Ian Walton

This page was created on 5/31/11 as a mirror of Ian's Mission College biography page when he retired from the college.  It will continue to be updated with new activities and information.  Scroll down for older Mission College material.

Last Updated 8/24

            
         
Ian in 2018   |   Ian in 1994 at Mission College   |   Ian in 1999   |   Ian in 2003 at Alta, Utah
Ian in 2004 in Alaska's Prince William Sound    |    Ian in 2005 calling the Senate from a mountaintop in Scotland   |   Ian in 2011 in Skye, Scotland  
Ian in 2015 at Snowbird, Utah   |   Ian at Norway's North Cape, 2017   |   Same location as 2011 - worse weather in 2017   |    Ian & Hoke in France, 2023

Ian retired from Mission College at the end of May 2011, after 33 years teaching mathematics.  Scroll down for an archive of college and subsequent retirement activities.

2024

2024 saw the successful completion of a long contemplated trip to Antarctica with Sierra Alaska Leadership friend Martha in March.  We travelled through Santiago to Punta Arenas and the Hurtigruten Expedition ship MS Fram.  We had astonishingly good crossings of the feared Drake Passage although "calm" is relative - see the waves breaking over the bridge.  The scenery and wildlife below the Antarctic Circle were amazing before we returned leisurely via the Chilean fjords to Valparaiso.  Then in May there was a great trip to the west coast of Ireland where we found pub music every single night. 

And back in Santa Cruz the music continues with three open mics weekly - the Ugly Mug, the Cork and Fork and now with over 200 sessions, the Zoom Shelter Mic family.

Here's a clip of Runrig's emigration ballad "Rocket to the Moon" that was live-streamed from the Cork & Fork by Wednesday open mic host Johnny G.  Thanks to Michael Schoolcraft on cajon.

2023

2023 started with astonishing amounts of rain and snow in California in December 2022 - and with an unusual power outage, campfire singalong session at the Cork and Fork (Sandy Denny's haunting ballad "One More Chance")

Then there was the astounding Southwest Airlines meltdown where we took three days to get from San Jose to Washington DC for family Christmas (plus yet another day for the bags.) Back in California, skiing was fabulous.  And then there was a February music trip to Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Fairport's Winter Tour in England and Hoke in France. April at Cal Poly Pomona saw the end of my six year journey as a facilitator for CSU's Middle Leadership Academy.  The FACCC Board of Governors' retreat was held in Palm Springs in June.  In August Ian finally visited the last of the five ACCJC Pacific Island Colleges - a trip originally scheduled in March 2020 as Chair of the Commission but abruptly cancelled as the first travel casualty of COVID.  Even to a private citizen, the American Samoa Community College was delightfully welcoming.  Fall saw trips to Oregon and Iowa and a visit to long-time friend and colleague John Artim at Arkansas State University, plus an opening musical sidetrip to Nashville.  Winter holidays once more happened with family in Bethesda but without last year's Southwest Airlines trauma.

2022

In 2022, most things were back to normal - local restaurants and breweries - open mics in town at the Ugly Mug in Soquel and at the Cork & Fork in Capitola - theatre with Mountain Community, Jewel, Theatreworks, Cabrillo and Santa Cruz Shakespeare - and even a few Celtic Society shows as musicians start travelling again.  Then our delayed vacation travel resumed with the cancelled 2020 itinerary to UK for Fairport Convention's delayed 55th anniversary festival in Cropredy in astonishingly hot weather followed by Arran, Islay, Inverness and Edinburgh.  The Fall saw trips to Ashland, Oregon,  Iowa City and Yosemite plus a wonderful return to the Celtic Colors Festival in Cape Breton.

2022 also saw the completion of Ian's fourth CD "Depressing Celtic Ballads a Ceithir", with colleague Hoke Simpson in France as the producer, and contributions from California friends Debbie K and Susan M.  

Here's a track from it, featuring Ian and Hoke in the unrequited love ballad "Nancy Spain" by Guernsey songwriter Barney Rushe.  I first heard it played in an Irish bar in St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Play Nancy Spain

2021

Family travel resumed with trips to Kiawah Island, South Carolina in August, Iowa City in October, and Washington DC in December.  In California, FACCC board meetings resumed in person, but CSU Middle Leadership Academy Year 5 remained virtual.

