Classified Senate Meeting Minutes (4/10/13)

Classified Senate Meeting Minutes

April 10, 2013

Orchard Room

Opening: The Classified Senate meeting was called to order at 1:35 p.m. on April 10, 2013.

Present: Chou Chasengnou, Julie Elliott, Breanne Holland, John McPeek, Eva Rhodes, April Robinson

I Welcome/Greetings

1. Breanne welcomed the attendees

II March Meeting Minutes Approval

1. The March 13th meeting minutes were approved and will be distributed to Classified staff shortly.

III Reports

1. Classified Senate President

a. Breanne’s comments are found throughout these minutes

2. Classified Area Representatives

a. Chou reported that there are five people in her area going to C-Cert training for the next three Fridays.

b. Julie announced that there is a new graphic designer, Cory Diebert, who will share an office with Amber Foreman.

IV Shared Governance Committee Reports

1. There were no Shared Governance Reports available.

V Announcements

1. Breanne announced that the 4CS Executive Board has nominated CRC’s Classified Senate as being a model senate. The award will be given at the CLI in Sacramento, June 13-15, 2013. Breanne will mention this award at the LRCCD Board meeting tonight and the announcement will appear in the CRC Insider.

VI Updates

1. Department Recognitions

a. The Senate has finally received approval for PD funds for the Department Recognitions project with a caveat. Although the funds can’t be used for morale boosting, Breanne mentioned that the Student Success Task Force Initiative does mention allowing for five days of PD activities specifically for morale boosting purposes.

b. Breanne addressed some of the questions that the PD committee asked about our request as follows: Question #1: The requested amount for food seems excessive. Could other tokens of appreciation be provided instead of food when visiting a department? Breanne said that Debbie suggested applying for hospitality funds. Question #2: Could a series of lunches be planned for the Garden/Orchard Room and include guest speakers? This suggestion does not meet our vision of the project and moves away from the intention of the activity. Question #3: Will Area Deans and/or Supervisors be notified that their department has been selected so that they are aware of the kudos coming to their area? Yes, Deans would be notified when their department is selected for recognition. We would also be agreeable to having someone from the academic senate as well as Debbie or Celia present. Question #4: Can pictures and/or bios (name, position and years at CRC) of some of the employees be included in the write up? Breanne mentioned that we had decided on a group picture for the newsletter.

c. The survey for the Department Recognition award needs to be created. We can try to have the first one in May and Breanne will find out if the PD funds can be rolled over to the next academic year.

2. Committee – Call for Participants

a. Breanne reported that she got no responses from Classified staff to her email asking for participation on the committees for fundraising, the Professional Development Day or the Department Recognitions. Julie suggested putting together one Department Recognition to use as an example so that everyone the tangible result that will come out of participating.

VII Strategize/Organize Professional Development Day

1. Committee – Call for Participants

a. Breanne got no responses from her call for volunteers for the Professional Development Day committee.

b. Breanne said we just need to get Professional Development Day off the ground. She presented Chou’s Team Building activity (Team Building / Get to Know CRC) to the attendees along with her agenda. Breanne suggested having a PD form workshop on this day to teach staff how to fill out the form. Julie said that the form is unwieldy and asked if Classified staff knows that these PD funds are available and, if unused, get sent back. Julie asked if there was a date scheduled for Professional Development Day and Breanne said no.

VIII Senate Goals

1. 10 + 1

a. Breanne said that she has struggled with understanding what our exact role or purpose is as a Classified Senate. She has found that there is no clear-cut explanation or impact. In a discussion with Kale Braden, the Academic Senate President, he suggested doing something similar to what the Academic Senate does—they review 10+1 (the mandates that have been given to the Faculty by the state) and focus on the items over which they can exercise power and influence. If an item does not present the possibility of influence or change, they move away from it. By the same token, if we have more specific goals, things that we can impact, it will give us direction. Even though the Classified Senate doesn’t have any mandates or power, Julie suggested starting with three goals or objectives. John suggested being careful not to run contrary to the union. He said it would be a good idea to sit down with LRCEA, LRSA to make sure that they are okay with whatever ideas we come up with, so we’ll have the support of labor and it will be a joint venture.

IX Fundraising

1. Committee – Call for participants

a. Alma volunteered to be the contact person but not the chair of the Fundraising committee. Breanne will touch bases with Alma and then send out a few ideas for everyone to vote on.

2. Ideas and Organization

a. Breanne said that we need our own budget so we can accomplish some of the goals we’ve set for ourselves. A clothing exchange was suggested by Breanne and a recycle sale was suggested by Alma. Items left over would then be donated to WEAVE or Goodwill. These are all ways in which we can assist the community, our students and staff.

b. Debbie said she would be willing to host a luncheon/brainstorming session for fundraising ideas. Julie expressed the feeling that if Debbie or Whitney was going to be at a meeting, more classified might attend, because they would want their departments represented.

X Constitution & Bylaws

1. Discussion with Debbie

a. Debbie reviewed the changes to the Constitution and Bylaws and saw no problems. Chou got seven responses from staff so far that the changes are okay. Breanne mentioned that there may be future changes once we decide on our goals (“10+1”). The next step is for Chou to send an email tomorrow to get staff to vote on changes.

XI Classified Appreciation Week

1. Date to be Scheduled

a. The date for Classified Appreciation Week is not yet known. Chou suggested that Tina Nguyen and Myaisha O’Ray be on the committee. Tina may not be available, however, due to maternity leave. Breanne asked if anyone had an objection to having 2-3 staff as advisors to assist faculty and management in planning activities. Julie volunteered to be on the committee.

Meeting adjourned 2:40 p.m.