Menu

Laney College Faculty Senate

Resolutions

Resolutions Approved 2023-2024

  • January 30, 2024 Vote of No Confidence in District General Services
    • Be it resolved that the Laney College Faculty Senate requests an investigation and audit into the state of elevators and fire alarms not only at Laney College but districtwide, including the total amount of funds that have been expended on these projects, an accounting of completed repairs and a clear picture of the problems that remain;
    • Be it further resolved that with this resolution the Laney College Faculty Senate declares no confidence in DGS leadership, including Interim Vice Chancellor Atheria Smith, due to the lack of collegial consultation, lack of planning, inadequate and misleading communication and perceived ongoing mismanagement of projects that are central to OSHA, CCR  and ADA compliance, our community’s health and safety and student success.

Resolutions Approved 2022- 23

  • May 13, 2023 Resolution on Clarification of Mask and Proof of Covid Vaccination Policy 5.17.23
    • Be it resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate urges PCCD policy to follow sister
      community colleges in our area and drop the proof of covid vaccination so that
      vaccine status will not prevent students, faculty, staff, or community members from
      accessing Laney College / PCCD, buildings, classrooms, in-person classes, labs,
      student services, or events.
    • Be it resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate urges PCCD to remove all faculty
      enforcement of vaccine status so that Laney faculty are not responsible for
      requesting, monitoring, or enforcing student clear and unclear status for in-person
      class participation, nor are Laney faculty or staff responsible for inputting campus
      access data using the Employee Health Tracker located in People Soft Human Capital
      Management portal.
    • Be it resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate supports the wishes of faculty members
      to drop the indoor mask mandates as other community colleges have done and the
      wishes of faculty members to require masks in their classrooms as long as they list
      the requirement in the written syllabus at the beginning of the semester
    • Be it further resolved that PCCD district communicate the policy to the district
      stakeholders (admin, faculty, staff and students) in writing by June 1, 2023
  • May 13, 2023  Censure of Interim Vice Chancellor of District General Services
    • Be it Resolved the Senate censures Interim Vice Chancellor of General Services
      Atheria Smith for a lack of consultation, collaboration, and communication.
  • April 4, 2023 Laney Faculty senate endorsed the ASCCC resolution from Spring 2021 Asserting Faculty Purview and Primacy over Modalities of curriculum
    • Resolved, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges assert that, under Title 5 §53200, the modality in which a course is offered is firmly within faculty purview.
  • March 7, 2023 RESOLUTION Facilities 3.7.23
    • Be it resolved that the Laney College Faculty senate is dismayed by the lack of communication and transparency about DGS’s 90-day plan that dismissed faculty input per AB 1725;
    • Be it resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate requests a project management timeline, listed by work order, that clearly outlines how all projects at Laney College, emergency and otherwise, will be handled by DGS by April 15, 2023, and that the issues of hot water and heat/cooling are prioritized above all else;
    • Be it further resolved that the Laney College Faculty Senate declares that the district’s proposed 90-day plan has not only shunned the importance of shared governance and collegiality but does not take into account the urgency of these repairs as our concerns have been well documented since last fall and have not been addressed, thus impacting our students and interrupting critical instruction
  • February 7, 2023 DE Budget ResolutionLaney
    • Resolved, the funding for all instructional software (including LTIs) and accessibility remediation should be prioritized in a transparent manner with input from faculty senate and delegated to the fund 1 budget. And
    • Resolved, the Distance Education budget should be augmented to cover LTIs and Accessibility support costs and should be institutionalized (funding for each fiscal year) effective AY 2023-2024
  • December 8, 2022 Resolution Affirming Faculty Purview Over Industry-Advised CTE Curriculum
    • Resolved that the Laney College Faculty Senate reaffirms that curriculum is part of
      the 10+1 faculty purview and members of the administration should not lobby against
      the approval of industry-advised curriculum; and
    • Resolved that the Laney College administration’s role is to advocate for and
      support the programs in their division, not work against them.
  • November 15, 2022 Resolution for Censure Director Thomas from Laney Faculty Senate
    • Resolved,  that the Laney College Faculty senate censures Director Thomas for his lack
      of consultation, collaboration, transparent planning processes and communication
  • October 4, 2022Resolution for Restoration of FTEF from Laney Senate
    • Resolved that this Senate urgently recommends that FTEF allocations be restored to previous levels commensurate with this fall’s surge in enrollment and predictable continued increases in enrollment; and
    • Resolved,  that more intentional, effective outreach be made through collaboration with personnel at all four Colleges to areas of the East Bay where Peralta’s presence is weak or non-existent, bringing the entire District into a posture of outreach and uplift to meet the Mission and purpose of these Colleges.
  • October 4,  2022Resolution for Low Cost OER
    • Resolved, That the Academic Senate for Laney College should support efforts by faculty and departments to increase student access to high-quality, accessible, Open Educational Resources (OER)[1] and reduce the cost of instructional materials for students in course sections for which quality, accessible Open Educational Resources (OER) may not be available to accomplish zero cost for students;
    • Resolved, That the Office of Instruction of Laney College, by Spring 2023, implement a mechanism for identifying course sections that employ low-cost instructional materials in the online schedule of classes; and
    • Resolved, That the Faculty Senate for Laney College defines low-cost instructional materials (such as, but not limited to, textbooks, workbooks, lab manuals, online homework, and required printouts) whose total combined cost does not exceed $50.

