President’s Diversity Advisory Committee Meeting

/ 11/03/08
3:30 P.M.
Attendees: / Aamna Nayyar
Phyllis Baca
Noe Villarreal
Susan Dugan
Sheila Ortego
Helen Helfer
Gordon Fluke
Emily Smith
Karla Quintana
Debra Sommer
Ernest Kavanaugh
Karla Quintana
Consuelo Walker
Dennis Matsui
Andrea Gaytan
Douglas Barkey
Tom Romero
Agenda item: / Minutes Review/Budget Process / Presenter: / Phyllis Baca
Susan Dugan has covered the last two meetings during Phyllis’s absence. All the budget paperwork has been signed and turned in for the appropriate on-line approval process for Phyllis.
Agenda item: / Summit on Diversity – Professional Development / Presenter: / Emily Smith
Reviewed all the events scheduled for the summit. Some discussion about student participation. Other ideas were discussed about integrating into the classroom. Questions about taping the event were asked, OIT would have to take care of it. Susan and Aamna will follow-up with Justine and OIT. Marketing with a paid ad was discussed. Emily will follow-up and try to get an ad in the Pasatiempo for the event on the 18th. Ernest suggested having an interpreter. Emily will follow-up. Future activities were discussed such as the leadership academy and other professional development.
Agenda item: / Diversity Curriculum / Presenter: / Debra Sommer
Debra and Phyllis presented to the curriculum committee that students working towards a transfer degree require a foreign language if it’s required in at the four year institution. A ten page hand-out with supporting evidence was disseminated. Gordon Fluke, who sat on the committee, said it was a mixed response depending on the electives needed. He had suggested that we work with the department heads. Sheila reminded us of her request that we study what our peer institutions (other New Mexico community colleges) are requiring in terms of language credits, to see if our interest in a Spanish Language requirement is a requirement in comparable institutions. Andrea suggested a grass roots passion from the bottom up from previous work she had done. The sub-committee will continue to work on the suggestions. Tom attended the HACU conference and presented another viewpoint. Perhaps a complete “Spanish” school should be created. Also, the HACU speaker (Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa) might be a good candidate for a future workshop at SFCC. Phyllis suggested preparation of a PDAC information pamphlet for dissemination. Consuelo suggested attending La Cosecha.
Agenda item: / Special Services Draft Report / Presenter: / Sub-Committee, Dennis Matsui
Special Services uses NM AHEAD to track current issues and best practices including the attendance of a national conference. The basic structures of all special services were similar because predicated on ADA. Main objective is “equal access” to all students. Different types of strategies were discussed including some out of the box thinking that other institutions are doing. Dennis commented on “mentor” strategies and resources available to the department. Referring to Debra’s inquiry about an increase in addiction, Dennis replied about the “volunteer” aspect of special services and many students are not using the service. A discussion about different addiction strategies ensued.
Agenda item: / Hiring Processes / Presenter: / Karla Quintana
Karla has sent out the drafts and accepted input and discussed the changes she has made to the document. She has gone to all the groups and presented the draft. She will be attending Faculty Senate (tentative). Karla also mentioned that there will be minimum 3 members in the hiring panel instead on 5 members.
Agenda item: / Signage Update / Presenter: / Tom Romero
Tom gave an update on the signage. The final proof is completed and sent back to the vendors. He believes that the first bilingual signs are set to go up as discussed. They are holding the campus orientation signs because of the changes. They may have to change vendors. All interior signs corrected and completed, plus all the exterior signs are completed. The brochures have not been done yet or the little placards with “se habla español” from the student input committee.
Other Updates: Presenter: Aamna Nayyar
Aamna Provided information on a request made to the JACK Committee about assigning a “Tab” for “Diversity” instead on just a “Channel” as with channel not all information on PDAC & campus Diversity issues and needs can be communicated. Aamna also mentioned that the last meeting with the President about PDAC updates could not happen as the President had to attend the mass ceremony for Eva Gallegos’s son.

Next meeting: November 17, 2008 3:30 P.M. Board Room