Minutes: Committee on Consultation and Governance, Sept. 28, 2012
Members: Phyllis Arias, Delia DuRoss, Velvet Pearson, Janice Tomson
Guest: Kannesha Turrant, Dean of Counseling
The Committee met with Dean Turrant and discussed the process of hiring adjunct faculty that
occurred this past summer, 2012. She presented the committee with a timeline she had reconstructed
from the emails between herself and the department heads. The committee members listened and
asked a few questions for clarification.
The Committee determined this is an Academic and Professional matter and reviewed Regulation
3013, Administrative Regulations on Hiring Part-Time Hourly Faculty. The committee members
determined that this Regulation was not followed. The concern of Dean Turrant was that the hiring
would not be accomplished in time, even though the Department Heads assured her it would. The
Dean then stated that she would assume the responsibility of hiring adjuncts (Turrant document,
August 2nd-August 9 and emails dated Aug 2nd as well.)
Even if the department heads had not been able to complete the interviews in a timely manner,
Regulation 3013 addresses emergency hires (3013.8E), a practice that allows the department head
with the approval of the dean to do an emergency hire for one semester. Also, 3013.5 states that the
Department Head chairs the selection committee. In addition, at the conclusion of the interviews by
the selection committee, the candidates are recommended to the area dean for final selection
(3013.8C).
It appears to the members of the committee that no procedure in the Regulation allows the dean to
assume the responsibility of chairing, interviewing, and selecting adjunct hires, but there is a
procedure (emergency hires) if there is concern about the timeliness of the hiring.
Another concern of the committee is an issue with bias in favor of some of the candidates. Both in
email and discussion with Dean Turrant and the department heads, the committee heard that specific
recommendations from the Puente organization were being discussed about a specific candidate. The
hiring regulations were designed to prevent such bias and ensure that all candidates will be evaluated
based on the same criteria and not based on outside information before the screening or interview
process begins.
Recommendation
The primary concern of the committee is that the disregard of the Regulation 3013 does not happen
again and that Dean Turrant and other administrators and faculty be informed of the violation and
the appropriate processes to follow. To that end, the committee will report to the Senate President
and request that she meet with the chair of the Committee on Consultation and Governance, along
with the Vice Presidents of Student Services and Academic Affairs, to request that they review the
hiring procedures with their deans.
Furthermore, the committee recommends that the actions taken be reported to the Academic Senate
and that the Regulations for hiring part time faculty in Regulation 3013 be reviewed with the
Department Heads.
Responsibilities of the Committee on Consultation and Governance
1. Develop and update as necessary a process for investigating and registering faculty
complaints and steps to take in escalating complaints
2. Receive and investigate complaints
a. Is the complaint a Senate issue
b. Collect information or evidence to support complaints
c. Make recommendations to senate president
d. Compile and catalogue information
e. Recommend changes to exiting policy/regulation
3. Educate faculty on rights under Title 5 and Ed Code