MEMBERS PRESENT: G. Avent, P. Bagley, E. Bateman, J. Blach, J. Cox, P. Fox, E. Henderson, C. Holt, L. Hyslop, P. Josey, M. Kuhl, R. McNally, B. Murphy, M. Puccinelli, C. Pyatt, J. Rice, K. Schwandt, J. Shaw, G. Smith, J. Smith, S. Sweetwater, G. Tenney, J. Williams

1. ATTENDANCE: Silent roll was taken. Chair Jack Smith declared a quorum present.
2. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 1:16 p.m.
3. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS : Chair Jack Smith welcomed everyone to Senate.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the February 5, 1999, meeting were unanimously approved.
5. SENATE CHAIR REPORT: Chair Jack Smith reported the following:
   1. Board of Regents -
      1. The Board voted to re-open the budget which will endanger GBC's four-year programs. Currently, the college will go forward with the elementary education program but will place a hold on the development of the business program.
      2. Tobacco settlement funds may be used as scholarships under the assumption that educated individuals do not smoke. The scholarships will be offered to students with a 3.0 or higher grade average which could promote grade inflation among high school students.
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
   1. Academic Standards - None
   2. Compensation and Benefits - No written report submitted;
      1. Written complaints regarding Davis Vision need to include your social security number and be specific in nature. Contact information will be provided.
      2. A phase-in retirement option is up for consideration. The proposal will reduce the teaching load to 50% contracts for members in the system for 25 years. Discussion is open and the committee will accept comments.
      3. A compensation and benefits web page is under construction allowing access to pertinent information concerning faculty benefits.
      4. Mike McFarlane's request for the Geological Society was approved.
   3. Facilities Committee - None
   4. Personnel Committee - No written report submitted. The committee will begin the interviewing procedure for the with a target finish date of May 21. Individual departments will be asked to serve on area-related hiring committees.
   5. Student Relations Committee - None
   6. Budget - None
   7. Curriculum and Articulation - Written Report; approved. The apprentice plumber and pipe fitters program was accepted. The elementary education curriculum was approved.
   8. Faculty and Administration Evaluations - Written Report; approved. The evaluation forms for faculty and administration were provided for approval. A motion was made to accept the forms with the addition of "expected letter grade" to be added in the written evaluation portion of the form as item number three. The motion was passed 12:5.
   9. Scholarships and Awards - Verbal; approved. Scholarship recipients have been decided with the awards ceremony to be held March 19 at 12 noon. Faculty are asked to excuse recipient students from their classes. Presenting faculty are asked to RSVP ASAP.
   10. Distance Learning - Verbal Report; approved. The committee discussed appropriate lab fees for online students. A motion was made and passed to establish a $5 lab fee for all online classes with online students wishing to use college computers to complete their course paying an additional $10 ($15 total) for a semester's lab privileges.
7. REGENT'S AWARDS:
   1. Frank Daniels, Lynn Mahlberg and Mark Ports were nominated for the Outstanding Faculty Award.
   2. Jayne Borden was nominated for the Outstanding Staff Award.
   3. Leonard Wilkerson and Liza Michelli were nominated for the Outstanding Student Award.
8. OLD BUSINESS:
   1. Vice Chair nominations were closed with John Rice accepting the nomination for the 1999-2000 academic year. The final vote will be called at the next Faculty Senate meeting.
9. NEW BUSINESS:
   1. Announcements -
   2. A sign up sheet for the Blood Drive on Friday, May 7 was circulated. Support was voiced for the drive and noted that your blood can be designated for use by a specific individual which could benefit Jill Stringfield as she undergoes transplant surgery.
   3. Sarah Sweetwater and Dr. Jack Smith will be conducting a tour of the California Missions during spring break. Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate. A free lecture highlighting the trip and the history behind Southern California will be given Sunday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. in GTA 130.
   4. Nominations are being sought for Compensation and Benefits Chair as Martha Fenger will be taking a leave of absence. Phil Smith was nominated with nominations closing at the next Senate meeting. The state compensation and benefits committee has been dissolved and will be directly under the Governor's office. This action may effect the composition or may even dissolve individual faculty committees.
10. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.