MINUTES:  FACULTY SENATE

November 19, 2003

Present:

Chair:  Phil Droke, Vice Chair:  Glen Avantaggio, Ron Sabado, Rebecca Sliger, Jeff Wagnitz, Arline Garcia, Katie Gulliford, Alicja Baker, Judy Johnson-Wise, Ron Fowers, Ruth Frickle, Gwen Spencer, Lijun Shen

1.   Policy Issues:  Gun policy.  Members from divisions reported on feedback concerning the gun policy.  Ron Sabado and Rod Fowers mentioned that Gary Wagner sked about the consideration of law enforcement officers being exempt from the policy of our campus being a gun free zone.  Alilcja Baker gave feedback about signs placed around the gymnasium as a means of carrying through on high school policies prohibiting guns.  Because many high school students attend various programs and events at Highline, it was felt necessary to do this.  

    Faculty members acted on a motion by Rod Fowers to amend the current policy on gun control where law enforcement officers are concerned.  The motion was seconded and passed with no opposition.

    Fair Use Policy.  Faculty discussed this this policy with some members sharing that they wished the policy hd been written with more clarity.  

        Faculty members did agree that this was a reasonable policy with a reasonable set of rules.

    Smoking Policy.  Alilcja Baker stated tht Keith Paton wants to included the word, "only" in defining the lilmited places where smoking is allowed on campus. 

2.    Background checks.  Ron Sabado discussed the issue of procedures for background checks.  These checks are for determining if people employed at the college have a criminal background.  Phil Droke added that background checks are used in programs such as nursing in order to protect vulnerable populations. 

    Alicja said that Bob Bonner had many thoughts about background checks and requested the policy to be written with more clarity and with roles more clearly defined. For example, there might be other information that is shared via a background that might bias the faculty and staff when hiring people.  He sees this policy as too wide and too general.  Alicja also shared that insurance companies point out risk factors and that it is also used with running start students.   Glen Avantaggio stated that this policy affects everyone working for Highline, even part time faculty.  Ruth Frickle asked if attorneys have been involved in the bacckground checks policy and Alicja said that the Education Department is addressing this issue surrouding when background checks should occur, ie, at the beginning of hiring or before clinical. 

Phil Droke shared that he didn't see that faculty had any area that we could agree on.  Alicja added that this issue tends to be program-specific, ie, Nursing, Respiratory Care, Early Childhood Education, etc.  Jeff Wagnitz asked how widely this policy would be construed and spread.

3. Glen Avantaggio thanked Ruth Frickle for her efforts in collecting all of the data from a variety of people re:  Highline Policies.

4.   Wait-listing and "lingering" students.  Gwen Spencer stated that Becky Riverman is planning a discussion on wait-listing students and also the "lingering" student. 

5.  Prerequisites.  Rod Fowers asked about how students are getting into classes when they have not gotten through finishing their prerequisites.  Gwen Spencer shared that now, Educational Planning can track down entry codes.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Johnson-Wise,

Secretary