  As COVID restrictions ease, Ian has enjoyed music once more and has played two 3-hour shows of Celtic Ballads at Capitola's "Cork and Fork."  Here's a Youtube clip of Richard Thompson's "How Will I Ever Be Simple Again" with friend Sam Young         https://youtu.be/3qu5LYcqYGE      Other clips can be located by searching for     SC Celtic Ian      on Youtube.

  In June, Ian celebrated his 70th birthday and the end of his eight year volunteer term as a Public Commissioner for the Accrediting Commission for Community amd Junior Colleges.  Thanks and fond memories to my thoughtful fellow commissioners and staff - especially the "rebel alliance."  Ian continues to volunteer as a Board member of FACCC and as a facilitator for California State University's Middle Leadership Academy.

   In Spring,  Ian was honored to receive the University of California at Santa Cruz 2021 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni Award for the Physical and Biological Sciences Division. He was nominated by his Dissertation Advisor Professor Ed Landesman.  Sciences Dean Paul Koch wrote, "the committee was impressed by the impact you've had as an educator for students from diverse backgrounds, administrator, and advocate for our impactful community college system."  In the words of community college colleague Richard Mahon, "it was that rare moment in the world of a Research One institution when the work we have chosen and that we cherish was recognized and honored."  See edited UCSC press releases here.

2020

In November Ian started his fourth year as a team facilitator for the California State University's, Student Success Network,  Middle Leadership Academy, helping CalStateLA with an exciting project to enhance the residential experience of their students. This is the third year that MLA projects have focused on equity.    

    In October, Ian published reflections on isolation, comparing wilderness in Greenland in 1971 with COVID lockdown in Santa Cruz in 2020.  The article entitled "Bacon, Beer and Music - Musings on Isolation in Greenland and California" is available on the website of the UK Austrian Alpine Club .

In July, he passed leadership of ACCJC to incoming Chair Sonya Christian and Vice Chair Lori Gaskin.  He remains on the Commission for one more year as Immediate Past Chair.  

And he started a new role as Governor for Retired Faculty on the elected Board of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges.  FACCC's mission is to "inform, educate, empower, and advocate for faculty in service to students and the communities of California."   

Activities as Chair of ACCJC continued with the hiring of the new President of ACCJC, Dr. Stephanie Droker, chairing the January Commission meeting in San Diego and the unexpected transition to virtual operations, including chairing 

the June Commission meeting on Zoom (which proved to be efficient but ultimately unsatisfying.)     

Music has also gone virtual - participating here in the

Capitola Cork and Fork's Zoom/Facebook Open Mic in May.             

And with all our travel plans canceled, Santa Cruz remains a pleasant place to quarantine.......    

2019

  ACCJC Commission activities have continued with chairing the June meeting in Newport Beach, the Fall Professional Development Retreat in Truckee, and the ongoing search for a new President of ACCJC.

In July Ian released his third CD, "Still More Depressing Celtic Ballads", in collaboration

with retired colleague Hoke Simpson.  

In June Ian and Susan visited the west coast of Ireland - Ian's first visit there since he was a teenager.       

Here you see the Cliffs of Moher. 

And in July Ian joined the ACCJC team testifying at NACIQI in Washington DC which resulted in a full five year renewal of recognition and expansion of baccalaureate scope.  Seen here are Vice Chair Sonya Christian, Treasurer Mary Okada, President Richard Winn and Senior Vice President Stephanie Droker.   

In January, Ian chaired his first full ACCJC Commission meeting in Honolulu, and then visited three of ACCJC's Pacific Colleges along with President Richard Winn - Guam Community College, Palau Community College and College of Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia.  Here you see the main college campus in Palau.       

2018

  On July 1, 2018 Ian became Chair of the Commission for the Accrediting Commission for Junior and Community Colleges (ACCJC), ably assisted by Vice Chair Sonya Christian (President of Bakersfield College)  and President Richard Winn at the Commission offices in Novato.  ACCJC is the U.S. Regional Accrediting Agency for two year colleges in California, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific.  In the Fall he facilitated CSU's Middle Leadership Academy for the second time.

