text: Press Release: Gavilan's newly tenured faculty include music, physical education, English, library, psychology, and theater instructors
  Gavilan's newly tenured faculty include music, physical education, English, library, psychology, and theater instructors
  GAVILAN COLLEGE -- At their February meeting the Gavilan College Board of trustees approved tenure for seven faculty members. Tenure is a condition of continuing employment that is accorded a faculty member by the district, following a four-year probationary period, on the basis of evaluation and recommendation by a faculty committee with concurrence by the faculty member's departmental dean, vice president of instruction, and the college president. Tenure is granted only when there is a reasonable assurance, based on performance, that the faculty member will continue to meet the standards for tenure at the college. Tenure has as its fundamental purpose the protection of academic freedom in order to maintain a free and open intellectual atmosphere. The justification lies in the character of scholarly activity. Everyday teaching and research require a measure of professional autonomy to assure professional integrity and academic quality.
  Vice President of Instruction, Kathleen Rose said "This spirit of academic freedom within Gavilan College has a value which goes beyond protecting the individual's broad scope of thought and inquiry. . . . If our college is alive and productive, it is a place where colleagues are in constant dialogue; where faculty can defend their latest intellectual enthusiasm, and hold one another accountable."
  The newly tenured faculty members are:
  Maria Amirkhanian, a concert pianist, teaches in the music department at Gavilan College. She recently traveled to her homeland in Armenia to participate in a concert honoring her father, a well-known musician there. The mother of twins is married to Albert Marques, an instructor in both Spanish and music at Gavilan College. Amirkhanian holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the Tschaikovsky State Conservatory of Music in Moscow, Russia, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from Komitas State Conservatory of Music in Yerevan, Armenia. She earned her Master of Arts in Piano Performance from California State University, Fresno, and her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance/Accompaniment/Pedagogy at Komitas State Conservatory of Music in Yerevan, Armenia.
  Neal Andrade teaches in the physical education department and serves as Head Baseball Coach for the Gavilan College Rams. He holds a Master of Arts in Sports Management from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from portland State University. He is the father aof two and enjoys fishing, hunting, and family time.
  Jessica Hooper teaches in the English department at Gavilan College. She holds a Master of Arts in English Literature with a Concentration in Creative Writing from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a Concentration in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She is a winner of the Anne Lillis Award for Creative Writing: Phelan Awards for Essay and Poetry.
  John Lawton-Haehl teaches and directs in the Theatre Department at Gavilan College. He has a Doctorate degree in Theater History, Designated Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Research from University of California at Davis, an Master of Arts in Dramatic Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California at Berkeley. Lawton-Haehl studied at the American Conservatory Theater and the Center for Medieval and Renaissane Studies at Oxford University.
  Rey Morales teaches biology and has led biotechnology curriculum development and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) internship program. He holds a Master of Science degree in biology from California State University, Hayward, and a Bachelor of Science in Physiology from the University of California at Davis.
  Carlton Oler Is a health crusader as well as a psychology instructor. He has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Science in Counseling and Mental Health from California State University, Hayward, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Francisco State University.
  Dana Young is a librarian at Gavilan College. Young has a Masters in Library Science from Texas Woman's University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, and a Legal Assistant Certification from the Philadelphia Institute for Paralegal Training. In her spare time, Young volunteers for the Big Sur Marathon.
  Gavilan College mission: In an environment that cultivates creativity, stimulates curiosity and emphasizes student learning, Gavilan College serves its community by providing high quality educational and support services that prepare students for transfer, technical and public service careers, life-long learning and participation in a diverse global society.