Minutes of Academic Senate Meeting of May 5, 2005

 

Voting Members Present: (Senators) Donna Ayers, Charles Dirks, Maria Fenyes, Leslie Foster, Paul Kubicki,

 Stan Levine, Vickie Oddino, John Orozco, Rick Scuderi, Janice Silver

(Exec. Members) Angela Echeverri, Louise Barbato, Dale Newman, Margie Long, Gwen Walker, Michael Climo,

 Sonia Soto-Bair

Faculty Present: Maria Bates, Cindy Cooper, Lilamani De Silva, Ralph LaRosa, Sandi Lampert, Joanne Kalter-Flink,

John Klitzner, Myriam Mekelburg, John Morales, Alex Nikolaychuk, Deborah Paulson, Richard Rains, Geri Shapiro,

 Bonnie Sherman, Joyce Woodmansee

Visitors/Guests Present:  Andres Guerrero, Charlotte Saldick

Voting Members Absent: Leslie Milke, Eloise Cantrell, Pat Flood, Gary Prostak, Terri English, Clive Gordon

 

I.                   Parliamentarian Gwen Walker called the meeting to order at 1:40 p.m. 

 

II.                   Approval of Minutes: (MSC OROZCO/ODDINO) TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 7, 2005

 

III.             Officers’ Reports                                                                                                   

A.     President (Angela Echeverri)

1. Report of Academic Senate California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Spring Session

The ASCCC held its Spring Plenary Session in San Francisco (4/7/05-4/9/05). Several important resolutions were adopted. The most significant were changes to the minimum Title 5 graduation requirements for Math and English.

Adopted resolutions:

9.01           S05      Change the Current Title 5 Requirement for English
                  Mark Snowhite, Crafton Hills College, Executive Committee

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges recommend to the Board of Governors that the associate degree minimum requirement for English in Title 5 §55805.5, be changed to read “an English course at the level of the course typically known as 1A, either English 1A or another English course at the same level and with the same rigor, approved locally.”

MSU Disposition:  Local Senates, Consultation Council, Chancellor, Board of Governors

 

9.02                                S05 Change the Current Title 5 Requirement for Mathematics
                                          Ken Snell, Folsom River College, Executive Committee

“Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges recommend to the

 Board of Governors that the associate degree minimum requirement for mathematics in Title 5

§55805.5, be changed to read “a mathematics course at the level of the course typically known as intermediate algebra, either intermediate algebra or another mathematics course at the same level, with the same rigor and with elementary algebra as a prerequisite, approved locally.”

MSU Disposition:  Local Senates, Consultation Council, Chancellor, Board of Governors

 

Adopted Changes in Discipline List:

Counseling: Master’s in counseling, rehabilitation counseling, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, guidance counseling, educational counseling, social work, or career development, OR The equivalent.

(NOTE: A license as a Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) is an alternative qualification for this discipline, pursuant to Title 5 Section 53410.1.)

Speech Communication: Change the title from Speech Communication to Communication Studies. 

Failed Changes in Discipline List:

Include Astronomy, Physical Education, Sociology, Psychology, Health, Nursing, and others.

 

A complete list of adopted and failed resolutions can be found on the ASCCC Website at: http://www.academicsenate.cc.ca.us/Events/sessions/spring05/materials/Spring2005Resolutions.doc

2. Full-time Faculty Hiring for 2005-06

We received seven requests for full-time faculty hires for next year. The requests submitted were: Administration of Justice, Anthropology, Developmental Communication, Food Service Management, Interior Design, Math, and Learning Skills/Learning Center Director. The Senate Hiring Committee met on 5/4/05 to review the requests and decide what information to request from Maury Pearl, the resource person. The committee will be meeting Wednesday 5/11/05 to make a recommendation to the College President.

3. Technology Concerns

            The Senior Network and Computer Specialist position at LAMC was eliminated as a result of the transfer of John Beck to Valley College, effective 4/25/05. Because the transfer was involuntary, the position cannot be filled for 30 months. This makes LAMC the only college in the district without a senior specialist and puts our network in a very vulnerable position. There are   several switches that are failing and will need to be replaced as soon as possible. These switches control the computer commons in the LRC and all of the computer labs on the second floor of the instructional building. If they fail, there is currently no one at LAMC qualified to replace them. We are also having trouble with cc-mail on a regular basis. I expressed my concerns about these issues to Dr. Barrera and Maury Pearl on 5/3/05. They responded that they intend to hire a College Information Systems Manager, but did not specify when this will occur. I also expressed concern that there was no transition period for John Beck to train the new individual. I warned them that if the computer labs or the e-mail crash, the effects on the instructional programs would be very   serious. After a lengthily discussion on this issue, the following motion was passed.