2017

2017 continued with Ian and Susan doing a lot of travelling:  Salt Lake  City, UT in January, London and the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal voyage in February, Ashland, OR in March.  The high point was a five week trip to the UK starting with the 50th anniversary celebrations for Fairport Convention at Cropredy, Oxfordshire followed by the grand retirement tour of Scotland with friend Martha Schultz.

In January 2017 Ian was elected as Vice Chair of the Accrediting Commission for Junior and Community Colleges (ACCJC), to succeed the current chair Raul Rodriguez at the end of his term.  He also participated in the hiring of ACCJC's new President, Richard Winn and in the Commission Development Workshop in Honolulu, HI.

Other work related activities have included participation in two California State University projects on improving student success in basic skills math: a CSU East Bay collaboration of Bay Area community colleges and CSU campuses headed by Bruce Simon, and a CSU Sacramento Student Success Network project with former colleague Bob Gabriner.  This 2017 Middle Leadership Academy focused on campus projects relate to Executive Orders 1100 and 1110 regarding entry pathways into transfer math and English classes.

2016

2016 saw more travel for Ian and Susan to Salt Lake City, UT;  Ashland, OR;  and a summer extravaganza to Cornwall & Devon, Iceland and Greenland where a boat trip down the west coast reconnected with Ian's 1971 mountaineering travels.

Ian expanded his open mic sessions to include Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, and Wine Tyme, Poet & Patriot and Corralitos nearer home.  Some Youtube clips can be found by searching for "SC Celtic Ian".

At the Accrediting Commision (ACCJC) Ian was re-elected to a second three year term as a "public member" Commissioner and also participated in a fascinating site visit to the College of the Marshall Islands.

2015

In 2015, Ian and Susan continue to travel widely to Salt Lake City, UT;  Anchorage, AK;  Ashland, OR;  and Scotland.

Ian spent June visiting several old friends in Scotland and France and

produced a second CD of depressing Celtic ballads with Academic Senate colleague Hoke Simpson. 

    Ian is still performing weekly at the Ugly Mug Coffe Shop in Soquel.

2014

In summer 2014 Ian was appointed to the Curriculum Advisory Board for the Community College Leadership Program of the Aspen Institute.

In 2014 Ian and Susan travelled to New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Atlantic Canada, not to mention Salt Lake City, UT and Ashland, OR.

2013

In June 2013 Ian was elected as one of five public commissioners on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).  His three year term of office began in July 2013 with his first meeting in January 2014.

In June 2013, Ian ended a one year term as a director for the Academic Senate Foundation for California Community Colleges

In Spring 2013, Ian was scheduled to teach Math CG - Math for Associate Degree Students starting on Wednesday, February 20 and continuing M, W 12:40 - 2:30pm in MT-07.   The class was cancelled due to low enrollment. Go here for Math CG class materials.

Ian has been making music with former Academic Senate colleague Hoke Simpson by exchanging audio files to France.  Ian also plays depressing Celtic ballads most weeks at the Open Mic at the Ugly Mug in Soquel.

Ian visited Saddleback College in April 2013 on a project with Randy Lawson for College Brain Trust.

Ian visited Coastline College in March 2013 with an accreditation site visiting team for ACCJC.

In Spring 2013, Ian and Susan made their usual trips to Salt Lake City, UT, Anchorage, AK and Ashland OR.

2012

In October 2012, Ian travelled to Leeward Community College on Oahu with an accreditation site visiting team for ACCJC.

In September 2012, Ian and Susan returned to Atlantic Canada with a trip from St Johns, Newfoundland, via Gros Morne park and Labrador, ferry to Cape Breton, and the Celtic Colors Music Festival to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In Summer 2012, Ian and Susan made their usual trip to the United Kingdom with activities including Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and the 45th anniversary festival of Fairport Convention at Cropredy in Oxfordshire.

In Spring 2012, Ian travelled to Guam Community College with an accreditation site visiting team for ACCJC.

In Fall 2011/Spring 2012 the 48 algebra modules that Ian created in 1984, 85 and 86 became available for free student and instructor use.  They cover all the content normally found in elementary and intermediate algebra. 

The first 17 lessons have been updated to an exciting new graphics format by Mission College Instructional Design using Basic Skills Initiative funds. They are available on Youtube at the following playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL245C823D8A070722 

The remaining lessons (18 through 48)  have been captured in the original video format and are available on Youtube at the following playlist:  
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL791EDECCE8417FA5

Here is a complete list of lesson titles.

Ian travelled in summer 2011 with a general vacation to Scotland in August,
followed by a trip to France to play music with former Senate colleague Hoke Simpson. 
They recorded a CD of Depressing Celtic Ballads.     

He returned to Scotland in September for a forty year reunion of the members of the 1971 St Andrews University Greenland Expedition at the Scottish Mountaineering Club's Raeburn Hut.  The trip also included many hill ascents in very wet weather.

2011

In 2011 work related activities have included several projects for the RP Group including finalist site visits to Miami Dade and Mississippi Gulf Coast for the first ever Aspen Prize for Community Colleges. He also travelled to Washington DC for an Achieve/ACE project related to GED testing and common core mathematics requirements and to the remarkable Deep Springs College on an accreditation site visit for ACCJC. 

Former Office Location: Main Building N2-403

Former Office Phone and Voicemail: (408) 855-5323

Current Email:isle@redshift.com 

Ian began working as a full-time math instructor at Mission College in 1978, following a year of part-time teaching at University of California, Santa Cruz and at Monterey Peninsula College.  At that time Mission College was located at the interim site on Monroe St., Santa Clara, prior to moving to its permanent location on Mission College Boulevard.

Ian has a B.S. in Pure Mathematics from the University of St. Andrews which he attended from 1969 until 1973. St. Andrews University was founded in 1410 as the first university in Scotland. One of his favorite web pages is a Math History Archive, created by two of his former professors at St. Andrews, at St. Andrews Math History. Ian was President of the St. Andrews University Mountaineering Club and a member of the 1971 university climbing expedition to South Greenland.

In 1973 he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He received a Masters degree in Mathematics in 1975 and a Ph.D. in 1977 for research in Differential Equations.  For three years he supervised an undergraduate dormitory as a Resident Preceptor at Crown College and considers this the best training he received for his later career as a senate president.

In Fall 1996 Ian began to work for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) by serving on their statewide Educational Policies Committee . In Fall 97 he was elected to the fifteen member Executive Committee of the State Academic Senate as representative for Area B (the San Francisco bay region). From 98 to 01 he was chair of the Academic Senate Technology Committee and helped to publish a series of position papers on technology in education. In 01 - 02 he was chair of the Senate's Occupational Education Committee and in 02 - 03 he chaired the Local Senates Committee.

In April 2002 he was re-elected for a third term as Treasurer, one of the five officers of the Academic Senate. He also chaired the Senate's Budget Committee and served as liaison to many of the Chancellor's Office technology and workforce advisory committees, and to the Intersegmental Committee of Academic Senates (ICAS) of the three higher education systems in California. He is also a Senate appointee to the mathematics editorial review board of the MERLOT project.

In May 2003 he was elected as Vice President of the Academic Senate and served two years, while also chairing the Educational Policies Committee.

He served as President of the Academic Senate for 2005 - 2007.  Issues of particular interest included revising the math and English competency requirements for an associate degree and the resultant systemwide Basic Skills Initiative, a joint vision with Pam Deegan (CIO) and Robin Richards (CSSO) providing the initial impetus.

  He also assisted Executive Director Julie Adams in the creation of the new Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC).

As past president, he served as chair of the Senate's Noncredit Ad Hoc Committee in 2008-09  and  as chair of their Educational Policies Committee in 2007-08.

   |  
Ian with ASCCC Past President Hoke Simpson (02-03)     |     Ian with ASCCC Past President Kate Clark (04-05)
Ian with successor ASCCC Presidents Mark Wade Lieu (08-09) and Jane Patton (10-11), also of Mission College, taken in April 2010

Ian resumed a partial teaching load at Mission College in Fall 2007 following his service with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.  His favorite class was Math for Liberal Arts (Math G) - designed to teach mathematical reasoning and critical thinking to math-anxious students, using research projects, papers and presentations.  See a sample of student work here.

