Mission College Academic Senate

Ext. 5413

Unapproved Minutes

Thursday, May 19, 2005

I. Call to Order/Roll Call

The meeting was called to order by President Alex Braun at 2:12 p.m.

Senators	A	P	Senators	A	P
Braun (Ext. 5355) Pres/Tech		X	Martin (Ext. 5356) Tech.	X
Brichko (Ext. 5222) CATA		X	McKay (Ext. 5312) Comm		X
Cogswell (Ext. 5388) AAS		X	Musat (Ext. 5331) Math	X
Cox (Ext.5164) CommSvc		X	Ostrander (Ext. 5274) Stud Dev.		X
Dooley (Ext. 5379) AAS		X	Perlas (Ext. 5041) Stud.Dev.		X
Harris (Ext. 5413) AF/Comm		X	Rath (Ext. 5413) AF/CIT		X
Kashima (Ext. 5319) ESL		X	Smebye (Ext. 5305) CommServ		X
Laird (Ext. 5186) SocSci	X		Szabados (Ext.5289) CATA		X
Lavallo (Ext. 5399) Math		X	Zeisler (Ext. 5426) Comm		X
			Other: H.Rothenbrg (Staff Dev)		X
Guests: D.Alkhouri, J.Brennan, S.Dinger, P.Hudak, J.Kittock, C.Kuri, C.Lam, M.Rivas,		X X X	Guests: K. Raczkowski, H.Robles N.Samson, K.Ting, C.Vinson, L.Zummo		X X X

II. Approval of the Minutes

The minutes for the meeting of May 5, 2005, were accepted and approved as submitted (M/S/U – Szabados/McKay).

III. Order of the Agenda

Senator McKay requested that Item VIII.C (Consider Hours by Arrangement Guidelines and Process) be removed from today’s agenda. The Curriculum Review Committee is not ready to bring this item to the Academic Senate. No other changes were made to today’s order of the agenda.

IV. Oral Communication from the Public

Nicole Samson, a Mission College student in her second year, addressed the Senate regarding her concerns relative to the late publication of the schedule of classes and the increasing number of errors in the schedule. She advised the Senate that she and other students have noticed that the schedule seems to be coming out later each time and joke about the number of errors. The result is that students go to other colleges or bother their instructors in order to determine if the classes will be offered in the upcoming semester to ensure they will have ample opportunity to enroll. The fact that classes are often cancelled unless they have a certain number of students enrolled only serves to exacerbate the problems students face. She asked who are the appropriate parties to discuss this concern with and what she personally can do to assist.

President Braun advised Nicole that the Academic Senate is the appropriate body to bring this concern to, and Harriett Robles indicated to Nicole that her office will now be responsible for the publication of the schedule. Harriett invited Nicole to sit on an advisory committee that she is forming that will identify the problems and ensure the timely publication of the schedule. Kellie Raczkowski offered to contact Nicole when a call for student representatives to serve on the advisor committee is made.

V. Information & Announcements

1. President Braun expressed his appreciation for the card sent to his family by the members of the District Academic Senate.

2. The Senators were asked to serve as Marshals at graduation and a sign up sheet was passed around. The Senators also identified Senator Cox and Senator Perlas as Readers.

3. Senator Perlas requested that the MC Academic Senate revisit the faculty hiring ranking process, particularly in light of the fact that a properly ranked Student Development position has been pulled from the hiring process. It was agreed that this item will be taken up at the next Senate meeting scheduled for May 26, 2005. At this time Harriett explained that the District is concerned about meeting its Faculty Obligation Number and has directed that each college hire one additional instruction position. It is her recommendation to revisit the instructional hires currently underway to determine if any of those departments could support a second hire. The faculty member would have to be hired for Fall. She advised that four or five departments determined a second position was viable. She recommended that a subcommittee of three Division Chairs and three Senators meet to prioritize the list. Alex recommended that the current process be implemented in this instance as well. He suggested that the Division Chair Council meet on Monday and prepare a recommendation for the Academic Senate to consider at its meeting next week. Harriett agreed.

