Notes - October 17, 2005
De Anza Academic Senate
Approved Notes for the meeting of
October 17, 2005
Senators and Officers present: Annen, Argyriou, Bryant, Capitolo, Chenoweth, Cordero, Dolen, Dunn, Fritz, Goodwin,
Hearn, Jensen-Sullivan, Joplin, Kline, Logvinenko, Mjelde, Moreno, Mosh, Olsen, Osborne,
Rafaelli, Setziol, Winters, Zarecky, and Zill
Senators and Officers absent: Sheirich
DASB:
Classified Senate: Olivia Patlan
Administrative Liaison:
Guests: Beth Bresnan and Karl Schaffer
[NOTE: Item numbers are reflective of agenda numbers in the order they are actually taken up at the meeting.]
The meeting was called to order at 2:36, a quorum being present.
I. Approval of Agenda and Notes: The agenda was approved as distributed with the renumbering of Item III as IIIa and the addition of a IIIb, Sharing Our Stories. The notes of the meeting of October 10th were approved as distributed.
II. Needs and Confirmations: None
IIIa. Joint Katrina Fundraising Update: Hearn announced that she had come to the conclusion that participating in the Club Day fundraising activity was not practical. She suggested that the group (perhaps joined by the classified Senate) could staff a table on a Tuesday and or a Wednesday. She asked if there were enough people willing to volunteer to bring off two days for a few hours each day. Annen, Raffaelli, Zill, and Winters clearly indicated that they were volunteering. The nodding heads of others were less clear as to intent since, in addition to "Will you volunteer?", "Can we manage two days?" was still in the air.
IIIb. Sharing Our Stories Project: Without objection, Hearn will add the Senate's endorsement to this Judy Miner initiative. She will also work with Miner to make an invitation to faculty as attractive as possible and to do what she can to make sure that probationary and part time faculty don't feel that their attendance is in any way expected.
IV. Mobbing: Karl Schaffer told a personal story which he held up as an example of mobbing. Several Senators spoke in favor of action aimed at lessening the prospects of mobbing on campus. At the same time, however, there was concern that the Senate would get mired in a "he said she said he said" set of unsubstantiated particulars.
V. Harassment and Discrimination Policy: Hearn distributed a new version of the subsections on "Visual or Written" and "Academic Freedom". She then informed the group that, as was previously suspected, the Board's interest was limited to legally protected groups in those places where lists occur and shared with the group the sense that that document would be much more likely to be used against faculty than in support of faculty. It being an action item with the document distributed standing as a motion, the group proceeded directly to a vote approving the language.
VI. Child Development/Social Sciences Division Senate Representation: It was MSCU (Kline/Mjelde) to have a transitional year and, therefore, to continue having two voting member slots for representatives of Child Development for the remainder of the year.
VII. Part Time Faculty Senate Representation: Hearn distributed a draft of proposed Constitution changes. The focus of the item was the ramifications and logistics of electing part time faculty representatives to the Executive Committee. During discussion, there were inquiries about the potential for encouraging and discouraging part time faculty participation and compensation. Encouraging divisions to consider the selection of part timers as division representatives was also mentioned. Bryant reminded the group that, this being presented as a revision to the Constitution meant that there was plenty of time for consideration and that it would need to go to a vote of the whole Senate in the Spring. This brought up the consideration of an implementation date.
VIII. Process for Selecting Division Senators: The item was held over.
X. Bond Measure Planning: The item was held over.
XI. Good of the Order:
- The De Anza Technology Taskforce is reconsidering the course management software made available to faculty. The Executive Committee should expect a report the first week of November. Meanwhile, faculty wishing to express an opinion may do so through Bryant or one of the other faculty members on the taskforce.
- Accreditation events were reported as beginning with a breakfast (by invitation) October 18th and ending with a presentation by the visiting team at 4:00 on the 20th.
- There is a Board of Trustees vacancy due to the death of Andrea Liederman which will be filled by appointment. This is not to be confused with the two open seats for which only one incumbent is seeking reelection.
- The group was asked whether they preferred lecture or group collaboration technique for the Senate Orientation set to begin soon (as in some time this year). A modicum of response yielded a preference for the group style.
- Hearn was asked to inquire about the responsibilities of faculty in the implementation of the new smoke free campus policy.
- It was observed that, whereas the group agreed last year to make environmental sustainability a top priority this year, there has not been, to this point, a hint of this so far this year.
- Hearn was asked to inquire about the status of a college policy for the year on paying for substitutes.
- Hearn asked whether or not people minded the style of agenda where not all items are necessarily addressed at a single meeting with an understanding that items would not just appear and disappear without being addressed or languish at the bottom of the agenda. The underwhelming response of any kind was taken by at least one officer to connote a basic sense of deferring effortlessly to the style and desire of the President.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:32.