Resolutions Approved 2021–22

  • May 17, 2022  Resolution Requesting Transparent Updating and Adherence to Administrative Procedures for Laney
    • Resolved, the district creates a system for updating Administrative Procedures that allows members of the Participatory Governance Council to clearly preview changes or updates to policies with 72 hours of review time, per Brown Act in order to vote. And
    • Resolved, the Laney Faculty Senate affirms that E-votes are not an adequate method for voting on changes or updates to administrative procedures as E-votes disallow necessary context and discussion, and are contrary to transparent participatory governance processes. And
    • Resolved the Laney Faculty Senate asks that the district administration follows Administrative Procedures, respecting the role of participatory governance and the process that allow participatory governance to flourish at the Peralta Community College District
  • March 15, 2022:Resolution to Explore Alternative Enrollment Strategies
    • Resolved, The District Academic Senate insists that the District Administrative leadership team allow and even promote the presentation of alternative  enrollment strategies for Peralta Colleges, including but not limited to the noteworthy and rather popular presentation regarding class cuts and enrollment strategies by PFT President Jennifer Shanoski, who is also a Peralta faculty member, and that they do so willingly, in an effort to follow their won values on communication :”we seek first to understand, then be understood.  And
    • Resolved, the District Academic Senate insists upon a cleareyed and honest discussion as to the process that governed the decision -making around the class cuts at our campuses, with both District and individual College leadership teams present, so faculty may hear with a singular administrative voice where, how and why these decisions wer emade, without the now customary finger pointing made by one party in the absence of the other.
  • February 15, 2022: Resolution for Fairness and Consideration for CTE FTEF allocations for 2022-2023
    • Resolved that although decision making should be data driven, the college and district administrations should also be seeking input, in the name of collaboration and collegiality, to gain needed context about CTE departments before allocating FTEF to CTE departments.
  • February 15, 2022: Resolution Requesting Additional Support for Enrollment Services
    • Resolved that the college create a ticketing system for Admissions and Records in order to better track the needs of students who are trying to enroll and issues that are reported by faculty;
    • Resolved that the college administration examine the ability to increase staffing in Admissions and Records;
    • Resolved that the faculty senate requests that the college administration provide support for Admissions and Records in the form of overtime pay when necessary.
  • January 25, 2022: Resolution Demanding Visible Participation and Accessibility During Meetings from District Leadership
    • Resolved, that the district immediately bear the cost of upgrading the internet connection at the chancellor’s residence in Texas so that she can keep her camera on during video conferencing while she conducts district business;
    • Resolved that in the spirit of mutual respect, professionalism and dedication to our district that not only the chancellor keep her camera on but the Board of Trustees, taxpayer-elected  representatives for our district, keep their cameras on during meetings, with the district bearing the cost of upgrading their internet quality if connectivity issues prevent them from turning on their cameras;
    • Resolved that the district will follow accessibility guidelines for public meetings by providing interpreters and captions for video conference feeds.
  • December 7, 2021: Resolution Honoring Professor Helen Curry for her service to Laney College
    • Resolved that Professor Helen Curry will be remembered fondly by her colleagues and students for her indelible dedication to our community;
    • Resolved, that the Laney Faculty Senate honors the memory of Professor Helen Curry and remains indebted to her for her service to the Laney Faculty Senate, the Cosmetology department, and the Laney College community.

