INSTRUCTION COMMISSION
October 22-23, 2015
Cascadia College
Present. Michelle Andreas, Derek Brandes, Kevin Brockbank, Matthew Campbell, Laurie Clary, Charlie Crawford,
Robert Francis, Curt Freed, Mary Garguile, Debra Gilchrist, Brendan Glaser, Al Griswold, Joyce Hammer, Kristen
Jones, Ken Lawson, Wai-Fong Lee, Peter Lortz, John Martens, Jim Minkler, Bob Mohrbacher, Tom Nielsen, Jodi
Novotny, Mary Ellen O’Keeffe, Frank Powers, Marleen Ramsey, Rebecca Rhodes, Carli Schiffner, Elliot Stern,
Alison Stevens, Rosemary Sutton, Virginia Tomlinson, Tod Treat, Jeff Wagnitz, Tomas Ybarra, Jan Yoshiwara.
Guests: Suzy Ames-WELA, Marie Bruin-SBCTC, Kerrie Cavaness-ATC, Ryan Davis-WEC, Nancy Dick-SBCTC, Mark
Jenkins-SBCTC, Sue Kennedy-LLC, Jon Kerr-SBCTC, Mike Nielsen-CEC , Christopher Soran-eLC, Wendy Lee
Stewart-WELA, Brian Walsh-SBCTC, Kim Ward-CBS.
Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 8:30am. President Murray welcomed the Commission to
Cascadia College. Members introduced themselves.
Executive Committee Report. The Commission’s 2015-16 work plan was approved by WACTC. Additional
members are needed to serve on the BAS committee and Mary Garguile volunteered. Updates were given by IC
liaisons on WACTC’s Ed Services, Operating Budget, and Capital Budget committees.
Placement Options and Changes. Recommendations for other assessment tools were provided to use for
placement after Compass, including multiple measures, high school transcripts for math and English placement,
a statewide assessment program which addresses academic skills, a placement reciprocity across the system,
and a comprehensive pre-test. Volunteers are needed to serve on the System Work Group on Placement Task
Force; those interested should send an email to the Commission Chair.
Enrollment Counting Work Group. Jim Minkler provided an update on the work group’s activities including the
development of new definitions for the State Board policy manual to provide consistency with today’s classes.
WACTC charged the work group to develop a set of recommendations for any changes in the enrollment
counting policy that is in the State Board policy manual. The work group will bring recommendations to the
Commission at the winter meeting.
FirstLink Experience. Jim Minkler, Rebecca Rhodes, and Tod Treat shared their experiences and lessons learned
in being the first schools to go through the conversion to the new ctcLink system.
Title IX and VAWA. An update was provided from the President’s Academy on the employee version of the
training. Launching the employee version first or at the same time as the student version has proved to be a
positive experience.
Work plan. An issue was brought forward from the eLearning Council regarding elearning analystics and
indicators and how to use the data to improve the landscape in elearning. The Council requested the
Commission’s guidance in next steps.
Equity Task Force. Ken Lawson provided the background on the creation of a subcommittee to look at issues of
equity and inclusion as part of the work plan. Discussion focused on creating a new equity and inclusion
committee to work on issues such as hiring practices, meaningful assessment of diversity requirements, best
practices, and leadership development.
Chief Diversity Officers Maria Pena-Everett, Neera Mehta-Lake Washington, Michele Domingo-Edmonds, and
Yoshiko Harden-Bellevue College, reported the CTC system diversity officers are forming a formal group with
area of interest for collaboration to include intercultural competency development, hiring and maintaining
faculty and staff; increased access for students, and leadership development.
The Task Force recommended the Commission and the Diversity Officers group work together. Tod Treat moved
and Ken Lawson seconded the motion to add another committee to the Commission structure, the Equity and
Inclusion Committee. Motion carried. Members interested in serving on this new committee should email the
Commission Chair.
