Mission College Academic Senate
Ext. 5413
Unapproved Minutes
Thursday, November 17, 2005
I. Call to Order/Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by President Alex Braun at 2:10p.m.
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Senators |
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Senators |
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Beggs (Ext. 5188) AAS |
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Mancini (Ext. 5413) AF/HM |
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Braun (Ext. 5355) Pres/Tech |
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Martin (Ext. 5356) Tech |
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Brichko (Ext. 5222) CATA |
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Moles (Ext. 5113) ESL |
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Cogswell (Ext. 5388) AAS |
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Ostrander (Ext. 5274) Stud Dev. |
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Cox (Ext.5164) CommSvc |
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Paicius (Ext. 5413) AF/CATA |
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Juncker (Ext.5229) Comm |
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Perlas (Ext. 5041) Stud.Dev. |
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Kashima (Ext. 5319) ESL |
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Rounds (Ext. 5288) Comm |
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Laird (Ext. 5186) SocSci |
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Smebye (Ext. 5305) CommServ |
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Lavallo (Ext. 5399) Math |
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Szabados (Ext.5289) CATA |
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Ting (Ext. 5330) Math |
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Guest: J.DelFrate (DC) |
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Guest: J.VanTassel |
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II. Approval of the Minutes
The minutes for the meeting of November 10, 2005, were accepted and approved with the following corrections (M/S/P – Kashima/Cox):
Page 1, Item I (Roll Call) – Senator Juncker and Senator Smebye were absent and Senator Rounds was present.
Page 3, Item VII.A (Discuss Standards for Kuwait Project Feasibility Study & Appoint Senators to Task Force): The motion presented by Senator Cogswell and seconded by Senator Paicius should have included a portion of the statement in the first sentence following the motion and should read as follows:
“that the Mission College Academic Senate establish a task force that will identify parameters that will guide the feasibility study for a possible campus in Kuwait and that the college committees join and work together.”
III. Order of the Agenda
It was agreed (M/S/U – Paicius/Cox) that Item VIII.B will be addressed immediately following Oral Communication from the Public in order to accommodate Pat Andrews.
IV. Oral Communication from the Public
Pat Andrews asked for faculty’s support and participate in an informational picket and meet at the front of Mission College at 5:30 p.m. this evening. She urged the Senators to encourage all faculty to attend tonight’s Board meeting at 7:00 p.m. ACE will be protesting the compensation proposal made by the District and the violation of the 50% rule. She advised that the State Chancellor has agreed that the District has violated the 50% rule for the last few years, including 2004/05. This amounts to over $5 million dollars. The State Chancellor, however, has also agreed not to penalize the District. ACE will take legal action if the District does not voluntarily offer to pay back money due the faculty. She will be at tonight’s Board meeting to address the Board on behalf of faculty. She asked the Senators to urge their constituents to attend tonight’s meetings.
The order of the agenda was suspended as agreed.
VII. Old Business
B. Discuss Status of District’s Benefits Committee
Pat Andrews reported that the District Benefits Committee has been in existence in this District for many years and has been comprised of representatives from all the collective bargaining units. The purpose of the committee has been to gather information relative to health benefits, explore alternative plans, and make recommendations to the units. The committee has not been functioning well. It is currently chaired by Sandi Dillon, and many complaints were received that all information had to be passed through her. It became clear that there is a real problem when ACE’s benefits consultant was told that he could not communicate with the District Benefits Committee, and instead had to go through Ms. Dillon. He was advised by Ms. Dillon to go to the web site for information, and it was determined that the web site indicates there is a 17.5% increase in benefits costs for last year when in fact the increase is 9%.
Meetings of the committee scheduled for October and November were cancelled. The members of the committee decided to call a meeting, elected a Chair, and had a major confrontation with the Chancellor over the right to have a meeting. A proposal was brought to DBAC by the Chancellor to make the Benefits Committee a subcommittee of DBAC. It was made clear at the DBAC meeting that the representatives from the Benefits Committee would remove themselves (GRA GO TO TAPE). All collective bargaining units agreed. Alex opined that this resolves the status of the Benefits Committee. The collective bargaining units have a right to information.
V. Information & Announcements
There were no informational announcements presented at today’s meeting.
VI. Administrative Business/Actions/Appointments
A. Curriculum Committee - No report was presented at today’s meeting.
B. Committee Appointments
1. DISPAC Appointments – The qualifications of the faculty members that volunteered were listed and discussed. The Senators elected Jeff Cormier by written ballot to serve on this committee.
2. District Staff Development Advisory Committee - Heather Rothenberg and Joan Powers were appointed to this committee (M/S/U – Cox/Juncker).
3. Others: SLOAC – Rick Hobbs was appointed to this committee as the Math representative (M/S/U – Juncker/Perlas).
C. President’s Reports – No report was presented at today’s meeting.
VII. Old Business
A. Discuss Standards for Kuwait Project Feasibility Study & Appoint Senators to Task Force
At last week’s Senate meeting, it was agreed that the MC Academic Senate would join with the WVC Academic Senate and form a task force to determine the standards and criteria for a feasibility study on the Kuwait project proposal. The intent of the study is to determine whether or not the District should move forward with the project. Alex noted that the WVC Academic Senate has appointed six Senators to the Task Force and MC Academic Senate appointed four Senators, with direction to recruit two more members. Alex reported that Jane Patton has agreed to serve and Senator Smebye agreed to serve. The Senators unanimously approved the appointment of Jane and Ron (M/S/U – Cogswell/Paicius) to the task force.