 


 

Resolutions Approved 2020–21

  • May 18, 2021: Resolution Urging Consultation and Collaboration around HEERF Funding
    • Resolved that we request a more rigorous planning process, as well as transparency, around spending HEERF funds in addition to the survey that already exists;
    • Resolved that our campus create a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for faculty to request funding that falls within expenditure guidelines;
    • Resolved that the administration provide regular updates to the Laney College Faculty Senate about expenditures during the Fall 2021 semester
  • April 20, 2021: Resolution in Support of Laney ESOL Self Guided Placement
    • Resolved, that the Laney Faculty Senate supports Laney ESOL Guided Self Placement Process and Tool and the way that they have made the placement enrollment process more empowering for students;
    • Resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate requests that resources once used for standardized ESOL placement tests, such as staff support and financial commitments, be recommitted for the ESOL GSP;
    • Resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate supports the efforts of the ESOL Multiple Measures Team to secure ongoing IT support and a “home” for the GSP at the college or district;
    • Resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate advocates for Institutional Research support for the ongoing evaluation of the GSP process and tool in keeping with the goals of AB 705.
  • April 20, 2021: Learning Assessment Committee Resolution on Institutional Time for Assessment
    • Resolved, that the college will, in collaboration with the Learning Assessment Committee, devote significantly more institutional time and support for assessment work, such as retreats and standing agenda items for assessment at shared governance meetings, department meetings, etc.;
    • Resolved, that the college will devote significant time on Professional Development days for departments/units to work on all stages of assessment.
  • April 6, 2021: Resolution to Denounce Anti-Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Racism
    • Resolved, that Laney College Faculty Senate unconditionally condemns the aforementioned oppressive forces, and we further denounce xenophobia and anti-AAPI sentiment – the harmful rhetoric and racist actions arising because of fears of the COVID-19 pandemic;
    • Resolved, that the Laney College Faculty Senate affirms that the “Model Minority Myth” facilitates the interrelated phenomena of gaslighting and “racelighting,” by which those who are victims of anti-AAPI hate crimes are denied the seriousness of their criminal complaints, and those who are victimized remain unassisted under duress;
    • Resolved, the Laney College Faculty Senate request the creation of AAPI focused workshops and professional development opportunities for students, staff, administration and faculty to minimize stereotypes and foster empathy;
    • Resolved, the Laney College Faculty Senate acknowledges “racelighting,” and requests consistent investigation, documentation, and reporting of all race-related incidents against the AAPI community in order to promote respect and protection of the said community.
  • February 9, 2021: Resolution to Censure President Besikof
    • Resolved that the Laney Faculty Senate censures President Besikof for his lack of planning, communication and leadership at Laney College;
    • Resolved that because President Besikof did not address our concerns and questions in writing, dismissing the urgent call for collaboration and collegiality with our senate, we invite him to our next senate meeting to answer questions from our senate directly.
  • December 15, 2020: Resolution Honoring Bruce Lazarus for his Service to Laney College
    • Resolved: that the Laney College Faculty Senate cannot allow Bruce to depart without “fanfare” and gratitude for all he does for our campus and our students; and
    • Resolved that the Laney College Faculty Senate wishes Bruce a restful, happy and fulfilling retirement and we thank him bringing positivity and expertise to our community.
  • November 17, 2020: Resolution Requesting a Revised and Optimized Scheduling Process
    • Resolved: that enrollment management is a key area for the sustainability of the college and we request that our resources, financial and human, should be applied to a revised and optimized scheduling process that gives students every opportunity to plan for the coming semester and ultimately meet their goals; and
    • Resolved: that we ask the administration to consult with the senate and department chairs prior to the end of the fall 2020 semester about ways that the scheduling process can be improved before scheduling begins for summer 2021 and fall 2021.
  • October 27, 2020: Resolution for Return to F2F Labs for Spring 2021
    • Resolved: that all CTE and science classes that need to have hands-on hours during their lab classes be allowed to teach them with established social distancing and compliance with established safety protocols; and
    • Resolved: that we urge the district to develop (1) metrics and criteria of concerns it feels need to be addressed to allow face-to-face lab hours in CTE and science classes to occur in Spring 2021 and (2) a process for approval of protocols, contact tracing mechanisms and risk assessment from the County to allow face-to-face lab hours to be taught.
  • September 29, 2020: Resolution Honoring the Life and Service of Stephen Corlett to Laney College
    • Resolved: that Laney College will remember Stephen Corlett for his dedication, passion, patience, collaborative spirit, fairness and gentleness;
    • Resolved that Laney College is so thankful to have had Stephen Corlett as part of our community and that his memory will remain eternal at our campus, living on through the work we will continue in his honor; and
    • Resolved that we extend our deepest sympathies to Stephen Corlett’s family and join them in their grief as Stephen was a galvanizing and catalytic member of the Laney College family.
  • September 1, 2020: Resolution in Support of Peralta Independence
    • Resolved: that the Academic Senate supports the independence of Peralta Community College District and opposes any takeover by the California Community College State Chancellor and Board of Governors that would impose a Special Trustee;
    • Resolved: the faculty, staff, administrators, students, and all locally elected political leaders support an independent PCCD that relies on both the democratically elected Board of Trustees as well as the participatory governance process that is central to a healthy and inclusive decision-making process that benefits the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, and the Presidents of the Peralta Colleges.

