By Lesley Kawaguchi, AS President

The Academic Senate has been busy on several fronts this semester. Much of the work has centered on the Accreditation recommendations from March 2004, which included working on Student Learning Outcomes, issues of shared governance, and long-term planning. On April 20, 2005, two members of the Accreditation team met with the Senate leaders regarding these issues and were provided favorable reports. The dialogue on Student Learning Outcomes has begun in the Department Chairs, Program Review, and Curriculum Committees and at sessions held on the Institutional Flex Day in March, and will become part of a larger campuswide dialogue in 2005-2006 under Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein's leadership. The issues of shared governance and long-term planning have resulted finally in the seating of the District Planning and Advisory Council (DPAC) on April 27, which has already made its first recommendations to the Interim Superintendent/President that the college "borrow" about 500 FTEs from summer, 2005, to restore SMC to its funding base.

The Academic Senate has also begun the dialogue with faculty regarding the search for the new Superintendent/President. The Senate held a faculty plenary session on April 26, where faculty members expressed their opinions regarding the search, the process, and the desired outcome. On Tuesday, May 24, 2005, in B 144, the Academic Senate will devote most of its regularly scheduled meeting to Dr. Abel Sykes, the consultant from the Association of Community College Trustees, who has stated that he would like to meet and discuss with each constituent group separately about the next Superintendent/ President. The Senate urges you to attend.