Bryce Bernard, Vice President for Information Services

Linda Samek, Vice President for Academics

March 28, 2006

President Reno Hoff has announced a change of leadership roles on campus to better accommodate growth in student population, classes and degree programs.

Dr. Linda Samek, Dean of Graduate Studies and director of the Teacher Education program, has been named vice president for academics, while Dr. Bryce Bernard, who held that position for the last seven years, is now the college’s first vice president for information services.

“Our overall goal is to transform Corban from a good institution into a great one,” Hoff said. “We’re always trying to improve and get to a place where everyone’s operating in their strength area.”

In her new role, Samek will continue to guide Corban through its upcoming accreditation examination. Evaluators from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities will visit campus this October to conduct their regular assessment of the college’s academic programs. Bernard has worked in preparation for the accreditation visit for the last three years and will continue to co-lead the college’s preparation efforts.

Samek’s other duties include hiring, evaluation and support of faculty members and oversight of all academic programs. In her current role as dean of graduate studies, she will continue to work on expansion of the graduate program to also include business and counseling.

“I see this role as being a support person for faculty,” Samek said. “There are so many things we can do to help. We can provide opportunities for going to conferences, encourage faculty to continue their education, and offer research assistance.”

Trained as a public school teacher, Samek originally came to Corban to teach math in 1980, eventually becoming chair of the Teacher Education program in 1993. She’s also taught at George Fox University and worked for Oregon’s Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. Throughout the years, she’s volunteered on more than a dozen state and national education committees. 

“Linda has an excellent reputation with the state education department, and she’s very involved in higher education,” Hoff said. “She’s well-recognized in the state and the nation. She’s just a natural pick for this area.”

Bernard is also accepting multiple duties in his new position. As vice president for information services, he’ll increase his role as supervisor for the college’s computer systems staff and will also plan and direct the use of technology. He’s been doing some of that work already – with Ph.D. in technology instruction from Nova-Southeastern University he has worked to develop the college’s original network. The new position is designed to allow him to invest time for such projects.

“We are fortunate to have someone so well-qualified,” Hoff wrote in an e-mail this week to Corban employees. “He is very excited about this new opportunity, and I am very thankful to have him continue on my team.”

Supervising Corban’s use of technology, surveys and institutional information is only half of Bernard’s job description. He is also taking a brand-new position as dean of the business program. Hoff charged him with the task of developing the business program’s first master’s degree offerings.

“Our strategic plan calls for us to work on an M.B.A. program. In making this move, I’m going to have more time to work on developing that,” Bernard said.

In addition to charting this program’s future, he will spend more time in the classroom. A CPA, he has taught accounting classes at Corban while fulfilling other duties, but this change will give him an increased contact with students.