District Education Committee
MINUTES of the District Education Committee Meeting
March 18, 2011, 9:00-12:00 p.m.
District Office Board Room
Committee:
Date:
Attendance:
Co-Chairs:
Facilitators:
Note Taker:
Guests:
Absent:
Educational Committee
March 18, 2011
Debbie Budd, Krista Johns, Rebecca Kenney, May Chen, Donald Moore, Karolyn van Putten, Tae-Soon Park, Pieter de Haan, Trulie Thompson,
Anita Black, Allene Young, Paula Coil, Dera Williams, Carlos Mc Lean, Betty Inclan, Scott Albright, Jenny Lowood, Eric Gravenberg, Pat
Jameson
Debbie Budd, Anita Black
Inger Stark (absent), Tina Vasconcellos
Pat Jameson
Bob Barr, Jacob Ng, Tom Torres-Gil
Linda Berry, Brenda Lewis, David Reed, Bob Grill, Inger Stark, Debbie Weintraub, Evelyn Lord, Sonja Franeta, Eileen White, Kerry Compton
Agenda Item
Discussion
Meeting Called to Order
9:10 a.m. by Co-Chair Debbie Budd
I. Introductions
• Review agenda
• Review and approve
minutes from February
25, 2011 meeting
Overview of this meeting’s agenda.
Agenda review, and review of draft Minutes from the February 25, 2011 DEC
meeting.
MOVED & SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE
FEBRUARY 25, 2011 DEC COMMITTEE MEETING. MOTION PASSED.
Follow-up
Action
DECISIONS
(Shared
Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
MOVED &
SECONDED TO
APPROVE THE
MINUTES FROM
THE FEBRUARY
25, 2011 DEC
COMMITTEE
MEETING.
MOTION
PASSED.
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
II. Educational and Academic
Matters


Academic Disciplines,
Departments, and Programs
o Chancellor’s Ad Hoc
Committee - Statement
of Purpose & Next
Steps (K van Putten &
D. Weintraub)
o District-wide Discipline
Meetings &
Collaboration SB 1440
o Achieving Parity of
Full-time FTE between
the Colleges
o College discussions on
reconfiguration of
instructional and
support services
programs
What is the DEC’s roll?
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Chancellor’s Ad Hoc Committee:
The FAS Presidents began talking long ago about what’s happening to our programs
as deep cuts keep occurring. At one of the GAF meetings, the Chancellor set up an
advisory committee of faculty which included the PFT President and their Executive
Committee, DAS President & College FAS Presidents, plus VPI Krista Johns and
VPSS Eric Gravenberg.
The Ad-Hoc Committee met every Tuesday a.m. for 8 weeks. Much of the early
dialogue was about why they were there. They began talking about the disciplines
in which the Ad-Hoc Committee faculty were involved, i.e., Social Sciences.
They are designing a template of disciplines so faculty can look at the overall picture
and see how they can restructure themselves to continue to serve students, even in
light of the deep cuts.
There has always been a question of whether this body exists outside the shared
governance process. They intend to inform the DEC, but also to report directly to
Chancellor in an advisory capacity.
Program elimination resides with each college, and it seems like we’re looking for
an established mechanism on how to eliminate a program. If we’re not still offering
all facets of a program, are we still offering the program itself?
English and other disciplines have begun or continue to meet monthly, and this has
helped in coordinating changes and downsizing their programs.
VC-ES Budd suggested that maybe the DEC Committee could help come up with a
mechanism on how to eliminate a program. Even their “grow, watch, maintain”
effort didn’t reach this, even though they have deactivated programs before like
shoe-making, dry-cleaning, etc.
Budd feels that the Ad-Hoc Committee now recognizes that they need to bring their
recommendations to the DEC Committee in the spirit of shared governance.
2
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
It was noted that there is a process for deactivating programs at CIPD, especially
when it comes from the program itself.
The Ad-Hoc Committee decided to focus primarily on instructional programs, not
student services.
The DAS President has suggested to the Chancellor that there be a similar body
formed to focus on student services restructuring and downsizing.
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Suggestion for
next Dec
Committee
Agenda:
Student Services
Reports.
The Vice Presidents of Student Services and Deans of Student Services meet every
week, and often with the Vice Chancellor of Student Services.
Q was raised about how counselors, librarians, DSPS faculty, etc., get to give input
into the process. Whatever is discussed at these meetings needs to be disseminated
to all those at their colleges and issues raised at the colleges brought to the DEC.
