Present: Roxanne Beloit, Ellen Brown, Toni Cummins, Karen Driscoll, Mary Alice Grobins (via telephone) Marcus Jorgenson, Linda McDermott, Mike Mires, Scott Morgan (chair), Joanne Murcar, Mark Palek (for Pam Praeger), Linda Powell, Jacque Rainer, Dixie Simmons, Colleen Straight and Linda Uhden.

Guests: Shanda Diehl, Pat Freeman, Larry Gamboa, Rhosetta Rhodes, and Mike Scroggins and Doug Whitaker, SBCTC (via telephone).

The meeting came to order at 2:35 p.m. in the Falls Conference Room at SFCC.

December 7, 2004 meeting notes were presented and reviewed as distributed.

The task force was joined by a continuing education panel composed of: Rhosetta Rhodes, SFCC; Pat Freeman, IEL; and Larry Gamboa, SCC.

At the December 7 IEL Task Force meeting, Dixie Simmons was asked to define continuing education. Dixie presented the following definition: "Credit or noncredit courses or programs for career or personal enrichment not leading to a certificate or degree." The continuing education panel was asked if this definition adequately described continuing education. Dr. Mark Palek quoted the college catalog, indicating a very broad interpretation of continuing education in the district.

Conversation ensued; issues discussed included: for a working definition, continuing education excludes credit (transcripted); "certificate" should be interpreted to exclude certificate programs that are eligible for financial aid; however, students who are enrolled in mini-certificates are eligible for the life-long learning tax credit.

Colleen Straight provided a handout with MS Word beginning computing classes—non-credit/self-support data. The data indicated a high level of class cancellations and a low level of students per class.

The panel was asked to address the questions and issues on the "IEL Brainstorming—Continuing Education Summary". (refer to attached) Course offerings, duplication, pricing, marketing, class schedules, boundaries, communication and coordination were all addressed.

The continuing education panel indicated that many of the issues in continuing education are currently being adequately addressed by the newly reorganized Continuing Education Council which is a group with representation from the continuing education offices of SCC, SFCC and the IEL. The panel reported that an active continuing education Council may be the answer to improve communication and coordination among the various continuing education offices, including TECC and athletics.

Pat Freeman closed the continuing education discussion with three points: (1) efficiency could be improved through better use of college facilities; (2) class schedule could be improved—more user-friendly; and (3) communication and information provided needs to improve—among the institutions and to the general public.

In continuation of last meeting’s "Interests" discussion, Jacque Rainer provided her views on the interests of the IEL faculty. Jacque distributed a Fall 2004 schedule showing how classes and faculty are clustered and planned at the IEL. Please refer to the attached summary from Jacque that lists some of IEL’s faculty concerns and issues. Linda McDermott noted that some of the issues are faculty contract issues.

Mike Scroggins and Doug Whitaker, SBCTC staff, joined the meeting by telephone. Shanda Diehl, SFCC, joined in person.

The current state board reports include the IEL in with SFCC. This reporting method makes it difficult for both the IEL and SFCC to focus on their data and compare themselves to other institutions in the system. Shanda has to separate SFCC/IEL data which is complicated and cumbersome.

The IEL and SFCC each would like their data reported separately. Mike Scroggins indicated there may be ways to accomplish this in the short term. It was suggested that a smaller group that included Colleen Straight, Shanda Diehl, and Linda McDermott be formed to identify what data elements are needed and communicate those needs to SBCTC. SBCTC staff would then work to develop systems to determine how to split out data—changes could be implemented as soon as summer quarter 2005.

Next meeting: December 21, 2004, SFCC, Falls Conference Room.

The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.