Dissolution of Professional Development Committee. The Executive Committee will identify key professional
development needs for the group and committees will be asked to make those arrangements. Alison Stevens
moved and Joyce Loveday seconded the motion to dissolve the Professional Development Committee. Motion
carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Transfer. Articulation and Transfer Council issues include the Computer Sciences DTA/MRP, request for the
Commission’s endorsement of an advanced placement review process, and clarification of the rationale for
common course numbering.
College Transitions. Issues covered included multiple measures of placement, the concept of reciprocity and
understanding the process and honoring the agreement, Smarter Balanced assessment, Smarter Balanced
placement, I-BEST, and High School 21.
Workforce. The Workforce Education Council is drafting a plan for common course numbering for
professional/technical courses and will bring to the Commission for final approval. Other issues include WIOA
implementation, veteran and prior learning, and the AAS-T degree and requirement.
Instructional Technology. Issues covered included an RFP for captioning and implementation of ALMA by the
Library Leadership Council, and a name change for the Technology Committee. Mary Garguile moved and Deb
Gilchrist seconded the motion to change the Instructional Technology Committee name to Learning Strategies
and Innovation Committee. Motion carried.
Two topics suggested for a professional development activity at the winter meeting included Civitas, Illume,
Starfish, AgileGrad, which tool as a system to use, either vendor demo or college experience by those who are
using; and looking at open pedagogy, who are the most advanced in using open ed resources.
Equity and Inclusion. Projects of interest include hiring practices, looking at the hiring of full-time faculty along
with a survey about recent hiring practices.
It was suggested for a future professional development activity to have a session around training of hiring
committees.
Members were solicited to score capital projects. Rebecca Rhodes, Tim Cook, and Kristen Jones volunteered.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45pm.
The meeting was reconvened at 8:35am on October 23.
Approval of Minutes. Laurie Clary moved to approve the minutes from the July 8-9, 2015, meeting and Mary
Garguile seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report. Tod Treat moved to approve the report and Mary Garguile seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
Advance Placement Review Process. Jim Minkler moved the Instruction Commission approve the Articulation
and Transfer Council’s recommended pathways for approving advance placement scores for the system and Jeff
Wagnitz seconded the motion. Motion carried.
BAS. Issues covered included the applied baccalaureate degree and how the Commission can have more policy
influence, external review as part of a proposal for AB degree, faculty salaries, BAS pathways, and system
direction of applied baccalaureate degrees.
WACTC Report. WACTC issues include Title IX, ctcLink, the operating budget supplemental budget request, the
allocation model, international student fees proposal, the impact of tuition reduction at the 4-year colleges,
capital budget projects, legislative issues, update from the strategic visioning committee, College in the High
School, and Best Practices.
STATE BOARD REPORT
Guided Pathways Initiative. Members were updated on the process for implementation of guided pathways
and the funding to SBCTC for project leadership to cohort colleges as well as offering a series of workshops for
the system on implementing guided pathways.
Presidents Academy Equity Gap. An update was provided on the President’s Academy which included panels
and small discussion groups on the diversity gap for faculty and staff and on the equity gap for student access
and achievement. The Commission will join with the system Chief Diversity Officers for a recommendation on
moving forward on these issues.
Supplemental Budget Request. The supplemental budget request is for all colleges to have MESA programs.
The six colleges that currently have them were encouraged to organize legislative tours to spotlight MESA
programs to raise the level of awareness and enthusiasm.
College Promise Campaign. The promise was briefly outlined. Washington has a college advocacy group and is
one of the target states.
Fall enrollment. Members shared details of fall quarter enrollment, funding targets, and institutional targets.
Student Achievement. Members were updated on the agenda write-up on student achievement metrics,
analysis, and the award being proposed to the Board.
Brief updates were provided on the Evidenced Based Work Group, dual credits, dean training, the computer
science DTA/MRP, the resolution of M coding, and reverse articulation.
Members shared positions available on their campuses.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:20am.
Next Meeting. February 18-19, 2016 SBCTC Olympia