What is the Academic Senate, and why should a Mendocino College part-time faculty member care about it? The first question is easier to answer than the second, but here goes on both.
AB 1725 (now a decade old) made some changes in the way California community colleges are governed. Academic Senates now have the authority to work with college administration and local governing boards (trustees) to make sure that faculty issues are represented in the overall governance of each college. Eleven specific areas of concern (ranging from curriculum to hiring issues and lots of things in between) are primary responsibilities of academic senates at each school.
At Mendocino College, full-time faculty senators represent "constituent" groups of fellow full-timers. Last year, part-time representation was increased from the previous single senator to two part-time members. This was due (at least in part) to recognition that part-time faculty teach about half of all MC classes, and to the need for greater input from part-timers on matters affecting MC's academic program.
How does the part-time faculty select its two senate representatives? At present, they are "self-selected" volunteers who are willing to attend hour-long weekly meetings. Cindy Bollens (mathematics) has just completed a two-year term as part-time representative [see her report on page 9] and Laurie Vasquez (ESL) is serving her second year. Neill Bell (anthropology/history) volunteered to serve as Cindy's replacement.
Why should a busy part-time faculty member be concerned about the senate and its politics? The senate is one of the three most direct ways that a part-timer can have a say about the academic program in which she/he works. When problems or questions arise about schedule or classroom management, there is your instructional dean to talk with about the situation. If the salary schedule, working conditions or treatment as an employee concerns you, the MPFA is the place to go with your concern. But there are other issues besides curriculum which are discussed and (at least theoretically) resolved.
Over the past year, the MC Academic Senate has dealt with issues as varied as the pricing of textbooks at the MC bookstore, the policy on academic freedom, faculty "titles," classroom evaluation and the appointment of faculty representatives to hiring committees. The senate gets to hear about the work of other college committees (appointing some of their members) and discusses issues facing teachers whether in the classroom or the boardroom.
Full and part-time faculty members can bring resolutions dealing with faculty issues to the senate, or have their representatives bring resolutions forward for them. Senate representatives get the privilege of rubber-stamping decisions made by committees, administrative fiat, or simply by default. But senate reps also have brought forward resolutions critical of administrative acts, board policies and even MC Foundation decisions.
The job of the two part-time faculty representatives is two-fold; they must inform colleagues about important issues before the senate, and they must get as much feedback from them as possible.
So, when you hear about a topic of interest to you that is under consideration by the senate, you need to make your views known to your representatives, Laurie and/or Neill.
This year, we will try to communicate more directly with fellow part-timers by posting "hot topics" on the bulletin board located on the wall opposite the mailboxes in the administration/classroom building in Ukiah (arrangements for sites at the Lake and Willits Centers are pending).
Any questions about senate issues, or issues you would like to see the senate consider, should be discussed with Laurie or Neill whenever they arise. You can leave a note for either of them in their Ukiah mailboxes, or call Neill at 463-1461 (off-campus office), or e-mail him (nbell@pacific.net) anytime.
Copyright MPFA 1998
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited