COLLEGE OF MARIN
ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES
For Nov. 12, 2009
12:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m.
Student Service Building, Conference Rooms A & B
Senators Present:, Michael Dougan, Joetta Scott, Ron Gaiz, Robert Kennedy, Arthur Lutz,
Derek Wilson, Blaze Woodlief, Meg Pasquel, Erika Harkins
Senators Absent: Joe Mueller, Eric Dunmire, Yolanda Bellisimo, Sara McKinnon, Radica Portello
Minutes
I. Approval and Adoption of the Agenda: adopted
II. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of Nov. 5, 2009: approved as amended.
III. Officers’ Reports
President (Yolanda Bellisimo): Written. Attached.
IV. Committee Reports: None.
V: Consent Agenda:
No items.
VI: Action Items:
None
VII. Discussion
a) BP/AP 5010 Admissions (Early): Deferred to a later meeting.
b) Communicating Emergency and Other Information to Faculty/Staff (Wilson):
A very problematic power outage at IVC this morning, which came with almost no warning,
illustrates the problem here. A number of people, including several senators in attendance
today, did not receive the text-message warning that they had signed up for. In this era of
mass construction at both campuses, other issues are certain to arise. We experience an
“extreme lack of communication” from the district in a number of areas, including safety,
academic issues, current policies and procedures, as well as communication problems
between faculty and staff on matters like vacations and adjunct assignment sheets. The
current administration is making decisions without properly vetting those decisions and
sharing them according to shared governance procedures.
Senator Lutz asked about the policy regarding faculty email communications. Are they
considered private? It’s a matter that has come up at other schools. Should the Academic
Senate address this issue? Senator Wilson said it would be another case of establishing
protocols. He said we should collect a list of all pending protocol questions, and that the
communication matter is not just what you do, but who is in charge. Senator Scott said
making contact with United Professors of Marin might be a useful step. Senator Wilson
agreed, noting that there is a UPM Health and Safety Committee that might have similar
concerns. He said the problem relates primarily to administrative program review.
c) Pathways Analysis Findings and Recommendations (Kennedy): Senator Kennedy posted a
large chart on the wall depicting the results of his extensive research into academic
pathways at the College of Marin. He said it is “a work in progress” intended to “get us away
from the trees and try to look at the forest a little better.” This led to a detailed discussion
about a number of issues, including whether students in foundation skills classes should get
grades and how our math requirements compare to those at four-year schools.
d) Class Maximums Sidebar Update (Wilson): We are in “the same mobius loop” that we’ve
been in forever. Courses we took forward to Vice President Chang were cut or rejected by
the UDWC. He said we should leave some courses unchanged because we don’t know what
size classroom they will be assigned to after construction is completed. It was agreed that
Vice-President Chang will be invited to attend next week’s Senate session to explain his
position.
Senator Lutz said that since this is an item under negotiation, it might not be appropriate to
invite Vice-President Chang to a Senate session. That led to a secondary discussion with the
conclusion that Mr. Chang will be asked to come to our next meeting.
VIII: New Business: None.
IX. Public Requests to Address the Senate on Non-Agenda Items: None
X: Adjournment: 2:05 p.m.
For questions or information concerning the Academic Senate minutes, please contact: Michael
Dougan: michael.dougan@marin.edu, X7336.