Mission College Academic Senate

Ext. 5413

Unapproved  Minutes

Thursday, November 20, 2003  

 

I.       Call to Order/Roll Call

            The meeting was called to order by President Alex Braun at 2:08 p.m. 

Senators

   A

   P

Senators

   A

   P

Braun      (Ext. 5355) Pres/Tech

 

   X

Martin     (Ext. 5356)  Tech.

    

   X

Brennan    (Ext. 5313)  Comm

     

    X

Musat      (Ext. 5331) Math

 

   X

Charland  (Ext. 5046)  Stud. Dev.

 

    X

Oliver      (Ext. 5427)  AAS

 

   X

Cox        (Ext.5164) CommSvc

 

    X

Perlas      (Ext. 5041)  Stud.Dev.

 

   X

Dooley    (Ext. 5379)   AAS

 

    X

Rath       (Ext.5413)  AF/CIT

 

   X

Harris     (Ext. 5413)  AF/Comm

   X

 

Rivas      (Ext. 5282)  CATA

     

   X

Johnson   (Ext.5277) CATA

 

   X

Rosner      (Ext. 5317) ESL

 

   X

Laird       (Ext. 5186) SocScience

   X

  

Smebye   (Ext. 5305) CommServ

 

   X

Lavallo    (Ext. 5399)  Math

 

   X

Zeisler     (Ext. 5426) Comm

 

   X

Other:  B.Grayson (Staff Dev)

   X

 

ASB Reps. B.Casillas, R.Holt

 

   X

 

II.     Approval of the Minutes

            The minutes for the meeting of November 13, 2003, were accepted and approved as submitted   (M/S/U – Charland/Cox).

 

III.    Order of the Agenda

            There were no changes made to the order of the agenda at this time.

             

 IV.    Oral Communication from the Public

            There was no oral communication from the public at today's meeting.

        

  V.    Information & Announcements 

         1.  President Braun introduced Vivian Lock, President of the West Valley College Academic Senate to the members of the MCAS.  Vivian expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to attend today’s meeting.

            2.   Alex advised that he and Vivian will be making a presentation of the proposed District Program Discontinuance Policy at tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting.  The meeting will be held in Hospitality Management starting at 7:00 p.m.  Alex informed the Senators that he became aware earlier this week that an item has been placed on the Board agenda at the request of a trustee that is a matter of controversy.  He explained that he learned the true nature of that item after the November 20th MCAS Agenda was issued.  The action item is to reinstate the WVC Intercollegiate Wrestling course and this appears to be a violation of district policy, Article 3.34 and Title 5 regulations.  Curriculum matters fall under the purview of the Academic Senate, and the Board has agreed to rely primarily on the advice of the Senate on these matters.  He encouraged the Senators to attend this evening’s meeting to voice their view on this subject. 

 

                  After a brief discussion, it was agreed that this matter qualifies as an item that requires immediate action by the Senate, and a motion to add this issue to today’s agenda passed unanimously (M/S/U –Brennan/Charland). 

 

                  This item (Item VIII.B – Discuss Board Action Item to Rescind Wrestling Course and Relative Activities at WVC) will be addressed immediately following Item VI.

            3.   On Monday there will be a joint meeting of the Division Chair Council and the Performance Goal Committee from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in Campus Center Room 219/220.  The Senate has been invited to participate in the discussion relative to Balance of Curriculum.  The intent is to discuss the future direction of the college as it pertains to the balance of curriculum across the board.  This is an important discussion.  Alex intends to participate and Senators Dooley, Johnson, Martin, Olive, and Rivas indicated they will attempt to attend the meeting.

            4.   Senator Rath requested that a proposal from the Associate Faculty Representative on ACE be placed on a future agenda for the Senate’s consideration.        This proposal differs from the original proposal rejected by the Senates.                                                                      

 

VI.    Administrative Business/Actions/Appointments

 A.     Curriculum Committee  -   No report was presented.

 B.     Staff Recognition -  No resolutions were offered.

C.      Committee Appointments

         1.  Student Readiness Task Force  - A number of faculty members volunteered to serve on this Senate Task Force.  Jonathan Brennan was appointed Chair (M/S/U – Johnson/Braun) and was directed to consider the list of volunteers and bring recommendation for membership to the Senate for approval.                                                                                

         2.  Faculty At-Large Rep. To GAP – Alex reported that only one name was submitted and recommended that the call be reissued.  He asked the Senate for direction, and the Senators agreed the call should be reissued. 

         3.  Chair, MC Accreditation Issue  -  Only one name was submitted for this position as well, and Alex advised that a call has been reissued as well.

