September 11, 2017 Meeting

Agenda

Taft College Academic Senate
Senate-of-the-Whole Meeting

Monday, September 11, 2017

12:00Pm to 1:00pm, Cougar Room

Call to Order
Public Commentary
Approval of Minutes of the August 17, 2017 Meeting
Commentary on Electronic Committee Updates
Agenda

Information/Discussion Items
1. Welcome to New Members—1 Minute

  1. Academic Senate Constitution & Bylaws—1 Minute
    3. Guided Pathways Funding—Jacobi (2 Minutes)
  2. Dual Enrollment Update—Anthony Cordova (5 Minutes)

Action Items

  1. Nominations and Election of Adjunct Representative to Academic
    Senate Council (5 Minutes)
  2. Zero-Textbook-Cost Implementation Grant Application—Jiles & Hall
    (15 Minutes)
    7. Recommendation for Replacement Position in Communication
    (20 Minutes)
    Other/Open Forum for Announcements
    Adjournment

 

Next meeting of the Academic Senate Council is Wednesday, September 20, at noon in the Cafeteria Conference Room. Next meeting of the Academic Senate-of-the-Whole is Monday, October 2 at noon in the Cougar Room.

Minutes

Taft College Academic Senate Minutes

Monday, September 11, 2017

Cougar Conference Room

Members Present: President, Geoffrey Dyer, Vice President Vicki Jacobi, Secretary, Candace Duron, Joshua Rocha, David Layne, Chris Chung-Wee, Jennifer Altenhofel, Tina Mendoza, Michelle Oja, Juana Rangel-Escobedo, Robin Polski, Adam Bledsoe, Janis Mendenhall, Chris Flachmann, Joe’ll Chaidez, Danielle Kerr, Sharyn Eveland, Amar Abbott, Terri Smith, Dan Hall, Diane Jones, Ruby Payne, Shelley Getty, Joy Reynolds, Tony Thompson, Kanoe Bandy, Michelle Beasley, Jessica Grimes, Tabitha Raber, Greg Golling, Mike Jiles, Leigh Golling, Julian Martinez, Mariza Martinez, Debora Rodenhauser, Bill Devine, David Mitchell, Paul Blake, Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, Mike Mayfield, Tori Furman.

Guests: Anthony Cordova, Mason Bassett-Graves.

The meeting was called to order at 12:10 P.M.

Public Commentary

None

Approval of August 17, 2017 Senate Minutes

  • No corrections, minutes approved.

Commentary on Electronic Committee Updates

                None

Welcome to New Members

  • Welcome to the adjunct faculty members of the Academic Senate: Tabatha Raber, ADMJ, Joshua Rocha, History, Gregory Mansi, History, Steven McDaniel, Speech, and Kristi Richards, Counseling.
  • The total number, both full-time and adjunct faculty, of the Academic Senate-of-the-whole is 63.

Academic Senate Constitution and Bylaws

  • Take any recommendations for changes/updates to the constitution and bylaws to your Senate Council representative.
  • Then next Senate Council meeting on September 20th plans to discuss the AS Constitution and Bylaws.

Guided Pathways Funding – Jacobi

  • It is already required by law to provide a clear, predictive two-year-schedule of courses to reduce the median time to complete, to align the SLO with transfer institutions, to increase non-academic support, increase internships, and increase effective teaching practices; this will provide funding to implement this requirement.
  • If Taft College wants to be eligible, a team will need to attend a workshop/training.

Dual Enrollment Update – Anthony Cordova

  • There is an emailed letter of support than was sent by the TUHS Oil Tech Academy through the Energy Tech Advisory Committee.
  • The letter supports a pathway, concurrent enrollment from the high school, industry partners, and the value in continuing the momentum and expansion of the program.
  • Welding is the discipline currently offered under CCAP.
  • The AS Dual Enrollment Committee Force will be meeting with Tony about the Advisory board next week and will provide an update soon.
  • AS Dual Enrollment Committee is not a committee but a task force.
  • The Dual Enrollment Advisory Committee’s summer activity was to put together a handbook for parents and students.
  • If a program is impacted then it does not qualify under the CCAP agreement.
  • There is a variety of ways to offer dual enrollment to keep in mind when having the dual enrollment conversations. CCAP is just one of the options.

Nomination and Election of Adjunct Representative to Academic Council

  • Kristi Richards accepted a nomination of Adjunct Representative for AS Council.
  • Call for nominations: none
  • Congratulations to Kristi Richards, the Adjunct Representative to Academic Senate Council.

Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Implementation Grant Application – Jiles & Hall

  • The ASC approved to move forward to the Senate the application for Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Implementation Grant.
  • ADMJ faculty are interested in apply for this grant to offer a degree in ADMJ for transfer using zero cost textbooks.
  • AS part of the grant, there are other colleges willing to offer their support, such as College of the Canyons and West Hills.
  • Tabitha Raber attended a training on the topic where a student panel presented. The students expressed a real concern over the cost of textbooks as a barrier to completion. Students also liked the access of the book on their phones/tablets and were more likely to read the book in the electronic format.
  • The program would only consist of college level general education, not pre-collegiate.
  • The RFA Section 27 C explains that this grant does not replace the curriculum process nor does it constitute an endorsement of its use in curriculum.
  • This grant also allows for shared curriculum and collaboration with other CCC and CSU faculty.
  • Data on Student Success suggests students have the book, they just do not read it.
  • A possible solution is to ask the Foundation to provide this service to the students at a smaller scale for those who need zero cost textbooks.
  • Students like the accessibility and format of the online textbooks and the faculty member can “design” their own textbook by pulling from different material AND there is a high cost for textbooks.
  • Student representative, Mason Bassett-Graves, thinks the idea is great for the students, especially those who do not have money. Still, Mason believes completion has to do more with a student’s work ethic. He suggested their phone may distract students and having electronic textbooks on their phones may be an added distraction.
  • Tabitha Raber leaned from her previous training that College of the Canyons would sometimes have the online textbook, printed and bound, for less than six-dollars.
  • As part of the grant, at least one section of a course required by the CSU general education pattern and ADMJ major requirements would offer the zero cost textbook.
  • Either party, the college or the state, can stop participating in the grant with 30-day notice.
  • On a motion by Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, seconded by Debora Rodenhauser, the Zero-Cost-Textbook Degree Implementation Grant was approved by majority.

Recommendation for Replacement Position in Communication

  • The AS has not made a recommendation to the President regarding the replacement of Gary Graupman’s position.
  • There was a discussion with the Academic Senate President, Liberal Arts Division Chair, and the Superintendent/President about the replacement of Gary Graupman’s positon. The Division Chair asked for a replacement of Gary Graupman’s position exactly as vacated by Gary with a faculty load of Journalism, Communication, and Speech. Dr. Daniels wanted an evaluation and continues to ask for the AS number two ranking.
  • When looking at sections of Speech, Sociology, English, and Kinesiology taught by adjuncts there is a need in all disciplines.
  • Some disciplines have full-time faculty, while others are taught by all adjuncts.
  • A Speech class is required for transfer to the CSU system with no other course option.
  • One of the adjunct faculty for speech is working at an increased load for fall 2017 but cannot continue the increased load for two semesters.
  • There is not an agreed metric, Jennifer and Michelle worked on one in the past; perhaps it needs to be looked at again.
  • ASC motioned to recommend to the Superintendent/President for replacement of the retirement position of Gary Graupman with a full-time, tenured track Speech faculty position.
  • It would be difficult, maybe impossible, to find a person who would have all the current minimum qualifications to teach in all the areas that Gary did.
  • Past Academic Senate President, Tony Thompson, reminded us of the agreement with past president/superintendents to automatically replaced retired faculty member positions.
  • In 2012, the minutes from AS show that a discussion about replacement of faculty occurred, but there was no vote.
  • The current needs and the projected needs in thirty-years should be considered in an evaluation. We should be careful and thoughtful in our recommendation as it is a long-term serious investment.
  • December 1 there will be a preliminary number of faculty positons from President/Superintendent Deb and AS will rank in January during in-service.
  • Julian Martinez, as Liberal Arts Division Chair, expressed the importance of adding journalism because of a risk of losing the program if a qualified faculty cannot be found; at least adding journalism to the desirable qualifications.
  • If journalism has low enrollment and a qualified adjunct cannot be found, is the program viable?
  • On a motion by Vicki Jacobi, seconded by Sharyn Eveland, the recommendation to the Superintendent/President for replacement of the retirement position of Gary Graupman with a full-time, tenured track Speech faculty position was approved.

Other/Open Forum

  • The CTE committee has been approved as an option for a committee assignment. Please considering Tori Furman and the CTE committee: first Thursday 12-1 P.M. in S11.
    • Consider putting Journalism on the CTE committee agenda; it may have better enrollment if it was given the same support as other CTE programs.
  • A substitute AS Secretary is needed for the next ASC meeting on the 20th; let Candace know if you are interested.

Meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM.

Submitted by Candace Duron, Secretary.

Approved as corrected October 2, 2017

Supporting Docs

 

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