HCC FACULTY SENATE

November 8, 2019 @ 1:00 pm; Central College LH-100

  1. Call to Order: Desmond Lewis
    1. Meeting begins at 1pm
  2. Approval of October 2019 Minutes
    1. There is a motion to approve the minutes. Laurel Lacroix and others second. The October 2019 minutes are approved unanimously as-is.
  3. Standing Committee Reports:
    1. Compensation, Benefits, & Workload: Tod Bisch
      1. The committee met on Monday, November 4.
        1. Adjunct / Overload pay schedule for AY 2020-2021 
          1. Will be moved from September 30 to September 15 
        2. MFA / JD terminal degree status 
          1. There will be a proposal to separate credentialing from compensation presented at next Senate meeting.
        3. Transparency
          1. The committee wants to push for posting the current credentialing information externally – not just internally. 
        4. Drafting goals for December 
        5. Next meeting
          1. December 9, 1pm / Central campus, room TBA
        6. David White, Question
          1. What is meant by splitting credentialing from compensation?  
            1. Nathan Smith: currently, some disciplines and the current compensation plan: a person is only paid for the highest degree if earned hours are in the discipline; the committee wishes to change that—to allow for any such hours to be compensated, regardless of discipline. 
    2. Finance & Treasurer’s Report: Mary Lawson
      1. Current Financial activity 
        1. Relatively the same from last month except the Professional Development account; this is all due to Bedichek. Some takeaways:
          1. $897 went out to adjunct travel 
          2. Some funds went out for the Teaching Excellence Awards.
          3. Smart Financial has changed balance due to checks. 
      2. Last meeting was on October 28. 
      3. Future meetings will be held as needed.
      4. Adjunct Travel Policy 
        1. Revisiting current policy—however, there are many people that need to be involved in such an adjustment.
    3. Professional Development: Mia Taylor (Linda Graham reporting)
      1. Committee recently met and received its charge for the academic year.
      2. Currently focusing on entrepreneurship   
    4. Educational Affairs: Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma 
      1. Next Meeting 
        1. Next week at West Loop; email Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma for details
      2. Focusing on relaunch of Maxient 
        1. Maxient is now on PeopleSoft.
      3. Working with Deans of Student Success to discuss the Early Alert and its use. There seems to be some confusion in advising, etc. about its purpose for students. 
      4. Updates to follow 
    5. Policies and Procedures: Laurel Lacroix 
      1. Next Meeting 
        1. Thursday, November 14, 1pm – West Loop 105
      2. Currently working on updates for Faculty Comprehensive Handbook 
    6. Student Success: Kathy Najafi
      1. The three Innovative Instructional Technology and Learning Services / Centers for Leaning Innovation (CLI) Regional Managers (RM) attended the last meeting.
        1. Brenda Quintanilla, East
        2. Sandra Lebron-Lozada, West
        3. David Colter, Central
          1. The CLIs RMs will develop a new canvas training shell for students; the three will reach out to Lorah Gough, Director of Distance Education (HCC Online) 
            1. In February 2020, the three RMs will be bringing this to the Student Success committee; librarians will also be in attendance (because of their role in the ongoing training piece)  
            2. Pilot for the fourth week of Spring 2020 
    7. Graduation: Darin Baskin
      1. HCC 
        1. December Graduation is proceeding as planned.
          1. As of November 6, 263 students were signed up for the ceremony. 300 faculty were registered.  
          2. More details about time / parking will go out via email. 
        2. May graduation will likely be at NRG
          1. if there are fewer students than anticipated, it could be moved to UH. 
          2. Updates to follow.
      2. VAST Academy 
        1. Currently will not need HCC faculty participation for its graduation; this could change, though, and updates will follow. 
      3. TxCHSE
        1. Does not need HCC faculty for its graduation  
      4. There are enough volunteers to assist the graduation committee.
        1. Details for any necessary meetings will go out via email. 
    8. Instructional Technology: Stacey Higdon 
      1. Campus Technology Committee recently met; there are several faculty representatives on the group. 
        1. There are many improvements coming down the pipeline. 
      2. The Instructional Technology committee will meet soon. 
      3. Certain faculty have received details for December 2-4 computer replacement.
    9. Diversity and Inclusion: Helen Graham (Melissa Miller-Waters reporting)
      1. Meetings are held the first Mondays of the month at 3pm at Central Campus, SJAC 243.
      2. SafeZone kickoff
        1. November 20 at 3pm – West Loop campus
        2. Lou Weaver will speak and there will be a training piece that day. There will be other training opportunities, too.  
          1. Monday, December 2 at 6pm – Central Campus, SJAC 138
          2. Thursday, December 5 at 9am – Alief-Hayes, B128
          3. Saturday, December 7 at 1pm – West Loop, C142
      3. International Education Week 
        1. Celebration on November 20 at 11am – Central Campus, LHSB 100
      4. Clothes Drive 
        1. The HCC Libraries are collecting donations of business clothing during the week of November 11 (November 11-15) 
      5. Helen Graham is moving the committee through its list of projects and will give a more complete report in December.
  1. Special Reports, Committees and Caucuses:
    1. Past Presidents: Darin Baskin
      1. Trustee Meet-and-Greet was a success.
      2. Darin Baskin will reach out to other past presidents before December to schedule a luncheon. 
    2. Chair Caucus: Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma
      1. Faculty Morale Survey
        1. Working with Educational Affairs 
      2. Faculty Needs Assessment
        1. Report is going forward to Norma Perez 
      3. Workload
        1. Accessing language and how to use that information