Support staff in student services are very knowledgeable and also need to be
included in these discussions and be able to give input into decision-making.
Suggestion for next Dec Committee Agenda: Student Services Reports.
Districtwide Discipline Meetings and SB 1440:
Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) -Statewide discipline meetings are being held regarding the implementation of the
provisions of SB 1440. Jenny Lowood went to the statewide English discipline
group where they developed their draft TMC. What they came up with then goes to
a smaller group for flushing out, and will come back as a formal TMC. There were
representatives from CSU’s there, who were disgruntled since they will have to
adjust their curriculum to that of the community colleges. Google C-IDDIG, and
you’ll find a web page that has lots of info on this. CSU San Diego is balking
saying they have no programs that are “similar” to what’s being discussed. Other
CSUs are also starting to question this by raising the question of whether their
curriculum is “similar.”
3
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
The Statewide Academic Senate has lots of info on SB 1440 as well. Rochelle
Olive, Business Faculty at COA attended the statewide Business discipline meeting
and is very concerned about this. Suggestion that the DEC have a report-back
from faculty who have attended their statewide discipline meetings on SB 1440.
SB 1440 has been mandated by law, and all our Articulation Officers are our
in-house experts on SB 1440. Our Articulation Officers are taking the lead in this
at their colleges; they have been involved in all efforts relating to SB1440, and know
all the nuances of it. Laney’s Curriculum Committee has also been involved,
especially in the Social Sciences area. They are trying to make sure that all the
pieces that have to be approved by Fall 2011, are getting into place.
This gives another degree; it doesn’t allow them to add on courses. The colleges are
supposed to have 2 TMC degrees to offer by Fall 2011. There are supposed to be 2
dozen in place by the end of this year. This will make them examine other
disciplines also.
SB 1440 needs to be embraced and strongly endorsed by all of us. How can
Peralta be a leader, especially to help bring cooperation in working with the
local CSUs?
Reference is made to an old project, The Impact Project, where they went over
outlines of their courses with the community colleges and the CSUs. Merritt’s
Articulation Officer has given Business faculty info on how they had to change
factors in their discipline to continue to be able to offer degrees in their discipline.
This gives them an opportunity to prop up CTE curriculums to the transfer process,
so to set up a higher standard of living, for life.
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Suggestion that
the DEC have a
report-back
from faculty who
attended their
statewide
discipline
meetings on SB
1440.
SB 1440 has
been mandated
by law, and all
our Articulation
Officers are our
in-house experts
on SB 1440.
SB 1440 needs to
be embraced and
strongly
endorsed by all
of us. How can
Peralta be a
leader, especially
to help bring
cooperation in
working with the
local CSUs?
With leadership from the College Articulation Officers, faculty from the colleges
come together and create a transfer model curriculum (TMC) to be able to get an
AA degree. A matrix is created into which a college’s courses must be plugged.
The CSUs are looking for a loophole in the law. But, This is challenging the CSUs
to look at their disciplines to see if their courses are being offered in the correct
order. The CSUs are saying that their junior year version of a course is not similar
to their freshman year course.
4
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Achieving Parity of Full-time FTE between the Colleges:
(See handout). In December, the DEC met and forwarded to the PBI Council a list
of a specific number of faculty that should be hired. There is now a hiring freeze so
no new faculty are being hired. So, they’re looking at achieving parity of full-time
faculty by transferring faculty from campus to campus. After this, they will look at
transferring classified staff in the same way. Some transfers have been inspired in
Districtwide discipline meetings, and some at VPs & Deans’ meetings. They also
know they need to follow the PFT contract.
Some faculty appreciate having their elders around, but also feel they should be
offered golden handshakes to leave. A lot of faculty are not retiring voluntarily
because they fear their programs may disintegrate, as they will not be replaced.
Q about whether the District is meeting its FON.
VC Budd: This year we should make our FON; the following year may be different.
The closer you get to the goal becomes your new base. You either have to maintain
your own base, or get close. It’s always a balancing act. We are reallocating
resources, since we can’t hire new faculty.
The PFT contract reads that any faculty member can be placed at two colleges, and
that faculty can voluntarily move from one college to another, or if faculty are
under-loaded. We plan to do the voluntary process, where an announcement is
made to all faculty with a discipline in the area. If more than one faculty are
interested, the most senior faculty member gets the priority.
