Los Angeles Mission College
Department of Life Sciences
Minutes
Friday, February 19, 2016 @ 9:00am (CMS 104)
Present: Mike Reynolds, Steve Brown, Par Mohammadian, Diane Livio, Osvaldo Larios, Sheila
Fennoy, Angela Echeverri
Old Business
1. Update: Dual Enrollment with BioTech Sylmar HS / San Fernando HS (Par) --- all funded by their
own grants, course scheduling has started, faculty still being hired, students in these programs
will be better prepared for LAMC/college
2. Update: CNA/HHA/HOC (Par) --- CNA/HHA programs have started this semester with one
section, still hiring more faculty that meet all requirements, hoping to find someone to teach a
second session
3. Update: PLO revisions – General Studies & Liberal Arts in Natural Sciences (Par & Steve) – no
progress made, Steve plans to work on it by March 1
4. Progress: Contract for Steris Autoclaves (Steve & Pong) --- waiting on the District for approval
5. Progress: Web-based APA workshops offered by the library (Par & Steve) --- Sheila MacDowell is
giving workshops on APA starting next week that will be recorded to be posted online; Steve will
send a reminder email to stick to APA format
6. Update: Response to parking situation at CMS due to non-STEM courses (Mike) ---Michael Allen
does not have a solution at this time, but the WEC committee is discussing the issue, Par will
remind Richard Raines regarding the issues
7. Progress: BIO3 prep room labeling (Nadine) --- Nadine sent in an email: “I have labeled the Prep
Room and even have Inventory Sheets, finished in early December, conveniently located in the
prep room to help someone find something. There is a cart that has always been there in the
prep room with extras for the labs. It is now labeled Bio 3 Extras.“ [The Inventory Sheets are
posted next to her desk and on the refrigerator.]
8. Update: Human Biology course placed on IGETC (Mike): --- Human Biology (Biology 005) will be
included in the course catalog for Fall 2016 and will be UC transferrable. This will be in addition
to the current sections of Bio3, so we will need to hire a new adjunct faculty. Angela reports
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that it is possible that new full-time hire request for Environmental Science might be
reconsidered by FHPC.
9. Progress: Rearranging Bio 6 and Bio 7 curricula; Bio 6 as a prerequisite for Bio 7. (Steve, Diane)--Steve and Diane began planning this, based on Steve’s work accumulating the COR listings from
other campuses in the district. There is no consistency between the campuses of what is
covered in each course, making an issue if students take the courses at different schools. Steve
& Diane plan to bring this up at the District Discipline Day next week.
10. Update: Certificates in Life Sciences (Steve) --- No progress from Steve, but Par has been in
meetings to write an NSF grant to work with businesses to form a STEM advisory board for
feedback of what certificates are needed in the industry. With that information, we can design
highly needed certificate programs and set up internships.
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Update: Nadine’s proposal for garden items presented to the Foundation (Nadine): Nadine sent
an email reporting she will “get a check from the Foundation through Danny for $500 to spend
on tools and supplies for the garden. I have also started a Club called the LAMC Green Warriors
to spread gardening and good nutrition to the students and the community.” Nadine should
reach out to Leslie Milke to keep her informed of the plans to have a Nutrition connection with a
Life Sciences based club.
12. Progress: Offering Biology 40 vs Biology 110 – development of BIO110 COR (Steve & Mike) --Steve contacted the chair at Pierce, plans to meet with faculty that teaches Bio110 there to
collaborate on setting up the COR and being as consistent between the two campuses as
possible. Mike reports that Bio40 COR is now expired. Par suggests possibility of using Bio40 in
an upcoming certificate series. Steve will ask Sanjay about collaborating to help him update the
Bio40 COR, before March 1.
13. Progress: examining the BIO3 COR as written versus as taught (Steve & Diane) --- Steve and
Diane finished revising it and officially submitted it for approval following the meeting.
14. Progress: Life Science program review (All) --- Mike reports the review will most likely be in
March and will reach out to all of the faculty to provide input on revisions. Potential additions
would be for: environmental science expansion, adding new faculty positions, a new Allied
Health technician position, more student workers, regular microscope/micropipette service, the
Steris contract.
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15. Progress: Follow-up about procuring platform for floor shaker– platform backordered until
3/17/16 (Steve & Pong) --- STEM is paying for it, we’re still waiting for it. Steve plans to use it for
Bio40 and Bio110. A discussion broke out about some excess lab supplies, Steve will contact
Danny regarding offering to other campuses and collaborating labs.
16. Progress: Organization of the College website (Steve) --- Due to the necessary attention on
accreditation, this will be postponed. Steve proposes the deadline of by Sept 1, 2016.
17. Update: Associate of Science - Transfer degree in Biology paperwork (Steve) --- It’s still waiting
for approval at the state level.
New Business:
1. Health care career pathway with CSUN, meeting faculty (Par) --- Par met with the dept chair
and program director of HCA, coming to our campus to give a presentation to inform our
students. Sheila proposes that CSUN will be a good connection for the series of talks that Steve
wants to set up.
2. Department SLOs Update (Steve) --- Steve took over as the department SLO rep. Mike sent out
the schedule of what needs to be assessed this semester. Steve will send out an email to the
department about his new position and suggests that faculty teaching the same course could
meet each semester or year to share thoughts of how to improve the course based on SLO
assessments. Par suggests setting meetings on the Flex Day before Fall, general and small
groups.
3. What are the overall goals of the department? (All) --- Par suggests clarifying our long-term and
short-term goals as a department. Mike suggests that everyone write possible goals and send
to Diane to be discussed when we have our program review. In addition, it was discussed that
changes will likely be needed with the Allied Health programs by June 2017, to hire someone
full-time while it expands.
4. BIO3 lab practical exam modifications (Par & Diane) --- Diane will try to set up a meeting to
accommodate as many Bio3 faculty as possible and discuss possible changes to the exams.
5. Next year’s autoclave service contract – Steris or other service which is <$5000? (Steve) --Getting the approval for Steris contract is taking too long right now, but that is because they’re
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opening a vendor to do this; Mike believes it should be more streamlined in the future, so we’ll
stay with Steris for now.
6. Posting working hours on prep room door (Nadine)- Nadine feels strongly not to post her hours
publicly; the hours could be posted within the prep room for just the faculty to be able to see.
7. BIO3 case study early writing support (Diane) --- This could be discussed more at the meeting
about the possible modifications to the lab practical exam.
8. Invited speakers to come to LAMC in March to give talks about their research and answer
students’ questions. (Steve) -- Faculty are encouraged to invite their students, possibly offer a
small amount of extra credit to attend. Steve will send emails confirming the dates and times.
Par would like to talk with them about the potential of doing research on our campus and
developing problem-based learning activities for Bio3 from their work. Steve thinks this could
be developed into a regular series.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Next meeting: Friday, March 11, 11:30am (CMS 104)
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