Minutes of the

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

April 22, 2002

 

APPROVED

 

PRESENT:                            Chris Barkley, Bill Bedford, Mike Byron, Judy Cater, MaryAnn Drinan, Nancy Galli,  Katheryn Garlow, Doug Key, Stan Levy, Mario Mendez, Maria Miller, Ruben Murcia, Morgan Peterson, Suzann Norton, Jose Rangel, Joe Stanford, Fari Towfiq, Rocco Versaci, April Woods

 

ABSENT:                              Mike Arguello, Monika Brannick, Sara Thompson, Anne Voth

 

GUESTS:                               Judy Fish, Suzanne Gavin, Karie Lord, Carlton Smith, Mollie Smith

 

CALL TO ORDER:             The meeting was called to order by the president, Chris Barkley, at 2:03 p.m., in Room SU-30.

 

Approval of Minutes:          The minutes of April 15, 2002, were approved as presented.

 

April 29th Agenda:              Chris Barkley reported that as requested by Senators, Dr. Amador has been invited to attend the April 29th Senate meeting but will not discuss salary or other negotiated items. Discussion followed on whether she should be invited to address her reasoning in giving the other employee groups their salary increases while negotiations with faculty members were not completed. She said she would be willing to discuss her view of some of Palomar’s problems, like Peoplesoft. Senate members agreed that in order to keep the lines of communication open, Dr. Amador should be asked to attend an upcoming Senate meeting and to address issues such as academic and professional matters, as well as the restructuring of instructional planning.

Faculty Senate

Elections:                              Stan Levy reported that the ballots to fill upcoming Senate vacancies have been sent out. Because there are more candidates from the Life Sciences and Math Departments than there are vacancies for those departments, if individuals from those departments are in the top nine spots for contract faculty, the highest vote-getters will be elected.

Committee

Appointments:                     

 

Motion 1                                MSC Levy, Stanford: Faculty Senate approval of Jose Rangel to the Hiring Committee for the Dean of Human Arts & Sciences.

 

Research Award:                 Chris Barkley reported that application packets for the Research Award are in the Senate office. A small group of Senators will review the materials and present their recommendations at the April 29th meeting.

 

Strategic Planning

Council:                                Nancy Galli provided the following Strategic Planning Council report on the  proposed additions to the four planning council documents currently being sunshined, some of which were proposed by faculty:

 

·         A suggestion to add the Chief of Police to the Administrative Services Planning Council.

·         A suggestion to add 1 additional classified staff member to the Instructional Planning Council and the Student Services Planning Council.

·         A suggestion to add the Staff Development Diversity Coordinator to the Human Resource Services Planning Council.

·         A suggestion to add a marketing person to the Instructional and Student Services councils as a non-voting members.

·         It is being recommended that the each of the planning councils create an annual progress report.

 

Chris Barkley and Bob Gilson have agreed to serve as the faculty representatives on the writing team to pull together the suggestions received from the surveys.

 

Nancy Galli added that additional comments received during the sunshining process will be presented for Senate discussion on April 29th.

 

Academic Standards

& Practices:                         Joe Stanford distributed the following memorandum from the Academic Standards & Practices Committee as a result of their meeting on April 11, 2002:

 

                                                To:    Faculty Senate, Palomar College

 

From:  Academic Standards and Practices Committee

 

Subject:  Recommendations regarding Hiring procedures at Palomar College. 

 

1.        In recognition of the need for the hiring of new faculty at Palomar College to begin earlier in the school year than we have done in the past, the ASPC recommends that the senate relay the message to administration that budget projections and prioritization of faculty positions must be made no later than October first of each school year to begin the hiring process.

2.        To assist committees in conducting interviews in an equitable and legally appropriate manner, ASPC recommends that Human Resources be requested to make a video of the rules and regulations for committee members, and that all members of the hiring committee be required to view the presentation before screening and interviewing of candidates can begin.

3.        Because of the desire to hire the best candidate possible, and to investigate fully the qualifications of each candidate, ASPC recommends that the following be added to the faculty manual under BP 174 Faculty Hiring:  Policy and Criteria Responsibility:  “Follow-up questions may be asked, as long as they do not lead the candidate to a desired response, and stay within the scope of the original answer.  In addition, information on the application, resume, or portfolio may be specifically addressed if not included in the original answer (and remains in the scope of the original question).”  It is also recommended that these instructions be included in the Human Resources training manual.

4.        In regard to the tier system ASPC recommends that the dean be made a member of the first level of interviews as a non voting member.  The dean would not screen the applicants, but sit in on all first level interviews and teaching demonstrations.  The second and final level interviews would include the dean, vice president of instruction, the college president, and faculty from the first level committee.