In November, 2007 Ian was awarded the John Vasconcellos Faculty Advocate of the Year Award from the Faculty Association for California Community Colleges (FACCC) in recognition of his statewide work as Academic Senate President.

Ian at the 2007 FACCC Conference

In 2008 Ian worked with Achieve on the Common Core alignment of math curriculum.

In 09 - 10 Ian worked on several grant projects supported by the Hewlett Foundation, The Academic Senate and the Research & Planning Group. 

In Spring 2009 Ian began hios work with the Accrediting Commission for Junior and Community Colleges (ACCJC) by serving on his first peer visiting team to Laney College in Oakland

In 10-11 Ian joined the Achieve group in Washington DC to advise on a rewrite of the GED math test to align with Common Core requirements, and visited the truly remarkable Deep Springs College as one of an ACCJC peer visiting team. 

To find a selection of adopted Senate position papers and Rostrum articles that include Ian's work, go to the ASCCC website.

In May 2010, Ian received the Mission College Faculty Recognition Award for Publications and Presentations in recognition of his numerous papers, articles and conference presentations made for the Academic Senate in the past ten years.

In March 2011 Ian received the California Community College Board of Governors Hayward Award for Excellence in Education.  Read the press release here.

  Awards

In 1988 Ian received the Mission College Faculty Member of the Year Award - selected by Mission College students.

In 1990 he received the Mission College Award for Excellence in Teaching.

In May 1996 he was selected by the Santa Clara Valley Mathematics Association as their college level Outstanding Mathematics Teacher of the year.

In Fall 1997 he received a "Courageous Leadership" Award from the Community College League of California.

In 1993 he received the Mission College Award for  Publishing Excellence.

In 1997 and 2002 he received the Mission College Award for Service to the Community.

In August 2005, he was named Teacher of the Week by the San Jose Mercury News.

In September 2006 he received the California Community College Excellence in Technology Leadership Award in a ceremony at the September Board of Governors meeting in Sacramento.

Ian in Sacramento with Chancellor Drummond, BoG Member Carolyn Russell, Larry Toy, Patrick Perry and BoG President George Caplan

In December 2006 he received a special award from the California Mathematics Council, Community Colleges in recognition of his work on implementing higher graduation competencies in mathematics and English.

In November 2007 he was awarded the 2007 John Vasconcellos Faculty Advocate of the Year Award from the Faculty Association for California Community Colleges (FACCC).

In May 2010, he received the Mission College Faculty Recognition Award for Publications and Presentations in recognition of his numerous papers, articles and conference presentations made for the Academic Senate in the past ten years.

In March 2011, he received the Hayward Award for Excellence in Education at the CC Board of Governors meeting in Sacramento.

  Other Presentations

Ian lives near the beach in Santa Cruz and in his spare time he likes to sing and play depressing Celtic ballads with a Santa Cruz Guitar company guitar.

  Ian at Mission College Eco Fair Spring 2011

      In May 96, he played the "BraveHeart" selection of Scottish battle songs in the center space at Mission College and in May 97 performed a selection of songs for the college's Earth Day celebrations and in April 2001 for the college's Ethnic Day activities.  He has performed for the college's annual Eco Fair in spring 2009 - 13.

   He also writes articles on his outdoor and teaching activities, including:

'The Maids have all gone from Glen Brittle' an article about a reunion climb in the Cuillin of Skye, published in 1997 by the leading annual British climbing publication, the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal,

'Land of Desert and Ice' an article about a backpack trip to arctic Canada's Ellesmere Island, published in 1995 by the Austrian Alpine Club Newsletter,

'Teaching in the Wilderness' an article on the similar personalities encountered in the classroom and while leading wilderness trips, published by the CA State Academic Senate in the 1993 edition of Forum magazine,

'The Stories Students Tell' an article consisting of quotations from students in Mission College's Math G - Math for Liberal Arts class, published by the CA State Academic Senate in the 1998 edition of Forum magazine.

For additional outdoor and educational artciles click here

  Outdoor Activities