Donna Gotch

Donna Gotch teaches a variety of courses including Oral Communication, Introduction to Communication Studies, Communication Theory, Persuasion, Classroom Communication, Ethical Aspects of Communication and the Instructional Communication Graduate Seminar. She co-developed one of the first fully online public speaking courses in the US. She earned a certificate in Effective College Teaching Instruction from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE).  Gotch then served as a facilitator for several sections of the ACUE course, Promoting Active Learning Online, for over 150 CSU faculty. Gotch chaired a Community of Practice (CoP) to update and revise the requirements for the general education course: Comm 1006: Oral Communication which were adopted by the Department of Communication Studies and being utilized by all COMM 1006 instructors since Fall 2020. 

Gotch received the CSUSB Outstanding Lecturer Award 2018- 2019. In 2016-2017 she received the College of Arts and Letters Outstanding Lecturer Award.  Gotch has twice received the Faculty Recognition Award from the CSUSB Panhellenic Council honoring commitment to CSUSB students and high quality teaching (2014 and 2016). She served as the Graduate Teaching Associate Coordinator for more than six years. She is a life member of Western States Communication Association (WSCA). She served the organization in a variety of capacities including as its representative to NCA's Legislative Assembly from 2021 - 2023, Executives Club President from 2020 - 2023, Second Vice President for 2017 - 2018, a Member-at-Large to the Executive Council during 2015 - 2017 and as a Delegate-at-Large to the Legislative Assembly in 2014 and 2015. She directed the Basic Course Conference for the 2010 WSCA Convention and served as Co-Chair of the Local Hosts Committee for the 2006 WSCA Convention in Palm Springs. She is a former Chair of the Communication and Instruction Interest Group of WSCA. Gotch served as President of Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts 2013-2014, an all-volunteer non-profit organization, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.