Story 5: Office Hours with Mike Houglum

At A Glance:

• Classes taught at LBCC: Speech 111, 112, 218, 219
   
• How long has he been at LBCC: 26 years
   
• Usually has: A 16-ounce cup of house coffee
   
• Speech topics heard most often: How to make a speech, and the classics like legalizing marijuana and lowering the drinking age to 18 aka the file folder speech in the frat house.

Quote: “Well you know how it is. The students are all with their energy drinks, or something like that, taking some sort of brain stimulants and if you’re not on the top of your game you really feel like you’re behind. I’m already fighting that.”

 (Mike Houglum at left in his office after the interview)

Unfortunately for staff and students, speech instructor Mike Houglum is soon approaching retirement. In fall 2012, Mike Houlgum will leave the speech department and students he has influenced.

While he doesn't advise any clubs or host any events, he is still loved by many of his students. It will be a loss to LBCC when he retires by fall 2012.

Mindi Jones (one of Houglum's students) changed her major to speech because of  Houlgum.

"He inspires me to work harder than any of my other teachers. He's interested, he's not boring, and he knows his stuff. He pays more attention to what I have to say than other teachers do. He always gives outside references so I can do outside research on my own."

Emma Barry hasn't converted to a speech major, but she is really into Houglum's classes and teaching style.

"I took interpersonal communication my first term here in fall 2009 because the class sounded interesting and I took it with Mike just on random chance. He turned out to be my favorite teacher. I'm taking all of his classes just because his enthusiasm makes anybody like the subject."

While Houglum doesn't bounce off the walls with excitement, he demonstrates his passion for the subject by providing students with a variety of useful and applicable information in his speech classes.

Houglum has been teaching communication classes at LBCC for 26 years. With his 16-ounce cup of coffee and the choir serenading in the adjacent classroom, Houglum put his communication skills to practice. Having graduated from California State University Northridge with a BA and master’s and earning a Ph.D. from UO, it’s safe to say Houglum knows his subject.

Commuter: You’ve mentioned in class that you were originally going to declare your major to be psychology. What made you change your mind?

Mike Houglum: A serendipitous series of events occurred and I was unable to declare that major. At the time I was told that they didn’t have enough resources to do advising for anymore psychology majors. A lady told me that I could declare a speech major and I said ‘sure.’ So she changed my entire destiny just by a suggestion. The dominoes really fell after that. I may not have gone for a Ph.D., I wouldn’t have met my wife (she was in speech at UO), everything changed.

C: What would you say your favorite speech class to teach is?

MH: I like two of them really well: persuasion and small group communication. I think those are both the most fun because in those classes students push to really explore things. They take it because they are interested in those topics and not because they are required to. I think it draws an audience of students that are really interested in the subject and so they push me to do better or try to stay ahead. And I learn a lot of things in those classes.

C: What do you learn?

MH: I learn new theories, I learn new ways of doing things, I learn about topics I would NEVER study on my own but that are really interesting and/or really significant to society. I get a chance to do what I originally set out to do, which is to learn things and try to find ways to teach other people about them.

C: Being a speech instructor, would you say it would be difficult to persuade you on anything?

MH: No, the overriding quality is being a teacher. Teachers are generally easy because they want to help students, just like agreeing to this interview, and even though I know a lot about persuasion it doesn’t always help protect me. It makes me suspicious but it doesn’t make me immune.

Where to find Mike Houglum
Office: SSH - 231B
Phone: 541-917-4281
E-mail: mike.houglum@linnbenton.edu
Office Hours: Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday 10-11 a.m.

Profile: Katherine Sanders lives to dance

(at left LBCC dance club members perform at the concert "Inspirations")

Katherine Sanders is known for her enthusiasm when teaching her jazz, modern and hip hop dance classes here at LBCC.

Sanders is also the staff representative and creator of the new LBCC dance club. She not only teaches her students to dance, but also provides them with opportunities to stretch their wings and choreograph their own work. 

Daniel Rasberry is appreciative of what Sanders is doing with the club. “I talked to Katherine and loved what she believed in. It fits me and my personality and the way I am.”

Jim Bell of the Athletic Department is also impressed with Sanders’ contributions to LBCC. “Her energy and enthusiasm, the motion and expression of dance have been caught by the students in the club and in her classes. It’s nice to see this new innovation.”

Katherine Sanders has brought a unique experience here to LBCC. With a variety of dance classes and this new performing dance club students have a wide range of opportunities to express themselves through dance.
Sanders explained, “I think anyone can dance.”

Commuter: “How and why did you first get involved with dancing and teaching?”

Katherine Sanders: “Both of my parents, and my entire family, are teachers. I just come from a family of teachers. My mother was my first dance teacher. She owned a dance studio when I was growing up so that got me involved with dance originally.

I definitely kind of went away from it for a little while but I always kept in my life a bit. Finally when I was just finishing high school and entering college I really realized that I was much happier when I was dancing regularly.

And since then I’ve just danced five days a week almost consistently since then. So it just kind of made sense … the teaching I guess and my family background … it’s jut what I do. I can’t imagine any job I would rather do.”

C: “What sort of dancing do you personally do in your free time?”

KS: “I don’t [laughs] because I dance so much during the week for my job. It’s rare for me to go out dancing or take any extra classes. In the summer time I go to New York City and I give myself a dance intensive that LBCC offers financial support for professional development and so I take a lot of modern and hip hop just to get a sense of the current moves coming out of New York City.”

C: “How did you become an instructor here at LBCC?”

