Editor’s note: Story has been corrected to reflect mistakenly identifying long-time professor of English and Humanities Geoff Johnson as Jack Johnson.

Current and past professors come together for Mesa’s 60th anniversary to discuss how the college has evolved over the past 60 years.

This year marks the 60th year of equity and excellence at San Diego Mesa College. As a part of the year-long celebration, Mesa hosted a faculty panel which featured (listed by date of hire and subject taught): Micheal Kuttnauer (philosophy-1966), Yosh Kawahara (psychology-1975), Ann Heck (athletics-1977), Carl Strona (architecture-1979), Judy Sundayo (counseling-1989), Alessandra Moctezuma (fine arts-2001), Geoff Johnson(english and humanities-2001), Erika Higginbotham (adaptive computer technology specialist-2006) & Manuel Velez (chicano studies-2007). The panel was enthusiastic to share nostalgic memories and reflect on how Mesa has evolved. 

The panel began with Jonathan McLeod, a history professor at Mesa, leading the panel discussion on the college’s history. The college was established in 1964 and initially offered classes at Kearny Mesa High School with 34 students and four faculty members. People of the area and students described the college as the “bright and shiny college on the hill”.

The panel discussed the battles over resource allocations as a structural problem, the evolution of faculty demographics, the establishment of ethnic studies, and the impact of Title IX on women’s athletics. They also continued to highlight the college’s effort to support a diverse student population and face the challenges to achieve diversity and equity.

In the discussion, the panel mentioned how faculty demographics change in respect to gender and ethnicity over time, as the college tried to serve the community. Kuttnaur shared that when he came to Mesa it was  “mostly white and male faculty”. He continued to mention how he was active in the Academic senate and that there was an awareness that something needed to be done on campus to provide more equality. Which eventually led to the establishment of ethnic study programs.

Sundayo, in regards to faculty demographics, also mentioned that in terms of societal factors that push change on the Mesa Campus, it reminds her of the statement that “power concedes nothing without a struggle,” after sharing her hardships of bringing minority faculty onto the campus.

McLeod also provided data on student demographics over the years and highlighted the increase in student numbers. As Mesa continued to evolve, the ethnicity of Hispanic, African Americans, and Asian Pacific Islanders began to increase. As well as how the gender balance of the student population has evolved, with a slight majority of females in recent years. 

Higginbotham also discussed how the history of disability laws and policies led to an increase in students with disabilities.

Heck mentioned that Title IX‘s role in mandating equal opportunities for women ultimately changed women’s athletics, and led to opportunities for women’s sports at the collegiate level.

As the panel members share their reflections and challenges over the years, it is evident that  Mesa has grown in many ways in the past six decades and continues to flourish as a campus. 

The new Mesa 2030 master plan maps out how intentional the college will be in continuing its growth and creating innovative and inclusive spaces.

As another part of the 60th-anniversary celebration, Mesa College will host a Homecoming/Spirit and Alumni week this fall, along with the Mesa Foundation’s Spirit of Mesa Gala on Oct 24, as mentioned on the 60th-anniversary website.