June 5, 2023

Attendance

Minutes

I. Call to Order 

Approval of Agenda and Minutes from May 22, 2023

Alicia Mullens moved, Mary Pape seconded to approve both minutes and agenda. No objection.  Agenda and minutes approved by unanimous consent.

Public Comment 

• Cheryl Jaeger Balm said the Academic Senate election results are in. Next year’s Academic Senate President isErik Woodbury. Vice President is Patty Guitron. Executive Secretary is So Kam Lee, Part time At-large Representative is Mary Donahue. Cheryl will email the senate election results to all faculty.
• Ravjeet Singh shared a report regarding thousands of ghost students enrolling in community colleges to receive financial aid. She asked if De Anza College has any policy in place to address this issue.  Thomas Ray said his has been happening since at least 2021. The enrollment team at the college and the district are fully aware. They have been successful in screening for ghost students. There has been none detected for this year and for the summer. However, faculty should report anything suspicious. Reach out to them with questions and concerns.
• Alicia Mullens shared that retired Meteorology professor, Paul Olejniczak, passed away on 5/12/23 of natural causes. If anyone knew Paul and wants to leave some kind words, his family has set-up an obituary site here.
• Shagun Kaur reminded everyone to check their emails and complete the OER zero cost survey.
• Shagun also said the Measure G taskforce went on a 3 ½ hour campus walk to see the facilities last Friday. She wanted to say publicly "hats off" to Creative Arts for doing what they do, as well as they do, with what they have.
• Felisa Vilaubi encouraged everyone to fill out the survey with their input for the VPI Search Committee. Please forward the survey form to respective divisions and areas. The google form will be turned off after their first meeting.
• Erik Woodbury lifted up the De Anza Connect as a valuable resource to refer students. Please check that out.
• Cecilia Hui announced the De Anza Library Spring Book Sale on 6/6/2023. Details can be found here.  This year there are no set prices, it is "pay what you can". Please share with students. They are totally fine if students just come in and take the books they want to read. The sale goes through the end of the quarter, or when books run out. Money will go to fund scholarships and new books.

II. Needs and Confirmations 

Strength Thru Adversity Scholarship Readers 

Sushini Chand, Retention Programs, gave a presentation on the Strength Thru Adversity Scholarship for students on academic and progress probation. They were looking for volunteer faculty readers in their selection committee. 

The scholarship was created during the pandemic. They learned that many students were struggling, especially those on academic probation. After two consecutive terms on probation students no longer receive federal or state aid.  Without the aid students had to work more, which adversely impacted their school progress.

They partnered with FHDA Foundation to create and award the scholarship in Fall 2021. This is the first such scholarship at De Anza and in California community colleges.

About 1200 students continue to be on academic and progress probation. Each quarter, there are 700 students newly placed on academic probation. Many of these students are low income, first generation college students. Many are male, often head of household, and Latinx.

Since Fall of 2021 the program has awarded 27 scholarships each quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring) that range from $225 to $275. 78% of the scholarship recipients have returned to good academic standing.

The $2000 provided by the Academic Senate has allowed them to increase and expand the scholarship for Spring 2023. There will be 12 additional recipients each receiving $300.

They invited faculty to participate in the reading and selection process.  Lisa Castro, Mark Landefeld, and Lauren Gordon volunteered to be faculty readers for this scholarship.

RAPP Faculty Representatives

RAPP 2023-2024 faculty representatives to be voted on next week - Volunteer here

III. Continuing Business

Academic Senate scholarship in 2023-2024

Felisa Vilaubi will be taking the lead on resuming the Academic Senate scholarship that has not been awarded for a number of years.  She was part of a task force this year that had great discussions on redesigning the scholarship through an equity lens to help the most needed students.

This year, the Academic Senate donated $2000 to the Strength Thru Adversity Scholarship (described above) and $2000 to the Emergency Grant Fund administered by Lisa Mandy in the Financial Aid Office.

The Academic Senate Scholarship Task Force will need to start work now to be ready with its own scholarship for next year. They should meet Felisa within the next two weeks to discuss the next steps. They will solidify the next steps in the Fall with clear plans and criteria for the scholarship. 

Ideas to help us make quorum in 2023-2024 - wrap up

Based on previous discussions and the rank choice voting last meeting, the Academic Senate will keep the current meeting day and time. Mondays, 2:30 to 4:20 pm. Voting members must be attending either in person or online within the district boundary. There will still be a form for remote members to share their meeting location. The Senate will no longer accept voting members outside the district.  This will be communicated in writing to all current representatives, as well as deans, and affinity group leaders.

There are other ideas that people may wish to bring back for discussion next year: Proxy voting or delegates; PGA (professional growth award hours) and additional pay to encourage involvement; training and onboarding videos.

According to the current bylaws, service in the Senate is a 2 year term commitment.

Resolution of Solidarity with the Jewish Community

• Written public comment

This resolution has more comments that will require discussions that are not possible in the time left this year. Cheryl Jaeger Balm suggested someone will need to bring this back as an agenda item in the Fall.  Alicia Mullens moved, Mary Pape seconded to table resolution indefinitely.  No objection.

 Affirming the Foothill Classified Senate Resolution to Settle Academic Calendar Scheduling Conflicts with Jewish Holidays (first read)

This resolution was initiated by the Foothill Classified Senate regarding conflict with major Jewish cultural and religious holidays, Fall 2021’s district and college flex days scheduled during Yom Kippur, and the first day of instruction for the Fall 2022 term scheduled during Rosh Hashanah.  The Foothill College Classified Senate asked for a revision of the 2022-2023 academic calendar, and future academic calendars, so that college and districtwide flex days, as well as the first day of instruction for a term does not conflict with recognized Jewish holidays.

