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Academic Senate Committees

The primary purpose of the Site Councils is to investigate and serve as ombudsman for site faculty concerns. In this role, it is appropriate for the Site Councils to develop policy or procedure proposals for consideration by the Executive Senate, to develop site-based recommendations for the joint hiring process, to develop site-based recommendations for planning, budget, and special recognition of members.

Curriculum Committee Charge

This committee shall serve to consider and recommend policies and procedures regarding curriculum and award development, requisites, graduation requirements, general education requirements, program review, grading policies, and program discontinuance. On curricular and grading issues of a daily operational nature, this committee will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees with College Council review.

Curriculum Committee Mission Statement

The mission of the Mt. San Jacinto College Curriculum Committee is to facilitate quality, advocacy, guidance, policies, and criteria to ensure that all instructional programs, including courses and awards, are academically sound and compliant with educational regulations, reflect excellence in instruction, and uphold the integrity of our institution.  The committee ensures that all curricular matters are responsive to the evolving educational needs and goals of the college community while preserving the mission of the college.

Charge:  This committee meets two Mondays a month beginning at 3:30.  At this time we anticipate all meetings in the fall continuing through Zoom, but that may change based on state guidelines. When we do meet in person, the first meeting of the month is face-to-face, alternating campuses.  The second meeting (except for November) is done via Zoom, and all meetings will be held via Zoom if we are not allowed to be back on campus.  The first meetings of the month typically last 1 ½ - 3 hours, depending on the size of the agendas, sometimes longer.  The second meetings are typically shorter, usually about 30 minutes.  Membership on the committee also requires faculty participation in pedagogical review of courses or Distance Education addenda, depending on their roles on the committee. There are two required trainings held in August. Everyone is trained together.

Contract Service Credit: YES

Interest form: CLICK HERE

Meeting schedule: 1st and 3rd Mondays 3:30PM

Representation by Instructional Area  
Allied Health: Peter Zografos  
Applied Tech, MVC: William (Tony) Farrar [DE]  
Applied Tech, SJC: Robert Pensiero  
Applied Tech, SJC At-Large: Rick Martinez
Arts, MVC: John Tribelhorn (Chair)   
Arts, SJC: Chet Glaze   
Arts, At-Large: Vacant   
Business/CIS, MVC: David Candelaria   
Business/CIS, SJC: Vacant   
Business/CIS, At-Large: Vacant    
Language and Letters, MVC: Michelle Stewart   
Language and Letters, SJC: Hector Guzman Orozco 
Language and Letters, At-Large: Vacant (Prerequisite Sub-Committee Chair)  
Math, MVC: Marilena Beckstrand     
Math, SJC: Vacant     
Math, At-Large: Michael Caputo    
Nursing, SJC: Sana Masad  
Science, MVC: Shauni Calhoun [DE]  
Science, SJC: Becky Allen  
Science, At-Large: Vacant  
Social/Behavioral Sciences, MVC: Jess Whalen   
Social/Behavioral Sciences, SJC: Nick Zappia  
Social/Behavioral Sciences, At-Large: Vacant   
Student Development, MVC: Lota Cobb [DE]  
Non-Credit: Erin Chafin   

Representation by Function  

Faculty Member At-Large (7)   
English, MVC: Rebecca Colemen
English, MVC: Michael Benitez
Culinary, TVC/MVC: Danny Babin  
SJC: Angelica Baccari 
Vacant  
Vacant  
Vacant      

Counselor (4)  
Shartelle Fears, MVC   
Cynthia Garcia, MVC  
Cynthia Vargas, SJC
Meghan Curley Basgall, TVC  

Articulation Officer, SJC: Lyndsey Tone   
Assessment Coordinator: Belinda Heiden Scott

Associated Students (2) 
Vacant  
Vacant   

Administration (4)  
Marc Donnhauser, MVC   
Von Lawson, Career Education, SJC  
Alma Ramirez, SJC   
Vacant, MVC 

The Academic Senate shall form an Equivalency Committee to review requests and make recommendations for granting equivalency.

Charge:

Contract Service Credit: YES

Interest form: CLICK HERE

Meeting schedule: 2nd Friday each month, 10:30AM to 12:30PM

Faculty Membership: 7 faculty (6 At-Large and Executive Senate President)

At-Large: Aaron Rietkerk, History (Tri-Chair)

At-Large: Suzanne Uhl, Communications

At-Large: John Mull, English

At-Large: Dan Peace, Psychology

At-Large: Truc HaMai, Psychology

At-Large: Jonnika Escobar, Human Resources

At-Large: Sujatha Pamula, Biology

At-Large: Adriana Lallman, AUME

At-Large: Trent Skinner, Kinesiology

At-Large: Jeremy Rogers, ASL

Executive Senate President: Nick Zappia

Faculty Excellence Committee Charge

i. Select Faculty of the Year award recipients annually
ii. Grant title of Professor to qualified applicants in an annual process
iii. Grant title of Professor Emeritus to qualified faculty when appropriate
iv. Review committee policies and procedures annually and report any recommendations to the Academic Senate for review and approval.

Charge: The Faculty Excellence Committee is charged with selecting the Faculty of the Year award recipients annually, grant title of Professor to qualified applicants in an annual process, grant title of Professor Emeritus to qualified faculty when appropriate and Review committee policies and procedures annually and report any recommendations to the Academic Senate for review and approval.

Contract Service Credit: YES

Interest form: CLICK HERE

Meeting schedule: Meetings times are once per semester OR twice in Spring.

