Fall semester classes start Monday at City, Mesa and Miramar colleges, and San Diego Community College District has 46 new full-time faculty to help handle the load.
The additions mark the second time this year the district has been able to add new faculty following a five-year hiring freeze. The district hired 44 new full-time faculty prior to the spring semester in January.
“Full-time faculty members are essential to maintaining the quality of a college because of their commitment to the institution and to students beyond the classroom, from curriculum development to committee work to serving as student club advisors,” said Chancellor Constance M. Carroll. “In addition to adding more full-time faculty, the district has also added more than 1,000 class sections, underscoring our commitment to student access.”
All of the new hires have a wealth of experience in the classroom. For example, Dr. Amanda Fusco Hernandez, an assistant chemistry professor at Mesa College, was recently a sixth-year chemistry adjunct professor at Grossmont College and a biochemistry lecturer at UC San Diego. In addition, she has taught at Southwestern College and San Diego State University.
Max Moore, a new assistant professor of aviation operations at Miramar, brings a unique perspective to his students. Moore, the son of a crop duster, joined the Marine Corps in 1997 and became an instructor on the CH-53 helicopter. He also served as a quality assurance inspector, crew resource management instructor, aircrew evaluator and a weapons and tactics crew chief instructor, where he earned eight Air Medals during multiple combat tours.
The San Diego district is the second largest of California’s 72 community college districts and serves approximately 100,000 students annually through its three two-year colleges and San Diego Continuing Education.