Save PCC's Instructional Designer!

Katie really helped me when I was just hired and she was coteaching the new faculty seminar. She taught me a lot about Canvas and eportfolios. Then a couple years later when I was teaching online, she guided me through the process of revising my course and making it accessible and compliant. She was always professional and generous with her time and knowledge.

Excellent trainer, instructor and campus resource

I am so surprised to hear about the situations surrounding Katie (Catherine Datko). I was very impressed with her when I took her Online Facilitator Training course because it really prepared me extremely well to teach a fully online course. She modeled the online behavior that I now emulate. I've always found her to be professional and very helpful but also upbeat and friendly. She has been such an invaluable asset for our DE program the Board seriously needs to reconsider their decision.

Katie Datko absolutely deserves tenure at PCC. Her clear, thorough, and patient instructions helped me on a daily basis both during the online training course and as I struggled to teach my first online class. I can't imagine taking the online training course from anyone else. Katie is very knowledgeable and knows how to convey her expertise as well as inspire confidence. It would be very sad for PCC to lose this outstanding teacher.

Please consider the following letter I wrote in support of Katie Datko's nomination for the 10+1 Award as my support of her tenure at Pasadena City College. Dear Selection Committee: I am submitting this letter of support for Katie Datko’s nomination for the 10+ award; I wholeheartedly support the nomination. I have had the good luck to work with, learn from, and collaborate with Ms. Datko on a variety of Distance Education projects and feel that she is very deserving of the President's recognition for her efforts. Firstly, her development of the "Model Distance Education Course" project and the Professional Learning opportunities for faculty has been life-changing. She developed a complete program reflecting outstanding curriculum development from which many faculty and students across campus have benefitted. As a member of the "first class" of PCC faculty to participate in this curriculum development program, I was able to work with my colleagues in English under Ms. Datko's direction and support to develop our English 900 Model Course Shell for the Online English 900 course. However, I also received incredible training from Ms. Datko that has allowed me to improve my use of technology in my face2face courses and to develop my own online course shells for English Division courses, including my development of a very successful English 1B online course. Secondly, I have found Ms. Datko to be highly qualified and knowledgeable in curriculum development and in distance learning. Her support and encouragement of faculty learning how to use technology and to engage in distance learning teaching is always kind, compassionate, and aimed at helping faculty enhance their own materials for courses while benefiting from Ms. Datko's expertise. I hope she is recognized by the President as an outstanding colleague who has contributed much to curriculum development and who has supported colleagues as life-long learners. She is first-rate, and her efforts abs

I have known Catherine Datko (Katie, to me) since midway through her undergraduate studies; we attended the same University. We connected again during her graduate studies when she found herself in the same City as me. We have stayed in touch ever since. Through all these (many) years I have witnessed Katie bring a perfect balance of seriousness and fun to her profession. This sort of positive infectious attitude really motivates students to learn. The submissions from various students to this petition certainly seems to bear this out. It is all the more impressive considering Katie's ESL students were (formerly) limited in English proficiency. I spent significant time teaching information technology at the college level and I always appreciated working with faculty with characteristics like Katie's. Her dedication and skill set is rare. Don't lose her. Pasadena City College Board of Trustees should do whatever is necessary to secure Katie's long-term affiliation with the college, including reconsidering the earlier vote to deny tenure.

I love her class, she is funny and patient, she will answer your questions perfectly. I don’t know why she got fired by PCC but she definitely doesn’t deserve it.

Professor Datko is unquestionably worthy of tenure. I’ve worked with her often over the past five years and find her to be professional, well qualified, and student success oriented.

Katie was a terrific online design instructor. I learned so much from her. She is a great asset to PCC.

Your Distance Education course (Course Design 101 and 102) was transformational; I would not be the instructor I'm today if it wouldn't have been for your exemplary teaching and support. Thank you Katie.

Katie was a great instructor and trainer for online teachers. She always provided helpful resources and without fail responded promptly to questions.

Professor Catherine Datko valiantly pursues her case against PCC. The college's wrongful termination has been challenged by the PCCFA. Now as she pursues arbitration with the Public Employee Relations Board, she deserves our support.

She is the best teacher ever, I took 3 English classes before, but this is the only one that was helpful for me .

This is extremely upsetting, because during my fall section with professor Datko it was nothing but pleasure. She's a very caring and knowledgeable professor. I don't see any reason for her to lose her job here at PCC. It's an outrageously unjust act!

Katie Datko is an asset to PCC, is a productive and knowledgeable faculty member, and has a long, clear record of supporting students, staff and faculty.

She is a good teacher.

She is the best teacher I could have.

I was shocked to hear that Catherine Datko was denied tenure. I was trained in Distance Education under the tutelage of Catherine, and was extremely impressed by her creativity in instructional design and her quality of instruction. Her professional and effective, yet cordial and approachable demeanor still stands out to this day. My quality of online instruction through CANVAS can almost be entirely attributed to her. I sincerely hope you will reconsider Catherine's tenure decision. Thank you.

Professor Datko was a great teacher while I learned how to teach online. I’m grateful for all I know in my online teaching.

I have learned so much from Katie. She is invaluable.