Minutes for 9-26-01

Minutes

Faculty Senate Meeting

September 26, 2001

Science Building Room 208

1. Call to Order
The Faculty Senate President, Dr. Tim Nealon, called the first faculty senate meeting of this year to order at 1:04 p.m.
2. Reading, Correction, and Approval of Minutes
Motion made to accept minutes as submitted, motion seconded and senators present voted unanimously to accept the minutes.
3. Treasurer’s Report
Emily Staats, Faculty Senate Treasurer, indicated there was a balance of $1500 in the general expense account. She identified $11.40 as the most recent expenditure incurred.
4. Old Business

a. Parking

Herman Hauschildt, Faculty Senate Parliamentarian, reported increased visibility of ACCD Police in faculty parking lots, which has deterred students from parking there. He also indicated he has seen an increase in issuing of parking tickets.
b. Spring Employee Development Day
Dr. Nealon met with Dr. Angie Runnels, SPC President, to discuss the Faculty Senate Survey conducted in the Spring Semester of 2001. A total of one hundred and ten faculty responded to the survey. Seventy-five responses (68.2%) voted against having the Development Day and thirty-five (31.8%) voted in favor. Dr. Nealon identified in a memo (attachment #1) to Dr. Runnels that SAC had discontinued Spring Development Day five years ago (except for staff members who participate during Spring Break) and that PAC has never had a Spring Development Day. Dr. Nealon reported that Dr. Runnels supported the faculty's decision and Spring Faculty Development Day will not be held anymore.
c. Committee Reports

i. Election Committee
Chair and members selected for the committee. Dee Joseph will continue to Chair the Election Committee. Van Lopez and Sandra Snavely will serve on the committee.
ii. Constitution Committee
Chair and members selected for committee. Larry Duron will Chair this committee and Mary Hays, Ken Poff, and Diane Bellinger will serve on the committee.
iii. Professional Concerns Committee
Chair and members selected for this committee. Herman Hauschildt will Chair the committee and Bill Fuller, George Johnson, Emily Staats, and Larry Duron will serve on the committee.
iv. Faculty Development Committee
Kudos to Lester Hall for doing a great job at Chairing this committee were provided by Dr. Nealon. Lester was unable to attend this meeting, but he was appointed to continue Chairing this committee. Members of the committee will include Phil Raue, Tim Nealon, and Dee Joseph.
d. Budget Issues
i. Faculty Travel - (TCCTA Annual Conference, TCCTA Leadership

Conference)

Dee Joseph attended the TCCTA Leadership Conference as a representative of the SPC Faculty Senate. She provided a report (attachment #2) with highlights of the conference. Among the highlights were:

Increasing enrollment - there is a state plan (attachment #3) to increase enrollment by 500,000 students by the year 2015. A question was posed by Bill Fuller regarding the state's plan and if it included strategies for dealing with students enrolling in our programs that are not prepared for college level work. Dee responded that this issue was not brought up.

The role of faculty in decision-making - this was identified as always a work in progress and strategies for faculty inclusion were shared by five faculty senate presidents.

Communicating effectively with legislators - a guide to political participation (attachment #4), created by the Texas Community College Teachers Association was distributed to conference attendees.

e. Follow Up on Question & Answer Forum with Dr. Runnels
Dee Joseph will create a survey to distribute to faculty to solicit questions. Questions not addressed at previous forum will also be included in a formal letter to be submitted to Dr. Runnels by Dr. Nealon.
5. New Business
a. Faculty Senate President's Report
Tim Nealon reported on meetings he has attended on behalf of the faculty senate. Highlights included attendance at a summer retreat, two President's Cabinet meetings, a budget and planning meeting (attended by Dee Joseph, for Tim), and the Academic Affairs meeting.

Summer Retreat:

Emphasis was on increasing enrollment. A report is being formulated and will be distributed as soon as it is ready.

September 4, 2001, Cabinet meeting highlights:

4% increase in enrollment requested by Administration.