This Academic Senate supported the intent of this resolution but was concerned over the lack of response and commitment for action. Many members expressed a desire to have the Foothill Classified Senate and the District work together to come up with clear policies around faith-based observances.

Scheduling is the real issue here. That is for negotiations between the District and FA.  What is the solution? It may be possible to move the Opening Day and Flex days. The first day of class is a more challenging problem. The negotiations team has looked at all the options. Starting a week earlier affects part time faculty who teach in semester schools. Starting a week later runs into the Christmas holiday. Missing the first Monday, and starting school on Tuesday causes great financial burden to the district.

This resolution will return for a second read next week.

Resolution Toward Racial Healing at De Anza College (fourth read)

There has been a lot of comments, suggestions, and conversations on this resolution.  There was discussion on clarifying and amending some of the proposed language from the last meeting.  There was a suggestion from APASA to remove the 4th resolve and to make an internal commitment to continue with more meaningful conversation in the future. Someone asked for thoughts on this resolve from the body and other affinity groups, BSFA and DALA.  Someone like how the 4th resolve documents a specific ask for accountability with a commitment to specific course of action.  There was a desire for more honest and transparent discussions and collaborations between the groups, and to be more intentional with the efforts.

Glynn Wallis motioned to table the resolution until the Fall, Sherwin Mendosa seconded. 

Although the conversations have been meaningful and Important for the body internally, those outside, especially the Board, would not be aware of the concerns unless some ask is passed and brought forth.

There was disagreement with the motion to table. The body should move forward and speak sooner rather than later with something that is less than perfect but still good.

Shagun Kaur proposed having an Academic Senate retreat or workshop in the Fall dedicated to working on this issue. Perhaps a workshop led by affinity group leaders.

Glynn recognizes the body’s work. Overall, the resolution is good but needs some improvements. It is hard to unravel traditions.

Mary Pape didn’t think someone from outside could fix the problem. The solution has to come from within.

Shagun observed that the resolution has evolved from a knee-jerk reaction to an incident to a more intentional changing of the heart. The original attempt was to react. However, it has taken the more positive path of going slower doing what is best versus getting it done fast.

The wheels are in motion. Even without a resolution the current De Anza Academic Senate body is not unclear about their feelings and opinions on these matters.

A call for a vote on the motion to table the resolution until the Fall:  Yes 13,  No 7, Abstain 4. Motion passed

Annual Governance Survey

The 2022/2023 Annual Governance Assessment Survey for the Academic Senate was compiled and will be sent to Mallory Newell.

ISER Rough Draft 

Cheryl Jaeger Balm will email the link to members when the draft is available for comments.  She encouraged people for feedback on the content. The Communications Office will be working on the edits over the summer. This is part of the accreditation process. It will be a big document with a table of contents. Look especially at what applies to faculty and the Academic Senate. Look for anything that is missing or incorrect.

Alicia Mullens moved, Glynn Wallis seconded to swap the next two agenda items. No objections.

IV. New Business

Update from the Workgroup to review AP 5530: Student Grievance Procedures

• AP 5510: Student Code of Conduct
• AP 5520: Student Due Process and Discipline
• AP 5530: Student Grievances

Michele LeBleu-Burns, on behalf of the Administrative Procedure Board Policy Review Committee, provided an update on  the above policies that they have been working on over the last couple of years. The committee was charged to review and recommend revisions.

AP5510 needed a lot of updates to be in compliance with current administrative procedure. They updated some of the language, especially around technology use and violations that can occur with technology use.

AP5520: Some of the major changes were to update the timelines to be in compliance with current Title V and Ed Code regulations. They added more information and requirements for letting students know their rights, and helping them to understand the process.

AP5530: They updated the student grievance procedures. That took the longest time, because of confusion over the timeline.They made the days consistent and streamlined the process. They are giving students more time to have their concerns addressed. They clarified the process for students to pursue resolution through an informal process, and then move toward a formal process if necessary.

This work began in Winter 2022 and continued through this academic year. They have a first draft that will undergo review by the district Academic and Professional Matters Committee (APM) for the first read next Wednesday. The updated drafts will go to the two colleges' Academic Senates for questions and feedback before they go back to APM for the final read and approval in October. Then, they will go to the Chancellor’s Advisory Council for approval of the final version before presentation to the Board of Trustees.

Michele clarified a question regarding how these revised policies may apply to academic integrity and dishonesty. There was another question about ChatGTP and plagiarism.  The link to the Maxient incident reporting webpage is here.

Affirming the Classified Senate + CSEA resolution passed May 23, 2023  

The joint resolution presented an urgent request to restore custodial and ground staffing to the modest pre-pandemic level. The campus and grounds have descended to unkempt neglect.

Shagun Kaur moves to suspend the usual second reading and to affirm this resolution by acclamation.  Alicia Mullens seconded.  Cheers to approve with acclamation.

IV. Other Items

Good of the Order

• Cheryl Jaeger Balm: Next week will be her last meeting as the Academic Senate President. The meeting will end early with a reception to honor retirees and tenure recipients. She invited members to bring food to share. The Academic Senate will provide drinks and utensils.
• Alicia Mullens: Queer and Now Conference tomorrow, 6/6, 11 am to 4 pm. Campus Center Conference Rooms A&B.

Adjournment

Alicia Mullens motioned, Ravjeet Singh seconded, to adjourn, no objection.