The Evergreen State College (TESC)
Thomas L. Purce, Pres. - The Evergreen State College
Thomas L. "Les" Purce, President
The Evergreen State College
Welcome
Since opening our doors in 1971, The Evergreen State College has established a national reputation for leadership in developing innovative interdisciplinary, collaborative and team-taught academic programs. We have a vibrant undergraduate program, three graduate programs as well as five public service centers that constitute a unique academic setting. Read more
Evergreen’s Founding President Charles McCann Dies at 89
Evergreen News
July 10, 2015
On Wednesday, July 8 founding President of The Evergreen State College Charles McCann passed away at his home in Olympia. He was 89 years old. McCann was appointed to the
Evergreen presidency by the college's Board of Trustees in 1968 after the Washington State Legislature passed a bill in 1967 authorizing the college. He served as Evergreen’s president until 1977,
when he stepped down to join the faculty and turn over the presidency to former Washington Governor, Daniel J. Evans. McCann continued to be involved with Evergreen after he retired from the faculty
in 1991, teaching classes and establishing an endowed scholarship at the college, the Barbara and Charles
McCann Scholarship.
Prior to working at Evergreen, McCann earned a Ph.D. in English from Yale University. He first joined the faculty at Central Washington State College (now Central Washington University) in 1956, where he progressed from an associate professorship to Chairman of the Department of English. He became assistant to the president in 1965 and later, Dean of Faculty. Read more
Evergreen is a progressive, public liberal arts and sciences college located in Olympia, Washington, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
The Evergreen State College has had a large influence on the culture and economy of Olympia as well as its surrounding areas. Read more
Cooper Point Journal, 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, WA
Wikipedia
The Evergreen State College is an accredited public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. It is located in Olympia, Washington, USA. Founded in 1967, Evergreen was formed to be an experimental and non-traditional college. Faculty issue narrative evaluations [see below my experience] of students' work rather than grades, and Evergreen organizes most studies into largely interdisciplinary classes that generally constitute a full-time course load.
Evergreen offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Bachelor of Science, Master of Environmental Studies, Master of Public Administration, and Master in Teaching. In 2012, there were 4,509 students, 4,193 of whom were undergraduates, and 240 faculty members. Read more
Unfortunately narrative evaluations (Wikipedia) work better in theory than practice. The modern online job application process is designed around numeric grade values, not narrative evaluations (TESC). See my unsuccessful letter to the college about my experience with Evergreen's narrative evaluation, and response of Don Bantz, former Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Faculty Handbook TESC
TESC Progress Report 10/1/2010
Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE, THE, Title 174 WAC
- Student Conduct Code, Title 174-123 WAC
- Social contract-College philosophy Title 174-121-010 WAC
In Memoriam
Tribute to Niels Skov
Faculty emeritus Niels Skov, who taught at Evergreen from the 1970s until the 1990s, and led a life distinguished by heroism, adventure, and accomplishment, died on January 5 at the age of 95.
A Danish resistance fighter during WWII, Skov survived capture by the Nazis to become an engineer, oceanographer, author, businessman, and teacher to many Evergreen students.
Born in Ribe, Denmark, he actively opposed the 1940 Nazi occupation of his country and was among the earliest participants in the Danish underground movement. Arrested at the age of 24 by the Gestapo, he was tortured and imprisoned at a series of German concentration camps before escaping and joining American forces for the remainder of the war. His 1997 memoir, Letter to My Descendants, chronicles his experiences during this harrowing period.
In peacetime, Skov returned home, earning a mechanical engineering degree from the Teknikum of Copenhagen in 1947. Soon after, he immigrated to the U.S. He initially pursued a business career, co-founding and managing a consulting firm that ultimately operated in 10 countries. In the 1960s, he changed course, re-entering school to be become an educator, and he completed his master’s and doctoral degrees in physical oceanography.
Skov, who was fluent in four languages, joined Evergreen in 1972. Over the next two decades, he instructed students in many different subjects—from agriculture, energy systems, and oceanography to business, writing, and the philosophy of science. Faculty member Drew Buchman described him as "a real Renaissance man."
Evergreen’s trustees conferred emeritus status in 1994 recognizing Skov as "an enthusiastic, creative, committed, intellectually energetic colleague who provided faculty and students alike the benefit of his keen insight, rigor, judgment, and experience over a broad range of disciplines and thought."
He is survived by his wife, Diane ’83; six children, and five grandchildren. To commemorate his life, donations can be made to Evergreen’s Niels Skov Scholarship, established in his honor.
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