Approved Minutes
Sacramento City College
Academic Senate
Thursday, August 18, 2011
President: Ginni May
Past-President: Connie Zuercher
Vice President: Greg Rose
Secretary: Troy Myers
Senators: Tamara Cheshire, Norman Lorenz, Lonnie Larson, Lynne Giovannetti, Karen
Kunimura, Susan Griffin, Chris Daubert, Angelia Jovanovic, Sue Carriere, Kim Beyrer,
Andrew Jones, Adam Freas, Amy Zannakis, Andrea Greenwell, Robin Roffey, Erica
Wagner, Patti Redmond, Jared Anderson, Joshua Roberts, Chris Seddon, Debbie
Gambrell, Debra Crumpton, Dena Chubbic.
Guests: Annette Barfield, LRCFT President; Marybeth Buechner, Dean of Institutional
Planning and Research.
Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Ginni at 12:02.
Approval of Minutes: deferred to our next meeting.
Introductions
Announcements:
Ginni asked for Senate approval for two appointed Senators, Andrea Greenwell and Robin
Roffey, both from Science and Allied Health; motion made and seconded, approved by
consensus.
Various Department Chairs have been sending Ginni information about FTE going back into
their schedules. Sociology and Business added courses, Graphic Communications also,
Geography, Communications, English, Psychology, and others. Chemistry had some issues this
fall because of labs and lectures but they are excited and have a plan to manage new FTE in the
spring.
New Senator Orientation: August 30th at 12:00 in RN 258; the Standing Committee chairs
have also been invited.
OLD BUSINESS
Budget
G. Rose
Greg reminded us that the numbers keep changing; a new budget went to the Los Rios Board just
last night. A typical budget year works like this: since almost all of our funding comes from the
State, in January the Governor’s Office releases the Budget, this is followed by the May revise
after updated numbers and further negotiations. Typically in June, July, August (or later) a final
budget is passed; the law requires the budget to be balanced on paper but it often makes use of
strategies to appear balanced when it is not really balanced. Because of the recent deficits in the
State budget there have been cuts in services. Community colleges statewide took a 313 million
dollar (400 million dollar?) hit. Los Rios is the second largest district in California, and whatever
the statewide cut is, we take 4.5 percent of the total hit. This shortfall has been primarily made
up for in Los Rios through reduction in FTE/course sections.
Things have momentarily stabilized, but A 100 million dollar additional cut is possible system
wide if state revenues are lower than projected in this year’s budget. Los Rios has lost about 7
percent of our FTE so far; this equates to about 360 section cuts District wide. Ginni noted that
ARC and SCC have made more cuts than the other campuses and when FTE returned, SCC and
ARC were given more of the restored FTE. Greg also noted that if student fees are increased, our
District Administration would like to see that increase come at the end of the academic year and
not midterm. What does the future look like? Greg told us there are quite mixed opinions on this.
The fact that our district has been financially stable and held reserves has helped ease the blow.
However, if in 2013-14 tax revenues do not increase as projected, and those revenues are
currently lagging, significant further cuts are possible, and Los Rios will not have reserves
available to cushion that impact.
Faculty Handbook Update
G. May
Final edits are being coordinated after faculty input over the summer. Ginni asked if anyone
would like to look at the document at our next meeting; consensus was that we would like to do
so and the Faculty Handbook will be put on the Agenda of our next meeting.
City Farm Update
G. May
A pilot project is underway with four raised beds near Lillard Hall. Those working on this
project are encouraged and hoping for further expansion.
NEW BUSINESS
College Goals
M. Buechner
A handout was provided. Late in the spring and early in the fall the College Strategic Planning
Committee meets, and at that time the college goals are examined. For years SCC has had 9
college goals. This time when the CSPC met they decided to restate the college goals in simpler,
broader terms and to include strategies as well. None of the old goals were lost, but some have
become “strategies.” The entire revision follows certain “Guiding Principles.” These are
followed by three encompassing “Goals.” These “Goals” are built around student success,
student access, and employee engagement. Marybeth reminded us that this is a draft and further
input is welcome, but that input needs to come quickly as the Committee only meets until the
end of September. Forums have been scheduled the second week of classes at different times
during the week for anyone from the campus community to attend, and the announcement
regarding those forums will come out next week. Input can go directly to Ginni or Marybeth or
be expressed in one of the forums.
New Prerequisite Legislation
G. May
There is new language regarding Pre-requisites in Title Five. This new standard applies to interdisciplinary pre-requisites, not course sequences within a department . In the past, a statistical
validation was required that showed that the student was “highly unlikely” to succeed in a
particular course if they did not take the pre-requisite; Ginni believes “highly unlikely” usually
meant two thirds. With the new language, faculty can define their own statistical validation if
we create a District plan. Student success does not necessarily have to meet the standard of
“highly unlikely.” The new plan will have to go through the District committees as it is being
crafted. Notably, the new language should allow us to take a close look at the “advisories” in
current curriculum. Lonnie Larson is an important contact person, also Karen Kunimura, or
Ginni for faculty who have immediate questions. Someone asked, will pre-requisites currently
in place be invalidated? Ginni reminded us that sequence courses do not need the same kind of
statistical support. The new language is mostly about cross disciplinary pre requisites, say
requiring an English or Reading course for a History class, etc. Where is the new language,
someone asked? Title 5, section 5.5.03, or Ginni will send out an abbreviated version of the
changes.
New Financial Aid Policy
G. May
There is a new financial aid policy. There are some changes. Someone asked, why was there
change? And why did this change occur over summer? Ginni thinks it has to do with what our
district has had to pay back due to changes in laws regarding financial aid. Also, someone noted
that none of the ESL units are exempted in the new policy. Someone else noted that students
who are making a career change, into nursing or physical therapy for example after holding
some other certificate or degree based career, will not be able to get federal financial aid if they
already have 120 units.
Senate By Laws and Constitution
T. Myers
Troy handed out copies of the current Senate Constitution and By-Laws (C&BL). These have
not been reviewed in some time. The only concrete issue which came up last year that Troy is
aware of that would require revision of the current C&LB is the issue of faculty requesting other
faculty from their division to fill in for them for a semester while they teach during the Senate
hour. We have allowed faculty to do that recently, but that is technically in conflict with the
language of our current BL&C. If there is further interest in the issue of using substitutes it can
be raised at a future Senate meeting. Also, Troy said that he is in the process of making
electronic copies of the current paper documents.
Someone asked whatever happened to the Open Letter to Students. That letter was approved by
SCC’s Senate for faculty to use (or not use) it however they wish, but also for public
distribution to students, and no one was sure what happened to it. He agreed to send out the
letter to Senators, reminding them again faculty can use, edit, or disregard the letter freely.
NEXT MEETING:
August 30, 2011 (New Senator Orientation), September 6, 2011
To place items on future agendas, please email Ginni May at
mayv@scc.losrios.edu