Alex reminded the Senators that the December 1, 2005, meeting will be a District Academic Senate meeting. The task force will be made an official subcommittee of the District Academic Senate and start the process.
Alex was asked for any update information on the Kuwait project. Alex advised that there is no new information. It was stated that research has indicated that things progress very slowly in Kuwait. This proposal may involve a long, drawn out process. It was suggested that the Chancellor be kept to his promise to maintain communication with the Senates on this project and ensure the Senate’s involvement. Alex explained that the Chancellor is waiting for the Academic Senate to complete the charge of the task force and establish criteria for the feasibility study in order to move ahead. The Academic Senate needs to provide direction on what is considered important to know in order to evaluate the feasibility study. It was agreed that a gathering of information on Kuwait would be helpful if made available through the Library.
B. Consider Revisions to and Codification of MC New Faculty Hiring Process
Another version of the existing process was presented. After review and discussion, several amendments were agreed to and a motion to accept the document as amended passed unanimously (M/S/U – Cox/Cogswell). It was agreed that the amended document be distributed to all faculty .
There was a brief discussion on the question relative to vacant positions and internal hires, and Alex suggested that those who developed the current process should be invited to explain their rationales and perspectives on this matter. It was agreed that they will be invited to attend the next regular Mission College Academic Senate meeting scheduled for December 8, 2005.
C. Discuss Mission College’s Mission Statement
Last week the Senators received a number of options for consideration. Alex advised that GAP is serving as the Steering Committee for the update of the E&FMP, which includes the mission statement. At yesterday’s GAP meeting, it was decided that GAP would exercise a “decision rule” and determine which version is favored and wordsmith the one selected. GAP members chose option (E).
Discussion ensued, with many Senators participating in the discussion and offering their choice option and the rationale for their choice. There was discussion on the purpose of a mission statement, who it is written for, and what it is intended to accomplish. It was noted that it was recommended by the accrediting commission that the college review its statement. There is nothing that states the statement must be revised. Ultimately, the Senators agreed, by consensus, that the current 2001 mission statement is preferred. It was also agreed that they would not be opposed to some changes in language. It was suggested that the language in the Ed Code be considered if it is decided to wordsmith the current statement. Alex advised that he will advise GAP of the Senate’s recommendations.
VIII. New Business
A. Discuss Proposed Classified & Manager Hiring Procedure
The Senators were provided with copies of the proposed procedure and were asked for input Discussion was opened to the floor. The Senators were advised that the District Faculty & Staff Diversity Advisory Committee discussed this document and the most significant change is in the structure of hiring committees for administrators. The rationale for the change is that administrators are the best experts to hire administrators. Several Senators spoke to the issue, and objected that the committees are heavily weighted with administrators. It was opined that faculty have experience that they bring to any hiring committee and that most administrators come from faculty. Faculty drives the academy. Administrators are significantly involved in the hiring process for faculty as well. In addition, several Senators expressed concern over some of the language in the document that is ambiguous and open to interpretation.
Alex was asked why this procedure was prepared at this time and by whom. He stated his belief that Sandi Dillon decided to develop the policy as there was no written procedure in place. It was stated that some changes were made to the Full-Time Faculty Hiring Policy in order to comply with changes in the law. Since HR has purview over legal requirements of hiring procedures, there might be legal aspects to the policy that must be considered.
It was noted that each college implements its own policy and makeup of hiring committees. The intent of this document is to centralize the policy. Ms. Dillon has centralized the HR function, organized and defined procedures of HR functions. This is appropriate in that HR must meet legal requirements. Concern was expressed that an interim director of HR was developing a procedure and policy of such importance without incorporating the colleges’ individual practices. It was reported that Ms. Dillon’s contract expires at the end of December. The hiring process for a permanent Vice Chancellor of Human Resources is underway.
Ultimately, President Braun was directed to advise the appropriate bodies that the Academic Senate does not approve of the proposed hiring committee structure and the increased number of administrators on hiring committees. The present policy and practice implemented at Mission College is preferred. Since each college has a policy and practice in place that has worked well, and since there is a legitimate concern regarding compliance with the law, it was strongly recommended that the college policies be reviewed and amended as required to ensure that they are in compliance with current legislation and that the centralization of the Classified & Manager Hiring Procedure not move forward. Alex agreed to inform the appropriate bodies of the Senate’s views on this matter.
X. Correspondence, Publications, & Announcements
Correspondence
1. An e-mail dated November 7, 2005, from the MC Curriculum Review Committee listing dates for curriculum for the Spring Semester 2007.
2. An e-Mail dated November 7, 2005, from Cindy Vinson with a Distance Learning Update on Angel, Course Management System.
Publication/Minutes
1. The agenda for the November 16, 2005, meeting of DBAC and the approved minutes for the November 2, 2005, meeting of DBAC.
2. The agenda for the November 17, 2005, meeting of ACE Council and the approved minutes for the October 20,2005 meeting.
3. The agenda for the November 9th and November 16, 2005, meetings of GAP.
4. The agenda for the November 17, 2005, meeting of Mission-West Valley Land Corporation.
5. The agenda for the November 9, 2005, meeting of the District Council.
6. The agenda for the November 17, 2005, meeting of the Board of Trustees.
7. The October 31, 2005, issue of the DVC FORUM from the Diablo Valley College Faculty Senate.
8. The November 7, 2005, issue of FA NEWS from the Foothill-DeAnza Faculty Association.
Announcements/Conferences
XI. Future Agenda Items
No new items were introduced at today's meeting.
XII. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m. (M/S/U). These minutes are respectfully submitted by Grace Hazán, Academic Senate Secretary.