Numbers guy, Bill Jennings, recalculates career

For Bill Jennings, who has served as Klamath Community College’s Institutional Researcher for the last 10 years, returning to teach in the classroom just added up.

“Teaching, in my opinion, is the most rewarding position on this campus, in the sense that you get to watch the students learn and you’re very active in part of their learning. You see your contribution to the mission of the college right in front of you every day, because the students are right in front of you every day.”

Jennings, who started out as a math instructor for the college 20 years ago, pivoted to lead the Institutional Research department at the behest of President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez about 10 years ago. He has been the eyes and ears of all the statistics that affect the college, be it in enrollment, funding, grant applications or just some fun facts about the operation.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my first 10 years as being a faculty and thoroughly enjoyed my last 10 years being in Institutional Research. I saw this as an opportunity when former instructor MaryLou Wogan retired as a chance to get back into the classroom. I’ve always missed the classroom,” he said

Dr. Gutierrez wrote in a recent email to the campus, “I appreciate Bill’s decade-long tenure as our institution’s IR Director. During that time, he has stabilized the IR department and acquired statewide respect and admiration for his knowledge of Oregon’s higher education funding system and FTE (full-time equivalency) idiosyncrasies. Over that decade I have appreciated and am thankful for Bill’s good insight and trusted him to lead important college-wide projects.

“I will miss him. Nonetheless, I’m glad that he will be returning to fulltime faculty. I know current and future students will benefit from his academic knowledge and most importantly his love for teaching and student success.”

Jennings started teaching for KCC in 2004 after a brief stint as an adjunct math instructor for Oregon Institute of Technology. He previously taught elementary and intermediate algebra and has since taught all the disciplines, except calculus.

He has also been active in community engagement as a former Klamath Falls City Schools board member, a member of the Klamath Promise executive committee and a member of the city schools Pelican Education Foundation board.

This fall, he will teach developmental math, which caters to a wide spectrum of needs.

“Developmental ed is for anyone who is placed below college-level math. It could be adult learners who need a brushing up in math, not been in college in a while, or in some cases, it can be people coming out of high school and math was not their favorite subject, but they need to dial it up for college level work,” Jennings said.

“I think that Klamath Community College does the best job in the state with developmental ed, seeing those students who place below college level, seeing them through to completion and graduation, we have a very good record with that. When you look at our graduation rolls, many of those students started with developmental math.”

Today there are many options in math classes that a student can take, depending on their needs. What is key is their determination to pass.

“I don’t think there is a person on this campus that sees someone who places in a dev ed class as a person who doesn’t have a chance of graduation. Your determination is what will determine your success more so than from your starting point.”

For more information about KCC and its programs, visit www.klamathcc.edu.