Student Services Cluster

STUDENT SERVICES CLUSTER COMMITTEE

October 14, 2009 

2:00 p.m.

SSA 219

Members Present:

Meeting called to order at 2:05 p.m.

Absent:  Administration:  D. Ching;  Classified: T. Mariner; Faculty:  D. Hudson 

I.       Approval of Agenda

A. Patterson called the meeting to order.  The agenda was accepted with the inclusion of cluster priorities after the Vice President’s report.

II.     Approval of Minutes

        Minutes for the 9/14 meeting were accepted with a correction to S. Steele’s last name.

III.    VP’s Report – Abbie Patterson

Budget – the District Budget Committee is meeting and expects 5 campuses to have deficits ranging from$500,000 to $4 or $5 million.  At Harbor, our salaries are 105% of the budget leaving nothing for supplies or anything else.  The district is asking each campus for ideas to reduce the deficit.  This may include furloughs of up to 7 days, and a roll back in pay of between 3-5%.  Any request for hiring during the hiring freeze needs a justification from the president which is forwarded to the chancellor.  Some of the district reserves may be used.  Next year may be even worse.  The interim chancellor, Dr. Tyree Weider anticipates hiring a chancellor in the spring.  The categoricals have been cut drastically from 16% to 48%, resulting in reduction of non-permanent staff and services.  The state is being more flexible with mandates.  EOPS has reduced the number of students receiving grants and book grants.  Priority registration will be very valuable. Matriculation may have to cut back on daily walk-in assessment.  DSPS has ADA and Title V mandates.  Initially it was thought the federal government would backfill the categorical cuts.  That did not occur.  From the anticipated $130 million only $37 million was received.  The state will not penalize schools below the 75/25 ratio. The committee encouraged students to make their voice heard on the importance of funding education.

Arizona State University is interested in receiving transfer students from California and has set-up scholarships, waived out-of-state fees, and has housing to attract students.

Winter Intersession – there will be no winter intersession.  The college does not want to grow beyond the 6871 FTEs goal.  A full spring schedule will be offered.  Three of our sister colleges may offer reduced winter classes.

Bond Measure J – CPC prioritized Measure J Bond projects rating high: Student Center (3 stories with a conference area, book store, restaurant, health center, DSPS, life skills & cashiers office); PE fields with new bleachers; completion of buildings being renovated – theater, music, astronomy, fine arts; a new digital sign; replacement of the general classroom with a two-story modular that has an elevator.  The CDC and PE Wellness buildings will open in the spring with a ribbon cutting planned at the CDC on December 17.  Some areas of the PE Wellness require more work, but the adaptive PE area is very nice.  Dr. Tull asked if an access road to PCH or Vermont Avenue was on the priorities list since the concern for emergency access remains.  The district is hiring outside auditors to oversee the bond projects along with an ADA coordinator.

On-Line Services – some of the colleges have purchased new online advisement software (FAQ’s) which will allow counselors to respond to student questions.  The district is researching software that will allow students to add courses online.  Telephone registration will be discontinued 1/1/2010 so online registration becomes important.  A student requested something like E-Book.  The district is currently looking into such a program.  A. Patterson noted that Alert U is designed to notify students via text messages in case of a campus emergency. This is a free service available to students on our website.

IV.    Student Services Priorities

The top five priorities from last year were reviewed.  The Transfer Center Director position was filled. Discussion of the other priorities being on the list ensued with the ‘B’ shift supervisor and .6 Life Skills counselor remaining on the list.  The committee was asked for input. Recommendations for inclusion:  FT career counselor; Recruiter, financial aid technician; .5 student services assistant for evening hours in ASO; Secretary for counseling; and international student office secretary.  D. Tull talked about a grid model to incorporate hiring and other needs priorities into a list.  The managers will be reviewing the priorities list which will then be available for the next cluster meeting. Minor changes were made to the other recommendations.

Ivan Clarke will be invited to the next meeting to provide an update on student e-mail accounts.  Financial aid is working on a program to deposit financial aid checks directly into student accounts.  R. Barker noted that both classroom presentations and off site assessments have been suspended with the funding cuts.  It was noted students can learn about services on campus at the VIP day, through the schedule, student planner and on the web.  With the STEP program being discontinued, the college needs to change the climate so that students are more familiar with meeting their needs on-line.

V.     Accreditation Progress Report

Our next site visit is 2012 which means the self-study occurs in 2011. All Student Services areas will be looking at program reviews, and SLO’s at a retreat 11/13 at Banning’s Landing.

VI.    Student Services Planning

The schedule of classes will be available the first week of November.  Online copies will be available the last week of October.   Schedules will no longer be mailed to the students’ home.  Post cards will be mailed every semester with the registration date and how to access the class schedule.

VII.  Budget Deficit Planning

         Refer to the Budget section in the earlier VP’s report.

VIII. Items from the Floor

• ASO will hold a Town Hall meeting with Assemblyman Furatani on 11/10 at 12 noon in the Seahawk Center. 
• UC/CSU are reducing enrollment.  The UC’s will only be able to accept reduced  numbers of transfers for next fall.  Students need to turn in their applications before the deadline.  The Transfer Center Director is available to assist students.
• M. Locascio suggested a change machine in the library to help reduce the stress of constantly being asked for change.
• Students noted the SIS web portion of the college web site is unavailable after 8 p.m.  This makes it inconvenient for those attempting to review their grades, enroll, etc.

Next meeting: November 18, 2009

Meeting adjourned at 3:35 p.m.