• Tim Nealon called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. and introduced Dr. Ernest Martinez, Interim Chancellor of the Alamo Community College District, as our special guest speaker who would provide a "State of the District" Report.

• Audit
• State Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander’s Office will conduct a review of the ACCD in Spring 2003. A presentation of the processes and procedures will be

• Tim Nealon is currently on the salary review committee. He plans to provide further information about the retirement package on a continuous basis.

• Sylvia Phillips read the minutes for the September 25 meeting.
• Ellie Seiferth recommended two changes:
• Under the "Treasurer’s Report," she recommended that the word "lost" be changed to "reabsorbed into the general fund."
• Under the section "Dropping Before Census Date," she suggested that it be rewritten as "Records and registration will not drop students before the census date. This information reflects negatively upon student retention."
• The corrected minutes will be forwarded through email.

• Sandra Snavely stated that as of November 6, the treasury still has $1500. Sylvia Phillips obtained a $155.00 travel advance to attend the Texas Community College Teachers Association Conference for Faculty Leaders Friday, October 11, and Saturday, October 12. As of November 6, this expenditure had not been deducted from the treasury.

• Since Dr. Byrd’s office has been busy with other projects, such as the Strategic Plan, no action has been taken on the Faculty Handbook at this time.

• The Committee mailed an email and flyers. There were seven submissions, including five documented submissions. The Faculty Senate will approve nominations electronically.
• NISOD announcements are coming soon through email.

• Sylvia Phillips attended the Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA) Conference for Faculty Leaders in Austin, Texas October 11 through 12. Sessions included "Major Issues Affecting Texas Two-Year Colleges," "How to Get the Legislature To Do What You Want (or at Least Listen)," "Three Campus Controversies Affecting Faculty," and "Current Legal Issues in Higher Education."
• "Major Issues Affecting Texas Two-Year Colleges" include equal access to community college education by all ethnic groups, dual enrollment of high school students in college programs, developmental mathematics, equitable appropriation of state funding for all community college campuses, and alternative certification. George Johnson was interested in learning more about information regarding remedial mathematics.
• Sylvia Phillips found "How to Get the Legislature To Do What You Want (or at Least Listen)" to be the most interesting session. Presented by Floyd Beamer, a professional lobbyist, the session proposed ideas for getting the legislature to listen to what you say, such as having as many members of your organization attend the legislative sessions as possible. Teachers have the advantage of being highly educated and having strong communications skills. Visiting the legislator’s office and examining the artifacts there indicates the person’s interests; similarly, having the legislator visit your office can help the person learn more about you. Beamer said that the legislature is fast-paced, highly pressured, and involves attendance at meetings which can last as little as fifteen minutes or as long as ten hours!
• The session "Three Campus Controversies Affecting Faculty" discussed cheating, intellectual property, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• We should be concerned about cheating because it ruins the moral fabric of society and because it devalues education. Although honor codes sound like a good idea, these tend to work better at traditional colleges, where students live on campus and really get to know each other, than at two-year colleges, where the population is more transient.
• Where intellectual property is concerned, a college has the rights to a professor’s syllabi if the syllabi are prepared for hire.
• Regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act, Federal Law 504 states that no otherwise qualified person should be denied access to any program receiving federal financial assistance.
• "Current Legal Issues in Higher Education" include employment "at will," academic freedom, and copyright.
• A public employer may release an employee "at will."
• As college professors, our speech is protected as long as our statements do not interfere with the execution of our teaching. A teacher cannot diverge too far form the curriculum.
• The Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works, written in Paris in 1971, state that we should grant authors exclusive rights to their works. Even though we are educators who usually do not disseminate photocopied information for profit, we must still be careful to "value add" to information and not merely duplicate it.

• Sandra Snavely, Interior Design, Southwest Campus, said that the Homebuilding Department will build the woodwork. The proposed seal, constructed of brass, will be based on the 1974-1975 seal from the days when St. Philip’s was part of the San Antonio Union Junior College District.
• The estimated cost of the mace is under $500.
• Hopefully, the mace will weigh less than ten pounds and be five feet high.
• Herman Hauschildt suggested that there be something in the base of the mace to say who conceived it.
• The Faculty Senate accepted the proposed design of the mace with modifications.

• This issue will be discussed at a later time.

• Instructor approval for grades depends on the situation. Sometimes, administrators must overrule grades, as in the case of a faculty member not offering evidence for assigning a grade.

• When students have a grievance against an instructor, they must visit with the instructor before speaking with the department chair or higher-level administrator.

• The parking situation is better now.
• One of the attendees asked when the unpaved lot behind the Science Building would be paved.
• Tim Nealon said that some students are illegally parking at New Hope Baptist Church on Walters and Martin Luther King.