                                               

Lengthy discussion followed on the recommendations listed, particularly #4 and the suggestion that deans be involved in the first level of the interview process. Joe indicated that there was much discussion on that point at the meeting of April 11th, and there seemed to be agreement that if the dean were put on the committee at the first level as a non-voting member, there would not be a need for him or her to screen the applications which may alleviate the concern relating to time constraints, as well include representation on the committee by the administration. Most Senate members disagreed with item #4, stating the need for specific clarification on what the role of the dean would be. Some Senate members suggested leaving the current tier structure the way it currently exists rather than moving to this suggested format.  There was agreement by Senate members in relation to item #1 and the need for prioritizing of needed positions in the Spring so faculty hiring can begin early in the academic year, and that job announcements should be ready to go out by October 1st. Senate members agreed that items 1-3 should be presented for incorporation into the procedure, and that item 4 should be removed.

 

Motion 2                                MSC Key, Galli: To extend the meeting.

 

CalWorks Funded

Positions:                              Maria Miller reported on the possible elimination of the CalWorks funded positions. The three positions, as well as many services to students, may be eliminated if financing for these programs and positions is not found.  The Career Center posts approximately 50 jobs per week, as well as circulating this information to the appropriate vocational area or training area in which the job is applicable. Mollie Smith outlined the fiscal aspects of the program, stating that approximately $35,000 is needed to roll over these services into next year. Discussion followed the effect deleting these services would have on students as well as ways to draw attention to this issue. It was suggested that funding for these services be obtained through the general fund and that this issue be brought to the Strategic Planning Council.

 

Motion 3                                MSCU Norton, Versaci: Move the issue of CalWorks Funded positions to Action.

 

Motion 4                                MSCU Miller, Woods: The Faculty Senate is concerned about the loss of vital student services and is directing the Faculty Senate President to bring the issue  of Student Employment Services (funded by CalWorks) to the Strategic Planning Council with the recommendation that funds be sought through the general fund.

 

Flier:                                      Chris Barkley responded to inquiries made by some Senate members on a flier which was distributed to faculty members critical of the Faculty Senate and endorsing certain faculty members for Senate membership. She indicated that the flier was not distributed by the Palomar Faculty Federation, and the Faculty Council and the PFF will distribute a response to this to acknowledge that PFF is not endorsing anyone and applauds the number of faculty members running for the Senate.

 

Other:                                    Mario Mendez provided the following CTA report:

 

                                                Current federal law could cost you up to two-thirds of the Social Security benefits you and many educators may have earned. Working with the National Education Association and CTA, you can do something about it!

 

                                                NEA has mounted a national mobilization to urge Congress to repeal two federal laws – the “Government Pension Offset” (GPO) and “Windfall Elimination Provision” (WEP).  These current laws reduce Social Security benefits to public employees in 15 states, including California.

The “Government Pension Offset” reduces benefit payments to those who qualify for Social Security through their spouse’s employment. The “Windfall Elimination Provision” (WEP) reduced benefits for those who qualify through their own employment prior to public service.

Congress is considering two bills to repeal the GPO and WEP: H.R. 2638 by Congressman Buck McKeon and S. 1523 by Senator Dianne Feinstein.

 

Already there are 125 co-sponsors on the McKeon bill, and we’re getting more every day.

 

On May 1, call Senator Barbara Boxer at (415) 403-0100 or (213) 894-5000 and your member of Congress and urge them to support the bills and sign on as co-authors.

 

Mario added that a flier providing more information on this is being sent out to faculty members with the Senate Motions this week.

 

Palomar Faculty

Federation:                           Carlton Smith reported that although he is unaware of the political issues or strategies currently occurring among faculty, the actions and effectiveness of the Senate as a body working with the PFF has been extremely positive.

 

Adjunct Faculty:                  Mike Byron reported that he attended an AFT Union Conference in Chicago last weekend and heard and discussed many important issues relating to adjunct faculty.

 

Other:                                    Chris Barkley reported that she has received a couple of notes from some classified staff members regarding the Coalition of Democratic Educators. The Senate is in no way connected to this organization.

 

STRS Rules:                        For retired faculty now working as adjuncts:

                                                Beginning in 2001-2002,coursework taught during the summer by retired faculty now counts against their annual earnings limit. As a result, this summer many adjunct faculty members who are retirees will feel the pinch of this rule change. If they teach this summer, then they most likely will not be eligible to teach in the fall because they will have hit their earnings ceilings.

 

Thank You:                           Chris Barkley read a card from Karan Huskey thanking the Faculty Senate for supporting the Counseling Department during the stressful layoff period and expressing gratitude for the efforts made by the Senate in fighting for those faculty positions.

 

ADJOURNMENT:               The meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

 

                                                Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                April Woods, Secretary