(MSU KUBICKI/JORDAN) THAT THE SENATE DIRECT THE ACADEMIC SENATE PRESIDENT TO SEND A LETTER TO THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT REQUESTING

 AN EXPLANATION IN WRITING OF THE RATIONALE FOR ELIMINATING

 THE SENIOR NETWORK COMPUTER SPECIALIST POSITION AND

 REQUESTING THAT THE COLLEGE PRESIDENT IMPLEMENT A DEFINITIVE

 PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER GAP IN PROVIDING THE

 NECESSARY TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO MEET THE COLLEGE NEEDS.

THE RESPONSE IS TO BE MADE BY MAY 13, 2005. IF THE SENATE E-BOARD

 DEEMS THAT THE SOLUTION IS UNWORKABLE, THE MATTER WILL BE

 CARRIED FORWARD TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

 

 

4.  Curriculum Committee Make-up

 The executive committee of the Academic Senate made recommendations to update the composition of the curriculum committee in the bylaws. Please refer to agenda for recommendations.

                                  See motion under new business.

 

5. Election Results

Elections took place on April 19th and 20th. See agenda for results. Elections for Business and Law Senator will be held for the third time on June 2nd, 2005. See election results under Old Business.

 

6. Schedule of Classes

Schedules are out for Summer and Fall 2005. Please do everything you can to advertise the summer and fall programs to your students.

 

7. Vice President of Student Services

The Vice President for Student Services Hiring Committee interviewed candidates in March and recommended three finalists for the position: Myra Sigel (City College), Jill Zimmerman (Antelope Valley College), and Joe Ramirez (Oxnard College). President Barrera has made a decision, and an announcement will occur as soon as the district completes a background check. We expect the new Vice President to begin on July 1st, 2005.

 

8. Volunteers for Graduation

The commencement committee needs two marshals and two ushers for the graduation ceremony.

Dale Newman will be the Grand Marshall. The following people volunteered to serve as

marshals and ushers: Louise Barbato, Sandi Lampert, Myriam Mekelburg, and

 Tricia Johnson.  

 

 

9. Recognition of Tenured Faculty

Faculty who got tenure in 2003 and 2003 will receive certificates at the June meeting.

 

10. Construction Updates

Parking lot construction is still slated to begin in September or October 2005.

 

11. June Meeting

The Academic Senate will meet on June 2, 2005 at 1:30 PM.

 

 

                                                                                                                          

B.     Treasurer  (Margie Long) Margie submitted the following report on the senate accounts at the First

     American Bank:

1.      Faculty Senate Checking Account balance—$2,312.87. Expenses to come from this account

      are $3oo for the graduation reception and $600 for scholarships.

2.      Carla Bowman Scholarship—$2854.15

3.      Byron Iriye Scholarship—(There were no applicants for this scholarship. The balance is

      included in the Bowman total per instruction from Hank Bowman.)

4.      William Gallagher Scholarship—$1,000

5.      David Lee Moss Scholarship—$654.44 (There were no applicants for this scholarship.)                                                                                                                                        

 

IV.              Public Address:

A.     Guest: Charlotte Saldick: Bookstore Issues —Charlotte ask us to help her contribute to student

     success by keeping cost reasonable for books. She explained that the bookstore operates on a very

 small margin,   and publishers are not willing to negotiate. She said that of Internet books we sell, which

 are also available on Amazon, ours prices are lower. She informed us that AB 2477 asks all concerned

 to do their best to keep costs of textbooks low. One way that we can help is to look at the books we

 order that are bundled and determine if we really need the additional material. Bundling costs us more

 in freight.  When the publisher representatives talk to us, she suggested that we insist that we only want

the textbook if we have no uses for the other things with the book. In addition have publishers explain

how a new edition differs from the prior one and ask that they utilize supplements rather than new editions.

 Encourage the publishers to disclose how long books will be used and to supply free copies to the library.

 Charlotte thanked us for getting all our requisitions in earlier this year than before. Using early timelines

 means that we can buy more used books.

B.     Bonnie Sherman thanked those of us who contributed to the MS Walk. Her family raised $4,500.

C.     Paul Kubicki told us that the veteran office is to be moved to the admissions office. There will be no

      veteran in charge or on staff. He is opposed to this plan and wants the senate to let

      Dr. Barrera that we want our veterans supported.

 

V.                 Reports of Senate Committee Meetings

A.     Curriculum: (Leslie Foster) There was a noncredit workshop April 19 and seven or eight people from

      Mission attended. Advanced course paperwork is due to Academic Affairs by May 26th. Curriculum

      handouts will be on website this summer. The CSU/GE review is done and most of the changes are

      minor; a memo went out May 1st .If you have any  curriculum paperwork that you want considered

     this semester, send in by next Monday. There will be another curriculum meeting if there is enough

     material to be considered.

B.     District Academic Senate: The next and final DAS meeting of the semester will be Thursday,

      May 12 at Harbor College. New officers will be elected at that time.