• The Great American Smokeout is November 21. President Runnels is not in favor of a smoke-free campus. There were Smoking Committee Forums at both the main and southwest campuses. The attendance was much better at the Southwest Campus than at the main campus.

• Tim Nealon attended the President’s Council Meeting November 5.
• Raymond Boryczka is the new director of Continuing Education. He reports to Alvoid Bennett.
• The Christmas Gala is scheduled for Friday, December 6 at the Four Points Hotel. A social hour will be held from 6 to 7 pm, dinner will be served from 7 to 8, and a dance will be held from 8 to 11 pm. Tickets are $15 per person.
• Power Outages are scheduled at two times:
• November 16, 1pm, and November 17
• November 27-30 and December 1

• Liz Amaya will become the interim dual credit coordinator. The person hired permanently for this position needs physical energy, an ability to work with multiple school districts, and a willingness to travel out-of-town as needed. A bachelor’s degree, although desired, will be less important than the person’s ability to perform the job duties.
• There is a concern that nursing salaries are too low for adjunct faculty.
• The deadline for Purchasing requisitions is November 15, and the deadline for PVQ’s is November 17.
• Dr. Zaragoza has initiated the Central Texas Technology Center. The Center is located near the New Braunfels Airport. The curriculum will emphasize the Applied Sciences. Currently, the intent is for SAC and SPC to share classes at this location, as is done at the NEC. Debbie Hamilton, the head of the Northeast Campus, will also oversee the New Braunfels facility.
• Four hundred students are expected to graduate this December. The commencement exercise for Fall 2002, which will be held in the Laurie Auditorium will probably be one of the last at this location. Eventually, the commencements will be held in the Municipal Auditorium.
• Juan Villela is the Technical Educator of the Year.
• The ACCD Board of Trustees is concerned about the "looking glass." Faculty and staff are asked to watch what they say.

• Sylvia Phillips attended the Academic Affairs meeting for Tim Nealon.
• Steve Babb of the ACCD Foundation and a representative from Frost Bank spoke on behalf of United Way. The goal for the ACCD Foundation is $100,000. United Way receives 46% of the proceeds while the ACCD Foundation receives 54%. The ACCD Foundation plans to spend 1.2 million dollars on scholarship funds.
• There will be an Adjunct Recruiting Faculty Fair Saturday, November 16, from 9 am to 1 pm in the Heritage Room.
• Dr. Byrd wants faculty to examine our programs of study and determine which classes need to be added or eliminated. There has been a complaint voiced that St. Philip’s never develops new programs. We should not develop new programs for the sake of developing new programs, but we need to make sure that our programs of study are still serving us.
• At Academic Affairs meetings of the future, the first ten minutes of the meeting will have a section called "Departmental Highlights." One department will be allotted ten minutes to identify its accomplishments. Levi Jackson has volunteered to have the Counseling Department conduct the first "Departmental Highlights."
• Before the end of Fall 2002, there are plans for a legal issues and personal rights workshop for faculty. An attorney will be contacted to conduct this session about legal issues which faculty need to be apprised of, such as how faculty are not allowed to post students grades at the end of the semester.
• The Classroom Committee has exhausted the money for new furniture for the classrooms. Now, a budget is being drawn up for new chalkboards.
• In Evening Operations, Eddie Harris will be in charge. He works a 40-hour week, including 9 to noon on Saturdays. Eddie Harris reports to Alvoid Bennett
• Sharon Bell, formerly the dual credit coordinator, will now work in the Innovation Center. She will be available until seven in the evenings to answer phone calls from adjunct faculty who are unable to attend classes in the event Mr. Harris cannot be reached.
• The Innovation Center will also be involved in teacher training.
• One of the Academic Affairs meetings needs to be held at the Southwest Campus. Furthermore, there needs to be a Christmas Party. A meeting and potluck Christmas Party will be held at the Southwest Campus on Monday, November 25, at noon. We can contact Sylvia Vargas at 210-531-3597 to let her know what item we want to bring.
• To adhere to Southern Association guidelines, department chairs are not supposed to hire uncredentialed adjunct faculty for more than one semester. It is fine to hire an uncredentialed person to meet a staff shortage, but not semester after semester. One reason it is important to observe this practice is that when the association conducts its site visit, it checks records over an entire ten-year period. If the examiners notice repeated violations, they can withdraw our accreditation.
• Dr. Byrd will monitor requests for release time and special pay closely. Any such request must be for duties which fall outside of your normal job description. The Board of Trustees is concerned about excessive use.
• Department chairs need to submit faculty requests for the 2003-2004 school year.

• This issue is being worked on.

• The Faculty Senate meeting adjourned at 4:08 pm.

S i g n a t u r e s