Bob Donaldson

History

Began in 1957
Retired in 1986

After serving over three years in the US Army beginning in March, 1943, mostly stationed short distances from Paris, I obtained a discharge in the US Embassy in Paris. As a War Department civilian, I worked in an office on the Champs des Elysees, overlooking the Arch of Triumph.

My infatuation with Paris determined my choice of career--modern European history. From Fall, 1947 to Spring, 1954, I sought to qualify for my goal of becoming a professor from a B.A. througha post-doctoral Fulbright scholarship. Three years on the faculty of Eastern Kentucky College culminated in Sacramento State College hiring me.

"Golden" describes the years 1957-1986 (followed by eight years of FERP). Most remarkable in the early period was the brown bag lunch at the rectangular table in the Social Science building where stimulating thoughts were shared among colleagues (e.g. Jack Livingston, Bob Thompson, Ed Klingelhofer, Marc Tool and Bob Else). A frequent topic concerned the achieving of a significant role for faculty in governing the college. Success crowned our efforts in 1967 when an Academic Senate was elected with Bob Thompson as Chair. I succeeded him the following year and served as Presiding Officer of the Faculty, 1972-75. In that heady year (l968-69) of faculty involvement in governance, I served on the Board of Trustees, the President's Council (VPs, deans and several other administrators) and the Chancellor's Committee to nominate candidates for a new President.

During 1969-70, I became our first college ombudsman, responsible for endeavoring to resolve grievances by students (308), faculty (86), administrators (26) and staff (22). Nearly 85% realized a satisfactory outcome marking this as my most rewarding campus experience.

Two three year terms as chair of the Department of History and two three year terms as senator on the State Academic Senate concluded the interruption of my teaching career, which has proved to
be a pleasing combination of vocation and avocation.

Besides continuing to promote the role of faculty (I served as Retirees Association President, 1995-97), I am dedicated to acknowledging our outstanding students (founding President of University wide national honorary Phi Kappa Phi in 1963 and President a number of other years).

Sac State has enhanced my days in many ways, especially providing the venue for the most important event of my life. I met Persis, who became my wife.

During the past half century, I have played in duplicate bridge tournaments, winning a sufficient number of master points to rank in the top 3 and 1/2% of over 166,000 fellow competitors. For 20 years, beginning in the early 1980's, I taught and directed bridge games on cruise ships, earning passage for my wife and myself twice a year, usually two weeks duration. Destinations included the Mediterranean, the Baltic capitals, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Canada, Alaska, and the Eastern US seaboard.

Cruising continues to please us. Queen Mary 2 often transports us across the Atlantic in a style absent from my crossing on the Queen Mary in March, 1944; the awful food necessitated eating candy bars for sustenance. Frequently, we visit Europe, particularly our favorite sites--Paris (of course), London, Italy, Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin and river cruises on the Rhine, Danube and Russian rivers Moscow to St. Petersburg. Since we are museum people, we appreciate the wonders of NYC's Met and Natural History; London's Natural History, Victoria and Albert and National Gallery; the Louvre;
Vatican; Hermitage and countless others.

In September, we will revisit China reflecting on the transformations from our stay 20 years ago. Next Spring, we have scheduled a few days in Amsterdam, a 10 day cruise of Holland and Belgium, a few days in Brussels, a week in Berlin, another week in Vienna, returning on the Mary 2. We endorse the concept of travel when you are young; we will never be as young as we are now.

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