C.       EPAC: Sonia Soto-Bair reported that:

6.      The following equivalency petitions were discussed.

a.       Biology; Committee meets May 2005

b.       Business: Decision awaits input from business discipline representative.

c.        Dance Specialties: Committee meets April 2005

d.       ESL: Committee meets April 2005

e.        Health: meeting TBA

f.         Journalism: resubmission—no letters of verification provided yet

g.       Media Arts: Committee meets April 2005

h.       Philosophy: Petition still out to discipline committees-- Committee meets April 2005

i.         Sociology: Committee meets April 2005

7.      There will be a DAS hiring workshop on May 20th from 10 to noon either at Trade.

       The following will be on the agenda:

a.       Minimum Qualifications and Equivalence

b.      Alternate Titles

c.       Provisional Equivalence

d.      Flow Chart for Equivalence Process

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                

VI.              Old Business

A.     Requests to move a discipline from one department to another: English/Journalism: There were originally two requests to be considered, but one was withdrawn. The English/Journalism request had been submitted to all voting member earlier in the week. A concern was that three members of the discipline did not want to sign the request.  There was, however, a majority of the total number in favor of the move. Another question was what were the implications for the remainder of the old department. Foreign language will be left as a single department. Maria Bates asked about Speech. Maria Fenyes said that they were in the process of negotiating a move for them. As we have three weeks to have elections for department chairs, this needs to be done soon. After the discussion a vote was taken. (MSC OROZCO/FENYES) TO APPROVE THE MOVE OF ENGLISH/JOURNALISM TO ESL/SPEECH AND TO FORWARD IT TO THE COMMITTEE   The vote was yes 16, no 0, abstentions 3.

B.       Educational Master Plan Confirmation: As the draft had been posted in the faculty lounge and people had had ample time to review it and make recommendations the vote was taken (MSU KUBICKI/BARBATO) TO APPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL MASTER PLAN    

C.     Motion from previous meeting.

“THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND TO THE AFT THAT THE CONTRACT INCLUDE COMPENSATION FOR BOTH FULL-TIME AND ADJUNCT FACULTY FOR CREATING NEW AND UPDATING OLD CURRICULA” Because the negotiation team is discussion ancillary pay for adjuncts, the motion was removed.

D.     Election Results: (Dale Newman):  Sixty-one out of 82 faculty voted. Three department senator ballots were voided as the people voted for all departments instead of just their own. There was a resulting discrepancy in Business and Law. A special election was scheduled for May 2 and 3, which was subsequently disqualified. Another election will be scheduled as soon as possible. Below are the results of the April 2004 Academic Senate election:

Executive Board: President, Angela Echeverri; Vice President, Louise Barbato; Secretary, Eloise Cantrell; Treasurer, Mark Pursley; Parliamentarian, Gwen Walker; District senators Michael Climo, Vickie Oddino, & Gary Prostak

Senators: Senators-at-large: Ruthie Grant & John Orozco

Department Senators : Arts, Health & PE, Stan Levine; Business & Law, TBA; Child Development Center & DSPS, Rick Scuderi; Counseling, Clive Gordon; Dev. Com/Learning Center; Terri English; Engineering & Computer Science, Paul Kubicki; English & Foreign Languages, Ralph LaRosa;  ESL & Speech, Phoebe Rivera; Library, Donna Ayers; Mathematics, Bob Smazenka; Natural Sciences, Said Pazirandeh; Professional Studies, Janice Silver; Social Sciences, Chuck Dirks

 

              VII.        New Business

 Revision to the final item of the Standing Rules to Reflect Changes to the Constitution: This reflects changes made when the new department structure was formed. Section H is entirely new.

 (MSC NEWMAN/SCUDERI) TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CHANGESTOTHE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE CONSTITUTION.

G.     The Executive Board of the Senate shall appoint representatives from the faculty at large to the all campus-wide shared governance committees listed below with approval of a majority of the Academic Senate members present and voting at a regular meeting of the Academic Senate.

1.      Curriculum Committee: One representative from each of the three faculty groups (mentioned in Part II Section 2 ) plus one representative from counseling and library.

2.       Budget Committee: One or more representatives as appropriate.

3.       Affirmative Action Committee: One or more representatives as appropriate

4.      Mission Planning and Advisory Committee (MPAC): One or more representatives as appropriate

5.      Other committees as necessary.

H.    The Curriculum Committee shall consist of :

      1.  Representatives from Math, English/ESL, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts/Humanities, Vocational Areas, plus two representatives at-large appointed by The Executive Board of the Senate with approval of a majority of the Academic Senate members present and voting at a regular meeting of the Academic Senate.
      2. In addition there will be a representative from Counseling appointed by the Counseling department and a representative from the Library appointed by that department.
      3. The following non-voting members, appointed by their respective areas, shall also serve on the committee: Articulation, Matriculation, and Academic Affairs.

                

The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 p.m.

         Submitted by Dale Newman, Secretary