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Shields prepares for 4th term as faculty president
The Advocate
Pam Shields isn’t someone who slows down easy.
Outgoing Faculty Association President Gary DeRoest said, “Pam has an internal energy that’s very infectious.”
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Shields says “it just comes naturally.”
It is with this energy that Shields will become Faculty Association president starting summer term — but it will be a familiar role.
“I believe this is my fourth term,” Shields said. She said, however, that each time has been unique.
“You learn and adapt as you’re serving to the conditions you’re presented,” she said.
Having served as an association leader under every president since R. Stephen Nicholson (1976-1985), Shields has found she has certain qualities that will help her during her term.
“I’m high energy, I’m tenacious and I enjoy this kind of work,” she said this week.
DeRoest said, “She has a critical understanding of past practices for the college and a skill to organize people to address new concerns that may limit the college’s growth potential.”
Regarding the college’s future, Shields said the topic of growth would come up. “I think what we’re going to be working on is the growth of the college without the resources to meet the demand.”
The resources Shields discussed focused specifically on the financial challenges, which she said the college has faced before.
“We’ve had challenging times,” Shields said. “Each biennium comes with challenges.”
However, she said she is looking forward to working with the current administration. “We’ve made forward strides in our relationship with the new administration. I would hope that I’ll be able to sustain these.”
Having worked with the new administration through the faculty contract negotiations, Shields has also seen “a renewed energy in our administrative team.” It is with that energy Shields said the faculty and administration “really got started on a lot of positive initiatives.”
“It’s been good to still stay in the executive team and advance what we’ve started,” she said.
While being involved in the faculty association is “second nature” for her, Shields added that “there’s always something new to learn about advocacy” and she’s looking forward to working with new leaders in the association.
“We have a number of our association leaders in transition or training,” Shields said.
When it comes to tackling her duties, DeRoest said, “It’s not in her nature (to slow down.)” His word of advice for Shields was to stay healthy, adding, “I know that staying healthy is a critical thing for this particular role and everyone works together to make sure the work gets done.”
Having been at the college for 30 years this September, Shields said, “I have a real passion about this college, I have a real passion about serving students, I have a real passion about serving faculty.
“It’s always been a pleasure to be here.”
The Advocate reserves the right to not publish comments based on their appropriateness.
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