August 30, 2017 Meeting

Agenda

Taft College Academic Senate Council Meeting

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

12:00pm to 1:00pm,
Cafeteria Conference Room

Call to Order
Public Commentary
Approval of Minutes of April 19, 2017 Meeting

Agenda

Information/Discussion Items

  1. Welcome to Deborah Rodenhauser, New LA Rep, and Kelly Kulzer, New ELA Rep
  2. Review of Academic Senate Council Processes

Action Items
3. Nominations for Adjunct Representative

  1. Zero-Cost-Textbook Degree Implementation Grant (Jiles, Hall)
    5. Replacing Retiring Faculty
    a) General Overview/Lack of Local Process
    b) Resolution Referred Back from Senate-of-the-whole
    c) New Resolution (Bill Devine)
    5. Academic Senate Constitution & Bylaws Review & Update

Other/Open Forum
Adjournment

 

Next meeting of the Academic Senate-of-the-whole is Monday, September 11, at 12:00pm in the Cougar Room. Next meeting of the Academic Senate Council is Wednesday, September 20 at 12:00pm in the Cafeteria Conference Center.

Minutes

Taft College Academic Senate Council Minutes

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Cafeteria Conference Room

 

Members Present: President Geoffrey Dyer, Vice President Vicki Jacobi, Secretary Candace Duron, Greg Golling, Tony Thompson, Tori Furman, Juana Escobedo, Kanoe Bandy, Mike Jiles, Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, and Debora Rodenhauser.

 

Guests: Kristi Richards and Gregory Mansi.

 

The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m.

 

Public Commentary

  • None

 

Approval of April 19, 2017 Meeting Minutes

  • The April 19th minutes were approved.

 

Welcome to Deborah Rodenhauser, New LA Rep, and Kelly Kulzer, New ELA Rep

  • Debora Rodenhauser is the Liberal Arts Division ASC representative.
  • Kelly Kulzer-Reyes is the English Language arts ASC representative.
  • Thank you to the volunteers of the ASC.

 

Review of Academic Senate Council Process

  • Senate-of-the-whole consists of all Full-time faculty and adjunct faculty who makes themselves known to want to join by the second week of the academic term.
  • The Academic Senate Council approves action items in advance to move forward to the Academic Senate.
  • The board of the Academic Senate includes the President: Geoffrey Dyer, Vice President: Vicki Jacobi, and Secretary: Candace Duron.
  • Agenda items follow the Ten Plus One of the Academic Senate.
  • The current bi-laws require a 2/3 vote on resolutions and two readings.
  • In accordance with the Brown Act the Senate must give public notice of the agenda 72 hours in advance.
  • ASC members are to review and give input on the agenda items after consulting the area you are representing.

 

Nominations for Adjunct Representatives

  • Vicki Waugh was the ASC representative for the adjuncts. She is not assigned an adjunct role for fall 2017.
  • The ASC adjunct representative is vacant
  • Kristi Richards has been nominated by Tori Furman, she has accepted the nomination.
  • There will be a call for nominations at the next Senate meeting.

 

Zero-Cost-Textbook Degree Implementation Grant (Jiles, Hall)

  • The Zero-Cost-Textbook Degree Implementation Grant is due the end of the month.
  • The grant is up to $150 thousand dollars and could be used for adjunct faculty, ADMJ faculty, consultations with other faculty, collaboration with CSU, Hartnell and College of the Canyons, and/or as stipends to develop a path using the zero cost textbooks to earn a degree in ADMJ for transfer.
  • If Taft College participates in this grant, there is an uncertainty as to who will be the director.
  • The director would work closely with the Chancellor’s Office and monitor the progress.
  • During the last Senate meeting there were concerns over faculty being forced to use the zero cost textbook which this grant addresses in the RFA Section 27 C; this grant does not replace the curriculum process nor does it constitute an endorsement of its use in curriculum. Still, it is the assumption that we will adopt the curriculum.
  • There are four reporting dates in the grant and drawdowns for money and at any time, with 30 day notice, either party (the college or the Chancellor’s Office) can terminate their involvement.
  • The curriculum that may need to be created as part of this grant and the ADMJ coursework would be under creative commons and belong to the state allowing other community college to draw from them. This is a great opportuning for our ADMJ faculty to participate in.
  • The cost of textbooks is a significant barrier to student success and completion.
  • Faculty will be able to customize their textbook without worrying about the cost of using multiple textbooks and being restrained to one expensive textbook and thus feeling compelled to use the textbook in its entirety for the student to get their money worth.
  • Curriculum is part of the 10 + 1 responsibilities of Academic Senate.
  • Mike Jiles and the ADMJ adjuncts are supportive of this grant and willing to do the work.
  • Dan Hall and Vicki Jacobi will begin writing the grant pending the Senate’s vote.
  • It does not appear to be an allowable expense to pay for a grant writer with the grant funds however, Mark Williams thinks it is allowable to pay for someone to write this grant under the Zero-Cost-Textbook planning grant Taft College received where there are funds still available.
  • On a motion by Kanoe Bandy, seconded by Kelly Kulzer-Reyes, and unanimously carried, the Zero-Cost-Textbook Degree Implementation Grant was approved to move forward to the senate-of-the-whole.

 

Replacing Retiring Faculty

  • General Overview/Lack of Local Process
    • It is recorded in the AS minutes from 2012 that a no vote was made against the automatic replacement of retiring faculty members.
    • With the retirement of Gary Graupman, the Superintendent/President has asked for an evaluation and has stated that the replacement of retiring faculty will not be automatic.
    • In the past, the Senate has given a recommendation to the Superintendent/President for the replacement of a retiring faculty member. Sometimes it has been followed, other times it was not.
    • The vacant Learning Specialist position from the retirement of Susan Vaughn is in the process of being posted according to the VPSS.
    • The Applied Tech Division, CTE, and the VPI have been in conversations over the vacant Energy Technology 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.
    • Discussion: Is it more important to work on the process and development of a policy by looking at the two resolutions on the agenda before making a recommendation on Gary Graupman’s positon or make a recommendation on his replacement then work towards a process and policy?
      • 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.
    • On a motion by Vicki Jacobi, seconded by Juana Rangel-Escobedo, opposed by Mike Jiles, and abstained by Grey Golling, Tori Furman, and Geoffrey Dyer, the motioned carried. 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 to move forward to the senate-of-the-whole.

 

The meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.

 

 

Submitted by Candace Duron, Secretary.

Approved September 20, 2017

Supporting Docs