Notes - March 10th, 2008The De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
March 10th, 2008
Senators and Officers present: Argyriou, Bambhania, Chang, Chenoweth, Coleman, Dolen, Goodwin, Guevara, Hanna, Kessler, Kramer, Lathers, Lee-Klawender, Maynard, Miller, Mitchell, Paicius, Schaffer, Setziol, Shively, Walton, and White, and Winters
Senators and Officers absent: Gallegos, Glapion, Hughes, LaManque, Ng-Lee, and Schafer-Braun
DASB: Andrei Fomento Classified Senate: Al Guevara
Administrative Liaison:
Guests: Julie Chou, Karen Chow, Diana Alves de Lima, and Jay Donde
Curriculum Co Chair: Anu Khanna SLO Coordinator: Maryalice Bonilla
[NOTE: Item numbers are reflective of agenda numbers in the order they
are actually taken up at the meeting.]
The meeting was called to order at 2:33 a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The agenda was approved as distributed with the change in the title of Item IV from University Studies Degree to Vocational Education Conference Report.
The notes of February 25th, 2008 were approved as distributed with a small addition.
II. Needs and Confirmations: Alan Simes was confirmed for service on the Catalyst Features Committee. Kramer went on to remind the Senators of the timely need for an Elections Committee.
III. Writing and Reading Center: Although the title of the item was “Writing and Reading Center”, it became apparent that a more indicative title would have called for many more words, perhaps something like “The Writing and Reading Center and the Tutorial and Academic Skills Center and past, present, and potential linkages between the two”. A handout outlining their presentation was distributed.
A collaboration between the two which has been somewhat funded by the Strategic Planning Initiative was referred to as the Student Success Center. The basic strategy of the center is to start with a premise that the student has strengths upon which academic achievement can be built. These strengths are revealed through dialogues, parts of which focus on real areas of need. The center utilizes 200 peer tutors and covers many disciplines.
Major challenges include over crowding (which is supposedly going to be alleviated through a move to a new facility), the lack of stable funding for peer tutors and student assistants, and, said to be most critical, no ongoing funding commitment for the necessary faculty leadership. At present, funding is only secured through Spring, 2008. Chow and Alves de Lima ended their well received presentation by pointing to the contact information on the handout.
IV. Voc. Ed. Conference: Maynard gave an account of some of the highlights of the conference. Budgetary items dominated his report. Foothill-De Anza salaries and benefits are among the highest in the state. The District’s cash balance coming into the current academic year was reported to be a double whopper $40,000,000, second highest in the state. The latter revelation prompted more than raised eyebrows, it began a spirited conversation that left the Voc. Ed. Conference far behind. Responses included a sense that the group had not been kept informed about budget matters, a sense that, in very close proximity, reports of large cash balances are always followed by doom and gloom budget cutting, and a fear that a large reserve makes the governor’s plan to cut funding difficult to defend against.
Generalized talk of budgets prompted announcement of a town hall meeting on the District’s budget situation being in conflict with the Senate meeting of March 17th. Outrage, consternation, and concern were among the responses to this information. After a motion was made, discussed, and withdrawn on the question of whether or not the Senate should somehow compromise, the item was concluded by Chenoweth saying he would attempt to get the time of the town hall meeting moved. [NOTE: after the meeting Chenoweth was able to get the town hall meeting rescheduled.]
V. Senate Officer Reorganization: The officers brought up the possibility of going back to some form of a President elect system for Senate presidential succession, citing the perhaps daunting task of preparing for that office. A brief history of arguments given for moving to the current system was given. After a spirited discussion, during which salient points were made in favor and against a change from the current system, Mitchell, Khanna, and Kramer volunteered to be an ad hoc committee to propose a change. A change might also be to a kind of hybrid between the current and previous systems.
VI. Load: A new document from the officers on the topic of creating a system for changing the load factor of existing courses reduced the number of variables presented compared to the document distributed March 3rd. Proposed was an ad hoc committee with two administrators and two faculty plus three principles to inform the work of that group. After another spirited discussion, the proposal was approved.
VII. End of Quarter Celebration: A number of ideas were presented. It was the sense of the Senate to have a very modest (cost less than $50) celebration this quarter and a more lavish one at the end of Spring.
VIII. State/District Policies/Updates: The item was held over due to a lack of time.
IX. Good of the Order and announcements: - The Classified Senate sent a message of thanks to Chenoweth for the Academic Senate’s message of support read at a recent Board meeting.
- Chenoweth announced a training session on Open Educational Resources at Foothill..
- The Spring Area B meeting in San Francisco was announced and Senators were invited to attend.
- The annual community college Lobby Day was announced as being March 12th.
- The Dance department’s Dancestry production was again announced. This time Gallegos made it clear what an important fund raising event the performance was.
- There was a reminder to participating Senators of the General Education Review Steering committee meeting of March 11th.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:34.
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