About

Dr. Barbara Dunsheath

Proven Leadership – Passionate Supporter of Community Colleges

Trustee

NOCCCD Board of Trustees

  • President 2021, 2016, 2011
  • Vice-President 2020, 2015, 2010 
  • Audit Committee
  • Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee
  • Elected by peers to serve on California Community College League Trustee Board.

Distance Education and Technology Advisory Committee, Chancellor’s Office.

Advisory Committee for Education Services – previous Chair.

Vision for Success 2020 – Co-chair

Colleges Women’s Caucus.

Cypress College Foundation –

  • Vice President,
  • American Committee,
  • Legacy Society

Educator

History Professor. East Los Angeles College

Full Time (1997-2021); Currently Part-Time.

Teaching Experience/Student Success
  • Developed curriculum, teaching strategies and assessments including SLOs for History discipline for both face-to-face and online delivery.
  • Collaborated with Writing Center to increase student success.
  • Developed various student study skill handouts, videos and exercises; Shared teaching and pedagogy techniques with colleagues.
  • Achieved high retention and high (between 85-90%) student success (passing class with C or better) rates while maintaining rigorous standards.
Leadership
  • Women Gender Studies Chair
  • Accreditation Faculty Chair.
  • Co-Chair Student Success Committee.
  • Vice Chair Social Science Department, History – Created class schedule and assigned faculty work loads; Implemented course reductions during declining budget times; Evaluated adjunct instructors; Mentored full-time and adjunct instructors.
  • Student Learning Outcomes Facilitator – Coordinated implementation of SLOs for college; Presented various workshops increasing college-wide knowledge of SLOs; Designed and implemented SLO Handbook, Statement of SLO Philosophy, and Core Values.
  • Administrative Leadership Program (ALP) – Completed district sponsored leadership training that covered various aspects of Community College administration; Created, implemented and evaluated New Students Orientation.
Shared Governance
  • Serve on a variety of college-wide committees including Curriculum, Student Success, Achieving the Dream, Student Learning Outcomes, Distance Education, Professional Development, Joint Hires, Accreditation.
  • Los Angeles Faculty Guild 1521 –  Served on Joint Labor Management Benefits Committee.
Professional Development
  • Conferences Attended:  Strengthening Student Success, Great Teachers Seminar, Lilly Conference, Western Association of Women Historians.
  • Assist with planning and presentation of Opening Day, New Faculty Orientation and other workshops such as Developing Philosophy of   Education, and The Joy of Teaching.
Division Responsibilities
  • Worked collaboratively with colleagues on program review, curriculum development and course/discipline SLOs.
  • Encouraged faculty development through tenure review process and hiring.

Commissioner, Accreditation Commission Community and Junior Colleges. California Community

  • Policy Committee Chair
  • Nominating Committee
  • Sub-stative Change Committee
  • Visiting Team Member

Follow-up team visit to Riverside City College.

Education

Doctorate – Educational Leadership California State University Long Beach, specialization community colleges.  

Masters in History – California State University Long Beach

Bachelor’s in History – Bradley University

With my student at East Los Angeles Graduation.

Community Service

I have lived in Cypress, CA for the past 35 years raising my family and supporting my community.

Barbara Dunsheath’s important activities include: 

  • Her family (husband Jim Finn, three adult children and our puppy Lally),
  • Sunday school teacher St. Ireneaus Parish,
  • PTA,
  • Girl/Boy Scouts,
  • Habitat for Humanity,
  • Tolerance Museum,
  • Sierra Club,
  • Daughters of Charity,
  • Seal Beach Animal Care Center,
  • Red Cross,
  • League of Women Voters: Membership Chair,
  • American Association of University Women,
  • California Historical Society,
  • Phi Kappa Phi.
  • *List of organizations does not imply endorsement.
Celebrating the anniversary of the 19th amendment.

Guest Lecture/Publications

  • Soroptimist Club, AAUW, LWVNOC – The Women’s Hour: 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
  • California State University Long Beach, Qualitative Methodology; Board of Trustee and CEO Relations.
  • California League of Community Colleges:
    • Delivering New Possibilities: Envisioning Strategic Planning
    • Tips for Trustees to facilitate a Smooth Accreditation Process
    • Helping Trustees and Others Navigate Accreditation Change.
    • Creative Strategies for Managing Declining Enrollment
    • Mortuary Science BA Degree
  • Association of Community College Trustees Conference, Toronto.  Trustee Leadership is Essential for Student Success.
  • Strengthening Student Success Conference.  A 2020 Vision for Student Success.
  • Community College Leadership Development Institute, Searching for an A+, Successful Characteristics of a Student Learning Outcomes Process at a California Community College.

Produce quarterly FACCTs magazine.  Collaborate with committee members and FACCC executive board to create, author and edit journal.

Author:

  • VET NET Ally Program:  Providing a Visible Network to Veterans in Higher Education;
  • A 2020 Vision for Student Success: Commission on the Future’s Call for Faculty Engagement;
  • Economic Proof that Higher Education is Financially a Smart Investment;
  • Transfer Efforts Invigorated:  The Devil is in the Details;
  • Community Programs:  Life-Long Learning is Vital;
  • DREAMers:  President’s Executive Order Brings Students Out of the Shadows.
  • Equity Lesson at the LA Greyhound Station
The Women’s Hour at East Los Angeles College.

Photos

Supporting Cypress College at the Cypress Chamber of Commerce.