Carolyn Dobbs was hired as faculty for the first year of instruction at The Evergreen State College. She earned her Bachelors of Arts in History--Political Science at Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) in 1963. She then went to the University of Kentucky and received her Masters of Arts in Political Science in 1966. Then she went to the University of Washington to receive her Masters in Urban Planning in 1968. She continued on at the University of Washington receiving her Ph.D. in Urban Planning in 1971. Her involvement at Evergreen was extensive from the beginning in 1971 to 2007 when she earned emeritus status. She was in the Academic Affairs division of the core program called Urban planning from 1971-1987, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs from 1991-1992, Academic Dean of Academic Affairs from 1992-1994, Director of Graduate Program in Public Administration 1995-1998, and a Member of the Faculty and Academic Affairs from 1995-2007. She retired and was awarded faculty emeritus status in 2007 and returned as a faculty member from 2007-2008. She has been given Evergreen sabbaticals and sponsored research grants. For example, Large-scale, connected protected areas for fauna in 2006, Protected Areas in Ecuador, Chile, and Great Britain from 1998-99, Water Policy, focus on quantity and supply issues in 1995, Environmental Values in Selected British Children’s Literature in 1988, and Urban Growth Management in 1982. She was involved in many programs and Disappearing Task Forces (DTF) at Evergreen which include: Prior Learning from Experience/Cooperative Education Program, Center for Community Based Learning, Cooperative Education DTF, Day Care DTF, End of the Quarter Evaluation Process DTF, Enrollment DTF, Evaluate the Services and Activities Fees DTF, External Credit DTF, Faculty Hiring Committee DTF, International Studies DTF, Long Range Curriculum DTF, Long Term Hiring DTF, Office Automation DTF, Organic Farm DTF, President’s Search DTF, Program Review DTF, Public Service DTF, Space Usage DTF, Staff Faculty Status DTF, Strike Policy DTF, and the Transcript Review DTF. Currently, she has been employed at Bay End Consulting. Her position there was a Principal from 2008-2011. In the past she has worked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Planning Technician and City Planner, 1964-66, University of Washington: Research Assistant, Bureau of Community Development, 1967-68, Predoctoral Teaching Associate, Department of Urban Planning, 1968-70, Instructor, and General and Interdisciplinary Studies, 1970-71. Recently on April 26th 2012, Washington’s National Park Fund’s Board of Directors and Advisors announced a new grant called The Carolyn Dobbs Environmental Science Grant. She also earned an academic achievement award. Activities outside of her role at Evergreen included American Library Association and Washington Library Association, American Museum of Natural History, Audubon Society, Cooper Point Association board of directors, Olympia Friends of the Library, Planning Association of Washington, American Planning Association, American Wildlands, Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation, Washington Environmental Council, Capitol Land Trust, Cascade Land Conservancy, Conservation International, Conservation Northwest, National Parks Conservation Association, Nisqually Land Trust, Keystone Conservation Alliance, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, Washington Wilderness Coalition, Wildlife Conservation Society, Zonta International of Olympia, Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees member and past president, Experimental Forest Citizens' Policy Review Committee chair, Thurston County Planning Commission member, Thurston County Agriculture Committee member, Small Farms Committee chair, McLane Elementary PTSO treasurer, Sierra Club treasurer, Thurston County Shoreline Committee chair, Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation Initiative, Member of Feasibility Committee for Extended Education at Evergreen and a member of the Extended Education Advisory Committee, and Member of Washington State Consortium for Study Abroad in Ecuador Evaluation Team. Her most current activities include: Washington State Forest Practices Board, appointed by Governor Gregoire, 2007-2011, Timberland Regional Library Foundation Board of Directors, President (several terms), 2000-2011 Washington’s National Park Fund, past chair from 2005-present, Vital Ground Foundation Board of Trustees from 2008-present, Capitol Land Trust Advisory Committee which is ongoing, McLane School Trail Committee which is ongoing, and Port of Olympia Economic Development Corporation Board.
From the guide to the Carolyn Dobbs Papers, 1968-2006, (The Evergreen State College Archives and Special Collections)