VI. Administrative Business/Actions/Appointments

A. Curriculum Committee Report – Dianne advised that the committee held its last meeting of the semester on Monday and the curriculum will be presented to the Board this evening. She thanked the members of the Curriculum Review Committee for all their hard work, citing them as an exceptional group of faculty. Dianne congratulated Betty Ensminger on her election as Chair of the CRC and Kara Dworak as the Technical Advisor.

B. Staff Recognition – No resolutions were presented at today’s meeting.

C. Committee Appointments

1. Substitute Chair for Accreditation Steering Committee - Alex advised that Christine Ritz opted to withdraw her name for this position. It was noted that there has been a significant shift in the responsibility. No one else has submitted their name, and it was agreed that a second call is to be issued from the Academic Senate Office.

2. Information Competency Committee – Senator Cox advised that Judie Smith and Erlinda Estrada are both retiring, leaving two vacancies on this committee. Librarians Michelle Speck and Elaine Wong have indicated an interested in serving on this committee. After a brief discussion, it was agreed that a call for interested faculty be issued from the Academic Senate Office and appointments are to be made at next week’s Senate meeting

D. Oral Reports

1. Staff Development Heather Rothenberg, Staff Development Coordinator, advised that Kara Dworak will be substituting for her in the Fall semester. Heather will return from maternity leave in January. She announced that Flex Day will be held on Friday, August 26, 2005, and a brochure will be mailed out sometime in July/August. The Staff Development Office now has an assistant, Mehrzad Karimabadi, three hours per week and any questions regarding staff development or flex day can be directed to her.

2. Technology Committee – Pat Hudak submitted an End-of-Year Report from the Technology Committee to the Senators with a list of the committee’s major accomplishments achieved this year. One of their objectives is to evaluate and recommend a college budget process that will ensure the successful implementation of this technology plan. Pat referred to the MC Budget Allocation Model Category Definitions and offered amendments to the model for consideration by the Academic Senate under the Program Maintenance category. He noted that the Technology Plan approved by the Academic Senate is hinged upon an adequate funding source.

VII. Old Business

A. Continue Discussion on Senate’s Role re: Academic Directions Relative to Facilities

Alex stated that he has nothing new to report at this time.

B. Update on Tenure Credit Issue for Temporary Faculty Hired to Permanent Faculty Position

Alex reported that he presented the MC Academic Senate’s motion on the tenure credit issue to the Board of Trustees for consideration at the May 5, 2005, Board meeting. Although the Chancellor supported the request, he cautioned that there is a need for the development of a procedure to deal with this issue. The Chancellor prepared a Memo of Understanding for the District Academic Senate’s consideration. The intent is to bring the matter back to the Board in June and Alex will attend that meeting to address any questions or concerns of the Board members. The Senators were provided with a copy of a Memo of Understanding, which includes the Chancellor’s recommendation for a process. Alex asked for direction.

It was clarified during discussion that this issue is not an early tenure issue. Early tenure relates to when a faculty member previously employed and tenured in another institution, then becomes employed by this District and is granted tenure credit for time in the previous institution. Hence, early tenure is a contract issue and is addressed in the ACE contract.

Current practice dictates that temporary faculty are evaluated in their first year in the same manner as regular contract faculty are evaluated. It is assumed that if the position is opened for a permanent faculty member, the temporary hire would apply for the position. Then the first year evaluation is considered part of their tenure track. The question here relates to those faculty who have had a gap in their employment. The Memo of Understanding addresses that issue.

