Members Present:  Doug Ferrier, Cindy Lerma, Terry Rives, Farhat Iftekharuddin, José Martín, Sylvia Peña, Marilyn Dyer, Betsy Boze, Victor Fuhro, Jim Holt

Guests:  Eli Peña, Norma Vera, Pilar Saldivar, Grizelda Mendoza, Letty Jaramillo, Debbie Medina, Gabriela Solis, Diana Arredondo, Maria Yañez, Anisa Ramirez, Jim Hall.

1. Rancho del Cielo Retreat: The Deans who attended the retreat reviewed the general tone and results.

2. Workload Conference Materials:  The members reviewed the transmittal page with instructions.  Two items remain to be completed:  whether the chairs’ and deans’ reviews of the previous year’s workload agreement would be tranmitted with the transmittal page.  The deans will conclude this at the next Council meeting.  We agreed that the period to be covered in the workload reviews would be the calendar year:  January 1 to December 31.

3. Recognizing Teacher Effectiveness:  Ray requested that the deans read the document attached to the agenda and be prepared to discuss it at a future meeting.

4. Program of Study Declaration:  Eli will clarify the difference between a program of study and degree plan for students by running an ad in the student newspaper and by making sure that all advisors know that difference.

5. Colleague Advising Readiness Status:  Colleague is almost ready for advisors to use, but several areas need to be completed.  For example, currently only one person my access the same screen of a student’s record at a time, so two offices cannot talk over the phone while both persons are viewing the screen.

6. Affirmation of Compliance with New Educator Preparations:   Sylvia reviewed the mandates on chapters 227, 228, and 229.  Ray noted that the College faculty must become familiar with those chapters and must prepare an assessment of the general education program in a way that enables Education to meet the general educations standard.  Both Joe Binder and José Garza will work together to guide the departments developing general education assessments.

7. Enrollment Update:  Cindy reviewed the latest data, noting that graduate enrollments had not increased much.

8. Technical Course Inventory:  Jim briefed the deans on the current status.

9. Operational Matters:  Victor briefed the deans on the following matters:

a. Deans are to tell Debbie Medina how much money they will need for retention functions/social events.   That means for the deans/chair’s workshops and academic senate have been cancelled to allow us more money for this function.
b. Official memos on salary increases need to be submitted immediately to Victor:  they are past due.
c. Conflict of interest statements must be submitted by faculty.
d. Updated lists of department faculty, including lecturers, need to be submitted.
e. Suggestions for improving the course schedule format should be submitted to Victor and to Ronnie Zamora.
f. Telephone registration will be available from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
g. Department secretaries must meet deadlines for items requested by deans’ secretaries.  Some discuss ensued regarding conflicting priorities and who has the right to overrule a request from the dean’s secretary.
h. Adjustment of chairs’ supplements based upon mid-year changes in faculty or programs.  The members decided that adjustments would only be made at the end of the year for the next year.  Victor will, however, make adjustments for those departments that were combine this year, such as Curriculum and Instruction.

10. Y2K compliance:  Jim Hall led the deans and their secretaries in a discussion about the need to have contingency plans ready for December 31.  Several very worthwhile suggestions were made, such as deciding ahead of time whether anyone had to report on the first Monday of the year.  Jim said he would take those suggestions to the Compliance Team.

Cc:  Executive Council