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February 21 , 2006
NEWS
SB 1331: Threat to education?
Compared with other legislation being reviewed by the Arizona Legislature, Senate Bill 1331 is relatively succinct. However, if passed, the paragraph of 105 words could have a profound impact on college education in Arizona.

Danny Wenger and Heather Cutler

The events that lead to the creation of SB 1331 happened in the fall semester at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. William Mullaney, the language and humanities division chair of CGCC, taught a class titled “Currents of American Life,” ENH255.
Mullaney co-teaches the class with another teacher.
“She studies history and I complement it with literature and films,” Mullaney said.
One of the assigned readings for the class is “The Ice Storm” by Rick Moody. The book focuses on two dysfunctional families living in Connecticut in the early 70s. Mullaney said he used the book because, “based on my review it was the best to convey for the cultures of the time.”
Mullaney said that one of his students approached him nine weeks into the semester and refused to read the book. Mullaney said he warns students in the course syllabus that some of the material in the class could be offensive.
“First day of class we give out the syllabus and we talk a little bit about the books,” Mullaney said. “I have a little note in the syllabus saying that some of the literature and films that we’ll be studying this semester have adult subject matter and mature themes, and actually sort of encourage students to review the materials before the class begins so they have time during that drop week to sort of leave (the class) if it doesn’t seem to jive with them.”
Mullaney said he would not assign alternative reading. The student then left the class.
“He withdrew from the class. I don’t know whether he found a substitute class,” Mullaney said. “When the issue was first brought to the attention of the administrators they offered to find him an alternative class. It would have been two classes he would have had to find because (the class) was a learning community. But they were willing to try to find two classes that worked with his schedule. But he refused and then filed the grievance with the college.”
After the incident CGCC President Maria Hesse had a meeting with Reps. Russell Pearce and Andy Biggs of the Arizona House of Representatives. Sen. Thayer Verschoor of the Arizona State Senate was also at the meeting.
Verschoor said one of the goals of the issues in the meeting was the student retaining his or her scholarship.
“The class was part of a Presidential Scholarship program,” Verschoor said. “Our first objective was to be able to allow the student to stay in the class . . . and be able to take an alternative reading material, that would have met the high level of academics in that class, which was a Presidential Scholarship class.”
Verschoor said the bill, if passed, would go into affect 90 days after the end of the senate session.