February 6, 2002

3PM to 4PM

Minutes:  Faculty Senate

Highline Community College

 President:  Phil Droke

 Present:  Han Lim

                  Arline Garcia

                 Geoff Turck

                  Bob Bonner

                  Glen Avantaggio

                  Maggie Brown

                  Sharon Hashimoto

                  Jeff Wagnitz (for Dr. Bell)

                  Gwen Spencer

                  Jean Harris

Toni Castro

 AGENDA ITEMS;

1.      Cheating

2.      Grade Changes

3.      Probation

 1,  Cheating.  Toni Castro emphasized that there is a need to follow procedures concerning fundamental fairness and that input from both faculty and students are necessary.  Each case must be decided on a case by case basis.  Phil Droke also commented on the need for making certain  that faculty rights are also honored as a part of these procedures. 

 Currently, a flow chart is being formulated for the web site as there are no ‘cut and dried’ methods for handling cheating.  We need clarity in order to spell out  what we do and why. 

 Faculty next discussed putting forth data in an annual report clearly stating what violations occurred and what outcomes followed.  A current problem involves vagueness and ambiguity in the manner in which cheating is described in various student handbooks used in the several departments.  Should we compare all of these handbooks for essential sameness in the definitions of cheating?  We will need to balance academic freedom with a need for fairness and sameness.  Discussed also was a need for due process, ie, fair process with all needed steps describing warnings and sanctions. 

 The Student Rights and Responsibilities Code puts our students on notice as to expectations that can occur when students engage in cheating behaviors.

 3        Probation.  Gwen Spencer passed out a memo concerning implementation of the new probation policy and ourtcomes.  The memo and  ensuing discussion emphasized the need to be more pro-active where student probation is concerned.  This in turn ensures students becoming more aware of academic standards and how this new policy affects them.  Student records now accurately reflect their academic standing using this methodology. 

 There are 812 Highline students on probation for Fall and Winter quarter, 2001 and 2002.  Using our new policy and  attendant procedures will help to avoid students just ‘drifting’ academically.  Gwen will seek out answers to  questions on how alike or dissimilar Highline and the University of Washington are where probation statistics and policies are concerned.  

 2.      Grade changes.  This agenda topic was tabled until the next Faculty Senate meeting.  We will need input from the divisions on this topic.

 Respectfully  submitted,

Judy Johnson-Wise