Students taking Introduction to Photography, Communication and Journalism 284, learned to be flexible as they adjusted to their professor, David Hansen, being hospitalized for a stroke at the beginning of the semester.

“It was really fun having him as a teacher because (photography) is his hobby, not just his profession,” said junior Crystal Loschko who is taking the class this semester.

Loschko and her classmates have stuck with the class through the chaos that follows the absence of a professor. The Communications and Journalism department pulled together to help out with Hansen’s work and the class even heard one lecture from a fellow student.

Junior Matthew Resenhoeft, who is an academic apprentice for photography and a photographer for the Leader-Telegram, found himself lecturing for Hansen and putting in more than 30 hours a week helping out with the photo lab before a faculty replacement was found.

It wasn’t long before Jason Tetzloff, assistant professor of history and former Leader-Telegram photographer, agreed to juggle Hansen’s duties along with his own nine credits and administrative duties.

“This has been a real cooperative effort and everyone has realized the contribution that David has made here in 25 years,” Tetzloff said.

Although replacements have been found to lecture and to help out in the photo lab, students still miss Hansen.

“Everyone loves his lectures, loves his labs, so this is a switch,” Resenhoeft said. “It’s not necessarily different information (being taught), it’s just the style of the professor.”

Loschko said she thinks she is learning everything that she wanted to learn in the class and she is enjoying working with Resenhoeft and Tetzloff, but Hansen offered a style that may have her taking another photo class in the future if he is back.

“He was hilarious and he had the best stories. He just made you want to come to class,” she said. “Everyone misses him and we hope he gets better.”

Hansen is out of the hospital now, but still doing physical therapy and speech therapy.

“He’s improving daily, which is really good, and he wants to come back,” Tetzloff said. “It’s just a question of when he is going to feel comfortable and able to do it.”

As of now, Tetzloff is scheduled to teach Introduction to Photography in the spring, and Advanced Photography has not been assigned yet. Hansen was also teaching Pop Culture this semester, and various professors have been helping out with lectures for that class.

“I think the CJ department really pulled together,” Resenhoeft said. “And made something good out of a hard situation.”