Program Review

Although admittedly a small portion of my workload, the following projects have become more frequent in post-pandemic years.  I welcome invitations for this work — site-visits are preferred — and created this page solely to assist interested parties.

 

Assessment and Program Review

I have completed formal training as a program reviewer by the National Collegiate Honors Council and been invited to serve in that capacity for three university honors programs.  I have also been hired as an English department external reviewer, most recently for East Texas A&M (undergrad and grad, spring 2024).

More locally, I co-authored the WOU English department’s self-study in 2017 and the Honors Program’s self-study in 2024.  In fall 2025, I completed the English department’s most recent self-study.  I also spearheaded efforts to overhaul the honors curriculum (twice) and the English curriculum.

I also serve on two state-wide, governmental committees in Oregon, for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC):  the Common Course Numbering committee (for literature) and the Major Transfer Map committee.

 

Faculty Academic Advising

In my role as honors director, I earned campus and also national awards for academic advising. Below I list the years for those awards, plus relevant presentations delivered at NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) and NCHC (National Collegiate Honors Council) conferences:

  • Developing in Honors, opening session, panelist. NCHC national, Dallas, TX, 2022.
  • “Honors Programs and the Humanities: the Last, Best Stand?” Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Savannah, GA, 2022.
  • “Who Are Faculty Advisors and How Do They Connect with Students?” Panelist, NACADA national, Cincinnati, OH, 2021.
  • “Advising in Honors: High Achievement, High Need, High Reward.” NACADA regional, Portland, OR, 2018.
  • “Best Practices (and Practical Bets…) in Honors Advising.” Oregon Academic Advising Conference, Monmouth, OR, 2016.
  • “Advising the Exemplary: The Uniqueness of Honors Advising.” NACADA regional, Manhattan, KS, 2016.
  • “’If Gold Shall Rust …”: Demystifying Stereotypes in Honors Advising.” NACADA regional, Seattle, WA, 2016.
  • Faculty Advisor of the Year, national award, NACADA, 2016.
  • Faculty Academic Advisor of the Year, Western Oregon University, 2014.
Leadership and Degrees

Director, WOU Honors Program, 2008-present.
Professor of English, Western Oregon University, 2009-present.

Trustee, WOU Board of Trustees, 2018-2020.
Faculty Lead, playwright Ayad Akhtar campus visit, 2019.
Faculty Lead, Mexican ex-President Vicente Fox campus visit, 2010.
President, WOU Faculty Senate, 2010-2012.
Executive Committee, WOU Faculty Senate, 2010-2016.
Associate Professor, Western Oregon University, 2004-2009.
Assistant Professor, Western Oregon University, 1999-2004.

Ph.D., English, University of Kentucky, 1999.
M.A., English, University of Kentucky, 1992.
B.A., English (Honors), University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1989.