Physical Education/Athletics/Health/Wellness Division

LPC PEAWH Division Meeting, August 17, 2010

APPROVED

Physical Education/Athletics/Health/Wellness Division

August 17, 2010

Present:

Larry Aguiar, Susan Bustamante, Tony Costello, Jason Craighead, William Eddy, Elizabeth Ghobrial, Elizabeth Hopkins, PJ Johnson, Dyan Miller, Steve Navarro, Carolyn Smutny

Absent:

Gail Ehrhorn, Lisa Everett, Geoff Smyth

1. Richard Barge, of Gift and Save, presented fundraising opportunities for the division. Gift & Save partners with Community College Athletic Departments,developing a turnkey website offering contributing members, parents, grandparents and friends substantial discounts in the purchase of every day goods and services. Members are charged $15.95 and receive savings on hotels, department stores, gift cards, etc.

Larry Aguiar stated he came to the college to teach and not fundraise, as some individuals are not good at selling or the administrative duties associated with fundraising. Larry has done fundraising with ESPN and made about $1600, but worried about the administrative tasks, collecting funds, scheduling, etc.

Larry stated he has not been complimented for six years on the work he has done and has not had any overnight trips because he was told ‘no’ by the athletic director. Larry feels that athletics needs someone to stand up for them. He is toward the end of his career and this is a sad time for him, times are tough.

Larry feels the Gift and Save program is something that should be discussed as a group. Dean Miller stated that she hears what Larry is saying and that most schools do some type of fundraising, i.e., foundation, team, alumni, etc. Unfortunately the state of the budget is that athletics must fundraise, which is why the program is being presented today. Today is an opportunity for the division to discuss, as a group.

Larry responded that we need to change the image of athletics because it is bad. The image needs to be changed from us to the rest of the campus, collectively. Dean Miller advised she was trying to find a way for the division to fundraise and stated we are stronger as a group.

Larry stated he feels the division is perceived differently than other faculty members (in other divisions) because the college allows them to purchase items for their classes. Dean Miller responded she does not know what happened before she came to campus and can only deal with what is happening now. Dean Miller feels progress has been made, but athletics is not self-supportive like Notre Dame or other schools. She also stated that not everyone understands we are not self-supportive and cannot always get our needs and wants met because college funds are directed elsewhere.

Jason Craighead stated that fundraising supplements athletics’ needs. If the college is not able to support the program, we need to stand up, but Gift and Save does not have to be decided right now. Jason stated the program can be done at different times as there is no downfall to the program if it is not done within the first two weeks of the semester.

Tony Costello stated he is on his “last leg” and frustrated. Tony feels everything is ‘no’ and the division needs leadership as to how the division can raise funds. Tony stated the ACE center, counseling, and classes have been taken away over the past five years. Tony needs a glimmer of hope going on at Las Positas College.

Dean Miller stated the division is adding a sport (swimming and diving) and are not much different than other schools. Dean Miller referred to the Chancellor’s letter stating course offerings should be based on: basic skills, transfer, and career technical. Dean Miller advised the focus is on classes that transfer and not only at Las Positas. Dean Miller suggested the coaches/faculty that have questions about the budget go and speak with coaches/faculty at other schools.

Tony Costello advised he is concerned the college will ask athletics to become self-supportive. Dean Miller responded they will never be self-sufficient and the concern should be about what might happen if the division does not do anything (prepare). Dean Miller stated at the time she arrived on campus, Hartnell College was laying off and cutting benefits. She is not sure what the upcoming year will bring.

Tony stated he agrees the division needs to be proactive and that he had fundraisers over the summer and is frustrated by all the additional costs (maintenance, security). Larry Aguiar stated he “has no respect for the people leading the boat” as there is a lot of history for him here and is not referring to Dean Miller.

Dean Miller suggested coaches/faculty become more involved in department/campus activities, events and meetings. Dean Miller advised she would leave the Gift and Save presentation to the division for their thoughts and no decision had to be made at this time.

Steve Navarro inquired about the real potential, options and what you get from the program? Jason Craighead suggested all the coaches have an athletic meeting with their athletes to advise what the program entails with everyone there so they understand and can promote the idea.

Bill Eddy advised he and Dean Miller are looking into a golf fundraiser and visited TPC Stonebrae Golf Course in Hayward as a possible site for the event. They will visit Wente Vineyards and possibly Ruby Hill to determine who offers the best package. The opportunity was presented by an adjunct instructor, Kevin Jack. Larry Aguiar offered to help with the golf fundraiser.

1. Dean Miller reviewed and distributed Dr. Luster’s talking points: Program Review, Strategic Plan, Accreditation and Budget:

Program Review update - Steve Navarro

Steve stated half of the report is written and Tony Costello is working on the SEP portion and Geoff Smyth is working on the budget and is almost done. Dean Miller suggested Steve, Tony and Geoff reconvene to get back on track for the December deadline.

Elizabeth Hopkins asked if the entire report would be completed or just a template. Steve Navarro responded the Academic Senate had a different version of the template and that he needs an accurate account of spending from Dean Miller. He also stated in the past he saw a copy of the PE/Athletic budget.

Strategic Plan – Copies were distributed at Convocation. The next step is for the Institutional Effectiveness Committee to be populated and then begin meeting under the leadership of Dr. Machamer.

Accreditation - Report goes to College Council on August 31 for final review. The report is posted on the wiki and the Office of the VP Academic Services is gathering the evidence and proofing the final inputs.

Budget - Dean Miller advised she provided Dr. Luster a list of ‘must haves’ for the division when she received 22% of the budget. Tony Costello stated it is “hard to get on board with what they are saying” regarding the budget; the credibility factor is a bit shaky.

