Minutes of the Communication Committee
Ocean Avenue Campus, Room ArtsX 170 – May 3, 2005
Members Present: Attila Gabor, Carol Hudson, Joe Jah, Andrea Niosi, Francine Podenski, Kevin Viard
Members Absent: Martha Lucey
Resources Present: Tom Hetherington, Tom Blair
Resources Absent: Beth Cataldo
Guests Present: Will Maynez and Joy Durighello representing the Works of Art Committee; Athena Steff and
A. Smiley Curtis representing Graphic Communications.
1.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes from the April 2005 meeting were approved.
2.
OLD BUSINESS
a. WORK PLAN - COMMUNICATIONS PLAN DRAFT
The committee discussed an action plan to begin formal review of the current draft of the District
Communications Plan. Dean Martha Lucey has volunteered to seek input from administrators during
Summer 2005; during Fall 2005 the committee will seek input from students, staff and faculty.. After
review of the document has been completed, the document will go back to the Academic Senate. A
work group from the Communications committee, consisting of Joe Jah, Martha Lucey, Kevin Viard,
Francine Podenski and Andrea Niosi will facilitate the review process.
b. EATV-CH27 STUDY GROUP
The EATV study group chaired by Tom Blair is scheduled to have a preliminary meeting May 3rd to
plan work for Fall 2005. Members of the work group currently include: Tim Ryan, Bruce Smith,
Francine Podenski, John Odell, Janet Willet, Mamie How, Martha Lucey and Kevin Viard. The group
plans to look at what other educational channels are doing and ways to improve content. Work will
begin in Fall 2005 and will support the EATV-Ch27 Program Review process.
c. NEW CATALOG
The new 70th anniversary edition of the College Catalog will be delivered May 5, and be made
available on the 6th of May.
d. NEWSPAPER KIOSKS
The proposal to install newspaper kiosks at all of the campuses was accepted by the College Advisory
Council. The contract is currently being worked out. Juan Gonzales, the chair of the Journalism
department will be invited to attend a Communications Committee meeting in the fall to give a
progress report.
3.
NEW BUSINESS
a. NEW BUSINESS CARD DESIGN – WORKS OF ART COMMITTEE PRESENTATION
Representing the Works of Art Committee, Will Maynez and Joy Durighello presented a proposal to
offer the option of business cards with images of City College art on the backside. Athena Steff and
A. Smiley Curtis representing Graphic Communications also attended the meeting and provided
important details from the printing side of the process.
Though the idea of an art business card option was supported the Communications Committee, there
are numerous and complex details to work out before this proposal can be formally recommended to
the College Advisory Council. Procedurally, it was pointed out that Shared Governance protocol
requires that the Works of Art Committee present the proposal to their parent committee, Facilities
Review. After Facilities Review formally supports the proposal, the Communications Committee
recommends that a “Business Card Work Group” be established consisting of members of the
Communications Committee, Works of Art Committees, Facilities, Diversity Committee, & Graphic
Communications faculty/staff to research and oversee the project. When the proposal is ready, it will
be presented to the College Advisory Council for consideration. Graphic Communications
Department Chair Smiley Curtis announced that his program is not able to accommodate printing the
“art option business card.” Arrangements must be made with an approved outside vendor for faculty
and staff wanting to order these cards. Because of the additional cost of printing, the Communications
Committee recommends that there be a requirement that these cards be funded by individuals and/or
grant funds and that they may NOT be ordered through the general fund supply requisition process.
b. PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE POSTED FLYERS IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH
TO INCLUDE ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The discussion centered on whether having an English translation on flyers approved for posting on
district property is primarily an accessibility issue or whether other issues also need full consideration.
Could requiring an English translation be a violation of the First Amendment? Do students have a
right to be able to post flyers only in their native languages? What are the ramifications for this
proposal on campuses that have a large population of non-English speaking students? Members
agreed that to have a useful discussion, the committee will need to first look at the requirements the
school holds for approving flyers for posting. After a lengthy and passionate discussion, it became
apparent that the flyer translation proposal is a complex issue that will require consultation with
representatives from various constituent groups, Campus Deans, and Dean Fotch. This proposal will
be tabled till Fall ’05 semester.
4.
MEETING SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2005
Meeting dates for next fall will be on Tuesdays from 12:00PM -1:30 PM in ArtsX170 on the following
dates: Aug 30th; Oct. 4th; Nov. 2nd; and Nov. 29th.