Since granting tenure is an Academic Senate responsibility, the question was raised as to whether or not it is appropriate for ACE to be included in the Memo of Understanding. It was stated that granting tenure is an Academic Senate prerogative and this is not an ACE issue. This issue deals with California Ed Code provisions and does not involve collective bargaining. Anything placed in the contract becomes a negotiable item, and the granting of tenure, therefore, is not negotiable. Ultimately, the Senators passed the following motion (M/S/P – Cogswell/Harris):

“that the Mission College Academic Senate accept the Memo of Understanding with the deletion of ACE in the first paragraph and it is replaced by the District Academic Senate.”

It was reported that ACE has no interest in this matter and that if the deletions are made as requested in the above motion, ACE will not need to sign off on the memo.

C. Update Report on Wait List Practices and Datatel Priority

Harriett Robles advised that there is no additional information at this time.

D. Update Report on WACAC Students’ List

Alex discussed the question with Susan Monahan. She advised that she does not have a complete list of the students that attended the event. She does, however, have a complete list of the institutions that attended and she regularly provides those institutions with the college’s schedule of classes. As soon as copies of the schedule became available, she sent them out to those institutions, particularly feeder high schools to the college.

Once again, it was emphasized that Mission College is the only community college in the State of California that holds a WACAC event, along with four-year institutions in the State.

VIII. New Business

A. Consider Options for Faculty Relative to Graduation & ASB Resolution

President Braun noted that a number of ideas have been circulating as to how faculty can register and demonstrate their dissatisfaction regarding the recent offer on salary and benefits made to ACE by the District’s administration. Many of those ideas related to the graduation ceremony. Graduation is an extremely meaningful event for the students, their families, and for faculty as well. It is of particular importance to families who are graduating a college student for the first time. At the same time, graduation provides faculty with a captive audience. The opinion of the Academic Senate is important, as the Senate is the voice of faculty and the Senate must take this opportunity to demonstrate leadership on this issue. Alex opened the floor to the Senate members for discussion.

Many Senators spoke to the issue, reporting the views from within their departments and divisions. It was made very clear during discussion that faculty in general are opposed to conducting any demonstration that would disrupt the graduation ceremonies. All Senators and guests that addressed the Senate appeared to agree that this event belongs to the students. Several options were proposed and considered, discussed at length, taking all consequences into consideration. It is clear that faculty must communicate faculty’s concerns to the community at large in a dignified and symbolic manner, determine objectives of any action and consider a follow-up plan. Input was solicited from student representatives in attendance at today’s meeting, and they were consulted relative to the Senators’ discussion and proposals offered.

The Senators were provided with copies of the following resolution as amended and approved by the Mission College ASB:

“Whereas, The Mission College faculty are crucial to the success of students, and

Whereas, Our college faculty are entitled to appropriate support, including competitive salaries, benefits and the uncompromised and continuing respect of the college district, board and Chancellor, and

Whereas, The Mission College faculty have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to students since the inception of our college, and

Whereas, Mission College faculty salaries and benefits have fallen far behind those of neighboring colleges, including Foothill, DeAnza, San Jose City and Evergreen, and

Whereas, The latest health premiums cap proposal from the district will slash faculty benefits and salary even further, and

Whereas, The failure to offer a competitive salary/benefits package to our current and future faculty will seriously compromise the ability of our college to offer students necessary support, leadership and academic excellence, and

Whereas, The Associated Students, as representatives of all Mission College students, wish to call for a solution to this major dispute, and further wish to show unwavering support for our valued faculty,

Therefore, let it be resolved, That the Associate Students declare their support for our faculty in this current conflict, recognizing the need for faculty to take action to preserve the long-term interests of the college, including meetings, workplace actions and further necessary steps as needed, and

Let it be further resolved, That the Associate Students request that the district, in a timely manner, act to regain the confidence of our esteemed faculty and ensure the continuing opportunities for students to enjoy an excellence education at Mission College.”

