With the future of the Center for Academic Success and Writing Lab still up in the air the Academic Senate approved a detailed report on Monday regarding the center.
An in-depth analyzes was made by a viability committee, who presented their findings during Monday’s special Academic Senate meeting in order to prepare for this vote.
The study was deemed appropriate because soon the center will have a permanent centralized location in the new Library Crossroads Building located on the north end of The Mall.
It was also appropriate because the Writing Lab will be two faculty members short in the fall.
The committee presented three different scenarios before the senate.
One of the main differences between the three had to do with apportionment and the qualifications of the instructors that would be helping the students.
Carol Kozeracki, Dean of Research and Planning was part of the Viability Committee that looked at the Center for Academic Success and Writing Lab.
Kozeracki explained apportionment with an example.
“(When) you take any of your classes, (and) the teacher (is) teaching you (Pierce is) collecting money from the state to reimburse for that and that there are certain services that the center can perform that we had not necessarily been collecting money (for),” Kozeracki said.
The staffing was also brought to the attention of the senate by Robert Martinez, a math professor.
In the first scenario brought before the senate the instructors would be broken down into a part time instructional assistant for writing, a part time instructional assistant for reading and a part time instructional assistant for math, in addition to student tutors.
Martinez proposed that the first scenario be amended to allow a full time math instructional assistant, and the motion passed.
He also informed the senate of the math departments intent to hold office hours in the new Center for Academic Success.
The English department however, looks to keep the Writing Lab separate from the center.
Richard Follett, a professor of English pointed out to the senate that ” there is a great distinction between a Master’s degree tutor and a student tutor.”
But he did clarify that the English department has no objection to the Writing Lab being in the same location as the center.
The other two scenarios were not amended and still remain less favored by the senate.
In the third scenario no apportionment is collected and services such as workshops and tutoring appointments are eliminated.
Tom Rosdahl is the current senate president.
“We were asked to do a model that has no apportionment,” sighs Rosdahl.
He acknowledges that the first scenario, would benefit the students more, but knows that in the end it will all be up to Kathleen Burke-Kelly, the Pierce College President.
The report will now move on to the desk of Burke-Kelly for final approval.