D.      Oral Reports

         1.  Staff Development  -  No report was presented.

         2.  Other:  No reports.

 

As agreed, the order of the agenda was suspended and moved to Item VIII.B.

 

VIII.  New Business

 

     B. Discuss Board Action Item to Rescind WVC Wrestling Course & Relative Activities

            President Lock explained that the PE Department/Division has offered a wrestling course for a number of years. The Coach has retired and the division opted to delete the course from its offerings.  The Coach would like the program to continue. He has been teaching the course on a voluntary basis, even though the division only allocated funds for transportation of the team, which competes in intramural conferences. A number of students and their parents appealed to the Board to change the division’s decision.

 

            Discussion ensued and several Senators spoke to the merits of the sport of wrestling.  It was noted, however, that the issue is not relative to the sport, but rather the discussion must focus on the deeper issue of what is within the purview of the Mission College Academic Senate.  This is a critical matter in terms of dealing with changes in any program.   It was explained that the WVC PE Division made this decision via a long-standing internal informal process.  Generally, course changes within a department do not fall under the criteria of the Program Discontinuance Policy. Each department has the ability to determine its course offerings.  Although it is important to acknowledge members of the community, the public should be advised of the appropriate procedure and forum to voice their concerns. The Board should be admonished for not following their own policy, placing an action item on the agenda inappropriately, and not referring the matter to the Academic Senate.  Such action is tantamount to an erosion of the authority of the Academic Senate and this cannot be tolerated.

 

            Alex explained that he and Vivian intend to educate the Board on the Program Discontinuance Policy, advising them of District Policy and Title 5 regulations relative to the Academic Senate’s responsibility regarding curriculum.  The District Policy states that the Board will rely primarily on the advice and judgment of the Academic Senate, and the WVC Academic Senate has supported the right of the PE Division to make that decision.  The following motion was passed (M/S/P – Oliver/Dooley):

 

            “that the Mission College Academic Senate directs the Academic Senate President to communicate to the Board of Trustees that in accordance with District Policy Article 3.3.4 and in accordance with Title 5 regulations, that the Board of Trustees has agreed to rely primarily on the advice of the Academic Senate.  If the Board does not adhere to same, the Board must communicate their compelling reasons in writing to the Academic Senate.”

           

            Discussion continued with particular reference to the role of the Chancellor in this instance.  This is an opportunity for the Chancellor to demonstrate his effectiveness as a leader in this area.  The following motion was passed (M/S/U – Cox/Rosner):

 

            “that the Mission College Academic Senate direct its President to call the Chancellor and request that the action item on the agenda be removed as an inappropriate item and that the Chancellor take aggressive action prior to the Board meeting.”

 

            In addition, an informal statement was presented to Alex to direct to the community members and students that are interested in this issue.  The statement acknowledges their interest and concern and urges them to follow the appropriate process and take the matter to the WVC Academic Senate.

 

            The order of the agenda was resumed.

 

VII.   Old Business

 

   A.   Discuss Status of Resolution of No Confidence in the Chancellor

            Alex introduced Ian Walton, Vice President of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges and former Academic Senate President. Ian apologized for not attending last week’s meeting; he was at Consultation Council in Sacramento. His visit today is to express his views, relative to the Chancellor’s visit to the November 13th Senate meeting.  In response to last year's Resolution of No Confidence, the Chancellor promised to do better and this item is on the senate agenda in order to monitor his progress.

 

            Ian addressed some specific statements made by the Chancellor at the meeting.  Ian referred to Page 3 of the Senate’s meeting, first full paragraph, 9th line, “The Chancellor noted that the FON was assigned to colleges in 1989 for no reason and without logic; similar size colleges have different FONs.”  Ian is concerned that this historical commentary will be used to justify further failure to meet the legal requirements of our FON.  Ian went on to explain that in 1989 the legislature established the goal that at least 75% of classes will be taught by full-time faculty.  This is also a Board of Governor's goal.  The chosen enforcement mechanism was the FON (Faculty Obligation Number) and was initially the status quo for each district.  Subsequent increases in FON depended on specific increases in apportionment dollars received at each district/college.  That is the reason colleges have different FONs assigned.  The intent was for each college to improve their actual FT/PT ratio – and certainly not to go backwards.  In Fall 2002, the District met its FON.  At that time, our full-time faculty percentage was at 68% after 14 years.  Some districts have reached the target of 75%, some have surpassed it, and others are lower.  The reason the District will be penalized this year is because we violated the Fall 2003 requirement by dropping below the Fall 2002 FON.  The Chancellor claimed last year that the requirement would be waived.  It is true that the CEO organization made such a request, but Ian and others repeatedly commented that this was not realistic and would not happen.  This District deliberately decided to violate the requirement when it adopted the 2003-04 budget.  The Chancellor’s rhetoric about the historical source of our FON is not relevant to the District's decision to violate the requirement and raises ongoing concerns about the District's future intentions.