 


 

Resolutions 2019–20

  • April 7, 2020:  Resolution Regarding the Chancellor’s Communication Policy and Practices
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate wishes to bring their concerns, dissatisfaction and dismay about the chancellor’s communication policies and practices to the urgent attention of the Peralta community, the Board of Trustees, all district stakeholders and the East Bay community that our district serves;
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate reminds the chancellor that the sense of “respect and belonging” she cited in January should be modeled by everyone, including the chancellor, and that Peralta’s “culture of contempt” is further fueled by the chancellor’s caustic communication practices;
    • Resolved: That the same respect and standards of communication the chancellor expects from faculty, classified professionals and administrators also apply to the chancellor, and we demand a culture of collaboration, critical inquiry, collegiality and civility.
  • April 7, 2020:  Resolution on Collaboration
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate urges the Peralta district administration and whatever leadership teams exist to work closely with representatives from faculty organizations that have a legal right to input and negotiation as to changes in curriculum and learning conditions, in a joint effort to cut down on errors and confusion that has thus far characterized their actions despite their most sincere and diligent and earnest efforts;
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate reminds the Peralta district administration that in the context of these emergency conditions, participatory governance and consultation with faculty would enable the district to make wiser decisions as to how best facilitate student success in our classrooms, counseling offices, and libraries.
  • April 7, 2020:  Urging PCCD to Refund Students
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate urges the Peralta Community College District administration to refund all fees to students who by no fault of their own have been forced to drop their classes as a matter of survival.
  • February 4, 2020:  Resolution on Joining the California Virtual Campus–Online Education Initiative (CVC-OEI) Consortium
    • Resolved: That the Faculty Senate fully supports Laney College’s application to join the CVC-OEI Consortium Cohort in 2020 as well as the adoption of both the OEI Course Design Rubric and Peralta Online Equity Rubric.
  • January 21, 2020:  Resolution Regarding Academic Free Speech and District Electronic Mail Use Policies
    • Resolved: That faculty assert their role and right to consult collegially with the Chancellor and District Office regarding academic and professional matters and to collaborate with the Chancellor and District Office to ensure that any changes to the existing Electronic Mail policy is developed via consultation with relevant college and District participatory governance bodies  to ensure that such a policy be in accordance with the above policies and procedures; including, especially, Academic Freedom; and
    • Resolved: that faculty support maintaining open “Faculty/Administrators/Staff” (FAS) electronic mail lists subject to the creation of a new and agreed upon Electronic Mail policy.
  • October 15, 2019:  Resolution in Support of Building a New Fab Lab
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate acknowledges the FabLab as a valuable learning resource for students; and
    • Resolved: That the Laney College faculty senate recommend the FabLab be located in the new Library & Learning Resource Center, if possible, or to a larger and more accessible space on campus.
  • October 1, 2019:  Resolution Further Honoring the Memory of Phillippa Caldeira
    • Resolved: That The Laney College Faculty Senate recognizes Phillippa Caldeira for the caring, compassionate, remarkable member of our community that she was, and for her immeasurable contributions to the college; and
