[CBW_Exec] CBW Exec Board meeting Agenda +

[Kathleen Baca]

It’s been great to hear what you all are doing, both professionally and
personally. I can't even begin to think how you all manage to accomplish
it all.  Thanks, Hannah and Shannon, for planning to do this online, and
thanks to all for sharing.

Work Stuff:
Doña Ana Community College dropped “Branch” from its name and now is
officially NMSU-DACC.  The other CC’s in the NMSU system didn’t get to
keep, or maybe didn’t want to keep, the community college part.

I’m still keeping the faith and fighting the good fight regarding some
egregious practices by administration regarding the removal of tenure
rights and responsibilities.  After reading a huge document detailing some
of what has gone on the past few years, NMSU faculty appeals board wrote a
letter critical of how things have been handled and asking for immediate
changes. This received no response, and the buck has been passed or we
have been stonewalled since then.

A math colleague and I were able to teach credit classes at our Mesquite
Neighborhood Learning Center last fall, a long-overdue happening for that
historic and poor area of Las Cruces.  Unfortunately, the college offers
very little support so only one course had enough enrolment for the spring
semester, but it was a great experience that I will repeat Fall 09.

I continue to teach mostly basic writing courses and am in the classroom
20 hours a week.  I notice that there is an attitude of entitlement among
a greater percentage of students.  I think that NCLB is partly
responsible, and I grieve for these students who have never been expected
to work hard and thus do not believe in their own capabilities.

Life Stuff:
My husband and I both turned 50 last year.  A niece told me she’s never
seen anyone so excited about being old!  Also, our youngest daughter left
for Santa Clara University last September, so we are on our own for the
first time ever.  Life is different after 32! years of having children
around.  I have to say that the good outweighs the bad, and my husband and
I are loving growing old together.

I resigned from one local board last fall and from the Colonias
Development Council last month.  The second was a tough decision for me,
as working with colonia residents is part of my understanding of my call
to promote social justice, but I’m the chair of Catholic Charities of the
Diocese of Las Cruces (covering the southern half of NM), so it made
sense.

I’m so looking forward to seeing you Wednesday.  Today I teach three
two-hour classes, and I’m suffering from daylight rearranging time.  kb


Kathleen A. Baca
English and Communication Department
Doña Ana Community College
MSC 3DA
PO Box 30001
Las Cruces, NM 88003
575-527-7626
kbaca at nmsu.edu