      4. Adjunct PEP changes
        1. The form / location will be similar to the full-time PEP and will roll out soon.
    3. Adjunct Caucus: Charles LaMendola
      1. The Caucus met today to discuss strategies for Spring 2020.
    4. Bedichek-Orman Auction: Linda Graham and Sheryl Ballard
      1. Linda Graham: the group will be having a wrap-up meeting to discuss the event and to pick next year’s theme 
      2. The auction brought in a total of $18,158.55. 
    5. Faculty Conference: Debra Schultz and Keitha Robinson
      1. Keitha Robinson: theofficial date will be March 7 and the current plan is to use the same location for the venue. 
        1. The theme is based on Desmond Lewis’ platform and the title of the conference will be “A Sense of Belonging: Faculty Lives Matter” 
        2. Dr. Cherry Gooden will be the keynote speaker. 
      2. K. Robinson and D. Schultz recently met with Desmond Lewis and Warren Hurd. 
    6. All-Faculty Retreat: Helen Graham (Desmond Lewis reporting)
      1. Recently met with Procurement to secure hotel and other aspects. Updates will follow.  
    7. HCC Foundation: Antrece Baggett & Mary Lawson
      1. The campaign passed its estimated goal by $29,000 and added 345 additional donors. 
      2. Total amount: $154,664.29 as of November 6. Last year: $103,000. 
      3. HCC license plates are still available.
  1. President’s Report: Desmond Lewis
    1. Replacement of copiers / maintenance agreements is complete; changes should roll out in late fall or early spring. 
      1. Rogelio Anasagasti, Executive Director of Purchases and Procurement Operations and Fheryl Prestage, Interim Vice-chancellor of Information Technology are involved in these discussions.
    2. Campus Technology Committee 
      1. In addition to the other happenings, discussions are ongoing about solutions for adjunct computers.
    3. Resource guide 
      1. Desmond Lewis will meet with Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma 
        1. The resource guide will be a document that discusses Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs), lists faculty workspaces, lists campus manager contacts, etc. 
        2. This will be available hard copy and online. 
    4. Security / IT information / Police 
      1. Desmond Lewis will meet with Police Chief: currently, the force is understaffed, and Lewis plans to know more about this and other aspects soon.
        1. Desmond Lewis’ suggestion: if there is not going to be an HCC police presence on campus, there needs to be, at minimum, a security officer there.  
    5. Proposed Changes to DMC Termination of Employment: Reduction in Force (from Board of Trustees meeting, November 6 agenda) 
      1. A copy of what was on the agenda will go out via email.  
      2. The DMC is not a new thing; however, these proposed changes offer faculty another layer of protection: before any reduction in force, there has to be an additional step brought to the Board. 
      3. Desmond Lewis is working on more with this and will have updates soon.  
  1. Old (unfinished) Business: 
    1. Jaime Hernandez, question: status of ORP recommendation
      1. Desmond Lewis will be meeting with the Chancellor soon—hopefully on November 19. 
    2. Shawn Anderson, question: is the new contract with Xerox? 
      1. Probably not, but the details aren’t known at this time
        1. Follow-up from S. Anderson and another: the current library paper supply is a pressing need. Libraries are having to give printer paper to students from their budgets.
        2. Lewis requests delegates inform him about places with problems. 
    3. Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma, adjunct faculty spaces 
      1. There have been issues from the campus managers who won’t let people have office space if they do not have more than 2 classes at specific locations.
        1. This is another reason that Desmond Lewis is meeting with Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma (see 5, c, i)—to ensure that the Chairs are heard. 
    4. Access 
      1. Accessing keys and / or finding the DRIs for locked classrooms / labs is still time-consuming. 
        1. Lewis continues to work on a solution with Janet Wormack. 
    5. Parking
      1. A delegate comments about a parking ticket given at Spring Branch. (Previously, there were no tickets issued at SB, so this action represents progress.) 
      2. Her decal was correctly posted in the back window (as referenced on HCC’s website.) An HCC police officer told her the decal was in the wrong location and, then, argued the information on the website was incorrect.  
        1. Desmond Lewis will bring this up with the Police Chief (see 5, d, i)
        2. Darin Baskin reminds the Senate that a strong practice is to get the name of the person you talk to; any and all details can help the current Senate president help you. 
    6. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software
      1. The Chancellor spoke more about this at his recent discussion at Central; will there be further follow-up about the CRM? 
        1. Yes. 
  2. New Business:
    1. Jennifer Vacca, refers back to the Faculty Morale Survey (see 4, b, i)
      1. Committees / Subcommittees need to be aware of revisions to Alternative Assignments and could need to fight harder for them. This could be a potential workload issue.
        1. Nikky Boutte-Heiniluoma: there are discussions regarding whether or not assignments warrant stipends or course releases though they are currently not being taken away; however, yes, this is something of concern.  
        2. Glady Bel comments about the purpose of the Compensation, Benefits, and Workload committee, therefore, Alan Ainsworth makes a recommendation for this issue to go to that committee for discovery.   
          1. This is moved and seconded. All agree to send it to Compensation, Benefits, and Workload. 
  3. Announcements:
    1. Desmond Lewis
      1. SGA President will attend Faculty Senate meetings to promote student involvement.
      2. The date for the January Senate meeting will be announced soon. 
  4. Adjournment (no “second” required)
    1. The meeting is adjourned at 2:07 pm. 

NEXT MEETING: December 13, 2019

1PM at Central’s Learning Hub, Room 100