Political Science and Criminal Justice

The Chair's Message

Political Science Chair Ryan Patten.Hello alumni and friends, We had a busy academic year filled with many triumphs and challenges. We were able to welcome Adam Irish, new tenure-track faculty in International Relations, Doris Schartmueller, new tenure-track faculty in Criminal Justice, Sarah Smith, new Visiting Professor in Criminal Justice, and Joy Galindo, our new Administrative Support Assistant II. A big congratulations to both Beau Grosscup and Donna Kemp who retired after decades of service to Political Science, Chico State, and the community. We were also shocked and saddened by the death of our friend and peer Willis Geer who died at work on March 2, 2015. Willis was a dedicated teacher who brought years of experience into the classroom and a gentle smile everywhere he went.

As usual, Political Science was a leader across campus this past academic year. As you will read in this newsletter, our students and faculty continue to excel in classroom, in the community, and in their research. It is humbling and rewarding to work with so many bright students and driven scholars. Our seven programs continue to grow in popularity with a combined 1,100 majors and around 600 majors in Criminal Justice alone! Political Science also has a great diversity of students that are able to bring depth and richness to classroom learning.

We also appreciate the continued support of you, our generous donors. As the State has reduced its support for higher education, we increasingly rely on your charitable giving to help educate our students. We have been able to turn your financial support into a better learning environment for our students! We are currently transforming the old “Political Science Library” into a meeting and graduate seminar room with a 16 foot table, seating for 20, and a touch TV monitor with internet capability. I will be sure to send along a “before” and “after” photo in our next issue. Again, we all thank you for your assistance.

To end, it is with a mixture of excitement and sadness that I will be leaving the Political Science Department to become the new Associate Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS). It is important for me to recognize the value of friendship and collegiality I have experienced during my tenure in Political Science. As I transition into my role as Associate Dean, I will continue to fight for Political Science students and faculty, as well as the entire College of BSS. The Department has recently elected Mahalley Allen as the new chair, and she will no doubt continue to lead Political Science effectively.

We are always excited to hear from our alumni! If you are in the area, please stop by and say hi or you can always follow us electronically via email, on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Political Statements is the official newsletter of the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at California State University, Chico.

With over 1,000 total majors, the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice is one of the largest departments at Chico State. Students choose courses from a rich curriculum, providing close student-faculty contact in each of the following majors of study: U.S. politics, legal studies, criminal justice, international relations, and public administration. The department also offers a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in Political Science.

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