Minutes August 29, 2013

Bristol Community College

Faculty and Professional Staff Senate

Thursday August 29, 2013

3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Auditorium

Minutes

Attendance was not marked, but there was noted the absence of a quorum.

1)      Senate President Susan McCourt welcomed and thanked those in attendance.

2)      Acceptance of Minutes from May 2013 was tabled until the September 23^rd meeting.

3)      Sharon Pero, Denate Co-chair reported that the work of the Governance Committee will be presented at the September 23^rd meeting.                                                                                                  

4)      Calendar of Meeting Topics for AY2013-2014 was reviewed                                       

                 

5)      Susan McCourt discussed Strategic Planning and Senate Goals for AY2013-1014 as a constructive response to a question about assessment by the NEASC Committee on Governance. The Senate will consider goals for the academic year and will include plans for assessing the completion of these goals.         There was discussion.                                                                              

6)      By Laws Committee worked in the summer to write a draft of the By-Laws to be discussed at the September 23^rd meeting and voted at the subsequent meeting.         

7)      Susan McCourt introduced the idea of ten Senate Interest Groups with approximately 3 senators per group. Senators will self-nominate and/or be appointed by the Senate Executive Committee. The members of a group will be aware of College activities around their topic and make the Senate and Senate Executive committee aware of the need for the Senate to take up the topic at a meeting. They will also provide feedback to the Senate President as requested.

NEXT MEETING: Monday, September 23rd at 3:15

Agenda will be distributed via email on Wednesday, September 18^th

Handouts to Agendas attached: List of Senators by Division and Draft Calendar.

Senate 2013-2014 with terms 

DIVISION 1: Betsy Kemper French Tom Grady Jeanne Grandchamp - Secretary Sandy Lygren JP Nadeau Howard Tinberg – Vice President	DIVISION 5: Jim Constantine Jim Corven Susan McCourt - President James Pelletier David Warr Kelemu Woldegiorgis
DIVISION 2: Rebecca Clark Alan Rolfe Martha Williams Robyn Worthington	DIVISION 6: Sally Gabb Jean Myles Ron Weisberger
DIVISION 3: Sil Ferreira Gina Heaney Cecil Leonard Thomas McGarty Paul Robillard	DIVISION 7:* Represents those who are Academic Professional Staff who do not primarily report to a Division Dean. Jennifer Boulay (2015 – term 1) Kevin Forgard (2015 – term 1) Cindy Poore-Pariseau (2015 – term 1)
DIVISION 4: Sharon Pero Joy Rose Deb St. George Johanna Duponte

Senate 2013-2014 Meeting Schedule (subject to change as needed)

Date	Topics
August 30 (Professional Planning)	Introduction to the Senate: Accomplishments and Plans Governance Committee ByLaws Senate Interest Groups Goals for AY13-14 Assessment
September 23	Bylaws Vote: Goals and Assessments Joint Governance Committee
October 21	Vote: ByLaws Division 6
November 13 (Wednesday)	Advisement
December 9	Lash CTL, Writing Center and Professional Development
January 21	Updates Review of Goals
February 10	Nominations
March 10	Elections
April 7	Advisement Elections
May 5	Year End Reports Assessment

Minutes May 6, 2013

Bristol Community College

Faculty & Professional Staff Senate Meeting

Minutes of Monday May 6, 2013

H129 3:15 p.m.

Senators in attendance: Betsy Kemper French, Tom Grady, Jeanne Grandchamp, Ravitha Amarasingham (for Sandy Lygren, Martha Williams, Marlene, Pollock, Alan Rolfe, Sil Ferreira, Cecil Leonard, Deb St. George, Sharon Pero, Joy Rose, James Pelletier, Susan McCourt, Jim Corven, Kelemu Woldegiorgis, James Constantine, Sally Gabb, Jean Myles, Gaby Adler.

