Notes - June 13, 2005
De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
June 13th , 2005
Senators and Officers present: Argyriou, Bresnan, Bryant, Castaño, Chenoweth, Clavijo, Cole, Cordero, Dolen, Dunn,
Fritz, Goodwin, Guevara, Hearn, Illowsky, Jensen Sullivan, Joplin, Logvinenko, Mitchell,
Moreno, Mosh, Setziol, Winters, and Zill
Senators and Officers absent: Lopez-Morgan and Sheirich
DASB:
Classified Senate:
Administrative Liaison:
Guests: Ben Kline, Judy Miner, Beth McPartland, Rich Schroeder, Stephanie Sherman, Rich
Hansen, Anu Khanna, and Karl Schaffer
[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.
III. Scholarship Awards: This item was taken up first due to the absence of president Mitchell. Jodi Forbes and Kamran Afshari were announced as winners of the two Academic Senate Scholarship recipients for the year. Illowsky reminded the group that a student may only win a total of one award.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The item began with the distribution of an amended version of the notes of the meeting of June 6th. The amended version contained reference to approval of $250 from the Senate dues account for thank you gifts for Dan Mitchell and Barbara Illowsky for their exemplary service as President and Vice President, respectively, of the Senate. A hearty round of applause greeted the presentation of the gifts.
The notes of the meeting of June 6th were approved as distributed and amended (see above).
II. Needs and Confirmations: A desire was expressed for three or four more faculty to join the De Anza Technology Task Force. Cordero, Dolen, and Bryant volunteered.
It was announced that there was no change in the proposal from the Biology, Health, and Environmental Sciences division and no new information presented, leading the officers to conclude that, following the normal procedures of the Senate, the item should not be discussed at the meeting. In response to questions about what happened and what didn't happen and what were all the reasons behind the officers thinking, Mitchell said that to open the discussion would have the result of legislating a special meeting June 20th. Requests for discussion persisted. Mitchell then said that the proper procedure would be for someone who voted not to approve the proposed committees to Move to Reconsider. Instead of a motion to reconsider, a request was made for information about the "whole story". Mitchell reiterated his reluctance to push the rest of the agenda to June 20th. A motion was made and seconded to extend the meeting as necessary to deal with the situation. During the discussion on the motion it was MSCU (Goodwin/Bresnan) to table the motion until the arrival of Rich Hansen, (at approximately 3:30 p.m.) representing FA.
IV. Senate By-Laws Revisions: After a brief introduction of the item with special emphasis on the unfortunate released time situation, it was MSCU (Fritz/Cordero) to approve the proposed changes.
VII. Environmental Policy: [Note: This item was taken up out of order due to the fact that the expected representative from the Curriculum Committee was not yet present.] It was immediately suggested that the appropriate next step was for this initiative to be of the highest priority. Jensen Sullivan agreed, saying that we had a moral, economic, and teaching and learning obligation to act in this area. Bryant offered the helpful notion that something very tangible was vital for this pursuit. Many heads nodded in agreement. In response, workshops for all employees were suggested. Having the upcoming Strategic Planning Initiative adopt environmental sustainability as a high priority with the Senate taking a leading role was suggested. It was the sense of the Senate to begin with energy management as per Ed Quevedo's advice.
It was MSCU (Cole/Joplin) to create a taskforce to investigate the Senate's potential role in developing an environmental plan for the college.
Back to II. With the arrival of Rich Hansen, the item was taken up again. With Stephanie Sherman's memo stating that FA agreed with her position and the Senate officers stating that FA agreed with their position, Hansen was asked to clarify FA's position. Hansen said (already stipulated by Mitchell representing the officers) that two people from the same department could be on the same tenure review committee. He also said that the Senate was expected to select appropriate committees for reasons above and beyond contractual minimum expectations and that the FA leadership shared the concerns of the Senate officers with regard to these particular committees.
More discussion followed.
VI. Curriculum Committee Co Chair Confirmation: Anu Khanna was unanimously confirmed as the Curriculum Committee Co Chair for 2005-2006.
Back to II. Again. Mitchell distributed and then carefully went through a document titled "Senate concerns regarding proposed Tenure review committees in the Biological, Health, and Environmental Sciences division".
Reaction to the document was indirect as several Senators attempted to move to a solution.
During the discussion, topics, issues, and concerns including the following were addressed by Senators and guests:
- Is the BHES proposal in the spirit of the Senate's and FA's concerns about diversity on tenure review committees?
- In a complicated situation, should Senate err in support of a department or division?
- Will approving these committees set a precedent?
- Several noted that the same group of people would be on multiple committees, raising concerns about committees comparing candidates.
- Tenure candidates should have access to perspectives beyond those coming from the department.
- Judy Miner stated that there are safeguards against the same people having too much power as a result of serving on multiple tenure review committees.
- FA (Rich Hansen) stated that confirmation of tenure review committees is a faculty not an administrative concern.
- BHES division representatives stated that more volunteers were solicited from the departments but nobody came forth. This statement was greeted with some skepticism.
- There was a concern over the voting process in the BHES division since a non vote is counted as a yes.
- Mitchell clarified that we are not addressing anyone’s intent but rather the substance of the process and policy issues.
- Despite what occurs with these particular committees, Senate needs to work with divisions to clarify and revise policies on tenure review committees.
It was MSC Winters/Joplin to approve all five tenure review committees with the understanding that Senate will return to a discussion to revise division policies concerning tenure review committees. (The vote was 9 to 7 to approve the committees proposed.)
Mitchell expressed thanks to all present including BHES representatives for working with Senate and their division on this issue.
V. Course Outlines – Instructional Methodology: The item was held over to the ballot by mail the week of June 20th.
VIII. Course Materials Policy: After reviewing the latest revisions to Appendix 3 of the Policy on Course Materials, it was MSCU Fritz/Logvinenko to approve Appendix 3. It was then MSCU Chenoweth/Lovgvinenko to approve the entire Course Materials Policy with the understanding that Senate will work on Implementation next year.
IX: Scheduling Subcommittee Report: The item was held over.
X. ETAC Policy Review: The item was not taken up.
XI. Graduation: See Good of the Order - item XIII
XII. Introduction of New Senate Officers: The new officers for the 2005-2006 school year are Lydia Hearn for President and Ben Kline for Vice President.
XIII. Good of the Order:
- Senators were encouraged to encourage colleagues to attend graduation. Faculty can still order caps and gowns free of charge from the Bookstore.
- There is to be a talk on the Liberation of Auschwitz on Wednesday. (See Illowsky for more details.)
- De Anza will implement a new "pay to stay" policy to be consistent with Foothill's practices. It has gone through many iterations, but the most recent one is that students will have to pay tuition and fees a few days before the first day of school.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10