Commending and Honoring of Professor Betty Blecha, in Memoriam

Resolution Number: RF12-302
September, 2012

***Approved by the Academic Senate at its meeting on September 04, 2012***

Whereas: 
Professor Betty Blecha joined the faculty of San Francisco State University in 1983 and served as a valued member of the Department of Economics since that time, teaching and working in the area of Public Finance; and
Whereas: 
Professor Blecha later in her career became a national leader in computer-assisted economics, working with other economists to create and collect new resources for the field using a wide variety of technologies, creating a public resource called the Economics Technology Project, and having received Mellon Foundation funds for some of her work in this area; and
Whereas: 
Professor Blecha used that expertise to help students more effectively understand economics by creating computer animations and computer simulations on topics like taxes, market issues, understanding the economics of sport franchises, and other economics issues; and
Whereas: 
Professor Blecha taught difficult courses like econometrics and mathematical economics, published a textbook on econometrics, received outstanding teaching evaluations for even these classes and was known as an excellent teacher; and
Whereas: 
In the tradition of San Francisco State University, she not only worked to find new ways to help her students understand difficult topics but also published scholarly articles on teaching economics with technology in addition to published work earlier in her career on Public Finance, placing her work in premier economics journals like American Economics Review and Journal of Political Economy; and
Whereas: 
Professor Blecha also contributed her time and expertise as a critical participant in the Academic Senate’s pilot project on online course evaluations, to the Friends of the J Paul Leonard Library, the local chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, as a faculty member for the interdisciplinary Public Administration Program and served on numerous other campus committees; and,
Whereas: 
Betty had yet another career as a photographer (selection of photos at http://bettyblecha.com/), taking photographs of South West American landscapes, serving for two summers as photographer in residence for the Grand Canyon National Park; and
Whereas: 
Professor Blecha retired in May 2012 from the University after being diagnosed with cancer and died on June 8, 2012 at home with her family; NOW THEREFORE BE IT
Resolved: 
That the Academic Senate of San Francisco State University memorialize the achievements of Professor Betty Blecha and express its condolences upon her death; and be it further
Resolved: 
That the Academic Senate recognizes Professor Blecha’s teaching and scholarly activities as an inspiration for our students, faculty, administrators, and staff; and be it further
Resolved: 
That Professor Blecha be posthumously endowed with the deep and everlasting gratitude of the Academic Senate and the entire SF State University community.