Discussion proceeded at great length, with two motions to extend discussion for an additional 10 minutes (M/S/U-Cox/Szabados and M/S/U–Zeisler/Smebye). The Senators settled on several actions with agreement from the student representatives, and the following motion was passed unanimously (M/S/U – Braun/Brichko):

“that the Mission College Academic Senate direct the members of the Senate’s Graduation Committee to seat faculty with the students, details to be worked out by the Senate’s Graduation Committee.”

The Senators expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the student representatives for their very well written resolution.

Due to the late hour, Item VIII.B was postponed to next week. Item VIII.C was withdrawn from today’s agenda, and the agenda was moved to Item VIII.D.

D. Consider Course Archive Policy

Dianne McKay, Chair of the Curriculum Review Committee (CRC) presented the following proposed Archive Policy for the Senate’s consideration:

“This Course Archive Policy has been established to assist in maintaining current course offerings in the Mission College catalog. This is not an Inactivation Policy. Courses that have not been offered in five years will be archived unless the department submits to the CRC in writing compelling reasons to keep the course in the catalog. Archived courses will be removed from the catalog, but will remain in the current college database. If transferable, the course will also be removed from the statewide ASSIST database. If a department wishes to reinstate an archived course, Course Revision documents need to be submitted by the established CRC deadlines.”

Currently at Mission College, the inactive course list is huge, and those courses continue to be listed in the catalog. Students expect that those courses will be offered at some time, if not the current semester. Dianne explained that the intent of the policy is to provide an avenue for instructors reluctant to inactivate their courses to remove those courses from the catalog and reactivate them in the future as needed. It was noted that the law requires that courses be updated every five years in any case. The CRC is recommending that the Academic Senate support and ratify the proposed policy, which will remove from the catalog any course that has not been offered in five years. The course can be brought back at any time by completing a course revision and an update of the course.

Discussion ensued, and concerns were expressed. Dianne was asked who will determine whether the reasons are compelling or not. Dianne responded that the CRC will listen to the compelling reasons offered and make a decision accordingly. It was also stated that even though courses are not offered, it indicates that they exist and, therefore, serve as a marketing tool. In addition some courses are offered as a Directed Study. Instructors worked very hard to develop those courses, and it might be easier to require an administrative change rather than a course revision. As discussion continued, it was noted that both the schedule of classes and the catalog serve as legal commitments to the student. Often courses pulled from the catalog do not get their FTE back and this will not serve the college well in a four year down slope.

Lynne Zummo, a member of the CRC, stated that the courses that are archived will be listed in the catalog as archived courses. It was also noted that there will be a yearly audit. The above policy was approved with two abstentions (M/S/U).

X. Correspondence, Publications, & Announcements

Correspondence

1. Several e-mail messages from ACE re: current negotiations.

2. E-mail dated May 16, 2005, from Dough Masury to the members of the District Academic Senate for its resolution in support of Classified Staff.

3. Letter dated May 12, 2005, from WASC with its preliminary agenda for the June 8-10, 2005, meeting of the commission.

Publication/Minutes

1. The approved minutes for the May 4, 2005, meeting of DBAC.

2. The April 29, 2005, and May 13, 2005, issue of the DVC FORUM from the Diablo Valley College Faculty Senate.

3. The agenda for the May 19, 2005, meeting of the Board of Trustees.

4. The agenda for the May 11, 2005, meeting of GAP, and the unapproved summary notes for the meetings of April 6, 2005, and April 13, 2005.

5. The agenda for the May 16, 2005, meeting of the MC Curriculum Review Committee, and the summary of the April 11, 2005, meeting.

6. The agenda for the May 19, 2005, meeting of the Mission-West Valley Land Corporation.

7. The agenda for the May 11, 2005, meeting of the District Council.

8. The approved minutes for the April 21, 2005, meeting of ACE.

Announcements/Conferences

XI. Future Agenda Items

No new items were added to today’s agenda.

XII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30p.m. (M/S/U- Cox/Lavallo). These minutes are respectfully submitted by Grace Hazán, Academic Senate Secretary.