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Faculty Senate
Minutes of March 11, 1998
Senators Present:
Bob Hirnle, Alicja Janovich, Barbara Hunter, Phil Sell, Helen
Burn, Keith Paton, Rosemary Adang, Jack Harton, Ruth Windhover,
Patricia Haggerty, Kraig Schwartz, Michael Grubiak
Observers:
Ed Command, Jack Bermingham, Kirk Elliott (ASHCC)
I. Call to Order:
2:35pm
II. Approval of Minutes:
approved, as amended
III. Agenda Review:
approved
IV. Reports
A. Chair:
- Bob Hirnle: the issue of the proposed revision of the
Student Rights and Responsibilities Code has been move to the
April senate meeting.
B. President:
Ed Command:
money was asked from the legislature for
asbestos removal (probably Bldg. 13) this summer;
Central Washington University is locating a
branch campus at Highline. CWU will request money for a new
building at the next biennium. Highline and CWU will work to make
this a true partnership, with a seamless educational experience
for students. Programs that CWU is currently offering at its
SeaTac branch include business, accounting, early childhood
education, and law and justice;
At the Board of Trustees meeting in April the
head of Computer Sciences at Univ. of Washington will talk about
technology concerns;
In July, a special meeting will be held in
which Jennifer Jones will speak about quality of life issues;
A new Board member, Ester Patrick, begins her
service on April 1.
C. Senators-at-Large:
no report
D. HCEA:
Ruth Windhover:
Lorraine Stowe and Ruth Windhover participated
in a NEA Higher Education meeting concerning distance education.
Distance education is here to stay; in other words, it’s
going the distance. There will be lots of competition for
students.
HCEA will be looking into issues of
compensation, training, etc. this year.
E. FACTC:
no report.
F. ASHCC:
Kirk Elliott, ASHCC student-at-large:
ASHCC met with Kari Lopez concerning the
possible of a telephone for students for free local calls. Kari
will include this in her next contract with the telephone
vendor.. ASHCC is researching a promotional
video for Highline. Michael Grubiak pointed out the need for
ASHCC to work with Outreach Services on this endeavor.
Elections for Student Government will be held
on May 11 and 12. ASHCC will try to create a ballot process using
the internet.
Paul Gehardt is putting together a leadership
conference and will attend the Washington State Collegial
Cultural diversity Leadership Conference in May.
Bettina Casad is on the Commencement Speaker
committee.
Paul Gehardt is coordinating the Student Awards
program.
VI. Action Items:
none
VII. Discussion Items:
the sole discussion item was the Faculty Forum on
Globalism/Diversity held immediately before the Senate Faculty
meeting.
Bob Hirnle spoke on the Faculty
Senate Curriculum Committee putting together a plan to solicit
information from faculty regarding curriculum concerns in this
area.
Jack Harton gave a brief description of some of the issues
involved, such as the fact that Highline has an existing outcome
on appreciating diversity. Other issues include the idea of
formally incorporating diversity into the general education
requirements by designating specific classes as meeting a
diversity requirement, and infusing diversity/globalism across
the curriculum.
Jack Bermingham, in discussing the difference between specific classes meeting a diversity requirement, and infusing diversity into the curriculum, stated that if a class is separated out as a diversity class, then it has a greater emphasis on diversity/globalism concerns. If diversity/globalism ideas are infused into subject specific classes, there is the chance the diversity component can become diffused. A question to be asked is whether diversity defines the course, or is it defined by the course. This does not have to be an either/or approach, but the curriculum does need to address diversity/globalism concerns.
Rosemary Adang stated that both approaches are needed (infused in the overall curriculum and having specially designated classes). She brought up the example of writing, and teaching writing across the curriculum, and how if a subject is separated out from the rest of the curriculum, it can become “ghettoized.”
Bob Hirnle would like the Curriculum Committee to make specific recommendations to the Faculty Senate concerning this matter. An important component of the Curriculum Committee’s work is in getting full-fledged faculty input.
According to Jack Bermingham, the most important concern driving this discussion is the college outcome on appreciating diversity, and how do we, as a college, explain to students that they have achieved this outcome through the college’s curriculum. This can be an issue during the college’s accreditation, in having an outcome not addressed by the curriculum.
Helen Burn spoke on her confusion regarding what the Curriculum Committee was saying about the Instructional Cabinet’s response to the CO2020 report regarding diversity/globalism. Jack Bermingham will get a clarification from Instructional Cabinet about its statement concerning diversity/globalism requirements.
Jack Bermingham stated that one of the difficulties in this matter is that diversity/globalism classes have a content base that requires expertise beyond infusing diversity into existing classes. Some classes, such as cultural anthropology, have an inbuilt diversity/globalism aspect. For most classes, diversity/globalism concerns are not the full thrust of the class, but more on the margin. Jack Bermingham briefly mentioned the Title VI Grant Highline was awarded as a means to develop new courses as well as infuse diversity/globalism into the existing curriculum.
Rosemary Adang spoke on the need to have clear steps laid out after faculty forums as to what will happen next. Alicja Janovich stated the need to have multiple ways of gathering information from the faculty, such as faculty forums, discussion web pages, email, etc.
Adjourned 3:54pm
Jack Harton, Faculty Senate Secretary.