Jan. 14, 2016 AS Minutes
Taft College Academic Senate Minutes
Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016
Cougar Conference Room
Members Present: President Geoffrey Dyer, Vice President Vicki Jacobi, Secretary Dan Hall, Jennifer Altenhofel, Megan Andrews, Kanoe Bandy, Wendy Berry, Eric Berube, Paul Blake, Adam Bledsoe, Joe’ll Chaidez, Chris Chung-Wee, Bill Devine, Kelly Donovan, John Eigenauer, Juana Escobedo, Sharyn Eveland, Shelly Getty, Greg Golling, Jessica Grimes, Dan Hall, Abbas Jarrahian, Brian Jean, Michael Jiles, Diane Jones, Danielle Kerr, Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, David Layne, Julian Martinez, Mariza Martinez, Janis Mendenhall, Tina Mendoza, Michelle Oja, Ruby Payne, Joseph Polizzotto, Natalie Ramirez, Stacie Rancano, Juana Rangel-Escobedo, Joy Reynolds, Debra Rodenhauser, Becky Roth, Terri Smith, Lori Sundgren, Tony Thompson, Don Thornsberry, and Melissa Thornsberry.
The meeting was called to order at 8:12 AM.
Public Commentary
· No public commentary was offered.
Review of Dec. 7 and Dec. 11, 2015 Senate Minutes
· No changes made were made to the minutes of either meeting.
Commentary on Electronic Committee Updates
· There was no commentary given regarding the electronic committee updates.
Welcome to New Faculty – Dyer
· Geoffrey welcomed our new faculty: John Carrithers, Wayne Cottrell, Lori Sundgren, Don Thornsberry and Melissa Thornsberry.
· We now have 60 full-time faculty at TC. Quorum for the Academic Senate meetings is now at 20.
Professional Development Committee Charter – Roth
· As an informational/discussion item, Becky Roth presented the new charter for the Professional Development Committee. The PDC is an operational committee, not a subcommittee of the Academic Senate, with three co-chairs: a faculty co-chair (Becky Roth), the Vice-President of Instruction (Mark Williams), and the Vice-President of Human Resources (Robert Meteau).
· Since policies for faculty professional development is part of the 10 +1, should the faculty that sit on the Professional Development Committee be designated as Senate reps so that they will report back to the senate?
· Rebecca Roth presented an option that perhaps the PDC be made up of three subgroups: one representing faculty, one representing classified, and one representing management. The PDC meets every month now, but perhaps they can meet every other month and have subcommittees of the faculty and the staff have separate meetings on the opposite months.
· Have we grown too large to meet all of the needs of every group within the in-service time?
o Jennifer Altenhofel would like to have subject specific professional development offered either as an option on campus or at conferences.
· Diane Jones suggested that requests for faculty to attend conference needs to come from our Divisions.
· Right now we have 14 days that we come to campus to attend meetings. If we were to label these days as Professional Development (with the flexibility of using these days throughout the academic year) we then might need to individually account for our Professional Development hours.
· Geoffrey Dyer offered that his perception was that PDC was probably working well now, but felt that the Senate should be apprised of the charter, given the 10 + 1. Rebecca Roth volunteered to bring the information from the Senate discussion back to the PDC.
IEPI Initial Observation Letter – Dyer
· The Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative Team issued an observation letter after visiting our campus and meeting with various campus stakeholders.
· Their next visit will be in February.
· Geoffrey read the letter to the senate. The main recommendation from the team was that the SLO process needs to be refined.
· We are to develop a plan and are eligible apply for a one-time, $150,000 institutional effectiveness grant.
· Eric felt that their letter contained mostly accurate information, but their comments regarding the Strategic Planning Committee were inaccurate. Eric believes we should hold off on formulating the plan until we hear from the ACCJC regarding our accreditation.
· Diane agreed with Eric and we need to hear back from the accreditation team before moving forward with a plan.
Draft Policy for SLOs (Second Reading)– Jacobi
· Vicki Jacobi presented the policy on Student Learning Outcomes. The policy states that the West Kern Community College District will work with the Academic Senate on creation of procedures for SLOs.
· Michelle Oja moved to accept the policy for SLOs. Stacie Rancano seconded the motion.
· Bill Devine stated that the AS is likely to spend more time discussing the forthcoming procedures than the policy.
· The motion passed.
Annual Program Review Documents (First Reading) – Berube
· Eric Berube presented revised Annual Program Review and Program Goal forms. The forms have been altered to more deeply imbed the use of SLO data into the program review, planning, and budget allocation processes. Berube has compared other Program Review models across the system and believes we are using a good model for Program Review.
· Geoffrey Dyer stated that an earlier version of amendments of these forms was brought to AS in the fall of 2015 and summarized concerns members of the senate had about the earlier proposed revisions: that not all budget allocations or program goals are the effect of SLO data and that choosing SLOs from a drop-down menu on the goal form might potentially disadvantage goals that were not linked to SLOs. He commended Berube and the SPC for taking these concerns of the AS into their new, revised forms, which account for these considerations by placing SLO data concerns alongside other important indicators such as student achievement outcomes.
· Mike Jiles moved to approve the first reading of the APR documents. Jennifer Altenhofel seconded the motion, and the motion passed. None opposed. Stacie Rancano abstained.