KS: “When I moved up here from Eugene almost four years ago I was working at Willamette University and I noticed there was very little dance offered for adults in this area and especially through this college. [I also noticed] there was only one ballet class offered at the Benton Center and maybe some country line dancing for community ed., but [there wasn’t] a lot [offered].

I actually was just really proactive and called the people who do the community ed. in Corvallis and just let them know that I teach among other things hip hop, which is really a popular dance form right now and that they might want to consider offering it.

So about three and a half years ago they offered it as non-credit and it filled right away. So then I worked my way over here and said to the people in the PE department that since that class was obviously so popular that I encouraged them to offer a credit class of it.

As soon as people realized it was there it caught on and started to fill. Once hip hop was doing well I started offering other dance forms … It seemed like the community was missing that and I’ve been really happy to be able to fill that gap.”

C: “What’s your favorite thing about teaching here at LB?”

KS: “I would have to say the student population. I always liked the feel of a community college. To me there is so much more diversity because in the same class you could have a 17 year old who’s straight out of high school  mixed in with a 26 year old coming back after having two children and a 50 year old who is on their second round of trying to find a new career."

I love that because I feel it creates a really rich classroom. So for me as a teacher having people come in from those different walks of life that’s the best part [of teaching]. I feel like here people are living real life.”


*At a glance*

Classes taught at LBCC:
PE 185R & 186F, Modern Dance

How long she’s been at LBCC:
3 years

Life before LBCC:
She taught at dance schools where ever she lived and at Willamette University.

Office space:
“I don’t actually have an office because I’m part time. I joke with people that my office is right in front of the stereo cart because that’s where people meet to talk with me.”

Hobby:
“Glorified taxi driver” for two teen children, working in the garden, and taking walks in the park with the dog.

Three things Edna taught me

"My God Martha did you read this!"

This is just one amusing line from Edna Buchanan's "The Corpse Had a Familiar Face" over all was a compelling read and also inspiring. Buchanan paints an interesting picture of what a reporter should be like on and off the job.

A story she tell us involves her racing back to the office on deadline to write a story she had just been gathering information for. Another story opportunity presented itself. Buchanan barely hesitated before making and immediate and scary U-turn.

"Cops are people too." This is Buchanan's catch phrase all through the book. Her constant interactions with the police remind her (and everyone who reads "The Corpse Had a Familiar Face") that cops can be average, good or bad. Some are heroes. Others end up in their own jail cells (if the system is just).

Buchanan is fine with the single life. However, she did try out a few relationships during her crime beat carrier. They did not last long. It seems like a warning. Even though a reporter is always interacting with people, their intimate relationships either come last or don't happen at all (unless you have eight adopted kitties and a dog).

The stories in this book are very entertaining and highly recommended for journalists and those who just love a good read. Witty and gripping, it's a challenge to put it down.

Other books by Edna Buchanan:

• "Cold Case Squad"
• "Shadows"

Hamann focuses on moving LBCC forward

 At a Glance:

•  President Greg Hamann has a message for LBCC
• "Leadership comes from everywhere," Hamann said.
• Charles Madriaga: "I really appreciate him."
• Karelia Stetz-Waters: "I'm getting a good impression..."

While many students used the April 15 in-service day as an opportunity to sleep in, staff gathered in the Russell Tripp Performance Center to hear new LBCC President Greg Hamann give his first speech to all campus employees. Hamann shared his enthusiasm for his new role at LBCC, along with his thoughts on the future of the college and his concept of leadership.

Karelia Stetz-Waters, of the English department, is looking forward to Hamann’s influence.

“I think he’s going to do a good job. I’m getting a good impression from him.”

Upon entering the theater, staff were greeted with “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas blasting from the walls. As soon as everyone was seated, the Roadrunner danced out on stage and stood behind the podium. The room was full of gasps and laughter when it removed its head and President Hamann was revealed.

Still in the costume, he gave a teaser for his address later in the program:

“It isn’t about me, it’s about us.”

True to his word, President Hamann spoke to LBCC staff members about what he sees in store for the
college.

“I know that we are going to change,” Hamann said.

With that in mind, he voiced a fear held by many: there will come a point when the college will need to learn to do less - because enrollment increases are outpacing funding. One of the staff members asked how they would know when that point came. Hamann answered that everyone would have to decide together what that point would be. However, he also acknowledged that no matter what the challenge, everyone must be sure not to violate one of LBCC’s most noble principles: the students always come first.

Counselor Charles Madriaga is ready for whatever new innovations President Hamann might make to
LBCC.

“There’s a strong sense of hope,” Madriaga said. “I really appreciate him. And, quite honestly, he’s a good man.”

President Hamann also has some interesting ideas about leadership. He wants every staff member to understand that leadership is not about power. It’s about purpose.

Hamann’s definition of leadership contained five parts to leadership: unity, creativity, adaptability, persistence, and sharing. In order for this institution to work, he noted, everyone needs to be united. Sides can’t be taken. Staff members need to share their creativity. “Creativity is not just about one idea. It’s about bringing things together,” he said.

To illustrate how leadership must be adaptive and involve persistence, Hamann cited changes that needed to be made at his former college, Clatsop Community College, in Astoria. A few of the changes
involved constructing new buildings. The only way for that to happen was for everyone involved to be flexible and to persevere.

“Leadership does not just come from the top. It comes from everywhere. Everyone has a role to play.”

Hamann said about his role, “I’m most excited about coming to a place where I can be part of this community.”