Notes - November 26th, 2007
Senators and Officers present:, Argyriou, Bambhania, Chenoweth, Cole, Coleman, Dolen, Glapion Goodwin, Hanna, Hughes,
Kessler, Kramer, Lathers, Lee-Klawender, Mitchell, Ng-Lee, Paicius, Schaffer, Setziol,
Shively, Walton, White, and Winters,
Senators and Officers absent: Beggs, Gallegos, Maynard, Miller, and LaManque,
DASB:
Classified Senate: Al Guevara
Administrative Liaison:
Guests: Jeri Montgomery
Curriculum Co Chair:
[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 2:32a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The agenda was approved as distributed with the addition of an Item IIB, Curriculum Institute.
The notes were approved as distributed.
II. Needs and Confirmations:Joy Duremdes was confirmed for service on the EOPS Counselor Tenure Review Committee. Chenoweth, Khanna, and Winters were named as serving on the Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator Search Committee along with John Swennson.
IIa. Curriculum Institute : Chenoweth suggested that the group sponsor attendance by Anu Khanna and one or two
other faculty at the Curriculum Institute run by the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges. It was MSCU (Hanna/Winters) to fund up to $1,050. At the same time, Chenoweth was directed to urge those attending
to pursue staff development funds if such pursuit would not jeopardize the pursuit
of funding for other staff development activities.
III. District Academic Senate President: Chenoweth brought a proposal from Paul Starer asking the group to consider the elimination of the District Academic Senate President position. Some discussion included ongoing concerns as to whether that position should be more or less active and activist than it has been and a concern that this drastic solution might be an overreaction to a specific situation or relationship. Chenoweth distributed the list of the duties of the position and pondered the need for several of the duties. The officers were advised to seek solutions to apparent problems short of eliminating the position.
IV. Bookstore: Jeri Montgomery was present to give the group an update on the status of on line book
ordering, the availability of electronic alternatives to books in print, textbook
rentals, and faculty custom designed course readers. On line ordering was characterized
as progressing reasonably with somewhat mixed reviews. Montgomery emphasized the attraction
of electronic versions of texts allowing faculty to choose portions of books instead
entire texts. Textbook rental will, unfortunately, not be ready in time for Winter.
The group was asked to spread the word that the production of readers was remarkably
quick and easy, with getting permission to reprint and actual production being entirely
taken care of by the bookstore and printing services respectively. Montgomery will
distribute a detailed list of points she mentioned about online textbook ordering.
Those with interest in or concerns about any of the topics she addressed are urged
to contact Steve Mallett.
VI. Campus Architectural Style: It had been anticipated that Marty Kahn would be present but was not. [After the meeting
it was discovered that a family medical emergency prevented his attendance.] Setziol
briefly spoke to at least some of Marty’s concerns as he understood them coming from
a third source. Principally, statements were apparently made by a top administrator
that the basic campus architectural style is offensive and that the time has come
for a new, more exciting, approach. The problem is lack of consultation and deliberation
about something with effects that will last for generations. The item will return
when Marty Kahn can be present to make a presentation.
V. Student Learning Outcomes: Two documents were distributed referring to the Coordinator search, a rough draft job description, and a small slip of paper containing an addendum proposed by Shively. Shively’s proposed addendum referred to the protection of faculty from excessive “load creep”. After considerable discussion and suggested changes to the document proposed by Kramer and Chenoweth, it was MSC(Mitchell/Hanna) to accept all suggestions for change other than the Shively amendment. The officers acknowledged that Chenoweth, through the Student Learning Outcome Steering Committee would be the point person addressing issues of load, creepy and otherwise and would inform and or involve the Faculty Association as appropriate
VII. Senator Orientation: The item was held over due to a lack of time
VIII. Good of the Order and announcements: - Chenoweth announced the invitation from the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges for Hayward Award nominees.
- White asked for discussion about ways to solicit explicit and quantifiable responses
from faculty. A brief discussion revealed the need for an agenda item on the topic
and differences of opinion about having collegewide versus division specific responses
and the representative roles of Senators.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30