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Campus Announcements

New Dean of College of Education
With the concurrence of the President, Ric Brown, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, has announced the appointment of Vanessa Sheared as Dean of the College of Education. Sheared has served as Associate Dean of the College of Education at San Francisco State University since 2000 and Chair of the Department of Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies prior to that. Her responsibilities as Associate Dean have included coordination of credential services, accreditation, program development and review. She holds an Ed.D. in Adult Continuing Education from Northern Illinois University, a M.A. in Education and Counseling from Louisiana State University and a B.A. in Sociology from Wheaton College.

Her extensive scholarship has focused on the intersection of race, gender and politics and the impact these factors have on teaching, learning and literacy in adult education programs. As well, she has engaged in a great deal of professional and community activities. She will begin at Sacramento State on August 21.

Appointments in Academic Affairs
After consultation with Human Resources and with the concurrence of Provost Ric Brown, JoAnn K. Aguirre, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs, Student Academic Success and Educational Equity Programs, has announced the following appointments. These positions (except for the EAP/Guardian Scholars position) will be advertised internally in early fall and are expected to be filled on a permanent basis by January 2007.

Judy Dean, Acting Co-Director of SSWD (Services to Students with Disabilities), appointment effective June 12. Dean received her master's degree in College Student Personnel from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana and has a background in Vocational Rehabilitation, Disability Evaluation, and counseling for evening division students, in addition to her 17 1/2 years experience as a Disability Management Counselor in Services to Students with Disabilities at Sacramento State. She has worked with students with a wide variety of physical and psychological disabilities, reviewing confidential medical documentation, arranging appropriate accommodations, and providing ongoing supportive services in classroom, lab, and internship settings. Through collaboration with faculty and staff, university legal counsel, and the campus ADA Coordinator she has worked to ensure compliance with ADA/504, new legislation, and current case law and Office of Civil Rights decisions and provided trainings on campus. Dean has also overseen the Deaf/HOH Services program, including the introduction of real-time captioning services on campus, expansion of sign language interpreting services, and supervision of staff.

Melissa Repa, Acting Co-Director of SSWD (Services to Students with Disabilities), appointment effective June 12. Repa received her master’s degree in Psychological Studies in Education (specializing in Interactive Learning Media) from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also earned a certificate in Assistive Technology Applications from the College of Extended Learning and the Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge. In addition, she participated in the Leadership/Management Professional Development Series through Sacramento State’s College of Continuing Education. Repa’s background includes more than nine years experience in training, program development, and academic technology, and she has taught in both the United States and Thailand. Repa has served as the High Tech Center Coordinator for Services to Students with Disabilities at Sacramento State for the past three years. Repa has developed academic and technology-related programs for students with visual impairments, hearing loss, learning disabilities, low vision, blind, mobility limitations and psychological disabilities in a higher education setting.

Marcellene Watson-Derbigny, Acting Director of Student Academic Success Programs, appointment effective June 1. Watson-Derbginy holds an earned doctorate in Educational Psychology with a minor in Educational Administration from the University of the Pacific, Stockton, two master’s degrees, and a BA in Psychology with a minor in Social Work. Over the past eight years, Watson-Derbigny has served as the Learning Communities Coordinator for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) working to assist first generation and low-income college students to pursue their dreams of a college education. Due to her efforts, the EOP Learning Communities Program has been recognized as a national model for promoting the academic success and retention of students in higher education. In addition to her involvement with the Learning Communities Program, Watson-Derbigny currently serves on the Freshman Programs Committee, Executive Order 665 Committee, University Orientation Committee, and Summer Bridge Planning Committee. She has also been actively involved systemwide with the EOP Director’s Committee, and has also served as an adjunct faculty member for the Department of Psychology for three years.

Jerry Blake, Acting Coordinator of EOP, appointment effective June 1. Blake obtained his undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and obtained his master's at Sacramento State in Bilingual Multicultural Education. Blake is an Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) Counselor and Freshman Seminar Instructor and has worked at Sacramento State for 12 years in varied positions throughout campus. He started his career here in 1992 as a residence hall director and area coordinator and has worked at various other universities in the past. He has served as a program advisor for the University Union, part time faculty for the Education Department and as the cultural program advisor for student activities. Blake has served on numerous professional and student focused committees such as the Financial Aid Appeals Committee, Homecoming, AFRICA and served as president of the Black Staff and Faculty Association. He is currently on the Summer Bridge Committee, Multicultural Center Advisory Board, Campus Educational Equity Committee, and has served as advisor to many other campus organizations.

Joy Salvetti-Wolfe, Coordinator for the Early Assessment Program and the Guardian Scholars Program, appointment effective June 19. Salvetti-Wolfe obtained her doctoral degree in Italian Studies, Film Studies and Multicultural Education at Union Institute & University, Cincinnati. Her graduate and undergraduate degrees are also in Italian Studies and Multicultural Education. She has studied extensively at the University of Florence, Italy and at Rutgers University. She has served as an Italian lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages here at Sacramento State since 1996. Presently Salvetti-Wolfe is the lead consultant for the CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP), as well as the Guardian Scholars Program representative at the California Department of Education (CDE). She also served as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the CDE for ten years, a position similar to the Director of Civil Rights at the federal level. Salvetti-Wolfe has also administered many other programs including the International Baccalaureate, Student Friendly Services, High School Graduation Requirements, and A to G Requirements. She has also provided support to Superintendent O’Connell, the Education Round Table, UC Regents and CSU Trustees.

In memoriam: Patricia Sonntag
Ric Brown, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, has announced the passing of Patricia Sonntag on Friday, June 2, 2006. She served as Director of SSWD from 1974 to March 15, 2006. In her recent assignment she served as the Special Project Coordinator for Services to Students with Disabilities, collaborating with California State University, Sacramento Facilities and Transportation Services as the University-wide expert resource regarding ADA, 504, and 508.

Sonntag had more than 31 years of experience assisting and facilitating the educational access for students with disabilities at California State University, Sacramento. She tirelessly advocated for the civil rights of students with disabilities in higher education. Sonntag was involved with three Budget Change Proposals at the State Legislature that provided State general funds for DSS programs systemwide. Sonntag provided leadership in the growth and development of Services to Students with Disabilities on campus for the last three decades. She was the expert in architectural access to campus facilities and programs.

Her contribution went beyond the campus, because of her active involvement in the disability community advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, Brown said. She had extraordinary conviction for and commitment to the universal access for persons with disabilities to equally participate in all aspects of society.

Brown said that Sonntag will be truly missed by the campus and the disability community as the champion of the disability movement. A memorial service is planned for the fall; details will be announced in the beginning of fall semester.

Human Resources

Catastrophic Leave Donation Program
Sacramento State employees may voluntarily donate to other employees up to a maximum of 16 hours of sick or vacation leave credits each fiscal year in one (1) hour increments. CSUEU, MPP, Unit 4, Unit 6 and Confidential employees may donate up to a maximum of 40 hours per fiscal year.

If employees are interested in donating time, a donation form can be obtained by going to www.csus.edu/hr/forms.stm#Disability, or by visiting the Human Resources, Disability Leaves Office in Sacramento Hall 162, or by calling extension 278-3522.

The following employees have been approved for the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program:
Eric Fellersen, Academic Technology and Creative Services
Tamara Dunn, College of Business Administration
Corrina Carlock, Admissions and Records
Jerry Cook, Family and Consumer Sciences
Ondria Small, College of Continuing Education
Kevin Calandri, Economics
Leo Lopez, Facilities Management
*Pamela Elbeck, Accounts Payable (*Only vacation leave credits may be donated to this employee)