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Administration name an appropriate area within the new Library & Learning Resource Center using Phillippa Caldeira’s name to recognize and honor her efforts and achievements in the development and growth of the Laney College Library & Learning Resource Center.  This action will serve as a reminder of her tremendous legacy of contributions to students, her colleagues and the college.
  • September 10, 2019:  Resolution in Loving Memory of Phillippa Caldeira
    • Resolved: That The Laney College Faculty Senate recognizes Phillippa Caldeira for the caring, compassionate, remarkable member of our community that she was, and for her immeasurable contributions to the college; and
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate offers their sincere condolences to those who also knew and loved Phillippa Caldeira and will never forget her tremendous legacy of contributions to students, her colleagues and the college.


Resolutions 2018–19

  • February 12, 2019: Resolution of No Confidence in Peralta Colleges Chancellor Jowel C. Laguerre
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate affirm that it has no confidence in Chancellor Laguerre’s leadership of the four-college District; and
    • Resolved: That, in order to prevent further damage to the District’s and Colleges’ planning and budgeting processes, Faculty, Classified and Administrative personnel, and the general morale of our Colleges’ communities, the Laney College Faculty Senate call for Chancellor Laguerre to resign immediately or have his contract terminated with cause by the PCCD Board of Trustees.

 

  • February 12, 2019: Resolution on the Formation of a DAS Constitution Workgroup
    • Resolved: That the Laney Faculty Senate requests that the District Academic Senate convene a workgroup of College Faculty not currently members of the District Academic Senate to review and make recommendations to the District Academic Senate and College Faculty Senates regarding possible revisions to the District Academic Senate’s Constitution consistent with applicable California Educational Code and Peralta Board Policy and Administrative Procedures.

     

  • November 6, 2018: Support for Transgender, Gender-Nonconforming, and Intersex Students
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty will continue to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for all students regardless of gender, gender identity, and gender expression;
    • Resolved: That the Laney College faculty will further this atmosphere of support by including in our syllabuses a preferred pronoun and name statement1 and by making a concerted effort to address students by their preferred pronouns and names; and
    • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate request that theCollege Council work to officiate this practice, integrating it into our faculty handbook and orientations.

     

    Resolutions 2017–18

    • October 3, 2017: Primary Charge of the DE Committee
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Distance Education Committee will serve as the college’s primary recommending body on matters related to distance education – specifically, focusing on supporting excellence in distance education teaching and learning; recommending policies, procedures, and resources to support effective, innovative, and equitable distance education at Laney College; and ensuring that Laney College distance education classes meet federal, state, and accreditation standards.
    • September 5, 2017: Role of Faculty in Budget Development
      • Resolved: That the Chancellor or District designees immediately convene with the District Academic Senate or District Academic Senate designees to revise AP6250 to include consultation with the College and District Academic Senates and the relevant designated deliberative bodies at each stage of the budget management process as presently articulated in AP6250: Budget Calendar, Budget Directives, Budget Preparation, Budget Consolidation, Budget Presentation of each of the preliminary, tentative, and final budgets, and Budget Adoption; and
      • Resolved: that this proposed revision be completed in time to be approved and enacted prior to January 2018 for implementation in the 2018-2019 budget process.