Excused Absences: Howard Tinberg, JP Nadeau, Nan Loggains, Ron Weisberger

Absences: Paul Robillard, Thomas McGarty, David Warr

Guests: 6

Meeting called to order 3:15

MINUTES: Minutes from April 1, 2013 were reviewed and approved unanimously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Informational Items:

1. Senator Jeanne Grandchamp will send on to all Senators the report of the Senate subcommittee that reviewed the updates made to the college’s Search Committee Guide. She will also send a copy of the document itself and request a discussion via email and a vote on what, if anything, should be forwarded on behalf of the Senate to Vice President Tafa Awolaju.
2. Governance, Academic Decision-Making & Transparency: the committee did not meet much; once in December and once in April. Last week, however, there was a very productive meeting. Senator Sharon Pero reported, sharing a model developed by the committee, and indicating that a policy will be addressed, too. (Senator Pero shared a two-page summary of the work done.) The process/policy will be designed to use the existing committee system to its fullest advantage and be inclusive, as well. A format for communication, a way to connect all stakeholders to each other and to proposed academic initiatives, was holding up the subcommittee, and now they have a process and will work on how to physically get stakeholders in to see and comment on proposed academic initiatives. The closed loop nature of the process will help insure we aren't working by pilot indefinitely; there will be evaluation done of pilot initiatives, and all initiatives. The Senate will need to encourage folks identified as stakeholders for individual academic initiatives to contribute. The proposed process recognizes management rights and asks that final decisions be published with their rationales.  Discussion ensued. So far, the developing process/policy has not addressed proposals that administration might feel may need to be "fast tracked.” Apparently, the subcommittee found itself bogged down on “process”: do we do Web CT?...a “dashboard”? Etc.  A number of questions arose: 1. Who will decide this item or that is or is not an academic issue? (The process needs to be ironed out...we might miss things that are academic at first; the college President might not think something is an academic issue and the senate might. There was a suggestion from floor that a definition of what is likely to constitute an “academic” decision could be developed. The subcommittee has indicated (in the two-page summary provided by Senator Pero) that the onus is on person initiating the academic initiative to identify the ways in which it qualifies as “academic.” Further suggestion was made that anything that impacts instruction is surely “academic.”

President McCourt asked for further areas of concern related to academic decision making and the potential process/policy. Senator Marlene Pollock suggested the Senate might help faculty to share information regarding how they teach diversity; she added that the college also needs a way to double people of color on faculty and staff. Discussion followed as to whether or not this fit the paradigm of the proposed Academic Decision-Making Policy & Process. It was also observed that task forces having Senate and administration members have been effective and it was suggested that we continue that. One senator wondered aloud if the design of the new building will be academically-friendly. Is this part of “academic” decision making and should the senate/its constituents be involved? A second senator offered that we routinely ask of initiatives “Is this the Senate’s preview?” The issue of students not doing their exit interviews for FAFSA being denied access to on-campus printing was raised. Students in this predicament are late with papers. Is there a better way to insure they do the exit interviews? This issue was addressed immediately by a Senate guest: “students ARE notified to do the exit interview and will need to take responsibility if they do not do so.” It was indicated that this might mean they temporarily forfeit their rights to copy. One senator pointed out that Senator Pero’s summary chart includes things discussed at Central Committee; we do not wish to duplicate the system, rather comment on and evaluate the system. There was a suggestion for a task force on system-wide BCC assessment, assessment being an on-going concern of the college.

Senate Elections: Online Senate elections will “go live” this week, and guests to

         today’s meeting who are running for Senate were mentioned.

Summer Planning:  July 17 is the date for the Senate summer retreat. Among the topics will be review of the outdated Senate By-Laws. Some Senates at other colleges discuss and sign off on curriculum changes; is this something our Senate would like to consider, that we be in the lineup AFTER the curriculum committee? There was a plea from floor for the Senate to remain independent from college committees.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:18 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, J. Grandchamp, Secretary, Faculty & Professional Staff Senate