Clark Hochstetler, who spearheaded the move to a paperless system for the Disabled Student Programs and Services, will retire after five years at City College.

“Clark’s five-year investment at the City College has catapulted the DSPS into the twenty-first century and beyond,” said Program Director Jana Garnett, emphasizing the permanent impact he has had on the college. “Clark is passionate about disability, generous and student-centered.”

The partially state-funded program is aimed at helping students with disabilities get an equal education. It makes all the arrangements for students to receive whatever extra help they might need at City College to help them succeed.

Hochstetler, 64, is a counselor for the program, and will be one of the 26 faculty members that will be retiring from City College. He began working at the college in the spring of 2012, and will leave in May, 2017. The program has requested a replacement for his position, but as of now it is highly unlikely that will be filled.

“I think I’m ready to do some different things,” he said, currently planning to head back to Portland, Oregon when he leaves.

Hochstetler received his bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology from Pacific University located in Oregon, and his master’s in deafness and rehabilitation from Western Oregon University. Before coming to City College, Hochstetler worked a multitude of different jobs, including counseling, interpreting and directing.

“After being a director for 17 years, I thought it would be fun to go back and be a counselor again,” he said. “Working with students is why I got into the field in the first place and you just get so busy with all the administrative stuff.”

Hochstetler said he began to look around for open positions and that’s what brought him to the City College. Even though he feels like his time has been short, he feels he has made an impact and done some good work for the program.

“One of the greatest impacts for me was helping the office become paperless,” he said, touching on how students are less stressed which allows them to better focus on their school work.

“Accommodations for students are now managed electronically and they don’t have worry about filling out paperwork.”

Becoming paperless has created the use of portals for students to keep in touch with instructors and program faculty. Hochstetler said there have been many little projects he has participated in and has enjoyed them throughout his time in the department.

“Clark has been my counselor for a couple of semesters,” said Laura Poindexter, a student within the program, expressing her disappointment at his departure. “He is encouraging, patient and has done so much for DSPS.”

Hochstetler said he is going to miss the school because of how much faculty members care about the students, which is a huge reason he came here after being in the university system, he said.

“I’m always excited to see students come to the City College and get them to the next step.”