COLLEGE OF MARIN
ACADEMIC SENATE
MEETING MINUTES FOR May 1, 2008
12:45 – 2:00
Student Service Building, Conference Rooms A & B
Senators Present: Carol Adair, Yolanda Bellisimo, Michael Dougan, Ron
Gaiz, Erika Harkins, Patrick Kelly, Robert Kennedy, Arthur Lutz, Sara
McKinnon, Joe Mueller, Meg Pasquel, Radica Portello, Blaze Woodlief, Derek
Wilson
Senators Absent: Ingrid Kelly,
Guests Rinetta Early, Kathy Freschi, Fernando Agudelo-Silva
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Summary
Consented to adding Derek Wilson, Ingrid Kelly and Winn Cottle to
DETAL.
Consented to having two SLO/ program review facilitators, allotting
three units for each position. The Senate will provide job description
and will call for applications.
Accepted AP4260 – Prerequisites and Co-requisites.
Consented to the formation of a faculty committee to oversee the
study abroad program.
Moved to action -AP4021 (Revitalization and Discontinuance);
AP4225 (Course Repetition); and AP 4100 (Graduation Requirements
for Degrees & Certificates.
I. Approval and Adoption of the Agenda. Approved
II. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of April 24, 2008. Approved as
amended.
III. Officers’ Reports
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President: (See written report attached.)
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Vice President: No report.
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Treasurer: The March ending balance is $2,696.63.
IV. Committee Reports
 Curriculum Derek Wilson:
The CC approved general process that the Tech Prep Program uses to
articulate local high school courses with COM courses. The CC does not
require formal approval of Tech Prep articulation agreements–the
articulation agreements are determined by the COM and high school faculty
(similar to AP classes). However, the CC does need to remain informed of
the current agreements.
As a result it was agreed that current Tech Prep agreements should be held
in a binder in the Office of Instructional Management for access and
reference. The COM Tech Prep liaison will also provide a copy of this binder
to the counselors, in addition to posting all agreements on the Tech Prep
web site. This agreement will include contact info for faculty from both
COM and the respective high school(s).
Future Tech Prep agreements will come to the CC as an information item in
the form of a memo. Which will then added to the binders and available for
discussion if deemed necessary.
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The most pressing issue in front of the CC is the issue of class size. The
administrators on UDWC will not approve any new course or revised course
for which the class size is less than the current or other classes.
There is no flexibility or consideration of health and safety, facility capacity
[room size], student learning outcomes or pedagogy requirements. For
example, the CC has been forced to approve a biology class with a cap of
28, even though the room in which the course is taught only holds 12. The
administrators have assured the AS that this insistence is only technical,
and that even though the class outline shows 28, adjustments will be made
on an individual basis. However, Wilson maintains that the Banner program
uses the class max from the course outline of record (as confirmed by OIM
staff). Wilson further explained that class size will be more problematic
during the interim swing space usage during modernization. And there has
yet to be any formal memo stating class sizes will be adjusted based upon
the criteria mentioned above.
Yolanda Bellisimo will discuss the class size problem with Vice President
Anita Martinez and ask her to come speak to the AS about the subject.
Academic Standards No report.
Community Education Erika Harkins: Erika will bring the Community Education
enrollment numbers next week. She reported that Community Ed. again has
official student evaluations for its classes and that Emeritus will elect its new
officers at the end of the month.
Governance Committees
V. Consent Agenda
a) DETAL appointments: Yolanda requested consent to add Derek Wilson, Ingrid
Kelly, and Winn Cottle to the committee. Consent
b) SLO/Program Review Facilitators. Originally we had planned to provide three
units for an SLO facilitator and three units for a Program Review leader.
The experience of the last year has caused us to realize that it would be
more efficient to combine the job of SLO facilitator and program review
leader. We will have a SLO/Program Review Facilitator for humanities and
another SLO/Program Review Facilitator for math science. These two will
co-chair the program review committee. The district has consented.
Yolanda will write the job description and after the Senate approves of the
description, it will send out a call for applicants. The Senate will then select
from among the candidates. The call will go out in Fall 2008. Consent
VI. Action Items
a) Proposed District Procedure: AP4260 – Prerequisites and Co-requisites (for
courses). Accepted
The Curriculum Committee will have to revise the pre- and corequisite part of the curriculum form to reflect the accepted
procedures. Also, the catalogue must be changed to include
information on process.
