Mesa Community College Faculty Senate

Approved Minutes

September 16, 2004

Member	Telephone Number	Representing / Office	Present	Absent
Phil Carrillo		At-Large	X
Harold Cranswick		Zone 5	X
Lyn Dutson		Zone 1, President Elect	X
Allen Galliart		Active Retirees Rep	X
Mehrzad Khorsandi		At-Large	X
Charles Lewis		At-Large	X
James Giles		Zone 8	X
Gregg Pratt		At-Large		X
Erin Rawson		At-Large	X
Janice Reilly		President	X
Mona Scott		At-Large	X
Ann Stine		Zone 6	X
John Seims		Zone 4, Secretary	X
Naomi Story		Zone 7	X
Mary Aldridge		Zone 3	X
Niccole Villa Cerveny		At-Large	X
Phillip Waclawski		Zone 2, Treasure	X
Donna Gaudette		At-Large	X
		Zone 1

I. General

A. Call to Order - 3:10 by Janice Reilly

B. Approval of Agenda - Approved

C. Approval of Senate Minutes - Approved

II. Treasurer's Report - Phill Waclawski

Money will be moved from the money market account to grant a maximum of two outstanding faculty honorariums per year.

Motion (Charles Lewis) The treasure will transfer up to $5000 from the Desert Schools money market to the Desert Schools checking account as needed to fund The Distinguished Faculty Award. - Motion was passed unanimously.

III. Old Business

A. Plus-Minus Grading System (Document Attached) - Allen Galliart

UA is the only PAC-10 university not using the plus-minus system. ASU has adopted the plus-minus system. Some employers use a grade point system for evaluation. Allen distributed a document Grading in MCCD with his recommendations (attached).

There is no indication that any other grading system is being considered in the new PeopleSoft student information system. This could result in an additional future cost if MCCD adopts a different grading system.

Charles Lewis indicated that we do not need to consider adjusting our grading system because ASU is not pressuring the colleges to adopt the plus-minus system.

It is the opinion of the Senate, in the absence of any pressure to change the grading system, to keep it the same.

B. New Senator Introductions and Elections - Janice Reilly

Janice introduced and welcomed Jim Giles as the new Zone 8 Senator.

A Zone 1 Senator is still being sought.

C. Membership - Phill Waclawski

Janice indicated that there may be some confusion within the faculty on the purpose of the Association. There is a brochure being distributed by mail to the faculty.

Phill will send out to the zone representatives the paperwork to join the Association for those faculty not currently participating.

D. Twelve-Month Pay Option - Janice Reilly

Sandra Stuebner sent an e-mail to Janice that states that the 12-month pay option will be tentatively available in July 2005. Janice reiterated that the faculty want this to be optional and can be changed on a yearly basis.

IV. New Business

A. Meet and Confrere - Janice Reilly

Proposals to the RFP were presented by the Faculty Meet and Confer Team at FEC and discussed. The Team will bring back final Proposal Language to FEC for Approval. The approved proposals will be distributed to the Faculty at large.

The Meet and Confer process needs to be revised to reflect a more shared governance approach.

B. Public Safety - Janice Reilly

Janice presented some aspects of the security policy, including guns and centralized command at the district. It became clear that the senate needs to poll the faculty to find out their position on this issue. This will be done.

Lynn pointed out that insurance companies would like a clear definition and some clarity as to whether we want a security force or a police force and what each entails. This was a topic discussed in the MIRA committee.

C. Instructional Council / Chair Retreat - Naomi Story and Lyn Dutson

October 6, 2004 from 2:00 to 4:00 in the Governing Board Room - There will be a dialogue between the faculty IC chairs to examine the:

1. The role of the IC in the curriculum process.

2. The membership of the ICs.

3. The basic curriculum process.

The intent is to get faculty to identify some common issue they want to talk about that is not available to them when the district calls the IC meetings. There will be further dialogue on this issue. Please encourage IC chairs to attend.

D. Online Distance Learning Courses - John Seims

John Seims suggested that the senate examine distance learning issues to start taking positions on particular issues. Charles suggested that we give the existing distance learning committee a specific direction with definite outcomes and deadlines (i.e. recommendation). John Seims, Janice Reilly, and Donna Gaudet will come up with these issues for the committee to discuss.

E. RFP Matters - Charles Lewis

Charles expressed his concerned that many faculty and even chairs are unfamiliar with their rights under the RFP and unfamiliar with the RFP itself. This has created some unnecessary problems. Charles would like to send out an e-mail news letter on RFP issues to help education faculty. He distributed a document titled Know Your RFP as an example of this newsletter (attached). The senate supports Charles in this effort.

Motion (Charles Lewis) Charles Lewis will edit an e-mail newsletter designed to inform faculty of the RFP rights and to familiarize faculty with the RFP in general. - Motion passed unanimously.

V. Information

VI. President's Report

Participation in the ASRS's Service Buy Back program has been extended to December 31, 2004. After this date, new participants will begin a new amortization system. This was an oversight by the legislature that was identified by faculty and the FEC that benefited all of Arizona's public service employee who are in ASRS.

The incentive for early retirement ($3000 for five years) was vetoed by CEC.

A. Full-Time / Part-Time Faculty Ratios - Janice Reilly

Nine new faculty position by the Fall 2005. There is still a concern at MCC which has a very low full-time/part-time ratio.. Janice would like to see this improved.

Multiply problems in the area of Faculty hiring (timeline on new, replacements and process as a whole. The faculty positions were supposed to be announced by September 15^th by agreement, but will be announced sometime in October. Janice would like to streamline the whole process to be able to hire better qualified candidates earlier in the spring semester.

Janice stated that the high number of OYO positions cannot continue indefinitely. Three years is the limit for OYO positions per Mike Napier's (Faculty Association Lawyer) interpretation of district policy. This is not about Sabbatical or Medical Leave OYO's.

VII. President Elect's Report

Lyn will set up a time for the Distinguished Faculty Award committee with its members.

VIII. Committee Report

Health and Safety Committee (Allen Galliart) - A student approached the board member and indicated that the student believed that the Board did not support students because of lack of parking. There was discussion on charging a nominal fee for parking to support the purchase of buss passes.

IX. Zone and At-Large Senate Report

Absence of a zone or at-large report implies there was no report by that Zone or At-Large Senator.

Zone 4 (John Seims) - A zone member is concerned with the lack of options for TSAs. Charles Lewis indicated that this will be difficult. You must have twenty-five employees willing to participate in the new organization before it can be used by the district. If the vendor requests to be added, the district may add them.

Zone 5 (Harold Cranswick) - One group of faculty asked if it was possible if the senate would provide a rank order of the budgets of all colleges and the district. Another group asked if it is possible if the senate will provide the ratios (full- to part-time) of each discipline.

X. Adjournment - Adjourned at 5:45 pm