Minutes,
Harbor College Academic Senate
Regular Meeting,
1:00, Thursday, February 17, 2005
LRC 125
Officers present: Susan McMurray, Brenda Guertin, June Smith, Jim Stanbery [recording], Len Glover, Mark Wood
Senators present: Pamela Watkins, Kate Campbell [Communications]; Mike Hiscocks [Humanities]; Kathleen Keller [Math/Physical Sciences]; Nabeel Barakat [Phys Ed]; Tissa Munasinghe, Joyce Parker [Science/ FCS]; ; Elizabeth Colocho, Linda Ruiz [Counseling]; Jonathan Lee [Library]
Members excused: Bruce Lemon [Behavioral Sciences]; Brad Young [Social Sciences]
Members absent: Adell Shay [Business]; Wendy Hollis, Arlene Smith [Health Sciences]; Lauren McKenzie [Math/Physical Sciences]
Guests: Michael Agopian, Kristin Garcia, Dr. Spink, Debbie Tull
OPENING PROCEDURES
Approval of Agenda
Unanimous consent to approve the agenda with the adjustments shown below.
Approval of Minutes
Unanimous consent to approve the minutes of November 18 and December 2, with several roll and typographical corrections.
Administrative Report
Dr. Spink reported that enrollment in the winter session was disappointing and we will need to make up for it with our initial summer session. She reported favorably on Monday’s lobby day in Sacramento, particularly commending the effectiveness of the student accompanying her. Dr. Spink also stated that she was reconsidering her intent to apply for additional full-time positions including the first two on the FHPC recommendation list due to the latest district estimates of our budget deficit. Dr. Spink was urged to see to it that the culinary arts program proposal be presented to the Academic Affairs Committee in any case, and that Mr. McNeel share the proposal with the Senate and other relevant bodies. Mr. Wood expressed concerns about the cancellation of classes prior to the start of the semester without division chairs, instructors, or students being notified. After further discussion, involving two extensions of time, the following motion was noticed for the next Senate meeting.
Resolved: That, due to the necessity of maximizing enrollment growth while balancing our budget, and given the relative costs of and income from classes having 15 or more students, no class shall be cancelled prior to its first meeting.
ITEMS/MOTIONS NOTICED FOR ACTION FEBRUARY 17
Faculty Forums
MSU (McMurray/Wood) to adopt the following motion as noticed:
Resolved: that the Academic Senate sponsor a series of Friday Faculty Forums beginning Friday, March 11, with the purpose of forwarding continuing dialogue on faculty rights and responsibilities regarding the development of student learning outcomes as well as faculty participation in accreditation self-study activities.
Ms. McMurray motived the motion.by stating she would phrase the letter conveying the concept in as persuasive and appropriate a way as possible.
COMMENTS ON DISTRIBUTED REPORTS/NOTICES/COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Curriculum
Ms. Fasteau drew the Senate’s attention to the “notices of intent” in the meeting packet, urging all faculty to review these.
Student Services
Ms. McMurray announced that our Life Skills Center had won a State Academic Senate award of honorary mention for excellence in education to be presented at the SAS spring plenary. She also mentioned that the upcoming student services retreat will focus on SLOs and praised the student equity report now being submitted to the state and distributed campus-wide.
Administrative Services
Mr. McKenzie reported that the committee had discussed several college revenue concepts: a bookstore/cafe; cell phone repeater relays (not towers, and invisible), a periodic auto sales event along the lines of the swap meet, and a special contract for Pepsi sales. Ms. McMurray requested that the repeater information given the Facilities Committee be distributed campus-wide. Ms. Parker will be on the bookstore/cafe study group.
Budget
Mr. McKenzie notified the Senate that district and college estimates of our current-year deficit (respectively $1.6 million and $.9 million) are being reconciled. He also explained that we have been forgiven $1.3 million in deficits for ‘02-3 and $.8 for ‘03-4.
Facilities
Mr. Young reported on the committee’s meeting February 10 and
reminded senators that the next round of evacuation drills will be Wednesday, April 12, at 7:15 p.m. for evening classes and the following day, Thursday, April 13, at 11:15 a.m. for day classes. He also reviewed current parking issues and suggested several practical concerns with respect to the bookstore/cafe idea.
Prop. A/AA
Mr. Wood reviewed the hand-out Ms. McMurray had distributed detailing upcoming site utilities work upgrading campus electrical and water lines and providing for new air conditioning ducts as well as a new tunnel system. She also alerted all building groups to the release of furniture base-price listings and urged all concerned faculty to attend the open forum on site utilities work with Larry Eisenberg on March 8 in the Music Recital Hall, where trench maps will be reviewed at 1 p.m. before the general discussion begins at 2:00.
Staff Development
Mr. Wood summarized his written report as distributed.
DAS
Ms. Shue alerted senators to the Chancellor’s Directive on non-credit courses, emphasizing the nine-month lead-time between protocols and offerings and sketching the proposals for accountability measures in AB 1417. Debate centers on three approaches to comparing California’s community colleges (Tier 1, no rankings; Tier 2, regarded by the SAS as essentially useless; Tier 3, “value-added over time”, which the SAS feels might be valid for some institutions).
President’s Report
Ms. McMurray referred senators to her written report. It was recommended that the Senate elections committee should be constituted at our next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT