Ventura College Academic Senate
Thursday, October 16, 2008

I.	Call to Order.
		The meeting was called to order at 1:34pm.
The following Council members were present:  Mark Pauley, Cari Lange, Robbie Haines, Kammy Algiers, Jennifer Garcia, Paula Muñoz, Lisa Anderson, Nancy Mitchell, Terry Morris, Deborah Pollack (Vice-President), Peter Sezzi (President).
The following guests were also present:  Karen Harrison, Becky Hull, Sumita Lall, Pam Schroeder, Ramiro Sanchez (Executive Vice President) and John Wagner (President, AFT 1828).
II.	Approval of Minutes.
		The minutes of the October 2nd meeting were approved unanimously.
III.	Invited Guests.
At 1:37 pm, after the approval of the minutes, Sezzi asked if there was consent to suspend the rules and move to item V.b. in the absence of invited guest Ramiro Sanchez.  There was immediate consensus to proceed.
Ramiro Sanchez, Executive Vice President, Student Services, gave a presentation on the current state of ESL student counseling and on the rationale behind the Administration’s plan to move the Office of College Bilingual Services from the MAC building to the Student Services Building in Spring of 2009.  A question and answer period followed.
IV.	Study Session.
Following Sanchez’s departure, the Senate engaged in a study session to determine an appropriate response to Administration about the proposed change in location of the Office of College Bilingual Services. 
The Senate drafted the following statement: The Academic Senate supports maintaining the integrity of the Office of College Bilingual Services as an identifiable space in order to provide the same quality and level of services currently available.
Anderson moved and Muñoz seconded adoption of the motion that the Senate unanimously approved. Sezzi will read the statement at the next Board of Trustees meeting.
The Senate also agreed to include a discussion about the importance of sensitivity toward ESL students by Ventura College professionals on the November 20 joint Academic Senate / Professional Development Committee agenda.
V.	Action Items.
a.	Academic Senate Officer election for 2009-2011 term.
Sezzi reported that he had sent out an e-mail announcement with the nomination form seeking candidates, but to date had received no responses.  Mitchell suggested a motion to suspend the by-laws, allowing an extension of the time for self-nominations.  Bittl moved and Anderson seconded the motion.
b.  Equivalence/Eminence Task Force report.
This item was discussed early because Ramiro Sanchez had not yet arrived.  Becky Hull distributed and presented the results of the meeting of the Equivalence/Eminence Task Force, which also included Mitchell, Pollack, Gonzales, and Sezzi. The previous Academic Senate approved Eminence Criteria in the Spring of 2006 and this task force met twice to develop a draft defining Equivalence. The goal is to develop procedures for Ventura College. Sezzi will share the final approved Senate resolution with his counterparts at Moorpark College and Oxnard College Academic Senates because equivalency in hiring faculty pertains to all three colleges.  The Senate engaged in a first reading of the draft and Hull encouraged members to take it to their departments.  A second reading will take place at the next senate meeting. [Addendum 1: The equivalence task force report.] 
      VI.      President’s Report.
a.	Administrative Council report.
	Sezzi noted that there was nothing to report on this meeting.
b.	Consultation Council report.
	Similarly, Sezzi stated that there was nothing to report about this meeting.
c.	i.  DCHR.
Due to time constraints, the topic of District HR removing candidates from part time applicant pools who clearly do not meet the statewide Academic Senate minimum qualifications will be discussed at a future Senate meeting.
c.	ii. DCSL.
Sezzi informed the Senate that since the Board of Trustees has approved a new Policy manual, District Administration is now working crafting procedures to implement Board policy. Sezzi asked if there was consent to entrust the Senate Executive Committee to be the group to review proposed District procedures. All procedures will be communicated to the Senate. There was consent to proceed under this fashion with the proviso that the Senate Exec will forward all controversial procedures to the full Senate first for discussion.
VII.    Vice-President’s Report.
		Pollack had nothing to report.
VIII.	Treasurer’s Report.
	            This report was postponed in the absence of Lew who was ill.
IX.	Committee Reports.
a.	Curriculum Committee report.
	Sezzi noted that this committee is currently involved with a proposed revision of  the entire ESL curriculum to restructure the program.
b.	Professional Development Committee report.
	There was no report.
c.	Sabbatical Leave Committee report.
	Pollack noted that there have been five applications submitted thus far for sabbatical leaves and that the committee will be meeting to hear from the applicants in November.
d.	Staffing Priorities Subcommittee nominations.
	Sezzi reported that four positions remain available on this committee. Morris and Algiers volunteered to serve on it and Sezzi encouraged council members bring up the opportunity to participate to their 	departments. The Senate Executive Committee will determine the Staffing Priorities Subcommittee members by October 28.  Sezzi also requested that any criteria by which the subcommittee could be guided be submitted to him by October 28. [Addendum 2: Mayo De La Rocha’s comments.]
X.	Information Items.
a.   Accreditation planning.
	Sezzi reported that all participants in this process are willing to serve as standards
editors of the Accreditation Report.  He noted that Marian Carrasco-Nungaray will replace Bea Herrera, who will be going on sabbatical leave next semester.
XI.	Adjournment.
		The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:35 pm.