Basic Skills Committee Meeting Minutes -­‐ Approved November 24, 2015 Attendees: Carolyn Arnold (Chair / IR), Rachael Tupper-Eoff (Classified Senate / Learning Connection),
Hisako Hintz (Lang Arts/ESL), Jane Wolford (LC), Amy Mattern (Academic Pathways & Student
Success Dean), Samantha Rajaram (Lang Arts/English), Veronica Martinez (Communications Studies and
Comm Lab)
Called to order 12:10 PM
1. Self-Introductions
2. Minutes from 11/10/2015 accepted with small edit (4 approving, and 2 abstaining).
3. Charge: Changes approved in 11/10/15 meeting did not include suggested wording added by
Faculty Senate. This wording was added in bold below. Amy also noticed the word “at’ needed
in one of the bullets. The changes were approved by consensus as edited [ACTION]: Carolyn to
get updated charge onto an upcoming Faculty Senate meeting .
Charge
Members of the Basic Skills Committee work together to develop, recommend, coordinate and
implement strategies to help Chabot students successfully acquire the basic skills necessary for
their future development. This will include, but is not limited to: serving as a central forum for
campus dialog on the topic of "basic skills," fostering research on and implementation of effective
practices, and institutionalizing seeking out constructive exchange of ideas with departments
engaged in Basic Skills instruction and institutionalization, as well as learning from effective
practices developed here at Chabot and elsewhere; advocating for funding, programs, and
services that serve basic skills students, and assisting in the identification, commitment, and
acquisition of necessary resources, both internal and external for basic skills.
4. Learning Connection: Review of Data and resource needs
a. IR Data on Learning Connection
i. Carolyn passed out four pages of data – the number of students and visits to each
of the Labs under the Learning Connection umbrella between Fall 2010 and Fall
2014, characteristics of students using the Learning Connection in Fall 2014,
compared to other students, and the latest compilation (Fall 13 through Spring
15) comparing success rates of students who were tutored or not tutored in major
basic skills, English, Math, and general education courses.
ii. Discussion focused on reasons for rise or fall of students and visits in each lab,
why LC students are more likely to be transfer, day, and full-time students, and
which courses show increased success rates for tutored students.
b. History of Tutoring and Learning Connection
i. Jane gave an overall history since the 90s, including the ebb and flow of useage
and funding. Rachael reported on the history since she came in 2009.
c. Resource needs of Learning Connection
i. Rachael reported that before 2009, when she came, the college spent
approximately $200,000 for tutoring. This year, they have $120,000 for tutoring
from various sources ($42,000 from general fund, $30,000 from Perkins, and
$50,000 from BSI funds), and it is not enough to cover tutoring costs this year.
ii. Resource needs are in two areas:
1. Tutoring expenses. Need to be fully funded by the college. Shift from
BSI and other funds to general fund and increase overall funding. Now at
the limit of number of tutors the staff and budget can handle.
2. Staffing expenses. The move to Building 100 created beautiful space for
ESL, WRAC, and general tutoring, but there are not enough classified
staff to provide adequate line of sight in these areas or the STEM Center.
There is a need for a Director to provide management oversight and
supervision, which one classified professional is doing now but should
not be, and which the faculty coordinator cannot do.
d. Review of the Learning Connection Program Review
i. The justification for these funds and positions are well supported in the program
review.
ii. Big Picture Vision:
1. The Learning Connection needs to provide consistency in services and
maintain/increase the ability to serve all the students who need it.
e. Statement by the BSC:
i. All those present voted unanimously to support the Learning Connection in its
program review resource requests. Specifically:
ii. The Basic Skills Committee strongly endorses and supports the Learning
Connection’s program review requests for stable and adequate funding for
tutoring and adequate staff to maintain and expand academic learning support
services for students.
iii. Statement with recommendations will be forwarded to PRBC, Budget
Committee, President Sperling, VP Thompson of Academic Services, and
Faculty Senate. Due to timing and expediency, statement will be sent to all at the
same time after the next meeting. [ACTION for Carolyn and Trish}
f. December 8th meeting: Discussion of communication to Basic Skills students about
available support and how to reach students more effectively.
i. Wing Kam (Web Master) and Katrin Fields (Assessment Center) are attending.
Still need Counseling rep. Charisma: ask other students or Student Senators to
attend.
ii. [ACTION]: IR to prepare Basic Skills course sequence data for review.
Adjourned 1:05 PM
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Carolyn and Trish will get statement out to the groups listed
2. Carolyn to get proposed charge and LC statement onto an upcoming Faculty Senate meeting
(December 10)
3. IR to prepare Basic Skills course sequence data for Dec 8th meeting.
4. Carolyn to invite representative(s) from Counseling to Dec 8th
5. Charisma to ask other students or members of Student Senate to attend for discussion.