Ventura College Academic Senate
Minutes
Thursday, 4 April 2013     MCW-312
I.	Call to Order
This meeting was called to order at 1:41 p.m. The following senate members were present:
Coffey, Colleen—Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities
Haines, Robbie—Senate Secretary
Horigan, Andrea—Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities
Kim, Henny—English and Learning Resources
Kolesnik, Alex—Mathematics and Sciences
Lange, Cari—Senate Vice President
Mitchell, Nancy—Career and Technical Education
Pauley, Mark—Senate Treasurer
Rose, Malia—Mathematics and Sciences
Sandford, Art—PE/Athletics, Communication Studies, Foreign Languages, and ESL
Sezzi, Peter—Senate President

II.	Public Comments
No public comments were made.

III.	Acknowledgement of Guests
No guests were acknowledged.

IV.	Approval of Minutes, 21 March 2013
Pauley motioned to approve these minutes, Haines seconded. The motion carried 7–0–2. with Mitchell and Horigan abstaining.

V.	Study Session—Statewide Academic Senate Spring Plenary Session Resolutions and Proposed MQ Changes
Sezzi introduced this year’s resolutions, a few of which were discussed. Sezzi solicited opinions from Senators about how he should vote, and he informed Senators of how he would vote on other matters that would arise. Lange motioned to approve Sezzi’s proposed voting plan (Other than for Discipline resolutions 10.01-10.080, to vote “Yes” on all but Resolution 1.03; for Discipline resolutions, Sezzi will take the advice of the VC faculty in the discipline affected), Mitchell seconded. The motion carried unanimously. 

VI.	Action Items
a.	Ventura College Academic Senate Annual Survey of VC Faculty on Professional Life and Satisfaction
The questions on this survey were discussed, and a question about the withdraw deadline was finessed and added. Pauley motioned to approve this survey with the added question, Sandford seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Results of the survey will be presented at the next Senate meeting. 

b.	Ventura College Academic Senate Self-Assessment Survey
The questions were discussed, and two questions were removed. Haines motioned to approve this survey with its changes, Pauley seconded. The motion carried unanimously. 

c.	Distance Education Handbook (Second Reading)
This item was not yet ready for Senate review.

d.	AP 4260—Prerequisites and Corequisites (Second Reading)
Pauley motioned to approve this document, Horigan seconded. In discussion, Lange pointed out a minor change to the document and an additional grammatical change was made. The motion carried unanimously. 

e.	VC/VCCCD Accreditation Midterm Reports (First Reading)
First reading of this document was postponed to give Senators more time to read it. 

f.	BP 2510—Participation in Local Decision Making (First Reading)
Sezzi pointed out the sole change to this document, which was that Title V-mandated student governance obligations have been enumerated. Pauley motioned to approve this document as first and second readings, Lange seconded. The motion carried unanimously. 

Discussion ensued on how the three campus’ Academic Senates should resolve matters on which they can’t mutually agree. Sezzi explained that in a “mutually agree” district without a District Senate (such as ours) it is unclear on what happens to new policy proposals or when a majority (but not all Senates) on making a change to an existing policy. It was unanimously decided to propose the following solution: after a year’s worth of discussion at a District governance committee, an ad hoc committee of nine people would be formed, comprised of the three Academic Senate Presidents, the three College Presidents, and the three Associated Student Body Presidents. This committee would have one month to decide the issue, then the dispute in question could not be re-visited for three years other than for legal reasons (e.g., a change in Title 5 necessitating a change in the affected policy). This process would only exist for policies and procedures and not for curricular matters (i.e., courses and programs). 

g.	BP/AP 5052—Open Enrollment (First Reading)
Pauley motioned to move all the remaining items (VI.h.–k., below) to second reading, Sandford seconded. Discussion ensued regarding medical marijuana from BP 5500. The motion carried unanimously. 

h.	BP/AP 5300—Student Equity (First Reading)
See VI.g., above.

i.	BP/AP 5500—Standards of Conduct (First Reading)
See VI.g., above.

j.	BP/AP 5520—Discipline Procedure (First Reading)
See VI.g., above.

k.	BP/AP 5530—Student Rights and Grievances (First Reading)
See VI.g., above.

VII.	President’s Report
a.	Consultation Council Report
Sezzi reported that this group met on the previous Friday, and that they reviewed the board agenda. 

b.	Administrative Council Report
Sezzi reported that this group met on the previous day. He reminded Senators that Program Review funds must be encumbered by 15 April. Kathy Scott and Gwen Huddleston attended a Title V grant seminar, and they shared information from that seminar to those attending Administrative Council. Scott mentioned in particular that since it had been a few years since she had attended one of these Title V director’s meetings she noticed that the U.S. Dept of Ed had taken on a completion agenda focus. VC’s productivity number for next year has been set: 542, the same as this year. 

c.	DCHR, DCAA Reports
DCHR: As Sezzi was in a hiring committee, he did not attend this meeting, so he did not make a report. DCAA: Lange attended this meeting in Sezzi’s stead. She reported a wording change to the Enrollment Priority document: the groups listed in the first priority will be listed alphabetically. Students in attendance identified a concern about the high priority of non-matriculated students; this will be fixed in the next round of changes. Student government representatives also expressed concern about VC being strictest in the state in terms of unit numbers causing students to be moved downward on the priority list. 

VIII.	Senate Subcommittee Reports
a.	Curriculum Committee Report
Pauley noted that their work is largely done for this year.

b.	Professional Development Committee Report
Sezzi reported that all funds will be used by instructors this year, and essentially no funds will be given back to the general fund.

c.	Other Senate Committees Reports
There was nothing to report.

IX.	Campus Committee Reports
a.	Accreditation Steering Committee Report
Sandford reported that the first draft of this report was considered by this committee. It was recommended that accreditation as a topic should be noted in minutes and agendas so that our daily work toward accreditation goals will be apparent. Also, expect work to begin on our next Self-Study as soon as the Mid-Term report is filed.

b.	Campus Committees Reports
There was nothing to report.

X.	Information Items—Senate Faculty Awards Form
This form will be distributed electronically and in hard copy early next week.

XI.	Adjournment
This meeting adjourned at 3:32 p.m.