College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
The meeting was called to order at 2:05 p.m. by Vice President Melinda Matsuda.
AGENDA ITEMS
1.
Standard I: Dialogue- Dr. Carolyn Arnold distributed guidelines for dialogue and
a Summary & Discussion Questions on Dialogue.
Dialogue means: The institution maintains an ongoing, collegial, selfreflective dialogue about the continuous improvement of student learning
and institutional processes (Chabot College Accreditation 2009: Standard One
Committee by Dr. Carolyn Arnold)
The question to reflect on includes where and how often in the last year have you
participated in dialogues on the improvement of student learning and/or institutional
processes.
Staff feedback on dialogue includes faculty are talking about student learning all the
time, and with other faculty all the time. Dialogue is being done in faculty and staff
offices, and through impromptu hallway conversations. Dialogue is also taking place at
various campus committees. Dr. Arnold validated how much dialogue and discussion is
happening campus wide on student learning and institutional processes.
According to the Guide to Evaluating Institutions by WASC, dialogue means: The
standards are designed to facilitate college engagement in inclusive, informed,
and intentional dialogue about institutional quality and improvement. The
dialogue should purposefully guide institutional change. All members of the
college community should participate in this reflection and exchange about
student achievement, student learning, and the effectiveness of its processes,
policies, and organization. For the dialog to have its intended effect, it should be
based on reliable information about the college’s programs and services and
evidence on how well the institution is meeting student needs. Information should
be quantitative and qualitative, responsive to a clear inquiry, meaningfully
interpreted, and broadly communicated. The institutional dialogue should result in
ongoing self-reflection and conscious improvement.
Small group discussions focused on whether or not staff think this kind of dialogue is
happening on campus. One dialogue included: The quantities of dialogues occurring in
the hallways of many divisions are numerous but unaccounted for within the governance
process. I personally believe that the various committees on campus are not structured
for dialogue, rather focused on the tasks they are commissioned to fulfill.
Feedback also was formality is not present. Is there not kind of qualitative and
quantitative and we have opinions and beliefs are we using data that guides our
dialogue? There is a real text to consciously improve, but without real data to do that,
are we doing it? Task does relate.
It was asked if institutional
effectiveness meetings are all
related to how can we do this
better?
We seem to revisit these dialogues
institutional change is revisited
over and over again. The issue of
each year, but no action is finalized
1
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545
College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
or formed. We just like to dialogue about it as we are good about dialoging.
Cristina Ruggiero felt there is a lot of communication in certain areas or groups
happening on campus, but there is a disconnect with solutions becoming institutionalized
or practiced campus wide. People may be discussing similar or same solutions but they
are not being made or institutionalized.
Dr. Arnold discussed:
▪ When, how, and about what subjects have the college engaged in dialogue?
▪ How well does the college embrace and understand the purpose of the dialogue?
▪ How has the college structured its dialogue?
▪ What impact has the dialogue had on student learning?
▪ Does the dialogue lead to a collective understanding of the meaning of data and
research used in evaluation of student learning?
▪ What does the current dialogue on student learning outcomes consist of at Chabot?
A lot of dialogue is happening but not reaching the institutional level.
In response to when, how, and about what subjects has the college engaged in
dialogue, conversation will happen. Chad felt there is a concerted global effort that has
been directed from the college (Vice Presidents or President), and there has been an
effort to engage in a college wide dialogue.
In regard to dialogue, two things are happening on campus:
1)
Institutional effectiveness (how do we effectively become a college).
2)
How do we make sure student learning is happening and students are
learning.
Melinda felt staff are overextended and with no time to discuss dialogue institutionally.
Gene Groppetti felt the division structure is strong and very effective at its level and that
is where dialogue occurs. Then there are meetings and you wonder if there isn’t a better
way to integrate the divisions into the college structure. All subjects come up within the
division level, but it was questioned whether these subjects come up at the institutional
level. Institutional dialogue is limited to taking place at Convocation and Flex Day, and
does not occur at any other time.
Most of the communication will take place in smaller groups. Conversations take place at
smaller meetings or venues, and staff are participating in the reflection even if they do
not attend Convocation or College Council. Dialogue is taking place, but maybe not
simultaneously or institutionally.
Communication is taking place from bottom up and we are all having dialogue, but from
the top down there isn’t any direction like within the Accreditation process and what way
should we format our responses.
The voice we use as individuals
blends into a college voice within
our Accreditation report and review.
We need to figure out how to do
this, and the process should be
interactive. The top needs to come
down and we will work together to
form a compromise to develop an
interactive process.
2
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545
College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
When they bubble up to the top, they need to be widely disseminated. If communicated
effectively, we could move further into stages of conversation and then make an
improvement institutionally as we move toward a broad conversation.
