Comments for Grad News

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:10:34 +0000

Hi Joe,
When I arrived at Graduate Division in 2000 along with the new Dean, Mary Ann Mason, I frequently heard the phrase “ask Joe Duggan.” This was not just because of you’d been around a while, although you certainly had been on campus and in Grad Div a long time by then. It was because people valued your opinion. Your experience and wisdom were well established, in fact, almost legendary. Thank you for your generous counsel on matters great and small. And through many challenges and changes, I, too, remember the twinkle in your eye.
Best wishes in all things,
Stephanie

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Ross Shideler

Ross Shideler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 23:55:58 +0000

Dear Joe, We have worked together as Associate Deans for the past eight years and it was always a pleasure to spend time talking with you at the COGD meetings, or even at occasional TA Union negotiations sessions! You were a voice of wisdom and fun at all those meetings. I remember a number of times when we consulted each other on relevant issues. More vividly remembered however are your witty and sometimes acerbic comments on conference calls or as we sauntered in and out of meeting rooms. But underlying that friendship was of course the fact that you were an Assistant Professor in the Comparative Literature department when I was a graduate student. I’m still not sure how you managed to be so gracious and warm even then and still be a kind of baby academic superstar!! Little did I know then that your star would continue shining and I would manage to hang around in the same hemisphere. Knowing that there aren’t many others who can say it, it is with great pride that I can say, “I knew you when you first began climbing the academic ladder, and I was trying to figure out how to grab onto your coattails.” Your contribution to students and to academia has been enormous! Enjoy your ongoing research and keep inspiring us all. Ross

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Kathy Komar (UCLA)

Kathy Komar (UCLA) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:22:29 +0000

Dear Joe,
I remember fondly your advice when I served as UCLA’s Associate Dean in Graduate Division on how to survive union meetings–by reading newspapers and books under the table… This has served me well in many a scintillating faculty meeting too. I do miss your quick smile and sense of humor. I’m sure you are off doing something fun and interesting. I have retirement envy!! Don’t get into any toe sucking debates. And do have a great retirement!
Kathy Komar

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Sam Castaneda

Sam Castaneda — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:00:18 +0000

The apostle Saint Jude is the Catholic patron saint of “lost causes” and “cases despaired of.” From what I witnessed as Joe’s secretary (Yes—I was Joe’s secretary in those days), I would say to myself: “Goodness! This guy has got to be a saint! Who else could do this kind of work?”

Joe: May the heavens above reserve a Graduate Division “over quota slot” in your honor. You influenced my life tremendously and I am so thankful to have worked with you.

Do keep in touch with all of your friends on the Berkeley campus and elsewhere. We all wish you well and hope you enjoy your retirement in luxury and leisure.

With my best to you,

sam

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by David Redman

David Redman — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:29:01 +0000

Joe, your colleagues in Elfdom will miss you sorely. You spoke forcefully and sensibly from your perspectives as both a distinguished faculty member and an able administrator. At the same time, I’m sure that you will not miss, inter alia, graduate student union negotiations, continuing budget cuts, and the sometimes-charming, sometimes-not-so-charming craziness that inhabits the world of higher, and especially graduate, education. Keep reading, keep writing, and if you need any more illuminated manuscript ties, just let me know.
–David Redman
Graduate School Office
Princeton University

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Candace Falk

Candace Falk — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:17:12 +0000

Sorry, I must have just submitted only half a tribute to you…. essentially acknowledging my short-sighted negative early view of all university administrators (the context in which I knew you best).. until that day when I drove you home from a meeting and saw your lovely good-natured spirit. It was then that you divulged that your daughter was a fan of Emma Goldman’s.. and well, suddenly my infantile leftism evaporated into appreciation for you as a multi-faceted person — with integrity/ humor/ a sense of responsibility and fairness/ and even as an off-beat open-minded colleague despite that jacket and tie!

I wish you well and thank you for your work for the university and for your kindness to me… and the Emma Goldman Papers.