VII. Discussion
a) New Study Abroad Model. Kathy Freschi reported to the Senate that COM’s
Study Abroad Program has been accepted as an associate member of the
NCSAC (Northern California Study Abroad Consortium) for 2008 – 2009.
This is a tremendous opportunity for COM students and, ultimately for
COM’s faculty. If the college is able to meet the Consortium’s requirements
in the first year, it will be moved to full membership. Then COM’s teachers
will be able to teach classes abroad. There will be an informational meeting
on Tuesday, May 6 from 4-6 in HC 124. Members of the Consortium will be
there. The deadline for student registration is May 23. Senators
questioned whether the program will be self-supporting. Kathy replied that
the students’ tuition pays for most of the program although some clerical
and administrative work must be absorbed by the college. She asked the
Senate to form a governance committee to oversee the program. The
Senate agreed to form a Study Aboard Oversight Committee on the
condition that the administration commit full support to the program.
b) 75% Rule by Department Radica Portello distributed the unit allocations for
Spring 2008 as background for our research of how COM is approaching
the required balance of full and part-time faculty.
c) Greenhouse Removal at Kentfield Fernando Agudelo-Silva reported to the
Senate that the greenhouse at the COM campus has been scheduled for
demolition. (The Landscape Program has been moved to IVC. Also the new
science building will be built where the old greenhouse is now located.)The
modernization plan does not include a new greenhouse at COM. Many
science classes, including biology, soils, environmental biology and
ecology, use the greenhouse each semester. The Senators agreed that
COM needs an appropriate-sized greenhouse and asked Fernando to help
the Senate justify this by providing it with data: how many students use
the green house and in what classes; how much it would cost to rebuild a
greenhouse or to move the one we have; where a greenhouse should go.
When the Senate gets the information, Yolanda will write a feasibility study
with recommendations to take to IPC. Kennedy commented that these are
the kinds of things the Senate should keep track of, because facilities
decisions affect the quality of the academic program.
VIII Action Items:
a) AP4021 - Revitalization and Discontinuance Procedure Blaze Woodlief
presented a draft of the procedure. Senators suggest some changes in
wording and philosophy. It was thought especially important that the
procedure reflect the fact that, while the problem of a non-thriving
program can be identified from any direction, the deciding body must be
the IPC, not the administration. Already the IPC has identified one
program on campus, football, which needs revitalization. However, now,
the PE Department doesn’t have to make changes until the college has a
revitalization procedure in place. The Senate asked Patrick Kelley to send
the proposed draft to the faculty at large and agreed to move the
procedure forward as an action item. The Senate reiterated that it will not
vote on this until May 15.
b) AP 4225 – Course Repetition (applies to credit courses where a
substandard grade was earned) The Senate consent to move this forward
as an action item.
c) AP4100 – Graduation Requirements for Degrees & Certificates. The Senate
consent to move this forward as an action item.
IX. Adjournment: 2:00 PM
For questions or information concerning the Academic Senate minutes,
please contact: Carol Adair: carol.adaiar@marin.edu X7367
Attachments
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
May 1, 2008
1)
IPC and Budget Meeting
By next week I’ll have a report on the budget recommendations from the Budget Committee for
supplies and equipment. In addition, the IPC recommended allocation of units for part time
classes above this year’s allocations based upon demonstrated need from program reviews. Once
I get an electronic copy of the recommendations for part time units for classes, I will forward that
to you. I can also report next week on the Facilities Committee recommendation that were
brought to IPC today. These will be passed on to Budget for next week’s Budget meeting.
2)
Special Board Meeting
The Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, April 29th to review the findings of program review, the
recommendations of IPC, and the Budget Committee. About two hours were spent on this
presentation and the board discussed current budget projections, recommendations for funding
equipment, issues regarding staffing, and ways in which the Budget Committee was approaching
3 to 5 year long-term planning. The Board at its next meeting will consider the tentative budget
based upon recommendations from the Budget Committee. And I’m betting you never thought
you would read the previous sentence in a COM document!
We still have a long ways to go however. The Budget Committee needs to address alternative
forms of funding and look at other sources of funds that are in our budget, like the Hamilton
funds and San Rafael Redevelopment funds, but have not yet been addressed by Budget. The
committee is also interested in setting standards for what should be anticipated in the long term
budget planning, like timely technology replacement.
3.
Executive Summaries
The Executive Summaries have been completed. The document is printed and was being bound
today. I will bring copies for you tomorrow.