In regard to construction, Roger Noyes noticed many professors are being forced from
their normal classrooms and into smaller offices or storage facilities that are make-shift
classrooms. This is not an effective venue for instruction because with construction
noise, inadequate signage on campus, and lack of air conditioning and heat makes for
an inconducive environment. Construction has been going on for three months and no
signage is on campus and this is effecting students and stressing instructors which
transfer to the atmosphere of the classroom to the students. This will only worsen as
time goes along and with construction.
Rachel LePell felt we are talking about esoteric stuff but not paying attention to issues
like construction and how it affects teaching, learning, and students. These are issues
administration needs to hear. There are obstacles and a need for broader
communication. It feels like an attempt for the institution (no more than who we are) to
own conversations (as opposed to dialogue) that are organic and have been going on a
long time and let’s talk about our work. We should be talking about our work is insulting
because we naturally do that. The word organic we are using is meant to be that this is
happening naturally and we are now told this conversation is to be pulled into an
institutional structure and is no longer organic, confidential, or spontaneous.
In regard to teaching versus learning, Diane Zuliani felt if we are talking about work, it is
very difficult to continue to listen to conversations about learning that somehow proposes
that teaching is not a critical precursor to that learning. If I say I am talking about
teaching, it is the same thing. It is all the same package. It is a total quality management
strategy used in the corporate world. Teaching and learning is a continuum.
The question “What does the current dialogue on student learning outcomes
consist of at Chabot?” was asked. Student Learning Outcome is a topic and a term of
art used among people dedicated to the student learning outcomes movement, Gene
Groppetti stated. It is difficult to look at this phrase without saying what do you mean?
One side of the handout is about validating conversation and dialogue campus wide, and
another attempt is looking at dialogue on how we are bringing it together in an
acceptable way that moves us forward on the subject of student learning and institutional
effectiveness. There is a lot of conversation centered on faculty, but faculty is just one
component of the college. How do we talk about it and reflect about it and do so at a
college wide level, Dr. Arnold stated.
Judy Jones felt there are many aspects to student learning and wondering if one
beginning point is to ask a segment of the population when discussing student learning,
what are the words you are using? What will surface is a dialogue on student learning.
We have ways we are all doing our
part.
Student Services feel they are
of student learning when I visited
they are so different. If you
doing in the phase that goes
different in regard to the discussion
three other colleges, but I don’t think
integrate whatever it is you are
through the change, what do you do
3
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545
College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
with that change in how you assess the institution? How do you use that to change the
place to make it better, Dr. Carlson asked.
We have tried a lot of changes at group levels, but where do we have a dialogue that
says this works and how do we take it forward, Dr. Arnold stated. How do we support
efforts to improve, sometimes it is in student learning and sometimes it is in terms of
effectiveness of the college.
Dr. Carlson stated you need to hang on to that thought and keep in mind: you described
that basic skills is the entire model of the implementation of change and you described
that we have been doing that within the college. We have made a conscious effort to
change it and we have been in that circle for a long time, and simultaneously that is the
process we are all interested in. There will be further discussion on dialogue and the
accreditation process at future College Council meetings.
ONE-MINUTE REPORTS
Chad Mark Glen, CoChair Accreditation, is incredibly pleased and proud of our
Accreditation standard chairs and cochairs, and of the work they have been doing. They
met as a wider body Tuesday and had a good meeting and the work is moving forward
which he is optimistic about. In regard to the Standard I Dialogue, we are trying to
ensure we met our accreditation responsibilities.
Melinda Matsuda stated we merged the Transfer Center and Career Center and we are
now partnering with Alameda County Social Services who will be outsourcing services
with a company called Rubicon, and they would provide staffing for employment services
at the college (if we get the grant).
On behalf of the Technology Committee, Rachel Ugale reported they are currently
working on the technology plan.
Classified Senate discussed the smoking areas, and SEIU has contacted other colleges
about the process of a compressed schedule. Senate will be hosting their annual holiday
Cookies and Cider event.
Sally Jahnke distributed the enrollment report. Dr. Carlson spoke about rollbacks on
summer where money was left in the pot for growth. Chabot claimed they grew, than
claimed our share of growth simultaneously. Since there was money left, it would be
distributed beyond growth so we had to alter our growth to get money. We are already
over our growth cap and in our unfunded growth status now. The strategy was to take
summer and to take more of summer back to last year and gain money that was
available. It was a net gain of cash to Chabot. It stirs the pot a bit on how to fund the rest
of this year and how it affects the base. We need to discuss what impacts it will have on
this fiscal year with Chancellor Kinnamon and President Bob Kratochvil.
On behalf of Dr. Ron Taylor, Gene
$1.6 million grant that would
faculty and faculty from other
Hicks
would
become
the
grant is to become a state center
Groppetti stated that chabot wrote a
involve a small number of Chabot
colleges. Tom DeWit and Cindy
coordinators. The purpose of the
that would also fund statewide
4
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545
College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
coordination.