The SMT has been working with the Chancellor to make this happen. Also, there is
a possibility of some retirements coming this year. The numbers that were discussed
at the DEC Committee meeting are being used in the discussions at SMT. We’ve
been looking at how the notices go out to faculty; also at how an entire program
would move to another college, if desired.
Since we’re not in the perfect world and can’t hire the numbers of full-time faculty
they determined in the DEC earlier, at least we’re working districtwide to bring
parity among the colleges. We can’t loose momentum now, at trying to bring parity.
5
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Much collaboration and cooperation has been fostered among the VPIs this past
year. Even with some tension around the number of new faculty each college would
get back in December, they have now moved even beyond this to a very cooperative
process of sharing and moving faculty to bring parity among the colleges.
Counseling faculty position was No. 1 priority at COA; they only have 2.5 FTE
counselors and are worried about the district “robbing Peter to pay Paul” as they
can’t afford to loose any more counselors. They are having a retreat to figure out
just how to continue providing services to their students, in light of loosing 2 fulltime counselors to retirements and most of their part-time counselors to cuts.
VC Budd: The plan is not to “rob Peter to pay Paul” – they won’t let this happen, as
this would undermine everything.
Concern is expressed with the voluntary transfer factor of e.g., faculty who plan to
retire soon.
The things on the list are related to their hiring priorities list; and there is an
interview as part of the process.
The question is: How do we maximize our service to the students.
III. Assessment –
Programs, Colleges, and
District Processes
 Annual Program Updates
o Continued review
of Fall 2010
materials/data
o Review processes
and timelines for
Spring & Fall
2011
VC Budd reminds people we’re having an Assessment Summit on April 8th,
where the action will happen at each College. At the District, we will invite the
service centers to make sure we all are doing unit program reviews.
Jenny Lowood just finished a year long training with WASC and ACCJC on
assessment. She had a long conversation with Barbara Beno about this, which
scared her. She said that when the ACCJC comes in 2012, we need to show we are
closing our loops on assessment. She also said we need to be doing program
assessments, besides course assessments. First, they have to define their programs,
including student life, administration, and other factors.
VC Budd
reminds people
we’re been
looking to have
an Assessment
Summit on April
8th, where the
action will
happen at each
College. At the
District, we will
invite the service
6
DECISIONS
Agenda Item



Assessment Summit
Update - District-wide
April 8, 2011
Service Area Outcomes District Service Centers
What is the DEC’s roll?
Discussion
(See handout). Re Psych 1A. Faculty decided there are 4 program outcomes. They
are mapped to 7 SLOs. For every program outcome, you need to show where is it
introduced, developed and mastered. When you do a program matrix, you can find
out if their programs really match their SLOs, and see what needs to be changed.
The matrix helps you do your program assessment. You can go bottom up, or top
down, or look at it in slices. Program assessment needs to drive your program
planning. We should have SLOs in all our courses, they should be on the syllabi.
The connection between their assessments and their findings needs to be clarified
and strengthened. What we come out with is what we need, which should feed back
into our assessment.
This can be a program by program assessment.
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
centers to make
sure we all are
doing unit
program
reviews.
Program
assessment needs
to drive your
program
planning.
Q about terms being used: “introduce, develop and master.” What are the markers?
How will you know? First, students are introduced to a subject; then they work to
learn it (development); then they learn to master it. Program assessment rubrics
are where you see your markers and how you will know. They are not even sure,
however, if they will keep using the same terms used here.
This allows you to really examine your curriculum. There shouldn’t be a cavern in
between. There should be a way to get students from one point, through it, to the
goal.
At Merritt we worked on “maps” which is similar to the matrix. That visual
depiction gives you a picture to show where your gaps are, and to better see what
you need to do. At COA, people are excited about what they are planning with their
new web site, where students can see the whole map, i.e., all courses they need to
reach their goal, pictures of faculty teaching the courses, etc.
Their maps help them assess their need for student services, as well.
How do we make structural change when we have overworked, overtaxed faculty
who are expected to do this? At BCC they are planning an assessment week (dead
week) when students can do alternative assignments, and faculty spend their time
doing assessment. There can be a curriculum aspect to what the students are doing
to make it exciting for them. Your assessment needs to be sustainable.
7
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
At BCC they are also having a Student Services Month where they focus on SLO
assessments in the student services area.
