The De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
December 1st, 2008
Senators and Officers present: Argyriou, Botsford, Brennan, Cichanski, Coleman, Cordero, Dolen, Hanna, Glapion, Goodwin, Karst, Lathers, Lee-Klawender, Lee-Wheat, Liu, Logvinenko, Maiero, Miller, Mitchell, Roberts, Setziol, Sherby, Swanner, Walton, White, and Winters
Senators and Officers absent: Hughes, LaManque, and Maynard,
DASB: Classified Senate: Lois Jenkins
Administrative Liaison: Lydia Hearn Guests: Karl Schaffer, Brian Murphy, and Christina Espinosa-Pieb, 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 2:31, a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The agenda was approved as distributed with the renaming of Item VI as "Final Exam Schedule" and the withdrawal of both the original topic of Item VI (Donations Budget) and Item VIII (Senator Orientation).
The notes of the meeting of November 24th were approved as distributed.
II. Needs and Confirmations: There were no confirmations. In addition to a brief reminder that there are many vacancies on committees, special attention was paid to the Facilities Committee which is underrepresented by faculty, has a weak connection to the Executive Committee, and doesn't keep adequate records of committee meetings.
III. Carl Brown Memorial and Scholarship: Some suggestions were made as to amounts including $300 as an amount matching other such contributions. The officers will consider the matter and propose something to be voted on the week of December 8th.
IV. Budget Priorities for Discussion: A discussion began and a variety of expressions were heard, none of which suggested a particular direction for action when President Murphy arrived. It quickly became obvious that his arrival was fortuitously synchronized with the topic about which he intended to engage the group. Murphy initially focused his remarks on questions regarding hiring, especially the filling of vacant positions. He made sure that, instead of a straight hiring freeze the college was in the midst of careful pause and review of the level of need to fill vacant positions. Fewer than 10 faculty positions, 3 of which are in counseling, are involved. Murphy pointed out that he was well aware of the potential unfairness of some departments being hurt by retirements much more than others. He also mentioned that for the college not to fill certain positions and or to reduce access to certain courses amounts to an unintended political statement and could adversely and disproportionately affect those populations of students most recently attracted to the college.
Murphy then focused on the state budget and the situation in Sacramento, saying that the democrats have proposed reducing by 1/3 the cut in community college funding proposed by the governor but the republicans have so far rejected any revenue increases (restoration of fees and tax brackets formerly in effect).
Everyone was encouraged to show solidarity with Martha Kanter by attending the memorial service for Carl Brown Thursday, December 4th at 2:00 PM.
The final segment of President Murphy's address was an explication of the level of potential cutting in the District for the 2009-2010 year given current projections. Not filling an expected 50 vacant positions (some of which might be crucial) would still leave the District $3 million short.
At this point Senators weighed in with suggestions, some of which focused on class cancellations and the extent to which the very unpopular "Pay to Stay" policy causes random deviations in registration counts. Christina Espinosa-Pieb will attempt to put that policy on hold for the time being. Faculty should alert students to the December 15th date for beginning class cancellations due to low enrollment.
It was MSCU(White/Winters) to co sponsor with the administration an advocacy and public information event about budget cuts. White agreed to take a leading role. Information easily available from FACCC could be useful.
V. Basic Skills Initiative Update: Winters reported that 16 proposals, most of which she termed promising, were vying for $70,000. Decisions as to winners will come December 9th with proposers being informed December 12th. A list of the people receiving grants will be published.
VI. Final Exam Schedule: Much to the surprise of the administrators in attendance, Argyriou announce that the on line version of the final exam schedule was incorrect until September 22nd. Unfortunately, most of the instructors who use the online schedule of classes to prepare their course information sheets used it when it was wrong. It was MSCU(Hanna/Logvinenko) to extend the time of the meeting by five minutes.
Swift thinking launched a cooperative effort between the Executive Committee and the Office of Instruction aimed at ameliorating the situation which was characterized as very serious. Solutions include extra proctoring of exams for students who made special arrangements to come at times now determined to have been in error.
VII. Auto Tech Swing Space Update: There were conflicting reports as to the status of the situation but resolution of the basic problem appeared to be close.
VIII. Senator Orientation: The Item was withdrawn.
IX. Courses Into Disciplines: The Item was held over due to a lack of time
X. Good of the Order and announcements: The Item was not taken up.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:35.