Introducing Steve Schessler, CCFT's new COPE Chair

Faculty Voice: How would you describe your professional path B.C. (Before Cabrillo)?

Steve: I always knew I wanted to be an English professor, and poetry has been my love since I can remember. I took double the English major requirements during undergrad (overachiever), and knew I wanted to go right into grad school. I of course took a range of classes regarding genre, time period, etc., but contemporary poetry remained at the heart of my academic world.

Both Duke and Emory offered great examples in professors - people who were interested in the material, excited to teach, and engaged with their students. That made that part of the career choice easy. The economy made post-doc life rather more difficult!

After finishing grad school and teaching in Atlanta, I moved out to California and began my career in public education. Over the years, I taught at Gavilan College, Santa Rosa College, and San Francisco State. I had a lot of wonderful students and great colleagues, and a lot of the uncertainty that comes with being an adjunct - not to mention plenty of time on the road. I began teaching online during this time, too, for both Gavilan and the for-profit Colorado Technical University. After teaching a few semesters online, I realized I needed further training, and started a masters in Instructional Technology at SFSU. Those classes and conversations helped me focus my pedagogical approach to online teaching and hybrid instruction, which I happily have carried with me to Cabrillo.

Voice: Why did you choose Cabrillo?

Steve: Cabrillo has an energy all its own, and it's one that keeps instructors, staff, and students interested and part of a community. The sense of community was palpable during my visits to the campus, and it's the community I appreciate most in education. Faculty, staff, and students work together here (on occasion a students *might* require some inspirational prodding), from what I've seen in just under two years. In moments when inspiration may be lacking, the regular challenges of engagement and access arise, but are part of the fun. 

Voice: What do you see as your greatest challenge?

Steve Schessler, COPE Chair
English Department

Steve: Most of the time the biggest challenge is time itself - there's so much going on and so much more with which to get involved, but the hours manage to run out too quickly. I've managed so far to become involved in a number of different groups across campus and gotten a good starter education to the way things work. Outside of English Department business, overseeing this year's edition of the Porter Gulch Review, and leading the preparatory class for the Bay Area Honors Research Symposium, I work on campus-wide committees like Cabrillo Reads, the Distance Education Committee, the Honors Program Advisory Council , and CCFT as a BELA rep and now also as COPE co-chair with Sadie Reynolds.

Voice: What draws you to union organizing, CCFT, and COPE in particular?

Steve: Working with the CCFT Council and Executive Board has taught me a lot so far, especially regarding the work that goes on to advocate for the success of our students and for the respect we faculty and staff have earned and deserve as professionals who dedicate our careers to improving the very same Cabrillo community that drew us here. Participation in CCFT allows me to engage with that advocacy at the College level, and COPE expands that engagement to local and statewide politics. The goal of the advocacy remains the same - to support our students and colleagues and improve the educational experience. Politically, these goals can be realized only through the support of our local and state representatives. COPE helps broadcast our union's message and aid our allies - the committee provides a great, focused connection between action, reform, and public education policy. The position as co-chair lets me learn more about the functions of our union and the opportunities we have for political advocacy, and I look forward to working with everyone as we move into an election season.

At the time of this interview, I'm in Manhattan Beach for the CFT Convention. Along with presenting on our Repeatability resolution, I'll learn a lot more from our colleagues across the state. Hopefully somewhere in there I'll make my way to the actual beach, too - a good reminder of the particularly beautiful community in which we find ourselves at Cabrillo.