 

            Tonight’s Board meeting provides a second opportunity to determine how the Chancellor is progressing.  Curriculum is an academic and professional matter that is absolutely the area of the Academic Senate and faculty.  Faculty are the experts in their field and neither the neighbors nor the Board of Trustees should be making curriculum decisions as to what is appropriate in faculty’s area of expertise.  The Chancellor should aggressively move to remove the item from the Board agenda.  Subsequently, if Alex and Vivian are not successful in their requests for removal, the Board must be put on notice that it is in violation of both District Policy and Title 5.  The Academic Senate can then seek assistance from the State Academic Senate, the State Chancellor’s Office, and the CCLC if necessary.

 

            Discussion  ensued, and it was noted that Trustee Schwartz has contacted the State Chancellor’s Office regarding the ratio not being proportionate.  It was suggested that this may be an attempt to justify the District not meeting its legal requirement.  There has never been a state-wide mechanism for dropping below the base FON without penalty (in this case Fall 2002).  The District did receive a one year deferral for 50% of the originally proposed 2002-03 increase (The Board of Governors had already waived the other 50% for all districts). Ian was asked how we can hold the Chancellor responsible for the district’s non-compliance with the law for the last fourteen years.  Ian explained, there are two somewhat conflicting standards – a goal and an enforcement mechanism:  the original legislation specified a goal of a 75/25 FT/PT ratio but the only way to enforce progress towards this goal has been with the FON.   Despite the District’s earlier compliance with the FON requirement, it has not managed to reach the goal.  However, this year, for the first time, the District violated the required FON, as enforced by the state Chancellor's Office.  That action is the Chancellor's and Board's responsibility. As a result the District is being "penalized" approximately 1.3 million dollars.

 

            Alex thanked Ian for his information.

 

   B.   Discuss Issue of Only On-Line Registration re: CAN Program

            Senator Dooley advised that this is no longer an issue of concern.  The matter has been resolved.

 

   C.   Select Two Senators to Review Proposed District Faculty Hiring Policy

            Alex explained that the Faculty Hiring Policy is a Senate driven policy, approved jointly with the Board of Trustees.  Some deviations from the policy have occurred, and the WVC Academic Senate has revised the original policy. It was emphasized that this is one of the strongest authorities of the Academic Senate.  Policy and procedures without the approval of the Academic Senate and the Board are unacceptable.  The MC Academic Senate must consider the policy and once adopted, it becomes an instrument of the District Academic Senate.

 

            Alex volunteered to serve on this subcommittee and Senator Dooley also volunteered.  They will review the document with the WVC Senators and bring a document back to the Senates for approval.

 

   D.   Consider Approval of District Program Discontinuance Policy

            The Mission College Academic Senate developed and adopted a Mission College District Program Discontinuance Policy, and the West Valley College Academic Senate adapted the policy to meet the needs of the college.  The Board is requesting that a District Program Discontinuance Policy be developed, and the draft being considered is a blending of the two policies.  It is intended that practices and procedures will be initialized at each individual college, and the guidelines and principles will be common to both colleges.  Alex asked for direction on how to proceed.

 

            After some discussion relative to specific language in the proposal, it was agreed that a subcommittee of the MC Academic Senate, comprised of Senators Cox, Rosner, and Zeisler is to be charged to review the document and bring a recommendation back to the Senate for consideration.              This document is meant to serve as a policy, not a process.  The concepts are to be included in the policy.                                                                                    

 

VIII.  New Business

 

    A.  Discuss Need for Eleven-Month Health Occupation Position

            This item was postponed to the next meeting.                                                            

                   

   IX.  Correspondence, Publication, & Announcements

         Correspondenceb  ‑  None

         Publication/Minutes

         1.   Agenda for the November 20, 2003, meeting of the Board of Trustees.

            2.   The agenda for the November 19, 2003, meeting of DBAC and the minutes for November 5, 2003.

         Announcements/Conferences - None

 

XI.    Future Agenda Items

A.  Discuss  New Proposal re: Hiring Process Relative to Associate Faculty.

 

XII.   Adjournment

            The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m. (M/S/U - Brennan/Sippel).  These minutes are respectfully submitted by Grace Hazán, Academic Senate Secretary.