, faculty members who work with the library to assure their
academic programs will have ready access to information, and the Library staff
themselves, who know they're working someplace very different.
"We may not seem unusual to a lot of people in this community," says Susan
Perry, Dean of Library Services, "but to other librarians we seem real unusual."
Cont'd on page 3

!MUSIC AND MIME OPEN SPRING EXPRESSIONS SERIES
A twin-bill of Northwest talent will delight the
lear and the eye when Evergreen Expressions kicks
toff its spring program on with an evening of
IMusic and Mime, Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. in
Ithe Recital Hall.
Port Townsend pianist Paul Herder opens the
|show with a performance of his unique jazz com!positions that have delighted audiences from New
ilDelhi to San Francisco. "Herder's work," writes
lone reviewer, "conveys a dynamic sense of rhythm
las well as a distinct harmonic imagery."
Then the Seattle Mime Theatre presents a
I brilliant blend of classic and contemporary
|vignettes. Performing since the late 70's, "the
; foursome stands out," writes the London Daily
fTelegraph, "because of its intelligence, professionalism and fantasy." The troupe will peril form such pieces as "Neah Bay," a pastoral
*comedy, "20th Century Vector Movement," a factory
fugue, and "Mimes From Hell," a sometimes spooky, often hilarious piece with a
punk flavor.
Upcoming Expressions performances include the Wallflower Order Dance
Collective on Sunday, April 28, the Northwest Chamber Orchestra on Saturday, May
11, and El Teatro de la Esperanza ("The Theatre of Hope") on Friday, May 24.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. performance are $6 general and $4 for students and
senior citizens, and are available at Yenney's Music, The Bookmark, and the
Evergreen Bookstore. As several winter performances were sold out, Expressions
Director Ed Trujillo strongly recommends making reservations by calling 866-6833
weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
EVERGREEN HOUR FEATURES UNION STATION AND MALAYSIAN FILM
Films by two Evergreen faculty members will be featured on the third Evergreen
Hour, slated for Saturday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 15/28 KTPS, which is
seen on cable channel 12 in Olympia.
Faculty Member Sally Cloninger's film, "Going to My House," was filmed in
Malaysia in 1983 and is her perception of the meeting of two cultures. Visiting
Faculty Member Doris Loeser's "Last Call for Union Station," evokes the history of
the famous Los Angeles railroad landmark. Loeser produced the film in 1981 while
a student at the University of Southern California. Also featured will be Loeser's
animated short, "Road to You." The three films will be shown along with interviews
of Loeser and Cloninger, who will discuss their work, the nature of visual anthropology and filmmaking.
Upcoming programs will feature "Cuts," a film about old-time logging in
Southwestern Washington, and films about Southeast Asian refugees in America. For
more information contact faculty member Judith Espinola at ext. 6273.
ALIVE IN OLYMPIA RETURNS: KAOS FM is once again gearing up for its annual Alive in
Olympia series, featuring live musical acts from all over the Northwest. The
series begins Monday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. and airs every Monday concluding with a
grand finale on Super Saturday, June 8, with George Earner and the Trendsetters.

WHAT'S THE DIFF?, cont'd from front page
Like a tour-guide to the wonders of the world, Perry can point to seven
features that set the Evans Library apart from its counterparts at other small
liberal arts colleges: (1) faculty rotation, (2) the way it develops its collection, (3) the instructional publications and materials it produces, (4) Media
Loan, (5) Media Services, (6) its integration of print and non-print information
into one collection, and (7) its study rooms for students.
(1) In 1977-78, Perry became the first Evergreen librarian to rotate into the
faculty when she taught in the "Self-Expression Through Autobiography" program.
Since then Frank Motley, Pat Matheny-White, and Mary Huston have all rotated
into faculty postions (Debbie Huerta is teaching in the program, "Growth and
Form," this spring), while faculty members Richard Alexander, Gordon Beck, Betty
Estes, Tom Foote, Charles McCann. Art Mulka, Matt Smith, Pete Taylor and _A1
Weidemann have worked as staff librarians.
(2) At traditional colleges, most of the budget for library acquisitions is
meted out to departments, but since there aren't any departments at Evergreen,
acquisitions are decided upon by the Library's Resource Selection Committee, whose
members include the reference librarian, the acquisitions staff, and the heads of
circulation, interlibrary loan and periodicals.
(3) The Library's publications—instructional materials it has produced such
as the "Hands On Guide," the "Library Insider" and the currently available
"Annuary"—are heralded in the library world, according to Perry. "They think
we're either very imaginative or completely crazy," she says, but either way they
do an excellent job of informing library users what is available to them.
(4) "No other college library operates Media Loan the way we do," Perry says
with pride. Other libraries usually offer equipment to view and/or listen to
information, but Evergreen makes available all kinds of equipment to make
information—35mm, movie and video cameras, tape recorders and more for its
students and faculty.
(5) Media Services complements the role of Media Loan, by providing the "how"
of production. The Library offers more than 250 workshops every year on media production, reference resources, media loan procedures and general Library orientation. In addition to providing support for academic programs, Media Services has
also produced such programs as the Evergreen Hour (see page 2).
(6) The Library's integration of print and non-print media into one collection is unique, says Perry. In the circulating collection on the third floor, nonprint resources have been classified and shelved with print material, so books
about bluegrass music, for example, are with bluegrass cassettes. Most libraries,
reports Matheny-White have a "book side" and a "media side." But other libraries
have become interested in Evergreen's development of media integration and the
college's pioneering staff members have been asked to deliver papers on the subject at library conferences around the region.
(7) The Library provides study rooms used by 300-400 Evergreen students annually. At other colleges and universities, study rooms are usually only for graduate
students and faculty members. Here, students are the most important clients.
"We want information to liberate the individual," Susan Perry concludes. "We
show our clients how to find information and how to assess it so they can use it."
Complete information on Evergreen's Library can be found in the Information
Calendar, which can be picked up just inside the Library's main doors, by calling
ext. 6250, or by dropping in and talking to any one of the Library staffers.
Open forum on campus childcare, noon-1:30 p.m., Monday, April 8, in CAB 108. Free.