COLLEGE OF MARIN
ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES
FOR January 29, 2009
12:45 p.m. – 2:04 p.m.
Student Service Building, Conference Rooms A & B
Senators Present: Yolanda Bellisimo, Michael Dougan, Ron Gaiz, Erika Harkins, Robert
Kennedy, Arthur Lutz, Sara McKinnon, , Meg Pasquel, Radica Portello, Derek Wilson, Blaze
Woodlief, Eric Dunmire
Senators Absent: Patrick Kelly, Joe Mueller
Summary


Motions passed in support of Educational Master Plan , Integrated Planning Model
and General Education SLOs.
Joetta Tennison-Scott tapped to serve remainder of the late Carol Adair’s Senate
term.
Minutes
I. Approval and Adoption of the Agenda: Agenda accepted
II. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of Jan. 22, 2009: Minutes accepted
III. Officers’ Reports
President: In writing. Attached
Vice-President (Derek Wilson): The computer serving program review and curriculum
committees is outdated and unreliable. It recently crashed. Again. Multiple PCs at IVC are
infected by viruses. The campus-wide computer network is “whacky.” All of this is attributable to
an inadequate IT department, which has been led for some time by interim hires. A permanent
replacement who can restore order and focus is required immediately. (AS President Belissimo
responded that she and the vice-president will bring this matter to COM President White at their
next regular meeting.)
The chancellor’s office is scrutinizing the use of TBA hours statewide, and has found that some
schools are abusing this feature. It is clear that TBA hours must be scheduled, and must be
comprised of line-of-site, student-contact hours. COM is conducting an inventory of TBA hours.
Sen. Wilson will bring the matter before the next session of the Curriculum Committee.
IV. Committee Reports

Academic Standards: Rinetta Early. Written.

Community Education (Erika Harkins): Problems with registration continue to occur.
Students must register in the old system, then have their data copied into Banner by the
Admissions Department staff.
Discussions are being held regarding a shift from the quarter system to the semester
system for Community Ed. Sen. Harkins thinks this makes sense.
V: Consent Agenda (Belissimo): A faculty member is needed for the Technology Committee.
Also, the Senate approved reimbursement for expenses accrued by Senator McKinnon at a
recent conference
VI: Action Items
a) Motion to expand permitted length of support/oppose statements to be included in
staff survey on constitutional amendment to change the size and composition of the
Academic Senate: These are the results of a roll call vote (requested by Sen. Lutz):
Yes: Dunmire, Lutz, Dougan
No: Wilson, Harkins, Pasquel, McKinnon, Woodlief, Gaiz, Kennedy
Abstain: Portello
The motion failed.
b) Motion to approve the Educational Master Plan: Passed.
c) Motion to approve the Integrated Planning Model: Passed.
d) Motion to approve general education SLOs: Passed.
VII: Discussion
President Belissimo recommended that Counselor Joetta Tennison-Scott be appointed
fill the Senate seat left empty by the death of irreplaceable Carole Adair. The Senate
gave unanimous consent. Senator Tennison-Scott will be seated at the next meeting,
and will serve out Senator Adair’s term (ending June 2010).
Also: A free-ranging discussion hit upon topics including the SLO wiki space, strategic
initiatives, program review, the publication of an Academic Senate annual report, bylaw
revisions, the need for a clearing house for Banner-related problems, COM’s irrational
class cancellation policy, compilation of a Senate to-do list, and the status of our
endangered AA degrees
ADJOURNMENT: 2:04 p.m.
For questions or information concerning the Academic Senate minutes, please contact: Michael
Dougan: michael.dougan@marin.edu, X7336.