February 6, 2023

Attendance

Minutes

I. Call to Order

Welcome - Cheryl Jaeger Balm reminded representatives to update their  report out.

Approval of Agenda and Minutes from minutes from Jan. 30, 2023

Felisa Vilaubi moved, Ravjeet Singh seconded to approve both minutes and agenda. No objection.  Agenda and minutes approved by unanimous consent.

Public Comment 

• Tim Shively called upon the Academic Senate to consider, discuss, and take action to make sure that the college adheres to a shared governance process in the distribution of the Measure G funds that includes the construction of a new arts facility. He pointed out the Academic Senate has recently passed a resolution in support of the Arts regarding Measure G funds. FA also has passed a similar resolution. However, all college communications are contrary to this position. The Measure G webpage states that decisions have not been made regarding the Creative Arts facilities, yet they are moving forward with the Services for Students Center. The decision has already been made, by whom and when, and why is that not subject to shared governance dialogue? Shared governance dialogue needed. People with different views and positions have professed an interest in dialogue, yet they kept doing things that refute those concessionary comments. Clearly there is no interest in diplomacy whatsoever. Nothing will happen unless there is discussion and action.  Cheryl Jaeger Balm asked Tim to share a link to the FA resolution in the chat for those members who haven't seen it.
• Jayanti Roy expressed her frustration with getting masks for her classrooms. Jayanti has been teaching on campus at the Children Development Center that requires masks.The procedure for getting masks and other classroom supplies is convoluted. She filled out and submitted the forms but nothing happened. She had to get masks from other classrooms and ended up purchasing the masks herself. What is the process for requesting masks and classroom supplies?  The general consensus was that the supply requests should go through the division assistant.  Thomas Ray will follow up to find out what happened in Jayanti's case and to clarify and streamline the procedure.  Erik Woodbury pointed out that facilities is severly undertaffed and needs more help.
• Julie Hughes thanked everyone for their support for Creative Arts and for coming to the meeting last Friday when President Holmes met with the Division. She described the meeting as strictly a top down presentation with lots of options, many of which were completely bogus. It was a ruse to reach out and do due diligence since there was no opportunity for feedback and collaboration. She felt that they were still in the same boat and welcomed ideas to move forward.

Report Outs - see the linked PDF

II. Needs and Confirmations

College committees - needs

• Noncredit rep (1) for the Curriculum Committee
• Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) liaison positions

III. Continuing Business

Welcome to our Faculty Coordinator of Equity in Online Education, James Capurso

Thomas Ray introduced James; he has been a part-time faculty member in the Communication Studies department since 2017. This quarter James will be visiting departments and divisions to assess the needs for the campus. They will start to develop work plans in the Spring quarter.

James is excited about being in this new position. He looks forward to meeting and getting to know everyone in their departments and divisions. He invited people to send him feedback and also to visit with him via zoom or in his office, MLC229. Email Capursojames@fhda.edu

Brown Act changes coming March 1 (cont. from Jan. 30, 2023)

By March 1, the Academic Senate will need 16 people meeting in person or within the district boundary. Under the law, if there is no quorum, the Academic Senate cannot make any decisions, like approving hiring and tenure committees. If there are two representatives from a division or area, at least one person needs to come in person and attend within the district boundary. Confirm with Cheryl Jaeger Balm if you will be attending in person or within the boundary.

In the last meeting there was a lot of discussion in chat on what is allowed for remote attendance and the interest in AB2449.

• AB 2449
• Summary of the changes and effects of AB 2449

AB 2449 will not work for the Academic Senate. The bill is complicated. The listed just causes for remote meetings is restricted to child care or family caregiving, contagious illness, mental or physical disability, need for travel on official business, a physical or family medical emergency.  While AB2449 allows people to attend remotely without disclosing their locations, it requires quorum in the room, not just from within district boundaries or college offices.

Deborah Armstrong shared that the Academic Senate is not alone in this predicament. She is on the advisory board for the PTA. They also have had many meetings discussing the same thing, including all the complicated rules. In the end, they decided to meet in person. If people are not happy, they need to talk to their congress people to get the law changed.

IV. New Business

Accreditation and ISER (Institutional Self Evaluation Report) (first read)

ISER was introduced in Academic Senate back in October. The first link is the comprehensive collegewide website with the timeline and the writing leads for each standard.  The Academic Senate has interests in Standards 2 (student learning) and 4 (governance). 

The Classified and Academic Senates are co-writing Standard 4A. Cheryl Jaeger Balm and Deborah Armstrong have been working on it through a shared document.  They would like faculty input on the draft Standard IV.A template. This is a commentable link. Please start reading questions 1-7. Put in feedback and make comments. This is for accreditation to show how the college has been doing around governance and student support.

Academic Senate scholarships

The Academic Senate Bylaws stated that the Senate will offer scholarships. The last scholarship was offered in 2019-20. Financial aid had documents on those scholarships. Cheryl Jaeger Balm summarized the documents with the descriptions for those last two scholarships. 

The Academic Senate may change or create new scholarships, but will need to finalize the scholarships with the De Anza Financial Aid office before the end of February if the Senate would like to offer any scholarships this academic year.

There was a lengthy discussion on the scholarships.  Make it open to more students. Typically it is hard for students with the most need to apply. Target the scholarship for students facing barriers. Consider student success and equity.  Take a holistic, open ended, targeted approach; get the funds to the students who most need them.  Make the scholarship available to students who do not traditionally qualify for other scholarships. Make it more available to students facing hardship. Scholarship for students on probation.

Discussion on scholarship requirements and qualification.  More approachable requirements so that students have the chance.  Regarding community service, it would be hard for someone who had to work to do community service.  Non-traditional students may not want to disclose certain information the previous scholarships required.  Application modality does not have to be limited to just writing, maybe a video or some other ways to tell their stories.  Lower the GPA requirement to 2.5- 2.75 or remove it alogether and replace it with students in good standing or with an academic plan.  Applicants must be a De Anza student but why require 30 units and full time?  30-unit requirement targets students who are ready to graduate/transfer. Consider targeting students new to the college trying to get through their initial classes, having a hard time, and really in need of more support.  Favored 18 units that establishes residency for students.  Have scholarships that support continuing students as well as successful transfer applicants

Simplify the process. Get the word out. Promote the scholarship. 

There was great support and enthusiasm for offering the scholarships this year.  Cheryl Jaeger Balm, Felisa Vilaubi, Salvador Guerrero, Jayanti Roy, Lisa Castro, Glynn Wallis, and Anita Vazifdar volunteered to work on finalizing the scholarships.

IV. Other Items

Virtual Posters

Glynn Wallis, Lisa Castro, Rana Marinas, and Rusty Johnson shared their posters.

Adjournment

Mark Landefeld motioned, Jayanti Roy seconded, to adjourn, no objection.