September 18, 2001, Cabinet meeting highlights:

Dr. Candia working on evacuation guidelines

Question from Dr. Candia sent via Dee Joseph, re: faculty, staff, and students wearing picture name badges. Consensus of senators present was that faculty and staff should wear name badges and to reconsider students wearing it. Rationale was that we are a community college and as such invite the community to our campus. It was felt that requiring everyone on campus to wear a picture name badge would discourage visitors to the campus and take away from the openness of our campus to the community.

Southwestern Bell Grant funds have been used to purchase student chairs and computer desks. Desks are due to arrive in October. Other items have been identified for purchase and are on order. Laptop computers are among the items on order for use by honors students - these will be available for check out through the library.

Academic Affairs Meeting

Triple overloads are no longer allowed.

It was reported that students were allowed to continue enrolling as of this past Monday, September 24, 2001.

Mr. Leonard, Interim Registrar, indicated no student would be allowed to enroll unless the Instructor agreed to it.

Concern brought up regarding missed classes due to bomb threats and consequent building evacuations. Instructor's discretion is to be used to determine how to handle missed classes. Recommendation made that each department develop a strategy for such events and adhere to it.

Class schedule for Spring being worked on.

Dr. Ernestine Baker, Director of the Mayer Hoff Scholars Program, from the University of Maryland, will be on campus on October 11, 2001, looking for students to receive leadership scholarships.

Chairs expressing concern about the possibility of students in military reserves enrolled in our programs being deployed for service due to the recent events in our nation. Instructors urged to notify your department chairs if you know of any students who will be affected.

Concerns exist regarding promotion of individuals with PhD. degrees and their starting status.

Faculty member indicating importance of having more than one student roster. Faculty present indicated Passport window #107 the best way to find out which students are enrolled in a given class.

Budget & Planning Meeting:

Increase in Internet course offerings being sought. Faculty member voiced concern about unanswered questions regarding intellectual property rights, release time, and/or compensation. Information shared by senators that serve on a committee to develop a strategic plan for distance learning revealed that these issues are being worked on and will be part of the overall plan for distance learning.

College new initiatives being worked on to recruit new students.

Issues to improve success rate of developmental students being examined.

Efforts to improve retention of all students also being examined.

Mr. Leonard reported that a student survey is being planned by Student Services to determine why students are not continuing their course of study.

Sam Houston High School and SPC Partnership being targeted for feed-in to SPC enrollment.

Use of Title III funds being targeted for use to create or begin to create improved teaching/writing environments, refurnishing scheduled to begin with Sutton Learning Center 2^nd floor. The goal includes yearly upgrades in classroom furnishings to reflect those at the NE Campus.

Bond revenues (four and one-half million dollars) are being used to renovate the Rock Building (Building #3004) at SPC Southwest Campus. Mold has been a big problem in this building.

b. Registration Issues
Bill Fuller requesting that student drops be handled differently. Question posed as to whether students can be dropped from the enrollment roster and be placed on a wait list.

Mr. Leonard indicated registration process began April 23.

Faculty member reported SAC requesting their registration time be shortened.

Mr. Leonard provided flyers (attachment # 5) for faculty to hand out reminding students to apply for graduation if they anticipate graduating in the Fall of 2001.
c. Faculty Senate Goals for this Academic Year

Tabled for now will be brought up for discussion at a later time.

d. Faculty Status for Librarians
Phil Raue presented a resolution (attachment #6) by the Palo Alto College Faculty Senate regarding faculty status for librarians. A motion was made, seconded, and voted on unanimously to support the resolution submitted by PAC. Phil suggested the SPC Faculty Senate Corresponding Secretary, Van Lopez, generate a letter in support of the PAC resolution.
6. Electorate to be Heard
Question brought in by a senator on behalf of a faculty member that was not able to attend this meeting.

The question was how other departments deal with class coverage when a full time faculty member is absent for a day. Consensus of the group was to have another faculty member cover in return for the same when they need coverage.
7. Adjournment
The next faculty senate meeting was set for 1:00 p.m. October 31, 2001, in room 208 of the Science Building. Discussion about meeting at the SW Campus held and the November meeting will be held at the SW Campus on November 28, 2001. Location to be announced. The meeting was adjourned at 2:47 p.m.