You will forever be part of the University’s archive of those whose humanity and intelligence make all the difference.

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Carlos Fernandez-Pello

Carlos Fernandez-Pello — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 22:37:13 +0000

I consider myself very lucky and privileged to have served with Joe Duggan as an Associate Dean in the Graduate Division. He was, and still is, a role model on how to combine an outstanding academic career and an effective administration activity. I remember meeting Joe for the first time when I was Vice-Chair of Graduate Studies in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and had to face Associate Dean Duggan with an issue related to a Qualifying Examination where there were questions about fairness on the treatment of a student. That meeting was nerve racking; I knew that I had a weak case to defend and explanations to give. Joe was stern and authoritarian while showing concern for the student’s welfare and commitment to reach a fair solution to the problem. I left the meeting very impressed with the way Joe handled the meeting. Later on I interacted with him while serving in the Graduate Council both as a member and a Vice-Chair. My impression of the outstanding qualities of Joe as an Associate Dean kept increasing. Then in 2003 I was asked by Mary Ann Mason to act for Joe as Associate Dean while he was on sabbatical. I remember sitting in his office for the first time and feeling somewhat overwhelmed and thinking that I could never meet his standards. Eventually I was appointed an Associate Dean in the Graduate Division which gave me the opportunity to observe and learn how Joe conducted his Associate Dean’s duties. I learned that he approached his decision making with fairness and compassion. In the occasional problems that appear between students and faculty or administrators he took great care to ensure and enforce fairness. In our common meetings I also observed the respect that his colleagues had for his academic and administrative competence and leadership, both at the Campus, University Wide and sister Universities (the “Dwarf” Universities). Personally I enjoyed very much his quiet humor, intellect, and particularly his extraordinary knowledge of Spanish medieval history and literature. Now I am occupying Joe’s former office and I still have the feeling that I will never be able to meet his standards. As once I commented in a meeting, it will be difficult to fill Joe’s shoes!

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Carol Soc

Carol Soc — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:00:07 +0000

Dear Joe:

You were such a big part of my life in the Graduate Division. You made me feel like a colleague, not just an assistant. That was such a great compliment to me and gave me confidence.

I think we were both enthralled to be at Berkeley and felt we had been blessed with minor miracles. What a great place to be – a public insitution with a great diversity of people, in positions where we could help graduate students, faculty,and advisers. Joe, you gave such an inordinate amount of time to students with unusual problems or interests, especially those who bloomed later in life. I am sure they treasure all the time and patience you extended to them.
I will always remember the poem you wrote for me and read at my retirement party in 2001. You thought perhaps I could not figure out that you were the author – no such luck!

Baseball season was always a favorite time of the year for us to exchange opinions. Although you are an A’s fan and I root for the Giants, we were both very proud of our teams. If I remember correctly,
your favorite play is the squeeze play while mine is the home run. I would say that both are astonishing and thrilling. In my book, you always stepped up to the plate, handled many wicked curve-balls, and hit more home runs than, well, you know who.

I wish you well Joe, and miss you greatly as we both struggle to continue on with our destinies.
Love,
Carol

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Richard Lock

Richard Lock — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:36:55 +0000

Hi — I’d just like to add that my first meeting with Joe, as described above, took place in 1967 — almost all the other appreciations seems to be much more recent!

Comment on An illuminated manuscript celebrating Joe Duggan’s epic career as teacher, scholar, and dean by Ellen Gobler

Ellen Gobler — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:35:20 +0000

Over the past five years I’ve had the pleasure of having Joe officiate at the dinner to honor the annual recipient of the Una Fellowship. The dinner involves not just speaking of the great accomplishments of the female history graduate student recipient, it also requires the placement of a famous necklace upon her neck. Una and her husband, Edward Hunter Ross, are no longer with us but Una’s necklace is still most definitely here and each year the honoree gets to wear it for the whole evening — “Princess for a night” as it were. Joe always manages to strike the right chord between seriousness and humor at this dinner and makes it a night to remember.