The Distance Education Committee is focusing on current staff teaching on-line. We
awarded small grants to seven on-line faculty to help them pilot new technology (focused
on audio, voice over, PowerPoint). We are having forums on on-line faculty teaching.
There is also one on academic integrity. We have a new on-line course that would help
faculty develop an on line proposal.
Institutional Research is currently developing a faculty/staff survey on Accreditation that
will be distributed in February 2008. You can submit feedback on the survey through the
accreditation process.
Academic Senate recently endorsed a letter on civility that will be distributed to staff
reminding them that it is our duty as a professional environment to remain civil to
students.
In regard to planning for Flex Day (scheduled for Thursday, February 14th, 2008), Staff
Development has a working schedule that looks like there will be two sessions. They are
also seeking proposals. Requests for proposals will soon be made by Email and campus
mail. The subject of technology and training and the relationship of Staff Development
and staff development funds on faculty technology training in the new Smart classrooms
is a hot button that continues to come up. However, Staff Development is mixed on how
to fund this type of training. A website for Media Services and funding that through Staff
Development is currently at question with Staff Development. In response to Rachel
LePell’s inquiry if Staff Development is obligated to fund these trainings, Dr. Carlson
confirmed that technology training has always been a part of Staff Development. They
have always coordinated that activity and it falls within the area of staff development.
The purpose of Flex Day includes having an opportunity where we can close campus
and convene all staff and faculty at one time for training. Dr. Carlson will make a campus
wide announcement that Chabot will close February 14th and staff are encouraged to
attend Flex Day activities.
THREE-MINUTE REPORTS
IPBC Planning Timeline– Cristina Ruggiero distributed an IPBC Planning Timeline
(with a proposed two-year cycle). IPBC devised a strategic plan for 2006-2009 and
2009-2012. The unit plan has been moved to be completed in Spring and will consist of
a two-year plan. IPCB wanted to lengthen the process as a lot of the pieces that go into
the unit plan are used by various campus groups. IPBC also wants to ensure this a more
meaningful and thoughtful process for Chabot. The last plan that staff created last year
was rolled over. What staff will be doing this year is what is being rolled over.
The 2007-2008 Unit Plan that was completed in December 2006 will be rolled over to
cover the two-year period of 2007-2009. Unit Plans would be completed or updated
yearly to be due every year on the
Friday of the eight week in Spring
Semester. Unit Plan updates are a
reflection upon the past year’s
activities and accomplishments
from the previous Unit Plan. In
addition, Unit Plan and Unit Plan
Updates include the resource
allocation requests for the next
fiscal year and any other changes
as needed.
5
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545
College Council
MINUTES OF FRIDAY, November 16th, 2007
Deans and Area Managers will complete a Division/Area Overview synthesizing the
accomplishments of the past year and prioritizing Division/Area goals for the next year.
The development of the Division/Area Overview by the Dean/Area Manager in
consultation with their Division/Area will serve as a feedback mechanism to their Units.
IPBC will review Division/Area Overviews and a sampling of Unit Plans in order to
develop the Strategic Plan and Priority Objectives and to assess prior year’s college
wide accomplishments on Priority Objectives.
AGENDA ITEMS
Textbook Summit – Kathleen Kaser has been working with the California Association of
College Stores and the California State Chancellor’s Office to begin the process of
removing barriers to student access and success. Their latest endeavor includes hosting
a summit of meetings to discuss textbook pricing issues for California community
colleges, and to make recommendations for all colleges, that if followed, would lower
textbook prices for students. With approval by President Carlson, Chabot will host the
next Summit Friday, November 30th (held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) where a wide
representation from various colleges statewide will attend. The Summit will be held in the
Board Room and in Room 1132.This is the first meeting of this kind and may include
several more in the future.
The task of the summit is to have a recommendation to the State Chancellor’s Board of
Trustees in March so this is an opportunity to open this dialogue. Other colleges are
hosting summits, too, that will include a similar dialogue and understand what a serious
problem this is. Kathleen Kaser was recognized for her support and commitment to
taking on this task, and for her hard work and efforts. Kathleen has been instrumental for
leading the drive to host a summit and for the textbook initiative, and none of this would
be happening without her persistence.
Faculty Prioritization Process– While Chabot has not heard what the state allocation
is yet, the topic will be tabled to another meeting. Retirees are not happening in the Fall
like they once had happened and is slowing the process. This will pick up once we know
our allocation and we know who is retiring. We still need the priorities regardless. Dr.
Carlson wants to see this become an ad hoc committee of IPBC. If there is a proposal to
make that change, it is important that this happen.
President Carlson adjourned College Council at 3:41 p.m.
kls;
11/19/07
6
Office of the President (510) 723-6640  FAX (510) 723-7126  25555 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward CA 94545