COLLEGE OF MARIN
ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES
For March 4, 2010
12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Student Service Building, Conference Rooms A & B
Senators Present: Yolanda Bellisimo, Joe Mueller, Michael Dougan, Rinetta Early, Arthur Lutz,
Derek Wilson, Christine Li, Erika Harkins, Ron Gaiz, Radica Portello, Eric Dunmire, Blaze Woodlief
Senators Absent: Sara McKinnon, Meg Pasquel, Joetta Scott
Minutes
I. Approval and Adoption of the Agenda: adopted
III. Officers’ Reports
President (Yolanda Bellisimo): Written. Attached. Discussion here included the Legislative
Analysts’ Report, the fact that the State Academic Senate is lobbying against a change in the 50percent law and full-time faculty obligation, as well as cuts in EOPS and part-time compensation.
Also, changes must be made locally to prevent the state from picking off courses like PE and art
that are used as vocational, but paid at the transfer level.
Vice-President (Derek Wilson): It’s recommended that we create an annual Academic Senate
report, particularly in light of the fact that another COM president is leaving and the Board of
Trustees is a mess. The point would be to show that when the COM faculty works together, as it
did in saving the school from WASC, we can achieve good things. We want to separate ourselves
from the district in terms of public perception. Discussion followed on the logistics of achieving
this. It will be added as a discussion item next week.
Treasurer’s Report (Ron Gaiz): We picked up another $129 in faculty contributions, bringing
our (nothing-to-do-with-UPM) Union Bank account to $1,291.03.
IV: Committee Reports
Academic Standards (Rinetta Early): Several APs have been concluded, and will be placed on
the agenda March 25.
Community Education (Erika Harkins): It appears that community education will not be
offering any more noncredit classes in physical education. Those will be changed back to fee
classes. Paychecks keep being sent to the counseling department, which is illegal.
V: Consent Agenda
a) To Approve Superintendent/President Screening Committee Members: Senate President
Bellisimo said about 12 individuals had volunteered to serve on this committee. She
recommended that we select Patrick Kelly, Sarah McKinnon and Derek Wilson. That will
give us a broad representation of programs, as well as people with deep experience with
the governance process, with WASC, with program review and with experience in
screening committee procedures. Lastly, she said, we want “faculty members who would
fight for the faculty, people who have proven that they would stand up for us, and who
also know when to use diplomacy.” Consent was granted to these appointments
b) To Approve Gift for Dong Nguyen: Following a senatorial debate on the carbon footprints of
various menu items, a $100 dinner certificate was approved in gratitude for Mr. Nguyen’s
outstanding work for the senate and the college.
VI: Action Items:
a) To Approve AP/BP 4235 Credit by Exam: Approved.
b) To Approve AP 4225 Course Repetition: Approved.
VII: Discussion
a) Review Questions/Memo Regarding Academic Complex: Senator Dunmire suggested
that we assemble an inventory of buildings that would be replaced, to include the
name of the buildings, the number of rooms, the assignable square footage, the
estimated capacity, wether or not the rooms are “smart” and are lab or lecture spaces.
Moved to next week’s action agenda.
b) Reduction Strategies from Other Colleges: Senator Bellisimo has found a survey of this
information from single and multiple-college districts. She will link it online.
c) AP/BP Matriculation, AP/BP 5055 Enrollment: Moved to next week’s action agenda.
d) BP 4050 Articulation, APBP 4300 Field Trips and Excursions, BP 4070 Auditing, AP 4500
Students News Media: Moved to next week’s action agenda.
e) First Day Absences – Drops and Warnings (Mueller): Deferred until next week.
VIII: New Business:
Senator Portello asked Senate guidance for a problem that arose in the election of the new chair
for Modern Languages. She asked that advice be offered from individual senators, privately,
after adjournment.
IX: Public Requests to Address the Senate on Non-Agenda Items: None
X: Adjournment: In honor of recently deceased former social sciences faculty member Millard
Morgan, whom Senator Bellisimo described as “adorable” and “a wonderful, unbelievable
scholar.”
For questions or information concerning the Academic Senate minutes, please contact: Michael
Dougan: michael.dougan@marin.edu, X7336.