COLLEGE OF MARIN

Acdemic Senate Meeting Minutes

Thursday, February 8, 2007

12:45 -2:00 pm

Student Service Building,

Conference Rooms A & B

Senators Present: Yolanda Bellisimo, Barbara Bonander, Hank Fearnley, Theo Fung, Ron Gaiz, Erika Harkins, Patrick Kelly, Arthur Lutz, Radica Portello, David Rollison, Ingrid Schreck, John Sutherland, Blaze Woodlief

Senators Absent: Deborah Graham, Sheri Rollison

Approval of Agenda & Minutes     

Motion made to approve the agenda

• Motion adopted

Motion to approve the minutes

• Minutes adopted as amended

Officers’ Reports

The President reported the following:

• The president submitted a written report.

The Vice President reported the following:

• The Vice-President has been meeting with V-Anne to discuss using bond funds for technology. Funding new computers for faculty and staff needs to be a priority as most computers on campus are out-dated. As a result, the VP has been working with the Technology Committee to create a roll-over plan for computers on campus and to recommend a permanent item in the budget to fund the roll-over plan. Using bond money to replace non-functioning computers will only last so long; we need a plan for the long-term, a plan that includes a permanent place in the budget.
• The VP also spoke with V-Anne regarding swing space and was assured that he and other faculty who would be affected would be invited to future swing space meetings.
• There will be a bond spending plan update at the next board meeting in reference to P.E., Performing/Fine Arts, the Science Building, and IVC.

The Treasurer reported the following:

• No report; the treasurer was not present.

Curriculum Committee

· No report

Standing Reports

Academic Standards Committee

· A written report was submitted.

· The last day to add full semester classes is the 2nd

Technology Committee

· The committee is drafting a permanent rollover plan, and recommending that the plan be built into the budget, in order to keep technology up-to-date.

Action Items

Testing Center

Senator Fearnley moved that the AS should not support the execution of this policy as the policy should be under the purview of the AS and further, the AS directs the testing center taskforce to develop a more agreeable  plan that will come back to the senate.

· Motion adopted

Discussion Items

Distance Learning Proposed Changes

• There seems to be a problem with an understanding of the State standards for DE classes and the curriculum review process. The State AS Resolution states that there should be a rigorous curriculum review process with respect to all courses with delivery methods that regularly replace face-to-face time.
• We may wish to review the curriculum of so of our non-traditional courses, but if changes are needed these courses need to be attended to with priority.

• Senator Rollison motions to streamline process for changes in delivery methods in DE courses if changes are needed.
• Motion will be voted on next week.

Committee Appointments

· Senators consented to accept the slate of committee members presented to the Senate. These are two year terms that end in May, at the end of this semester. There is one vacant seat in Ed. Planning.

· President Bellisimo stated that she would write a policy outlining how appointments to committees should be made and bring it to the Senate for approval.

Retreat Rights

· The Senate reviewed the revised Administrator Retreat Rights Policy.

· The revised policy requires a cover sheet and then it goes to College Council as an information item.

· The process is outlined in the Governance Review Booklet.

· President Bellisimo requested that the sub-committee brings the cover sheet and the revised policy to the AS next week.

· Senator Fearnley moved that the document regarding administrative retreat rights be approved by the AS and sent through the governance system

o The motion will be voted on next week.

President’s Evaluation

· Last spring the AS discussed the President’s Evaluation should be a full faculty evaluation.

· President Bellisimo asked for a volunteer to review the past documents and to offer suggested revisions or additions.

· Senator Sutherland requested to review at the materials.

· President Bellisimo agreed to forward the materials to Senator Sutherland and requested that he bring materials back to the Senate on 2/22/07.

Spring Election

· Our constitution requires that we elect 8 members on even years and 7 members on odd years. We are currently out of compliance, but if 2 seats up for election this year are one year terms, then we would be back on the right cycle.

· The configuration is as follows:

o 1 of 1 non-credit seat is up for election,

o 6 of 11 full-time seats are up for election, and

o 2 of 3 part-time seats is up for election.

· In order to put the AS back into compliance, the Senate consented that one full-time seat will be for one a year term and one part-time seat will be for a one year term and that the terms will be decided by random drawing when we seat the new Senators.

· Recommended Timeline (based on the AS Constitution):

Friday, March 9: Mail nomination form

Friday, March 23: Nomination forms due

Thursday, March 29: Ballot goes to AS for approval

Friday, April 16: Ballots mailed

Friday, May 4: Ballots due by 5 pm

Thursday May 10: Ratify vote in AS

Thursday May 17: Seat new Senate

• Senator Fung moved to ratify the timeline next week
• This motion will be voted on next week

· Seats up for re-election: Senators Fearnley, Bellisimo, Bonander, Fung, Sutherland, D. Rollison, Portello, Graham, Harkins

· Senator Fung requested that the creation of a policy on student conduct be put on a future agenda.

· Senator Sutherland requested that program review and the relationship with restructuring departments be moved up on the agenda.

Requests to Address the Senate on Non-Agenda Items

• No requests were made.

Meeting adjourned at 2:03

Minutes submitted by Schreck