Taft College Academic Senate Constitution and Bylaws (First Reading) – Dyer
· Geoffrey Dyer reviewed the events leading up to this first reading of our draft senate constitution and bylaws: All 113 California Community Colleges were examined for their full-time faculty headcount and the structure of their academic senates. In early fall of 2015, a motion was passed to create a taskforce to delineate the current practices of the Taft College Academic Senate. These procedures were documented by the taskforce and adopted by a subsequent motion to accept current practices while a new constitution was drafted. A new constitution and bylaws taskforce worked collaboratively to shape the new document. As inputs in the document’s creation, selected models of academic senates that used a senate-of-the-whole but also a smaller body were analyzed by the TC AS. The taskforce for a new constitution and bylaws surveyed the Academic Senate as a baseline for determining what the makeup of the smaller body might be.
· Of the noncredit liaison, the legislative liaison, and the CTE liaison, only the CTE liaison position demonstrated perceived need by faculty through the poll.
· Brian Jean is not in favor of having adjunct professors be voting members of the senate. Adjuncts may not have the same loyalties/priorities that full-time faculty have.
o Stacie Rancano mentioned that this issue might also be an issue for non-tenured faculty.
o Tony stated that we should not assume what loyalties the adjuncts may have.
· Michelle Oja said that the survey given to faculty regarding the makeup of the senate showed that faculty are in favor of having representation from adjunct professors. However, the survey did not ask any questions about the participating adjuncts having voting rights.
· Geoffrey Dyer voiced that since adjuncts are instrumental in teaching our students and in advising our students, should they not also have voting rights as members of the senate?
· Bill Devine and Michelle Oja emphasized that we can always change this policy or the language of the policy.
· Mike Jiles felt that adjunct professors need to be given the opportunity to have a voice in matters of the senate.
· Greg Golling pointed out that most businesses do not include part-time employees in the making of major decisions.
· Jennifer Altenhofel said that we should not assume that the adjuncts are not vested in what occurs at Taft College.
· Tony Thompson offered that Geoffrey Dyer is doing what the State Academic Senate has recommended.
· Brian Jean stated that having a minimum of 10 adjuncts as part of the quorum could prove very difficult.
o Geoffrey Dyer pointed out that if meeting a quorum is a concern, perhaps a senate-of-the-whole is not the best model, since existing schedules preclude some full time faculty from attending meetings.
o Sharyn Eveland thinks that the adjuncts will self identify if they are willing to make a commitment to attending the meetings.
· Bill made the motion to accept the first reading of the senate constitution and bylaws. Seconded by Sharyn. Motion passed. Brian Jean, Julian Martinez, and Juana Rangel-Escobedo voted “No”.
· The second reading of the senate constitution and bylaws will be on February 1st.
Dual Enrollment – Jacobi
· Vicki Jacobi led the discussion, which was tabled on December 7, 2015.
· Dual Enrollment is also known as Concurrent Enrollment.
· AB288 is the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) law pushing this issue. It states that high school students may take up to fifteen units per semester in college coursework, and it includes CCAP courses.
· This emphasis on dual enrollment can be good, but the college needs to be in control of the process/implementation. We need to establish a plan with a MOU with partnering schools. The high school teachers need to have minimum qualifications and training.
· Bill Devine asked if we aren’t already following these guidelines.
o Currently, the dual enrollment seems to be directed by the high school (Taft High).
o Geoffrey Dyer recalled that the high school wanted to remove their AP classes but still wanted their students to get college credit.
· Bill Devine stated that in the past, the students who participated in dual enrollment were the best of the best.
o AB288 emphasizes the inclusion of more first generation students and more pre-collegiate students.
· Rebecca Roth would like to see ECEF brought into dual enrollment.
· Dual enrollment should have to complete a Program Review.
· Diane Jones suggested that the Dual Enrollment Committee should meet soon and hash out some of these issues.
· Stacie Rancano offered that our college district does have other high schools besides Taft High to bring into this partnership.
· Mike Jiles felt that courses in CJA are not appropriate for high school students for a variety of reasons.
· Rebecca Roth motioned to have the Dual Enrollment committee meet to discuss the needed AB288 changes. Jessica Grimes seconded the motion. The motion passed. Paul Blake, Don Thornsberry, Janis Mendenhall, Melissa Thornsberry, and Rebecca Roth voiced a desire to join the existing task force: Diane Jones, Bill Devine, and Greg Golling.
Evaluation of Faculty Position Request Ranking Process – Dyer
· Geoffrey Dyer felt that the presentations given in December came too late for the faculty hiring process. Geoffrey suggested moving the faculty ranking to the August in-service after the Program Review process has completed.
· Chris Chung-wee was concerned that the chairs would have to work in the summer and wondered if they would get paid for that work.
· Bill felt the only problem with doing the ranking in August would be that the chairs would not be able to meet with their division faculty before the presentations.
· Vicki thought the issue of the division chairs putting in effort towards this process is not about compensation but about time. In some divisions, the faculty put the presentations together.
· Regarding faculty being present to vote their ranking preference, John Eigenauer suggested that Geoffrey open an Academic Senate meeting at 8:00 AM and close the meeting at 4:00 PM. Between 8:00 and 4:00, we could have senate reps available to allow faculty to show up to cast their vote when they can make it throughout the day. Geoffrey said that all must be present to vote and that the actions of each member must be reported out, also citing concerns about quorum.
· Vicki Jacobi proposed that we have the ranking presentations done by May and have them available for faculty to review way ahead of time.
· Michelle O. wondered how other college senates conduct the business of hiring their faculty.
· Sharyn motioned to continue this discussion at the next Academic Senate meeting. Mike seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Other
· More questions/comments regarding dual enrollment:
o Kelly asked if high school students are to participate in dual enrollment, do they have to be at transfer level?
o Wendy asked if there wasn’t a protocol in place were faculty are informed and give permission for high school students to be registered in their class.
o Joy asked if faculty have to be notified if the high school students graduate from high school.
Meeting adjourned at 10:02 AM.
Respectfully submitted by Dan Hall