ACADEMIC AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CPC

MINUTES

FOR THE MEETING OF

May 4, 2005

2:30

President’s Conference Room

Attending:      

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

Faculty – Nabeel Barakat, King Carter, Joy Fisher, Wendy Hollis, Jonathon Lee, Bruce Lemon, Lauren McKenzie, Susan McMurray,  Joyce Parker, Evelyn Portis, Stanley Sandell, Pamela Watkins, Mark Wood, Jim Stanbery, Bradley Young

Classified – Traci Liley

Guest – Sally Fasteau

Absent:

Administration - Charlie Bossler

Classified –Hovsep Kotelyan

Classified Manager - Carla Mussa-Muldoon

Students – Robert Cox and Joe Gillman

I.          MINUTES

Minutes of the March 16, 2005 meeting were accepted as presented.

II.       REVIEW OF CLUSTER PRIORITIES

a.       The Academic Affairs sub-committee of the CPC priorities list was distributed in a new format.  Mr. Rosas explained that in order to provide uniformity, this was modeled after Student Services’ priorities.  The original five priorities were included, although in the new format, there are just three headings:  Teaching/Learning, Academic Support and Physical Resources Support.  Unit plans should reflect these priorities with any goals having high priority.

At some time in the future, divisions might expect to receive FTEs and fill to those levels.  Academic Support positions are needed for curriculum development as well as secretarial support for the divisions.  A real need for equipment and supplies remains unfilled.  The rains have reduced Swap Meet income, causing a ripple effect to all they support.  Members agree that the chart accurately reflects their priorities. 

A concern for the Literacy Center was raised.  In response, it was emphasized that any division specific needs should be reflected in the individual unit plans. The Literacy Center like the Library, crosses all divisions. All priorities should tie into student learning outcomes (SLO’s) at the course, class, program and division level.  CPC will rank all priorities and the Literacy Center would need to rank higher than other priorities at that time.

Although not yet to this point, in the Academic cluster’s prioritization, the college does address SLO’s in the college catalog, on p. 45: 

          The awarding of an Associate Degree symbolizes a successful attempt on the part of the College to lead students through patterns of learning experiences designed to develop certain capabilities and insights.

         Among these are the ability to think and to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and writing; to use mathematics; to understand the modes of inquiry of the major disciplines; to be aware of other cultures and times; to achieve insights gained through experience in thinking about ethical problems; and develop the capacity for self-understanding.

III.       MISSION STATEMENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Review of the Academic Affairs cluster’s mission statement led to a change in the order of the two paragraphs.  The document now reads:

         Academic Affairs contributes and supports the achievements of the college vision, mission, and values.

         To facilitate teaching and learning in a positive academic environment that maximizes student success as evidenced by the achievement of student learning outcomes at the student, course, program, and institutional levels.

Members are asked to review the Strategic Plan, March 2005 edition. 

IV.     PROGRAM REVIEW

One thing that has been made very clear is the Accrediting Commission’s zero tolerance for schools with no program review.  To avoid this, the college program review needs to be well underway in the fall and completed by spring 2006, when the Accreditation team visits.  The mission, goals and course outlines all need to be updated by December 2005, with unit plans to support them.  Discussion of unit review, mini-review, program review summary and annual review ensued.  The annual unit review can be seen as a part of the full blown program review.  An annual review indicates that it is an on-going process.  The Senate approved program review document is the ONLY program review document.

Chairs may not schedule any course for spring 2006 unless a current course outline is made available.  Each adjunct should receive a copy of the course outline for their contract in order to prepare an appropriate syllabus.  A current list of course outlines on the web site was distributed to members.  All outlines showing in blue on the web site, are up to date and can be printed.  Mr. McKenzie recommends that chairs update course outlines using the local form, rather than district’s, as it is about 10 pages shorter and easier to use.  A request has been made to the president to approve 20 hours a week to enter updated outlines in the digitized format.

In preparing support documents, members should be aware that data from the Fact Book is reflective of the beginning of the semester whereas Len Isaksen’s data represents the end of the semester.  A good deal of information is available in a 20 page, streamlined format, provided by the Academic Senate (distributed in a plastic binder to all chairs).  There is only one “accepted form” signed by Dr. Spink and that is as a result of a special committee empowered to streamline.  The task is to reaffirm that all we mean is in the binder; get underway immediately, and go as far as possible by next fall.  Members agree that this means saying, “Yes, we can; yes we will do this.  This is at the top of the heap.”

V.                    PROGRAM REVIEW FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Consensus:  All updated unit plans will be due by 9/25/05.

Consensus:  Effective spring 2006, no course will be offered in the schedule without a current updated course outline.  Outlines to be completed by 9/30/05.

May 25 there will be a workshop for division chairs during the AASCCPC.

June 7 a campus wide (Flex credit) meeting of divisions is scheduled to update course outlines with course syllabi.

December 22 a summary report will be presented to the Academic Senate and the AASCCPC.

VI.                 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

It is imperative that SLO’s be incorporated in all course outlines.  Help will be available during the May 25 workshop and again during the June 7 Flex credit meeting.

VII.      ADJOURNMENT

The next scheduled meeting of the Academic Affairs Standing Committee of the CPC takes place at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 25, 2005, in the President’s Conference Room.  This meeting is set aside as a division chairs workshop.