ACADEMIC AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CPC

MINUTES

FOR THE MEETING OF

May 10, 2006

2:15 p.m.

Global Classroom

Attending:      

Administration – Nancy Carson, Bobby McNeel, Bob Richards, Luis Rosas

Faculty – Nabeel Barakat, Lauren McKenzie, Joyce Parker, Stanley Sandell, Jim Stanbery, Pamela Watkins, Patricia Wickers, Mark Wood, Bradley Young

Classified – Traci Liley, Marian Messina

Absent:

Administration - Charlie Bossler, Ann Tomlinson

Classified – Hovsep Kotelyan

Classified Manager - Carla Mussa-Muldoon

Faculty – Carmen Carrillo, King Carter, Bruce Lemon, Joy Fisher, Susan McMurray

Students – Praow Angchuan, Cortney Barton, Leviticus Moevdo

Nabeel Barakat chaired the meeting.

I.          MINUTES

Minutes of the April 26, 2006 meeting were presented (Young/McNeel/Accepted).

II.                    PROPOSITION A/AA AND FEMA ACTIVITY UPDATE

The scope of the Child Development Center project has changed.  Decisions made upon input from those we relied upon have proven to be costly.  Once the plans have been submitted to the Division of State Architects, any changes are difficult.  Ready access means that there will be no changes made.  Any change removes the project from “fast track” status.  This has created a need for difficult decisions, which might cause us to pull out of the Library building at this time.  We could be back in the system again in approximately 18 months, but inflation will mean that costs could be greater than we could possibly make up.

If we determine that we have to have the Child Development and the Library projects, then we would have to give up the Physics Building, which would be most unfortunate.  P.E. construction remains as it.  All of this will be discussed during an Open Forum (July 2006).  Appeals could, of course, change any outcome.  Members were reminded that we still don’t know the full impact of this situation. 

It was noted that Chemistry is currently displaced.  There is no real Chemistry facility but we do have a Library and Child Development Center, even though they may be considered flawed. 

The Campus Village has arrived and is currently undergoing installation.  There are two double-wides and a restroom as well as the individual classroom units.  They appear to fit very nicely into the space allocated to the south of the LAUSD portables. 

III.     REVIEW OF PRIORITIZATION PROCEDURES

Members will bring in all priorities and begin the activity by ranking #1, #2, and #3.  Current activities should be ranking against future desires.  Both current and future desires need to be included. 

Although there is a request for Japanese, French or Spanish language, Mrs. Carson also asks that the Communications Division consider Chinese as a second language as a new offering.  Pamela Watkins is asked to take this back to the division for their consideration.

Mr. McKenzie has been approached by a Palos Verdes High School teacher asking if the College would be willing to offer General Engineering courses.  They do not want them called Drafting.  He suggests that we fund the partnership.  If we do not do this, then there will be others who will.  The faculty member qualifies as a college instructor.  Project Lead The Way is a grant which they are trying to institutionalize and promote.  This would require $3,000 to cover two weeks faculty training.  Mr. McNeel believes that VTEA could cover the expense.  If the college becomes involved, it would be another case of meeting our mission by serving the community.  Enrollment would benefit the college as well.

IV.  CULINARY ARTS ISSUE

Dr. Richards announced that Mission College intends to offer Culinary Arts 113 and Sanitation 117 courses at Narbonne High School this summer, if Harbor does not do so.  SB338 permits only 5% of high school students to be recommended to college summer school.  This is the total to all colleges.  Narbonne, Gardena and San Pedro High schools have huge Culinary Arts Programs and they are all seeking colleges for their students.

Concerns:

l    Courses are more than 3 hours, lecture plus lab, making long days

l    Materials are expensive

l        Textbooks are expensive

Members asked that administration determine the actual costs, expected enrollment and consider materials fees.  Lauren McKenzie reminded members that the class would have to be advertised 30 days prior to the first day of class.  Overall members recognize that there is a community need and employment is available with training.

High schools were urged to offer PD17, rather than PD 1.  PD1 at Carson and Banning has resulted in their placement on the state’s report of suspicious courses.  Harbor has been very cautious in this area; however, Santa Monica College has no reservations and appears to be cropping up all over. 

V.                 VTEA REPORT

VTEA presentations take place on Friday, 5/12/06, beginning at 9:00 a.m., in the President’s Conference Room.  There are 8-10 presentations.  Proposals are posted on the web page under VTEA.  All members rank their results.  Results will be tabulated and reported by Luis Rosas and David Ching.  Members are asked to make note that this process does not take place in many other schools in the state.  Brad Young discovered that most proposals are evaluated by the dean and president.  These schools are very impressed by Harbor’s shared governance model.

VI.    UNIT PLAN CHANGES/UPDATES

Humanities Division made changes to their Unit Plan just prior to the accreditation visit.  Mr. Wood indicated that he sent this in, however it was never incorporated.  Major change includes existing staff.  Date changes remain to be made from ’04-05.

Science & F&CS will be reviewing their Unit Plan this summer when faculty have more time to devote to the project.  The update on the web site was done just prior to the accreditation visit.

VII.              BRIDGE PROGRAM

The summer Bridge Program flyer has gone out.  Program director, Gary Colombo shows Dr. Bob Richards as the LAHC contact person, and his college e-mail address.  The program is designed for high school students who qualify, by not making the cutoff score of the CAHSEE.  The program is an option to help students explore career and degree opportunities and strengthen basic skills.  It is offered as a 5-week preparatory experience.  Upon completion, the student can re-take the high school exit exam to move into college, GED, vocational certification, Associates degree or to transfer to UC or CSU.  Dr. Richards indicates that he has yet to meet with Abbie Patterson and Mercy Yanez to select classes.

Members discussed the 5% rule again.  Where will the college get the funding to offer these courses?    Can we succeed in five weeks where four years of high school education have failed?  Are the student involved special needs students?  Will this be a burden upon our assessment staff?  What can we offer?  Can we find instructors? 

VIII.           ADJOURMENT

The last meeting of this semester takes place on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at 2:15 p.m., in the Global Classroom.