Gavilan College Academic Senate Recommedation to the Board
Approved by Senate: October 5, 2010

Recommendations from Gavilan College Academic Senate

 For establishing 500 FTEs in Hollister

Goal: Achieve gradual, balanced growth in Hollister without negatively impacting established programs on the Gilroy campus, or alienating Gilroy and Morgan Hill students with a lack of available classes.

Overall recommendation: Plan incremental stages, setting an overall percentage of classes to move with target numbers of sections for Hollister expansion each term; Leave the choice of specific class locations to departments (which will recommend to Deans); Evaluate every semester what effects various schedule combinations have on Gilroy and Hollister enrollments to monitor and improve availability of classes for all Gavilan Students.

Rationale: Gavilan College’s Strategic Plan (Strategy Five, all four goals) involves the faculty in developing a plan to take the San Benito (Hollister) interim campus and grow it to an Educational Center (500 FTEs), thereby qualifying Gavilan for state monies to provide the many needed student services in Hollister.

Specific recommendations:

  1. Create a schedule for Academic Program and Department input by August/September, and ask Departments to recommend which course/s each would move in spring, summer, and/or fall. Departments may wish to move classes with multiple sections, or alternate classes between the campuses. For 2011, it is likely that afternoons will be the most open slots in Hollister.
  2. Make this a faculty-driven process, as decisions about course relocations must fit with department goals, history and Unit Plans.
  3. Move classes in a gradual, incremental manner using a timeline developed jointly by college officials and the Senate. Be cognizant of equity in moving classes, making an effort to spread the moves through every department, so that no department or program is significantly impacted. 
  4. Continue to solicit public opinion from community and student groups. We point to the July public forum held in Hollister as a commendable example, creating wonderful opportunities for dialogue, input and ideas between Hollister Community Members, Gavilan Students, Staff, Faculty, and Board of Trustees.
  5. Meet with Student Services staff to share information, asking them to create a parallel plan for providing Student Services to the San Benito Campus. (Fall 2010 and Spring 2011)
  6. Ensure at least two wet-rooms/lab classrooms that could accommodate science labs, digital media and computer labs, studio art and cosmetology classes are included in any site considered or developed in San Benito County. Similarly, there should be one or more classrooms with sprung wooden floors to accommodate classes in Dance, PE (yoga, movement) and Theatre classes.  
  7. Move towards enabling students to meet their educational goals or degrees in Hollister, without ignoring the need for ESL, career preparation, and basic skills classes.
  8. Involve the Gavilan Institutional Researcher (starting during pre-registration in fall 2010), soliciting student input and reactions to the moves, including enrollment growth at the Hollister site and how/whether they impact student enrollment and quality of experience in Gilroy. Include exit interviews with Gavilan students who transfer to other colleges or institutions.
  9. Plan 2012 schedules based on 2011 data, involving Department Chairs, Academic Senate (and possibly Vision Committee).