Notes - May 2, 2005
De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
May 2nd, 2005
Senators and Officers present: Argyriou, Bryant, Castaño, Chenoweth, Cordero, Dolen, Dunn, Fritz, Goodwin, Guevara,
Hearn, Illowsky, Jensen Sullivan, Joplin, Logvinenko, Lopez-Morgan, Mitchell, Mosh,
Setziol, Sheirich, Winters, and Zill
Senators and Officers absent: Bresnan, Clavijo, Cole, and Moreno
DASB: Alex Candia
Classified Senate:
Administrative Liaison: vGuests: Karl Schaffer and Mary Jo Lomax
[NOTE: Item numbers are reflective of agenda numbers in the order they are actually taken up at the meeting.]
The meeting was called to order at 2:32, a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The notes of April 25th were approved as distributed with minor changes. The agenda was modified to add a IVb (ETAC Report) and a VIb (Diversity Survey)
II. Needs and Confirmations: None were proposed for confirmations. The needs distributed were the same as the previous week. Senators were asked to make renewed efforts to get the needs filled.
III(a) Senate Dues: Faculty dues for the Academic Senate are now three dollars. The need for the executive committee to consider proposing a one or two dollar increase in the was presented. The item will return on the May 9th agenda for possible action.
With suitable apologies, Mitchell asked for and received permission for an additional item to be added to the agenda at this point - IIIb
IIIb. Proposed Smoking Policy: The group was asked to consider the proposal to have both Foothill and De Anza colleges be smoke free campuses except for a few parking lot locations. Local colleges as well as one in Arkansas have successfully implemented such policies. Two documents were distributed at the meeting: one containing the proposal and the other (from the Community College Times) reporting on the experience at Ozark Technical Community College. The group was left to contemplate whether or not such a proposal was appropriate for Academic Senate action.
IV(a) Faculty/Classified Relationships: Classified staff layoffs, bumping, changes in job descriptions and classification, appropriate individual and collective faculty response, and information about affected classified positions were discussed. It was brought to the attention of the group that some planned to wear purple shirts as a sign of solidarity with layed off staff, perhaps as soon as May 3rd.
IV(b) ETAC Report: The Educational Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC) has reportedly been working slowly for seven years on a proposal for an educational technology plan. Now, all of a sudden, there is a push for completion. Accreditation was credited with being a primary motivator. There was no distribution of a draft plan as it was unclear whether or not the draft under consideration by ETAC was intended for broader distribution by the chair of the committee.
V. Senate Election Update: A sign up sheet was distributed for Senators running the polling station during the May 17th and 18th election. There was no formal announcement as to who will be running.
VI(a) Student Diversity Climate Survey: The group was reminded of and further informed about a retreat May 20th concerning the results of the student portion of the Diversity Climate Survey for De Anza. Participants will collaborate on the collection of strategies for the future pertinent to an analysis of the survey. The group was also reminded of the effectiveness of Claude Steele's presentation several years ago in galvanizing faculty activism in the area of student diversity. Interested faculty were asked to call Winters at extension 8739.
VI. Textbook Policy: The group reviewed proposed new language in two sections, Library and Printing Services handouts for each section were distributed at the meeting. Clarification of the new language was attempted at the meeting. Points remaining to be clarified in the Library section were 1) "copyright" added somewhere in a rewording of the sentence beginning "Faculty may place... " and 2) something to capture the intention of "high quality" meaning readable by all in terms of some standard. Alex Candia, Chenoweth, and Dolen volunteered to work with Mitchell on this language. An open invitation to others was also extended.
With regard to the Printing Services section, it was said that the section needed to start from scratch in light of previous decisions as to the tone and intent of the entire policy. An initial list of possible ingredients was informally introduced.
VII. Accreditation: Standard four was announced as the only self study standard deemed complete by the College Council. Illowsky was commended for her presentation to that body.
VIII. For the Good of the Order:
- A mega conference including information about hazardous materials was announced. In response to a question about who in the District should be informed about the conference, Ron Levine, Jon O'Bergh, Donna Jones-Dulin, and Allen Harvey were mentioned.
- An event called the Spring Fling will occur May 9th, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. In light of the fact that newly tenured faculty will be honored, including several members of the executive committee, the May 9th Academic Senate meeting was scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:33 p.m.