Dean Miller said yes, it is difficult to understand the conflicting reports on the budget, but the division may have to give up something, to get something. Steve Navarro stated the discretionary fund amounts were incorrect, as Chabot’s was more the LPC’s. The allocation model is what it is until the CEMC and DEMC meeting changes it.

Larry Aguiar inquired about assessing a student body fee that would go to the department, could and would Dean Miller handle this for the division? Dean Miller agreed to explore Larry’s suggestion.

Tony Costello advised in reviewing Chabot’s summer schedule, they offered more classes than LPC and it seems like LPC/PE is taking the brunt of the cuts. Dean Miller advised everyone has felt the pain of the cuts and they are not isolated to one department. Larry Aguiar is interested in changing the class capacity for some of his classes and will give the information to Dean Miller.

Dean Miller advised the athlete physicals/orientation date is August 25, 2010, from 2-5 p.m. in room 2420. Dean Miller advised all athletes must have a physical to practice. Larry Aguiar is interested in discussing physical dates as a group.

Jeff Baker, VP Student Services and Andi Schreibman, Financial Aid, came to raise awareness and ask for assistance in addressing a very serious issue at Las Positas College, Financial Aid fraud. During the summer, the Financial Aid Department at LPC identified multiple cases of financial aid fraud where individuals enrolled in classes only to collect funds. These students applied to the college online, filed a financial aid application online, enrolled in classes, took up seats, and filled rosters, with no intent to attend their classes. Jeff Baker advised the college needs everyone’s help and asked faculty to drop students who do not attend classes. If students are not dropped, the State thinks they are attending classes. Dean Miller suggested faculty monitor their rosters and drop students are a no show, by census date.

Jason Craighead stated the Fitness Center was an opportunity for this type of fraud and suggested including “Must show up for Orientation or will be dropped” and drop students if no hours are logged by census.

1. Unsupervised use of the Gym and Fitness Center – Dean Miller advised (again) unsupervised use of the gym and fitness center are NOT permitted. Dean Miller referred to the division policy, dated July 8, 2010. Dean Miller stated faculty are to instruct and protect college from liability; faculty are to be present, instructing, giving advice, and supervising.

Dean Miller requested the following statement from the agenda be included in the minutes:

Conditioning is a way of preventing injuries when playing sports or exercising and risk management is a way preventing accidents before they happen. The campus is a learning based facility, not a recreation center. If athletes need to be in the facilities, coaches, plan to be with them and not in your office or the Fitness Center.

Tony Costello responded the policy is ridiculous. Tony feels student athletes should be given the opportunity to get better at their sport and faculty’s job is to help them. Tony advised there are inherent risks for student athletes and students in the gym are no different than Cross Country students running laps. Dean Miller stated student athletes deserve instruction; they are here for instruction.

Tony feels the policy discourages players and he may lose players. Tony feels students should be encouraged to be in the gym and has never heard of a lawsuit because of a student shooting free-throws. Tony believes students should be allowed to be in the gym from 8am-12pm or the college will lose players and/or coaches.

Larry Aguiar stated his philosophy is that he was brought up with free, open gyms. Larry stated he always has an eye on students who come here and feels the fitness center should be supervised. However, Larry stated he disagrees with security not allowing students to play on the soccer field and the college is too concerned with lawsuits. Larry does not agree that students should be run out of facilities. Larry suggested the college hire someone to oversee students in the facilities and supports Tony Costello in feeling the college is a prison. Larry stated the problem with the pool is the same. Chabot has open hours for pool use, why doesn’t LPC? Larry feels the dialogue needs to go higher than the division level.

Tony Costello stated there has to be a way to service and encourage student athletes. Larry Aguiar stated there are walking classes with no instructor walking all over the campus. Dean Miller stated someone is opening the fitness center and allowing students to go in unsupervised. Larry Aguiar stated that person should be written up.

Tony Costello stated he opens the gym for students to use and then leaves. Tony feels they are responsible enough to be there and he has other things to do. Dean Miller advised Tony to set aside time with and for his students to be in the gym. Dean Miller stated she had to shoot 100 free-throws at 6am and her coach was there. Tony asked Dean Miller to work with him and stated she should understand his position. Tony stated he feels like Dean Miller is working against faculty.

Dean Miller replied she is sorry if faculty feels that way, as that is not the case. This is a liability issue for LPC and faculty are there to instruct their students/athletes. Dean Miller feels she has been given a job and is responsible for the facilities. Tony reiterated students should be allowed to use the gym.

Dean Miller stated she did not feel there is cause for arguing and that the college’s facilities do not allow for unsupervised use. Larry Aguiar stated he totally agrees with Tony Costello and would like to save the topic for a coaches meeting and conduct a survey about the topic.

Tony Costello stated he feels Dean Miller is directing the policy toward basketball and Dean Miller replied she is sorry he feels that way, but the policy states there is no unsupervised use of the gym or fitness center. Jason Craighead stated the topic is much deeper than Dean Miller and the department and feels that facilities are disassociated with the community.

1. Class Syllabus – Dean Miller stated all faculty are to provide an office hours and syllabus for each class they teach to the division office within the first week of the semester and to students by the second class. All syllabi must include a final date. Dean Miller sent all faculty a Master Syllabus to implement fall 2010.
2. Instructional Equipment, Committee Assignments – Dean Miller advised Instructional Equipment Requests dates are as follows:

Process begins 9/2/10

Requests are due to Dean Miller by 9/10

Presented at Division meeting 9/15

Due to VP for signature 9/23

Dean Miller encouraged faculty to begin thinking about their needs and submit paperwork by due dates.