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Faculty Senate Minutes
13 November 1997
Senate Members in Attendance:
| Phil Sell | Bob Hirnle | Rosemary Adang | Alicja Janovich | Jack Harton |
| Keith Paton | Helen Burn | Barbara Hunter | Patricia Haggerty | Moria Fulton |
| Michael Allen | Craig Schwartz | Michael Grubiak |
Observers: Sue Williamson; Jack Bermingham; Ed Command
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order, by the Chair, Bob Hirnle, at 2:32 pm.
II. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the previous faculty senate meeting were approved.
III. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved.
IV. Announcements
A Faculty Forum on the Constitution is scheduled for November 19 in Bldg. 2, following the HCEA meeting.
Jack Harton will be working on a web page for the Faculty Senate, to be linked from the HCC Launch Pad.
V. Reports
A. Chair
Bob Hirnle reported that regarding the Policy on Policies,
the Senate may like to put a subcommittee together to look at
this. Also, Bob attended the latest Council on Councils meeting.
This group screens written proposals from various councils at
Highline. The Senate is planning to put forward in writing a
resolution in writing to the Council of Councils concerning
withdraw policies and academic standards resolutions discussed
and passed by the Senate in May, 1997. Michael Grubiak has
implemented these resolutions but they should be revisited.
The Human Subject Policy has been referred to the President’s office. The Senate Constitution will be considered by a new committee.
B. President
Ed Command reported that on November 14, WSU, UW, and other
state colleges and universities will announce a plan to create a
Higher Education Endowment of $250 million, drawn from public and
private money. The interest from the endowment would be used for
higher education in Washington state.
Upcoming legislation will concentrate on financial aid. Previous proposals concerned having fewer grants available for students, with more money per grant. This bill was proposed but not passed. The state’s community colleges are against this idea, and support the current financial aid practice of how need grants are allocated.
C. Senators at Large
Alicja Janovich reported that there are vacancies on the
following committees:
Advising Committee on Curriculum; Discipline; President’s Symposium
Rosemary Adang asked if the Curriculum Committee was to be represented by each division, because the Social Sciences and Humanities divisions seemed underrepresented on this committee.
D. HCEA
No report
E. FACTC
No report
F. ASHCC
John Rukin, ASHCC student-at-large, reported on a gift
wrapping project at the Auburn Supermall by student clubs and the
student government. ASHCC plans to update the Student Rights and
Responsibilities booklet, which was last updated in 1992.
Bettina Casad (ASHCC president) will be putting on a "giving tree," which involves donations for needy children.
Paul Gerhardt (ASHCC vice-president) is looking into creating more programs for students, as well as whether the cafeteria should be open for evening students.
VI. Discussion Items / Action Items
A. Exempt Personnel
Sue Williamson and Jack Bermingham spoke on Highline’s practice of hiring exempt personnel for program administration/teaching responsibilities. Sue stated that the school looks at the major responsibility of a position and then classifies it. Exempt and classified are the two categories available. Faculty is a form of exempt employee. Some positions are exempt that have some teaching responsibilities. For the 12 month exempt employees who do teach, the major part of their time is spent in program development, curriculum development, recruitment of part-time faculty and students. The minimum qualifications of these employees is the same as for faculty. The key is to look for someone who can undertake effective program development. The difference between these employees and faculty is that faculty dept. coordinators are not starting up new programs.
Bob Hirnle asked if that after the program is established, does the program manager position change to faculty status.
Jack Bermingham stated that someone who is only teaching a third of the time cannot really be evaluated according to their teaching, which is the key factor in tenure. This is the primary aspect of a position’s status: is it primarily teaching or administration.
Rosemary Adang asked who is involved in what programs are started and who does the hiring for these programs. Jack Bermingham responded that recent new programs have been driven by Workforce considerations like growth of the industry, high wage positions, etc. Rosemary asked how much faculty input went in deciding what programs to offer and who to hire for them. Sue Williamson responded that division chairs are involved in starting new programs, and that the division chairs and other faculty are involved in the hiring process. It was also stated that the advantage of hiring exempt people for new programs is that there is more time to evaluate an exempt person because the time pressure of tenure is not present, and also it allows time to see if a new program will survive before hiring a tenure track person for that program.
As of now, the Interactive Media Program and Chiropractic Technician programs are headed by exempt program managers. Also, exempt personnel in the Tutoring Center, Pre-College Studies, Library Media Services, and Instructional Technology are teaching classes.
Per Jack Bermingham and Sue Williamson, the matter of exempt personnel managing programs and teaching classes has been worked out with the faculty union.
Patricia Haggerty asked about evaluating exempt personnel who are managing programs and teaching classes, and also about their division assignments. For the two programs now headed by program managers, John Huber of Chiropractic Technician reports directly to Bob Eley, and Terryl Ross of the Interactive Media Program is not in any division and reports to Marie Zimmermann.
Jack Harton stated that there seems to be a need to have clear guidelines when a program manager is being considered rather than a tenured faculty position. Rosemary Adang stated the need to publicize when new programs are being considered and initiated so that no one will be surprised or uncertain about what is going on.
B. Constitution Forum
Phil Sell reported on the need to revisit the Faculty Senate Constitution. The one written two years ago was not acceptable to Instruction Cabinet and needs to be rewritten. There is a need to reconstitute a new faculty constitution committee, and volunteers for this committee are needed from the entire faculty. Bob Hirnle will send out an e-mail soliciting volunteers. Phil will be the chair of this committee. He would also like for someone representing the administration point-of-view to be on the committee.
C. Policy on Policies
Bob Hirnle needs volunteers to look into the Policy on Policies committee and will send out e-mail on this subject.
D. Academic Standards Policy
The academic standards found in the May 1997 Faculty Senate minutes were adopted upon a motion by Phil Sell that was seconded and passed. These standards involved who gets academic alert status, probation, and suspension. The Faculty Senate and Student Affairs Committee had different positions. Michael Grubiak adopted as an interim policy the Faculty Senate proposal, and is waiting to see if the Council of Councils will be considering other options. Michael sees no problems with what the Senate passed.
E. CO2020
The consideration of the CO20/20 proposal will be tabled until the January 1998 Faculty Senate meeting. Bob Hirnle will be handing out some materials related to this subject.
The Faculty Senate meeting was adjourned at 4:03 pm.
Jack Harton, Faculty Senate Secretary