Eligibility: Combination of Full Professor and Tenured Professors

Faculty Membership: 6 faculty At-Large (3 SJC and 3 MVC)

SJC At-Large: Bertha Barraza

SJC At-Large: John Knuth

SJC At-Large: Vacant

MVC At-Large: Roy Mason

MVC At-Large: Eileen Doktorski

MVC At-Large: Miranda Angeles

The Mt. San Jacinto College High School Partnership Committee is a standing committee which will serve to advise and help implement current and robust partnerships with area early college programs, including but not limited to Dual Enrollment Programs, Middle College Programs, concurrent enrollment, high school articulation and course alignment. The committee will strive to create equitable programs which serve a diverse range of students while ensuring MSJC standards and rigor of courses are maintained, including adherence to current MSJC course outlines of record, academic senate policies, Title 5 requirements, and Ed Code.  The committee shall serve to coordinate, organize, assess, and recommend programs and services related to high school partnerships and student success; these may include matters of academic support, professional development, and innovations.  

Interest form: CLICK HERE

Meeting schedule: 2nd Wednesday, every other month, 2:30-4:00PM (Sept, Nov, Feb, Apr)

Administration (3)

Jenny Hughes, Director of K-12 Partnerships (Tri-Chair)

Alma Ramirez, Instructional Dean

Cheri Naish, Instructional Associate Dean

Faculty Membership (6)

Curriculum Chair/Liaison: Rick Martinez (proxy for John Tribelhorn)

Non-career Ed SJC: Andrea Hammock (Faculty Tri-Chair)

Articulation: Lyndsey Tone

Career Ed: Stephen Hamrick, District, Engineering

Counselor: Vacant

At-Large: Albert Jimenez, MVC, FYE

Classified (3)

Angela Drumm, Career Education

Karla Marquez, Enrollment Specialist of Concurrent/Dual Enrollment

Rachel Gomez, Learning Resource Center

Resources

Akia Marshall, Director of Enrollment Services

Brandon Moore, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Enrollment Management

Rebecca Teague, Vice President of Student Services

Executive Senate President: Nick Zappia

Executive Senate Vice President: Ron Newman

Each year the Joint Chair Committee reviews all requests for changes in department configuration, as well as data that determine coordinator and chair reassigned time/compensation.

Meeting schedule: Meets annually

Faculty Membership: 2 Senate Representatives

SJC Academic Senate President

MVC Academic Senate President

​The Joint Hiring Committee follows the policies and procedures outlined in the Hiring Procedures for Full-Time Faculty document which was completed and Board approved in June 2013.

Meeting schedule: Convocation each semester to set calendar for semester as needed 

Faculty Membership: Appointed from Academic Senate

SJC Academic Senate President

SJC Academic Senate VP

SJC Associate Faculty Rep

MVC Academic Senate President

MVC Academic Senate VP

MVC Associate Faculty Rep

The role of the Judiciary Committee is to deliberate and decide issues relevant to this constitution. All faculty members who are not members of the Executive Senate or one of the Site Councils are eligible to serve on the Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee members shall be comprised of three duly elected faculty members (see Art. X, section 3).

Nominations and Elections facilitated by Academic Senate

Eligibility and Terms: A term of office shall be for two years, beginning October 15th

Meeting schedule: As needed

Faculty Membership: Elected Faculty at-large Representatives

Morgan Hoodenpyle (October 15, 2023 - October 15, 2025)

Julie Freeman (October 15, 2023 - October 15, 2025)

Rebecca Coleman (October 15, 2022 - October 15, 2024)

The MSJC Academic Senate Strong Workforce Program Committee, under the direction of the Academic Senate, is charged with

  1. Responsibility for establishing, assessing, and publicizing procedures and guidelines in accordance with State SWP requirements and aligning with institutional priorities for the allocation of funds from SWP.
  2. Working with stakeholders to engage industry and local workforce development board. The purpose of which is to provide a data-informed approach to building “more and better” CTE programs for MSJC that are proactive and responsive to industry needs.
  3. Establish a liaison relationship between the local academic senate and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC), the state Chancellor's office and the regional consortia.
  4. Equal access for all CTE faculty programs to a venue for dialogue and advocacy for their respective programs.
  5. Present Strong Workforce Program budget allocation recommendations to Academic Senate and CTE Advisory.

Contract Service Credit: YES

Interest form: CLICK HERE

Meeting schedule: 1st Thursday of Month 12-1pm; The committee will meet at least twice per semester and as needed.

Faculty Membership: 12 Faculty   

TEDS: Susie Valdez (Faculty Co-Chair)

Associate Faculty, SJC: Bob Bozonelos, Audio

Allied Health, Nursing, DMS, MVC: September Cortes

Digital Media, Audio & Video, Tech Photography, MVC: Alan Marsala

Business: Larry Barraza

Administration of Justice: William Ferrar

CE Counselor MVC: Sonia Verduzco

CE Counselor SJC: VACANT

FT At-Large MVC: Dwight Duffie, CIS

FT At-Large MVC: Robert Pensiero, AUME, SJC

FT At-Large SJC: Dewey Heinsma, MVC

FT At-Large SJC: John Torres, ANTH

The charge of the tenure review committee shall be to help assure fair, valid, and consistent evaluation practices for all contract faculty.

Interest form: CLICK HERE  

Meeting schedule: Friday December 10th (end of December & May each semester, typically the 2nd Friday of the Month)

Contract Service Credit: YES

Eligibility: Full-time Tenured Faculty

Faculty Membership: 6 Tenured faculty 3 SJC, 3 MVC

FT Tenured Faculty, MVC: Lauren Springer ENG/LIT

FT Tenured Faculty, SJC: Michael Plotkin BIO 

FT Tenured Faculty, SJC: Ron Bowman BUS

FT Tenured Faculty, TVC/MVC: Karen Cranney

FT Tenured Faculty MVC: Jason Hlebakos, ENVR Studies (Faculty Chair)

FT Tenured Faculty SJC: Rosalee Gibbons CHEM