Amy Whitworth, language, philosophy and culture chair, expresses concerns to Faculty Senate about the lack of advisers for the number of students April 1 in the visual arts center. Photo by E. David Guel
April 16 special board meeting location is decided.
By Cynthia M. Herrera
cherrera151@student.alamo.edu
During the April 1 Faculty Senate meeting, Amy Whitworth, chair of the language philosophy and culture department, told of a New York conference she attended with three trustees and the Faculty Senate president.
Whitworth said that during the Governance Leadership Institute, a three-day conference in New York, trustees received training for effective, efficient meetings and education.
The conference stated employees should have more interaction with students to show that they’re cared for.
“If a custodian says ‘hello’ that’s enough,” Whitworth said of improving employee interaction.
Whitworth said there were approximately 25 to 30 trustees from across the nation, six of them from Texas.
District trustees Clint Kingsbery, Joe Alderete and Yvonne Katz were in attendance and three trustees from Houston Community College.
On the second day of the conference, trustees did not stay for the workshop on “what trustees need to know in order run an effective board meeting,” Whitworth said.
“Boards across the nation are not interested in what faculties are doing,” she said.
During the New York conference, four presidents from community colleges around the country recommended the ratio of advisers to students should be one adviser to 160 students, Whitworth said.
She said this college’s goal is one adviser to 350 students, but the estimated number is one adviser to 800 students.
In other news, the senate addressed results of the faculty survey sent out in March.
Of the 316 faculty at this college who received the email, 159 answered the survey.
According to the survey charts, when faculty were questioned if they are adequately involved in the decisions to develop, change and/or eliminate programs, 91 faculty answered strongly disagreed, 42 disagreed, 17 agreed, six did not know and two strongly agreed.
When faculty were asked if there has been improvement in morale throughout the district because of the Covey initiatives, 119 faculty answered they strongly disagreed, 24 disagreed, nine did not know, five agreed and two, strongly agreed.
For the complete survey, visit www.sacweb01.sac.alamo.edu/SAC/eBallot/Results.aspx?userType=voter&ballotID=72.
An April 16 special board meeting will be 6 p.m. at this college in Room 218 in the nursing complex.
The meeting was suggested by Alderete in March to let the colleges have a voice and a chance to speak.
Dawn Elmore, Faculty Senate president, is organizing the meeting.
Representatives from each college within the district will have 10 minutes to speak on certain issues that they feel need to be addressed.
“It is to help board members understand what is important for each individual college,” said Lisa Black, professor of social work and sociology and vice president of Faculty Senate.
During the meeting, this college’s Faculty Senate will present issues.
Focuses from the other colleges are not known.
The meeting is open to the public.
