New
funding brings new faces to campus
By Jose Aguilar
Pulse Staff Reporter
| Thanks to Palo Alto’s
new president, who championed an increase of more than two million dollars
in funding, more full-time faculty, staff and administrators have been hired
to accommodate students and their needs. After years of severe under-funding, Dr. Ana “Cha” Guzman took a methodical approach at convincing the Alamo Community College District’s Board of Trustees to increase Palo Alto’s funding. She attributes part of the increase to luck but the majority to her background in budgeting. “Through my past experiences, I was able to show that the campus had great need,” she said. “When the allocations stopped increasing seven years ago, that really choked us and I was able to show them how.” Funding for Palo Alto increased from $16,557,200 in 2002 to $18,000,000—a million and a half dollars—for fiscal year 2003. In addition to the new increase, the college received a mid-year infusion of $605,676 for the Spring 2002 semester, which allowed for the hiring of two vice presidents. Newly instated Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Thomas B. Baynum and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Adolfo R. Barrera will assist Guzman in handling the ever-growing needs of the campus. “I truly am very happy doing this job, serving the students and the faculty,” she said, “but I feel like 150 pounds have been lifted off of my shoulders.” The growth of the campus played a factor in the two new administrators’ decision to relocate to San Antonio. Barrera, who comes from a 19-year engagement at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, said he was ready for the challenge. “The prospect that Palo Alto will grow and continue to grow because of the demographics and the needs of the community drew me here,” he said. With roots in South Texas and an education that never knew the likes of services such as tutoring or advising, Barrera’s own lack of access to special assistance shaped his career and the programs he has established. “I have, more than once, relied on personal experiences in going through and developing programs and submitting proposals for funding to put in place these kinds of special assistance programs,” Barrera said. “Because, education is not equal. We would like it to be, but it’s not.” While at SWT, Barrera established three scholarships while involved with the recruitment and retention of first-generation students. He plans to continue that type of leadership at Palo Alto. “I’m very excited about joining the Palo Alto administration,” he said. “We want to continue to pride ourselves in having the best transfer rate, the highest retention rate and a reputable degree completion rate.” A native of Delaware and a resident of Texas for fifteen years, Baynum comes to Palo Alto from Richland Community College in Decatur, Ill., where he helped to enhance the Arts Department and develop programs for both occupational and transfer students. He believes the faculty at Palo Alto is very capable of accomplishing growth like this on their own. “The biggest strength, I have recognized, is that the faculty has ownership of the curriculum—[starting] on the ground level and building,” he said. “They have invested in it and know what they want to do with it,” he said. Baynum plans to add more to the already “impressive” number of full-time faculty. He also plans to develop more Associate in Applied Science degree programs to better equip students who plan to transfer into universities. This type of program allows students to specialize in his/her major now in order to gain “sound expertise.” Baynum sees two different aims for any college: one, to be reflective of the community, and two, to help direct the community while still staying true to its ideals and traditions. “I think the vision and…our mission is pretty clearly incorporated into everything that we do,” he said. “In the work that I do, it feels good to be part of a community on the move.” Palo Alto is growing. With the new mid-year and new fiscal year funds, 20 staff members and 24 full-time faculty have been added. Ismael Dovalina, Faculty Senate President, has met most of the new faculty and feels they will make a tremendous addition to the campus. “They are outstanding and very talented and energetic,” he said. “They bring a lot of enthusiasm with them.” The increases in funding brings Palo Alto up to par with the other ACCD colleges in the matter of personnel, but the next thing on the president’s list is facilities. Construction of a brand new Occupational Technology Building and the doubling in size of the Student Center are to accompany much-needed improvements in foundations, which have already begun. “We are going to work with the ACCD in improving our facilities. They are very important,” Guzman said. “We want to be proud of them. We want the students to be proud of them.” |