Professional … pragmatic … principled … progressive
Summary Minutes for
(approved
|
Executive
Board: Michael Harkins, President;
Paul Guymon, Vice President; Jim Edstrom, Secretary; Dan Loprieno, Treasurer;
Sue Overland, Grievance Officer; Julie Fleenor, Past President |
Actions
Taken
·
The monthly joint
luncheon of the Senate Exec and the President’s Council will take place next
Monday (October 24th).
·
We are working on
ideas for this year’s faculty holiday event.
·
An invitation has
been sent to Laurie Stone to attend a Faculty Senate meeting. There has been no response as yet. There was some discussion of appropriate
followup. It was agreed that Michael has
the Senate’s support to speak to this issue at the next Board meeting.
·
The faculty
survey concerning the reorganization of Academic Affairs was discussed. Jim will be sending instructions to Senators
regarding logistics.
·
There was some
discussion of a recent article in the Harbinger
concerning faculty and their use of technology.
·
The Northwest
Suburban Labor Activists organization was discussed. They are currently in the process of
selecting officers.
·
Michael has asked
for copies of the various Vice Presidents’ job descriptions.
·
Diana Sharp and
Joe Accardi have responded to the Senate memo of October 6 noting that the
Academic Standards Committee did not endorse the “Request for Institutional
Change to Allow Offering Degree Programs Through Distance Learning
Modalities.” In their response, Diana
and Joe maintained that the Committee did in fact endorse this document. There was considerable discussion on this memo
to the effect that their contention is not true.
·
A memo from Marge
Skold concerning “Quality and Assessment of Distance Learning” dated October 17th
and addressed to the co-chairs of the Academic Standards and Teaching &
Learning Committees was discussed. The
note asked the two committees to form a subcommittee to recommend evaluation
and assessment measures for distance learning.
It was felt that setting up such a body is the role of the Oversight
Committee and not that of these two committees.
Pat Beach moved that the Senate delegate the groups to respond to this
note as well as that of Diana Sharp and Joe Accardi; he suggested the groups
that originally corresponded with these individuals. Rich Johnson seconded, and the motion was
approved.
III. Officers’
Reports
Sue
reported that there have been numerous inquiries concerning the assignment of
classes in light of the new adjunct contract.
She noted that class assignment still is rooted in each program’s
credentials statement. Sue is also
working on clarification of retirement enhancement options. It was observed that the Deans are still not
being timely with class assignments.
VI. Old
Business
In
the interests of time the Senate moved directly to “Old Business.” The proposed “BlueAdvantage HMO” option was
discussed. Pat Beach moved that the
issue be delegated to the Negotiations team; Jim Edstrom seconded. Dave Braunschweig moved to table the motion
until we get a legal opinion; Dave Richmond seconded. The tabling motion was approved.
The
climate study was discussed. Michael
asked the Senate for authorization to disseminate information from the climate
study from time to time, in consultation with an ad hoc committee chaired by
Kim Fournier, who will also select members of the committee. Kim provided some background on the issue,
having dealt with inquiries concerning the climate study from the Institutional
Planning Committee, of which she is co-chair.
Jim Edstrom moved the proposal to establish this committee for
disseminating the information; Sue Bajt seconded. The motion was approved.
There
was a discussion of following up on the Dean evaluations. Michael proposed that two Senators meet with
each Dean to discuss their evaluations.
Sue Bajt moved that the Deans be given an opportunity for such meetings;
Carole Bomba seconded. The idea was that
there is no requirement that they
meet. After some discussion, the motion
was approved.
VII. New
Business
There was discussion of
the issue concerning the administration’s provision of a recording secretary to
the College Assembly. It was felt that
the Oversight Committee has jurisdiction over this issue and that the Recording
Secretary should not be removed from
the Assembly’s data sheet.
There was discussion of
the effort to schedule 4-week classes by the Deans. They are interested in making such classes
available for graduating high school students, and Deans have been asking
chairs if any of their classes could be taught in four weeks. The Math Department was told that the first
session of 4-week classes beginning after the Spring semester would be paid as
overload rather than on the basis of summer pay. It was pointed out that in cases where such
classes have been scheduled, the faculty involved have been paid at the summer
rate, which amounts to past practice.
Other related issues included pay for Library faculty work and whether
the classes are considered as beginning in the spring or the summer. The issue will be on the agenda of the next
Chairs & Coordinators meeting.
VIII. Adjournment
Jim
Edstrom moved for adjournment; Sue Bajt seconded. The meeting was adjourned at
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Edstrom