How about
having a week
BBarr: Finds this discussion very exciting. When you know what the program
called the
outcomes are, then you can consider alternative means to get there. Structural
“Student Success
change has to have a purpose behind it. Structural change goes hand in hand in
Week.”
identifying outcomes.
Reference is
made to a
BBarr: At a League of Innovation (LOI) conference recently, a college in the South publication that
took a beginning algebra course, and then reversed it. Faculty may feel good and
refers to four
look like, or feel like they looked like, they mastered a course. This college reversed key factors (the
the process: they did homework in class, and then sent the lectures home. The
four “C’s”:
students feel they produced more than ever, learned more than ever, had help there
Collaboration,
in classroom with homework, etc.
creativity,
critical thinking,
BBarr: Another college gave students another 8 weeks, e.g., to fully learn the
and
subject. They did assessment exams, and students improved by 20%. When
communication).
students learn the path they are to take, they get there in better shape. He once took
a critical thinking course, but didn’t know it was a critical thinking course, as no one We have to have
said that.
SLOs that all
align up. We
How about having a week called the “Student Success Week.” Reference is
should have
made to a publication that refers to four key factors (the four “C’s”:
SLOs at the
Collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication).
District level
also, not Board
The maps and charts are for students; they need to understand what they need to
Goals, upon
know to be successful outside the classroom, outside the college. We have to have which our
SLOs that all align up. We should have SLOs at the District level also, not
management
Board Goals, upon which our management evaluations and contracts are
evaluations and
based.
contracts are
based.
We need to look at assessment from the bottom up, and to look at buy-in for all
involved in assessment.
Suggestion is to
put Student
The DAS President feels that part of her role is to help faculty. Lecture capture is to Services and
8
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
help students learn. This will and must require changing how we teach.
At COA, Scott Albright has been using student engagement, learning communities,
peer learning, in-class study groups including doing homework in class (and less
lectures). His average test scores have increased from 35 to 70%, and students are
begging for his lectures, and doing them on their own at home. He’s been using
non-traditional teaching methods, with great results, and investing in smart
classrooms on his own.
What kinds of changes can the District make, like giving guidance, making the
space, for this kind of assessment (and change) to be done?
We will always need strategic planning, but we also need to do local evolutionary
planning – both pieces will always be necessary.
Anita Black has got some great YouTube videos on creating a business plan, and
PowerPoints on how to give a good speech and lecture. If we’re about doing a
paradigm shift, we feel the District should easily support this, and we should use all
avenues we can. E.g., how can we use PCTV to do video streaming? If the videos
can be housed there, then we could send students to PCTV to view specific lectures.
We could have PCTV interview faculty about their lectures.
SLOs are developed by a group of important parties; one informs the other. We
must develop our ILOs along side our SLOs. Maybe this DEC body can develop
our ILOs.
VC Budd: This has been a very rich discussion, where everything she wants to say,
is said by someone else first. We’ve done so much collaboration together
districtwide this past year.
Suggestion is to put Student Services and time for ILOS from each college on
our next DEC Agenda. We will also look at DLO’S, ILO’S. Have PCTV come
to next DEC Meeting to see if they can house video streaming there.
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
time for ILOS
from each
college on our
next DEC
Agenda. We
will also look at
DLO’S, ILO’S.
Have PCTV
come to next
DEC Meeting to
see if they can
house video
streaming there.
A sub-committee
of Jenny
Lowood,
Rebecca Kenney
& Eric
Gravenberg will
work together to
change their
form. If they tie
in budget
development
into the process,
there will be
more buy-in.
SLO campus
chairs should be
involved in this
sub-committee
also.
A sub-committee of Jenny Lowood, Rebecca Kenney & Eric Gravenberg will
work together to change their form. If they tie in budget development into the
9
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
process, there will be more buy-in. SLO campus chairs should be involved in
this sub-committee also.
IV. Accreditation
(See Handout.) VC Budd: Next Thurs, March 24, 4-5pm, there will be an open
forum, a town hall, to review the final draft of the Accreditation Follow-Up Rpt
before the Board adopts it. VC Budd also offers to visit the colleges before the
team comes, April 11-12.
VCES goes over each recommendation of ACCJC, and where we’re at now. So
much work has been done and so much progress has been made this past year,
especially in the financial arena. Budd has done an overview and updated the CAM
(Corrective Action Matrix), with a draft of the report.
