/ Action Item:March 14, 2006
TO: / ACADEMIC SENATE
FROM: / EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PREPARED BY: / RECORDING SECRETARY
SUBJECT: / APPROVAL OF MINUTES

RECOMMENDATION NO. 1

It is recommended that the minutes from the following meeting of the Santa Monica College Academic Senate be approved as distributed:

Minutes of the February 21, 2006, Academic Senate Meeting

Present: Brenda Antrim, Garen Baghdasarian, Teri Bernstein, Greg Brookins, Alan Buckley, Ken Buckner, Ann Carroll, Fran Chandler, Mary Colavito, Tim Cramer, Guido Davis Del Piccolo, Judith Douglas, Georgia Farber, Tina Feiger, Gilda Feldman, David Finkel, Dennis Frisch, Ethan Gallogly, Peter Geltner, Nancy Grass Hemmert, Terry Green, Diane Gross, Nancy Hanson, Janie Jones, Amber Katherine, Lesley Kawaguchi, John Kennedy, Jo Kidd, Laura Manson, Kym McBride, Peter Morse, Eric Oifer, Jim Pacchioli, Pauli Peter, Sue Ann Pinner, Toni Randall, Vicki Rothman, Audrey Sandoval, Christine Schultz, Lantz Simpson, Eleanor Singleton, James Stramel, Michael Strathearn, Susan Sterr, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Esau Tovar, Bob Ware, Chunghi Yu, David Zehr.

Excused:
Absent: Marilyn Adler, Suzanne Borghei, Patricia Burson, Martin Goldstein, Linda Sinclair, Heather Smith, Ventris Woods, Cassandrea Patillo, Jaqueline Scott, April Mizuki, John Henderson, Nelly Farnoody-Zahiri, Marc Trujillo, Robert Taylor, Maria Alvarado, Nate Brown, Josh Kanin, Helen LeDonne, Kathy Flynn, Craig Hammond, Cary Childress, Jan Austin, Suellen Gauld, Lucy Kluckhohn Jones, Katarina Cerovic, Makiko Fujiwara-Skroba, Juan Quevedo, Michelle Scholefield, Christine Hart,
Guests: Mitra Moassessi, Howard Stahl, Espy Bolivar-Owen.

  1. Call to Order
  2. Chair Tahvildaran-Jesswein declared a quorum at 11:27 a.m.
  3. Public Comments: None.
  4. Action Items
  5. Approval of December 13, 2005, Minutes. Accepted as perfected.
  6. Resolution ASR01-06, Eric Oifer, Sabbaticals and Fellowships.
  7. M/S (Schultz/Buckner) to add "President-elect" to those Senate officers ineligible for sabbaticals. Approved by a showing of hands.
  8. M/S (Finkel/Baghdasarian) to amend the resolution and allow the Academic Senate to waive the elibigility restrictions on a super-majority vote. Motion failed on a voice vote.
  9. The amended motion was approved on a hand vote.
  10. Resolution ASR02-06, Alan Buckley, Maker
  11. The motion was withdrawn by the maker.
  12. Resolution ASR03-06, Garen Baghdasarian, Environmental Affairs
  13. M/S (Antrim/Katherine) amend the first resolved to include the Recycling Coordinator in the Joint Committee on Environmental Affairs. Approved unanimously.
  14. The amended resolution was approved on a voice vote.
  15. Information Items
  16. Academic Senate President's Report, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein
  17. Lisa Burns, the new Academic Senate secretary, was introduced to the Senate.
  18. Plus/Minus Grading Discussion Time-line. The Senate president has recommended a time-line for faculty action on the matter of plus/minus grading in Spring 2006. The Senate president hopes to inform the Board of Trustees about the faculty's opinions on this matter at their June 2006 meeting.
  19. Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Statewide Plenary Meeting. The meeting will be held in San Francisco on April 26-28. Faculty members should contact Dr. Tahvildaran-Jesswein or Lisa Burns if they're interested in attending.
  20. 2006 Full Time Faculty Hiring Rankings.
  21. The Academic Senate Joint New Faculty Position Ranking Committee recommended the following new positions at its February 3, 2006, meeting:
  22. Cosmetology.
  23. English--Basic Skills Writing
  24. Art--Ceramics
  25. Cosmetology (a second position)
  26. Mathematics--Developmental
  27. The Committee also endorsed the hiring of a Learning Disabilities Specialist, provided that the District can confirm sufficient categorical funding to support the position.
  28. The District Budget Planning Committee has recommended to DPAC that at least as many new faculty should be hired as there are faculty who are retiring. Interim Superintendent/President Donner expects six faculty to retire this year.
  29. College Budget Report and Budget Committee Recommendations. College administrators have informed faculty leaders that the District "borrowed" 550 FTEs from F.Y. 2005-06 in order to meet its F.Y. 2004-05 enrollment targets. Since this year's enrollment is "flat," administrations intend to "borrow" 1100 FTEs from 2006-07 in order to meet 2005-06 enrollment targets. Neither the Budget Planning Committee nor DPAC were consulted about these "borrowings" and Academic Senate leaders are opposed to borrowing 1100 FTEs from 2006-07.
  30. Unity Reception for Dr. Chui Tsang, March 7, 2006. A reception sponsored by faculty, students, classified employees, and administrators will be held for Dr. Tsang at the Spring Flex Day event.
  31. Vocational Education Leadership Institute. Six faculty members will attend the Vocational Education Leadership Institute.
  32. Consultation Form. The newly agreed upon "Consultation Form" was distributed to Senators.
  33. Academic Senate Web site, Howard Stahl, Web site Coordinator. The Academic Senate's new Web site designed was unveiled for Senators.
  34. Sabbatical Application Deadline, Eric Oifer, Sabbaticals and Fellowships. The deadline for submitting applications is March 6, 2006.
  35. Academic Senate 2006 Elections, Ethan Gallogly, Elections and Rules. Nominations for Academic Senate positions will be March 6 through 10, 2006. Dr. Tahvildaran-Jesswein announced that he will be a candidate for reelection as Academic Senate president.
  36. Vocational Education Environmental Scan, Marilyn Adler, Occupational Committee. Chair Tahvildaran-Jesswein announced in Prof. Adler's absence that the vocational education faculty have approved plans for a comprehensive environmental scan of community vocational needs.
  37. Old Business Discussion. None.
  38. New Business Discussion.
  39. Academic Senate Standing Committees' Scope and Functions, First Reading, Ethan Gallogly, Elections and Rules.
  40. M/S (Bernstein/Buckner) to approve the bylaw amendments. Approved on a voice vote.
  41. Comments and suggestions should be emailed to Josh Kanin and/or Ethan Gallogly.
  42. Santa MonicaCollege (re)Visioning Process. The Executive Committee enjoyed a positive discussion with senior administrators at its February 10, 2006, retreat concerning the College's "vision." Senate leaders will encourage Superintendent/President Tsang to initiate a formal (re)visioning process upon his taking office.
  43. Adjournment
  44. M/S (Douglas/Frisch) to adjourn at 12:32. Approved unanimously.