MINUTES

In attendance: A. Arid, B. Beede, R. Brown, M. Bumgarner, E. Crook, M. Dwyer,

S. Kinsella, V. Krimsley, J. Lango, J. Lawton-Haehl, R. Lee, F. Lozano, L. Moeller,

J. Pruitt, V. Robinson, J. Stewart, L. Stubblefield, K. Wagman, L.Wexler.

• Opening Items
• Call to order at 3:03 pm by Erin Crook
• Welcome and Roll Call
• Agenda Adjustments- Add:

        Under IV. Discussion Items

        h. Double Counting of Units for a Major

• Approval of Minutes from 2/19/08

MSC – J. Lango/ J. Lawton-Haehl - unanimous

• Comments from the Public - none
• Information Items - none
• Discussion Items
• Senator Topics – If you have not already done so, please donate to the meeting refreshments fund – give your money to Liana – the more money …the better the refreshments.
• Shared Governance Survey – Randy Brown reported on some of the findings of the survey.  There were vastly different response rates for each campus sub-group.  The survey indicated a need for better communication & more information due to a low level of knowledge about the President’s Council.  Many respondents did not know who their representative was; a seeming lack of communication about the council, its purpose, how to bring an item to the council, how decisions are made.  Many suggestions were made, including: 1) sending agenda out prior to the meetings, 2) send minutes vie email to the entire campus, 3) a summary of all committee meeting minutes could be posted on the website, 4) President’s Council members should be reporting back to their areas, 5) “log lines” simple statements of what’s going on – on a webpage, easy to access and read.

        Steve stated that the information can be structured to work any way we

        want.  He takes all this information to the Board of Trustees   Erin

        suggested we could make a recommendation to the President’s Council as

        to how they disseminate their information.  People need to feel they can

        be part of the process, and even bring an item/issue to the council.   

• Equivalency – Marlene Dwyer spoke to the questions raised at the previous Senate meeting.  She asked that the links she provided to Erin be forwarded to Senators for their review.  The criteria for equivalency and minimum qualifications are available on the State Academic Senate Website.  A link to a PowerPoint presentation references some of the questions raised about Physical Education and Athletics.  In a section on Eminence in the Field – colleges who choose this may risk accusations of discrimination in hiring practices; equivalency granted by this method generally assumes the applicant would then be qualified to teach any class in the discipline for which they are hired.  Equivalency cannot be granted on a course-by-course basis.  Expertise in a vocational area - or teaching experience – may not provide enough evidence to grant equivalency.  Issues and/or questions about eminence in the field are often directed to the hiring department for clarification when the evidence is not clear.  The make-up of the committee needs to expand – to cover more areas; the PE Department is looking at the possibility of a rotating member.  The role of the Deans in the process is not to promote a hiring, but to help determine if the applicant is meeting the minimum qualifications. Recruitment process – how did this applicant come to us?  The Committee only meets when an applicant is presented.  Ken thanked Marlene and all committee members for their service over the years. Russell – the committee stresses that the same standard of criteria is applied to all applicants. Some applications are a “no-brainer” while others pose great challenges. Linda asked about the

        learning curve – Larry thinks about six meetings would give one a fair

        handle on the process.   

• Liberal Arts Degree changes – Victor  Krimsley – we are creating the degree in compliance with Title V – we need it to have an area of emphasis.  He has sent a document incorporating information from the departments to the Curriculum Committee.  Curriculum will be discussing at next meeting.  On double counting – allowed by Title V – for one GE requirement and one major requirement in an area of emphasis with 18 units.  Erin will send out the new description of the areas of emphasis in the Liberal Arts Degree.  Students would have the opportunity to explore other options and electives outside their major.  Currently we do not allow double counting – the general feeling was this restriction should be removed – it will bring us in line with Title V.  Erin will take this information to Curriculum.
• Curriculum Update –  Board Policy changes – Victor Krimsley

        Currently students are allowed to withdraw from a class as many times as

        they want.  Now they will be limited to 4 times and if they withdraw a 5th

        time, would have to take the letter grade earned up to the time of their

        withdrawal, as if they had completed the class.  Victor has written an AP

        for withdrawals which codifies all the above information.  Repetitions for

        sub-standard grade (D, F) - currently allowed at one repeat for grade

        improvement; a student may file for additional repeats due to extenuating

        circumstances (no apportionment).  Victor has drafted a policy – student

        may repeat one time without a signature; on the 2nd repeat the student

        would be required to meet with a counselor for a signature/intervention; a          3rd repeat would require another counseling session, and we would get no

        apportionment.  A new regulation states a student cannot be enrolled in the

        same course but in two different section numbers at the same time. The

        rest of the policy changes are to comply with changes to Title V –

        renumbering and reorganization of some section numbers.  Marlene

        commented that the CDC courses are job driven, students withdraw from

        courses frequently and some students need to see counselors based on

        their history of withdrawals.  John Pruitt advised Banner might permit a

        flag at a student’s second withdrawal and prior to allowing re-registering.

        Question – when, or will we be requiring students to get email addresses

        so information can be sent out this way? Vic would like to see student

        phone numbers, email and mailing addresses validated by the school.

• Ethics Statement – topic tabled for next meeting.
• Senate Schedule – Spring/Summer – Senate will meet April 1st, 15th and 29th; the last meeting of Spring Semester will be on May 6th.
• Double Counting of Units for a Major – see IV. d.
• Action Items
• Resolution: Faculty of the Year – John Lango reports that the criteria for Faculty of the Year were rewritten (see handout) to provide for F/T and P/T-Adjunct nominations. Mayock House perpetual plaques will be updated, and certificates will be distributed to past recipients. Ken Wagman had volunteered at the last meeting to help with this project.  Deadline for nominations will be the second Monday in March – exception for this year – due April 6th.

MSC (M. Bumgarner/A. Arid) – unanimous.

• Resolution: Athletic Director/Dean of PE – discussion on concerns that this position is more Athletic than Academic, and how much of what Ron does is curriculum-based.  The Board originally created this as a Dean position. Victor stated that the Dean level is very common at many colleges for this position.  Bob Beede offered that it would be a benefit to the college as a Dean position; it establishes the qualifications for the position at the Dean level.

MSC (A. Arid/M. Bumgarner) carried with Russell Lee abstaining. 

• Resolution: Basic Skills Planning Matrices – Fran outlined the matrices as prepared by the Basic Skills Committee – there is an existing set of Basic Skills courses, which is generally defined by the State.  They have the grant money that will support the proposals.

MSC (R. Lee/A. Arid) – unanimous.

• Reports
• ASB - none
• President - none
• Vice President of Instruction –   Victor reminds us that Mary Allen will be

      coming back to campus on Friday April 4th

• Vice President of Student Services - John Pruitt provided two handouts on

      GECA – Fall Semester Grades Analysis and an outline for evaluation of

      the effectiveness of the program.  The Basic Skills Counselor has been

      hired – we now need to find space to house this person.        

• Basic Skills Committee - none
• Budget Committee - none
• Marketing Committee - none
• Tech Committee –Vic asks everyone to return the Tech Survey. Bob

      Beede – some students will be creating their own websites – and asks for

      everyone’s help should students request information or ask to interview

      you. -

• PTCOC - none
• Learning Outcomes - none
• Distance Ed - none
• Faculty of the Year - none
• Senate President – Ken Wagman and Erin Crook will be attending

      Plenary this year.

• Closing Items
• Items for next agenda – please send to Erin
• Next meeting time – March 18, 2008,  3:00 pm
• Adjournment at 4:38 pm by consensus.

Submitted by

Diane Stone