Notes - May 7th, 2007

The De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
May 7th, 2007

Senators and Officers present: Bambhania, Capitolo, Chenoweth, Cole, Coleman,  Cordero, Dolen, Gallegos, Glapion, Goodwin, Guevara, Hearn, Jensen-Sullivan, Joplin, Kessler, Lathers, Lee-Klawender, Lizardi-Folley, Miller, Osborne, Paicius, Raffaelli Schaffer, Walton, Winters, and Zill
Senators and Officers absent: Cadge-Moore, Kramer, and Setziol,
DASB:
Classified Senate: Olivia Patlan
Administrative Liaison:
Guests: Andrew LaManque
Curriculum Co Chair:  Anu Khanna
[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 2:30 a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The agenda was approved as distributed with the following changes: the title of item VII  was changed to  “Deadline to drop WITHOUT a W”  and  Item V was divided into Va, Emergency Procedures  and
Vb, Academic Freedom Statement.    
The notes of April 30th were approved as distributed.
II.  Needs and Confirmations: No “Needs and Confirmations” were on the docket.
III.  ePortfolios : The topic of ePortfolios was raised at Tech Task Force, which then directed it to the Academic Senate.  In an ePortfolio, students can collect, select, build and publish their best work via the Internet.  Using an ePortfolio would not only give students the opportunity to represent themselves more holistically, but would also provide a means for the college to measure the effectiveness of curriculum by recognizing trends in student interests.  Many of the concerns raised include the need for training both for faculty and for students, the role of portfolios in Student Learning Outcomes, and the means through which portfolio usage could be expanded (some suggestions include the Student Success Center and/or the Library).  It was clarified that any movement in this area should be faculty driven.  The senate agreed that it would be beneficial to join an already-existing consortium of 4-year and 2-year colleges to discuss ePortfolios.  Volunteers will be solicited and the Senate officers will determine whether we may send more than one representative to the consortium.
IV. Training for Teaching Online: Chenoweth presented a review of Title 5 changes in the language on Distance Education.
Key language change is:  The same standards apply to “any portion of a course conducted through “…distance education.
Proposed changes to Title 5 Curriculum Regulations
An issue from the curriculum committee was raised again about criteria for evaluation and approval for Distance Learning curricula. Senate needs to review course approval procedures, both distance learning and face to face.   
The changes are not yet approved at the state level but are likely to be approved this July.  Thus, they should be incorporated into training plans for Faculty now.   Senate needs to ensure that online teachers are trained.  
While there is software training, questions remain about sessions or classes on the pedagogical implications of teaching various percentages of courses on line.
Discussion ensued about methodology for implementing this training.   Some say Senate should offer classes and wondered if there was enough Faculty interest to support the classes.   Many felt that these classes should not be “Required” and preferred inducements like training stipends.  Chenoweth pointed out a website for best practices:
http://www.curriculum.cc.ca.us/
Va. Emergency Preparedness: Hearn clarified that the focus of this discussion was not about the Emergency Preparedness Plan itself, but on the means by which faculty are informed of the plan.  After some discussion, the general sense of the senate was that as many modes of delivery as possible (such as online availability, hard copies, opening day activities, DVD training, etc.) would be beneficial.  Furthermore, once faculty receive this information, divisions should have discussions about emergency preparedness to review any specific needs of that division.  Also, it was suggested that additional workshops be provided for part-time faculty who might not be able to attend division meetings during the day.  
The idea of requiring all employees to use the District email address resurfaced in light of safety measures that might be taken.
Vb. Academic Freedom Statement: It was MSCU (Joplin/Cordero) to approve a proposed Academic Freedom document with the inclusion of "content" proposed at the April 30th meeting.   It was agreed that the Senate will pursue more refinement of the statement in the Board Policy,  as well.  
Further recommendations for this particular document will be prepared in anticipation of the next round of contract negotiations.
VI. Alternative Media for Course Materials: Hearn raised the issue that faculty might not realize that some of their practices pose obstacles for students to receive their materials in an alternate form in a timely manner.  Among such practices include not having course materials available soon enough for conversion to alternate forms, password protecting online materials such as pdfs, and the like.  Hearn asked that the senators help raise awareness in their divisions of these concerns; also, the senate officers will work with Disability Support Services to determine the most common obstacles and ways in which faculty can help remove obstacles for students with alternate media needs.
VII.  Deadline to drop WITHOUT a W:   Title 5 Requires 4 weeks or 30% of a term, whichever is shorter within which students can drop without a “w” on the record.   For a quarter (12 weeks) that is 3.6 weeks, which should be our compliance target.
Foothill’s policy is now set at 4 weeks and De Anza's is at 3 weeks.     It was the sense of the Senate that both 3 and 3.6 are acceptable.
VIII.  Process for Hiring Committees: The senate began discussion where it left off last meeting with the understanding that we would try to find points of agreement.  It was clarified that the bulleted points the Senate’s draft came directly from Board Policy or the Hiring Process Manual.  
The senate agreed that the list of names that are proposed from the department be sent to the Diversity Office for two reasons:  to assign an EO representative and to advise if there is enough diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity, pedagogical perspectives, and so forth.  Another point of agreement was that the Dean should submit a completed form (to be determined later) to the Academic Senate one week prior to the date confirmation is requested.  The Senate officers would then confer with at least one of the Division Senators to sign that the process was followed.  In the event process was not followed, the Senate officers will look into the matter.
IX.   Good of the Order:  Senators with agenda items should submit them Tuesday before the meeting.
-   Joint Leadership Meeting will be included in the next Senate meeting.  Guests of the Senate will include John Swensen.  
-   There was a motion at the Board of Trustees meeting regarding the flap about the ecomonics hiring committee.  The Board was told that People in the department were not notified.  However, many in the department replied and some joined the committee.  These claimants wanted the administration to take charge.  Senators are advised that this motion failed and we should insure that we continue to be responsible for hiring procedures.  This stale issue should now be righteously ended.
-   Deanza Volleyball camp for ages 9 and up.  See: http://www.deanza.fhda.edu/athletics/volleyballw/2007%20De%20Anza%20Summer%20Clinics.pdf
-   NPR has a series on Community Colleges that may interest the Faculty.    
-   Environmental and Sustainability Subcommittee has changed their meeting times.  The meetings are now held on Tuesday from 3 till 4 PM in Room 214 of the Kirsch Center.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:32

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