The last team who came said we had done a lot of work. A big weakness though
was our OPEB bonds, and our audit. These are being addressed. In our Academic
Advising modules, there is a transcript summary piece. We’re now looking at why
all our systems run continuously, which may be creating an overload on our system.
Next Thurs,
March 24, 45pm, there will
be an open
forum, a town
hall, to review
the final draft of
the Accred.
Follow-Up Rpt
before the Board
adopts it. VC
Budd also offers
to visit the
colleges before
the team comes,
April 11-12.
We just learned last week that there will be an Accreditation Team coming to
visit all our colleges and the District April 11-12. Last year they said this also, but
then didn’t go to all the colleges.
We just learned
last week that
Note: Colleges on warning must correct deficiencies within two years; we’re on there will be an
a timeline/deadline and can’t rest.
Accred. Team
coming to visit
all our colleges
and the District
April 11-12.
Note: Colleges
on warning must
correct
10
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
deficiencies
within two
years; we’re on a
timeline/deadline
and can’t rest,.
IV. Other Updates
 Health Center Update
(Ng/Dudley)
 Counselor
Functionality Team
Resolution re:
Academic Advising
& Transcript
Summary - Update on
Academic Advising
Module
Health Center Update (Ng):
We are attempting to collect all Health Fees; we’ve collected over $600,000 since
January 2011. We’ve had no problem paying Asian Health Services this year. Two
of our College Nurses are key: Patricia Dudley is our Health Services Director; and
Indra Thadani is our Health Center Director. Dudley’s role includes budget
development; Thadani’s role includes making sure students are served well at the
Center. A Health Services Plan will be ready next week. He will present it to the
DAS President, and to the DEC Committee. All students at all colleges, and also
staff, can use services of the Health Center. At this point, the location is at Laney
College; but satellite centers are planned for each college. At Laney, they are now
in the 4th floor of the student center, but will move to a trailer soon; then a
permanent building will be built to house the Health Center. They did a survey of
100 students at each college.
Request is made
that staff from
Asian Health
Services, and
Patricia Dudley
and Indra
Thadani also
attend our next
DEC meeting.
Q re equity in services to e.g., Merritt students, especially, since all students are
paying the mandatory health service fees. Some students have been dropped that
couldn’t pay the health fees, even though they are not receiving or benefiting from
the services.
Students are not being dropped who don’t pay the $17 fee. There is a lot of info
online about Peralta health services; it is updated bi-weekly
Request is made that staff from Asian Health Services, and Patricia Dudley and
Indra Thadani also attend our next DEC meeting. Merritt had AHS attend a
college meeting and want them to address all of us.
11
DECISIONS
Agenda Item
Discussion
Counselor Functionality Team Resolution re: Academic Advising &
Transcript Summary - Update on Academic Advising Module
At the District Matriculation Meeting, they had wanted to do a resolution regarding
the Academic Advising Module, supporting a new position for A&R to evaluate outof-state transcripts. Concern is expressed about A&R staff overturning Department
Chair decisions on courses needed by students after review of their transcripts.
The concern about having someone who can evaluate out-of-state transcripts is not
new. We do have a transcript evaluator already.
Transcript evaluation is a precise need and we need people with the expertise
required to adequately evaluate these transcripts. Some question whether the
staff in A&R who are evaluating transcripts really have this expertise.
Most important is the initial transcript evaluation – before a student even gets
accepted and comes to Peralta.
The Matriculation Committee will work with Student Services to work out any
differences.
VI. Close
Meeting adjourned at 12:07 p.m. by Co-Chair VC Budd.
Next meeting:
April 15, 2011, 9:00 – 12noon; D.O. Board Room
Follow-up
Action
(Shared Agreement
/Resolved or
Unresolved?)
Transcript
evaluation is a
precise need and
we need people
with the
expertise
required to
adequately
evaluate these
transcripts.
Some question
whether the staff
in A&R who are
evaluating
transcripts
really have this
expertise.
The
Matriculation
Committee will
work with
Student Services
to work out any
differences.
[Next Agenda Items: Student Services Rpt.; Time for DLOS & ILOS from
each college; SB 1440 – Rpts from Faculty who have attended statewide
discipline meetings; Peralta Student Health Services (w/Dudley, Thadani, and
Asian Health Svcs); PCTV re to see if they can house video streaming there.]
Minutes taken by Pat Jameson
12