COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Minutes

October 15, 2007 - Draft

NEXT MEETING: November 19, 2007

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Members Present: Colette Harris (faculty co-chair), Kathy McLain (executive secretary); DeWayne Apedaile; Ellen Arden-Ogle; Carol Bernardo, Greg Beyrer, Patrick Blacklock; Marybeth Buechner; Kenneth Cooper, Nancy Edmonson; Cindy Erickson; Tina Nguyen, Aselia Valadez; Olga Fanina (student representative)

Members Absent: Chou Chasengnou (classified co-chair); Lisa Abraham (Ex); Maricela Arevalo(Ex); Elizabeth Biggert (Ex); Paul McCormick; Osman Mohammed (Ex); Debra Sharkey (Ex); Evelyn Silva

1. The meeting was called to order at 2:03 p.m. by Colette Harris and introductions were made.

Topic / Discussion / Action Needed
2. Budget Update / Kathy McLain distributed the budget for the PD committee and noted that we have several sources of funds: AB1725, RCON/VTEA vocational funds, rollover funds; PDF funds; and LRCEA funds. She noted that 25% of the CASSL Faculty Developer’s release time is paid out of our Roll-over funds and future funding of this position is a big concern as it takes a large portion of our PD funds. MBB asked how funding for events is determined. Could we use our funds for speakers? Kathy noted that we can determine how we expend our funds and that each campus in the district funds its activities in different ways. She said that the committee tries to leverage the dollars to get the maximum benefit to most people.
3. CASSL Update / Marybeth Buechner updated the committee on the activities in the CASSL (Center for Advancement of Staff & Student Learning) including the outcomes assessment task force and an Institute scheduled for January before flex. She noted that the Institute will be held at the District Office training room to take advantage of the computers and enable the participants to actually generate a product at the end of the workshop. It was suggested that the Institute be set up to be two one-day workshops so that people can attend either day. Flex credit will be given for the learning portion of the workshop, not the actual hands-on generation of outcomes which is considered to be part of a faculty’s workload. Marybeth noted that the CASSL continued to call students who have dropped and the reasons given by students are: illness, work changes; took on too many units and needed to drop some. Ellen asked about the students who register and never show up? They were not included in this survey as the CASSL has limited classified staff available for calling. Ellen noted that she attended a very informative workshop sponsored by the NFNRC. The speaker was Pamela Cox-Otto.
4. Approval of Minutes / The minutes of the September meeting were approved by consensus with a minor correction.
5. Discussion Items / Travel Evaluation Form – Kathy distributed the current Travel Evaluation form which is required to be submitted by employees who are granted PD funds. The committee made several suggestions which Kathy will incorporate and send out via e-mail for approval.
The discussion items: Increasing Attendance & Compressed Calendar were postponed until the next meeting.
6. Convocation/Flex Planning / Kathy McLain and Colette Harris discussed past flex formats. It was noted that convocation is intended to be both “nuts & bolts” and inspirational. Various continuations of the past semester’s theme of making connections were discussed including connecting what we do to students; the student voice – connect back to what we do; teacher as learner; building on our promise. Students seemed to be the main focus so a flyer will be sent to students to see if anyone would like to speak at convocation; Cindy and Colette may have students who would be interested in speaking.
It was noted that past experience with hiring an outside speaker has been poor. If we were to hire a speaker, the speaker would have to KNOW about CRC and apply what they are speaking about to CRC and our environment.
Ellen noted that convocation shouldn’t be a time when we suggest new things to faculty as they have already planned/prepared their syllabus. It should be a time when we do something to inspire creativity and to highlight faculty who don’t normally get recognition. Validation is important in the Spring semester as we are ½ way through the academic year and commitment/enthusiasm may be waning. She also note that we could have a compressed calendar discussion – what’s working and what’s not. Greg Beyrer suggested a “compressed convocation” theme to go along with our compressed calendar. It would include all of the convocation in ¾ of the time.
7. Other
Next meeting: November 19, 2007
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:30.
Respectfully submitted by: Kathy McLain, Executive Secretary