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Faculty Senate
Minutes of April 8, 1998
Present: Bob Hirnle, Alicja Janovich, Barbara Hunter, Phil Sell, Helen Burn, Angi Caster , Rosemary Adang, Jack Harton, Ruth Windhover, Patricia Haggerty, Michael Allen, Michael Grubiak
Observers: Ed Command, Jack Bermingham
I. Call to Order
2:37pm
II. Approval of Minutes
approved
III. Agenda Review
approved.
IV. Reports
A. Chair - Bob Hirnle:
reported on and passed around a handout put together by Laura Saunders concerning policies previously and currently before the Council of Councils.
B. President - Ed Command
A new Board member, Ester Patrick, will attend her first Board meeting on April 9th. Terms for Board of Trustees members last 5 years.
The head of the Computer Sciences Dept. at Univ. of Washington will be speaking at the Board meeting on April 9th
The state legislative period ended with nothing of real consequence happening to effect community colleges. The next session is expected to be a long one, and issues of importance to community colleges that might arise include financial aid for students.
Per Jack Bermingham, James Chikwinya, formerly of Academic Systems, has been hired to work on issues involving distance education.
The distance education coordinator at Lansing Community College will be meeting with community college staff on April 20th. Highline will have approximately 25 people attending to hear about Lansing’s distance education program.
C. Senators-at-Large:
Alicja Janovich reported that it was time to solicit nomination
for Faculty Senate chair-elect, senators-at-large, and secretary.
The chair-elect serves one year and then becomes chair; the other
officers serve two year terms.
D. HCEA - Ruth Windhover:
the first newsletter of the present HCEA administration is
imminent. Discussions are being planned on column advancement and
PDUs, as well as the implications of distance education.
On Saturday, May 25th, the Washington Higher Education Network will be meeting to discuss bargaining and part-time faculty issues.
E. FACTC:
no report.
F. ASHCC:no report
G. Faculty Senate Curriculum
Committee:
the next meeting of the committee will be held on Tuesday, April
14.
VI. Action Items
none
VII. Discussion Items
the sole item of discussion was the proposed revision of the
Student Rights and Responsibilities Code. Michael Grubiak, Dean
of Students, handed out the latest revision, which had minor
changes from the revision given to the Senate in March. A long
question and answer question took place, with various senators
asking Michael Grubiak about specific statements in the code. For
example, Phil Sell asked about the Dean of Students being able to
take action regardless of judicial outcomes on the same issue at
hand. Michael replied that administrative hearings made decisions
based on a preponderance of evidence and not the standard of
proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Ruth Windhover asked about
students being able to carry firearms on campus, and Michael
responded that the college could not be more restrictive than the
state. Now, students can carry firearms if they have a permit and
they register the fact with the Public Safety office.
Jack Harton asked about what seemed to be the overall negative tone of the code. Bob Hirnle had some concerns about sections on emotional abuse leading to the de facto creation of a speech code, and how this impacted on first amendment rights. A discussion ensued about the difference in speech in a classroom, an instructional setting, and a setting such as the sidewalk or the cafeteria.
Ed Command, in response to a question about the code, stated that he supported the document as revised; that he sees it as more preventative than anything else.
Michael Grubiak agreed to have the Attorney General’s office look at the proposed code and carefully consider it in light of First Amendment rights and constitutional vagueness.
A motion was made that the Faculty Senate approve the Rights and Responsibilities code, with the stipulation that Michael Grubiak send it to the Attorney General’s office with the concerns as stated by the Senate. The motion was seconded and passed by a majority vote.
Adjourned 4:05pm
Jack Harton, Faculty Senate Secretary.
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