     

    Resolutions 2016–17

    • March 7, 2017: Role of the Academic Senate in Prioritization
      • Resolved: That the Laney Faculty Senate objects to the arbitrary and capricious administrative usurpation of the faculty prioritization process, and
      • Resolved: That the Laney Faculty Senate requests that all permanent faculty hiring be placed on hold (except for the Math position which was not contentious) until the new college president comes on board, and
      • Resolved: That this resolution be shared immediately with the Laney College President, Chancellor and Board of Trustees of the Peralta Community College District.
    • February 21, 2017: Freedom of Speech
      • Resolved: That Laney Faculty attended the forums and did prior research about the candidate, Dr. Anthony Tricoli, who questioned Tower reporting and claimed his character was defamed in the article entitled THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF LANEY COLLEGE?
      • Resolved: That all information reported in the article was properly attributed from accurate sources, including statements from Dr. Tricoli himself, court documents and newspapers
      • Resolved: That the article was carefully edited and approved and nothing was inaccurate or unsubstantiated
      • Resolved: That the Laney Academic Senate unequivocally supports “unfettered” Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom by The Laney Tower and the Journalism Department.

    Resolutions 2015–16

    • April 19, 2016: Support of AB 2009
      • Resolved: That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges supports AB 2009 and other efforts to increase the success of undocumented students at California public institutions of higher education.
    • March 1, 2016: Mental Health Specialist
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate receive an additional position to support students’ mental health needs in accordance with the Budget Allocation Model based on the number of students we serve. We request a full-time Mental Health Specialist position be immediately approved so that Laney College is not left with a gap in urgently needed services for our students.
    • November 24, 2015: PASS Report
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate request that College President Webb and Vice President of Instruction Celhay make the PASS report originally requested by Dr. Gravenberg available to the Faculty Senate before its December 1st meeting.
    • November 24, 2015: SSSP and Equity
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate request an immediate meeting between the college president and a delegation of senators to review, in detail, the SSSP and Equity planning process, the SSSP and Equity funds, and SSSP and Equity expenditures.
    • November 3, 2015: Instructional Equipment and Library Materials
      • Resolved: That the Laney Faculty Senate recommends that, in accordance with the Budget Allocation Model, the Peralta Community College District allocate an additional $75,000 in funds for instructional equipment and library materials to Laney College in an effort to advance the goal of equity for the students of Laney College.
    • October 20, 2015: SSSP and Equity
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate request an immediate response (on or before Tuesday, October 27) from the President (not a designee) regarding:
        1. Justification of expenses/encumbrances to date, with explanation on how they align with the FY15 Equity and FY15 SSSP plans
        2. Details about if/how Laney can expend remaining funds in line with the FY15 Equity and FY15 SSSP plans by December 31, 2015
        3. Details about the planning process for FY16 Equity plan and funds, and details about the planning process for FY16 SSSP plan and funds
      • Resolved: That, without timely response and clarification on these matters, the Laney College Faculty Senate President, representing the Faculty Senate, will not sign reports to the State Chancellor’s Office.
    • October 20, 2015: Smart Classroom Assignment Process
      • Resolved: That the Laney College Faculty Senate urge the administration to work with the Senate to develop and institute a transparent process for requesting and assigning smart classrooms.

    Resolutions 2013–14

    • February 18, 2014: Representation on the PBC
      • Resolved: That the Laney Faculty Senate requests that the PCCD Planning and Budget Committee include two voting representatives from each college academic senate on the PCCD Planning and Budget Committee in alignment with the other three PCCD colleges.