Dr. Dondra West (Ed.D., Auburn U., 1980) passed away, possibly from complications from cosmetic surgery. The press is widely reporting her as having a Ph.D., but it is, in fact, an Ed.D. Her dissertation topic: General Systems Theory And Rhetoric: Toward A New World View For Teachers Of Written Composition In Secondary Schools And Colleges. She was a chair at Chicago State (English), having taught there since 1980, leaving in 2004 to manage her son's career and business interests. She was 58.
