Minutes of Physical Sciences Task Force

May 4, 2007

 

Meeting Place:  RVS 2213

Meeting Time:               9:30am

Participants:                  James Friedrichsen, Ron Johns, George Staff,  John Cise, Allen Underwood, Saad Eways, Paul Nacozy, Paul Williams,  C.D. Rao,  Chris Cavalli, Sal Valastro,  Eric Ebner, Laura Tacheny, Mostafa Pirnia, Bob Blodgett, Elliot Richmond, Dale Biggs, Jim Heath, Hadi Parhikhteh, Dean Becker, Mike McGraw

 

1.) Approval of Agenda

2.) Approval of Minutes from:         

3.) Information items presented:

a.)    Future Program Review Schedule – Paul Williams passed out a draft of the program review schedule for the next 5 years starting in 2008.  There was one slight change on the schedule.  Engineering swapped places with Chemistry and will do its review in 2009.

b.)    General Studies Program Review –James Friedrichsen announced that the dean was looking for people to volunteer for the instructional program review committee.  Paul Williams volunteered to serve on the committee.

c.)    Student Reference Request Form – In a previous meeting, Linda Kluck, suggested that we should come up with a student reference request form because of FERPA laws.  Mark McCaffery, has found out that there is a college student reference request form has already benn made.

d.)    Monitoring Well Update – Sampling and Chemical Analysis -The Ana-Lab Corporation  from Waco took water samples on our monitoring well and donated $1200.00 of chemical analysis to the college.  They provided packets for our Environmental classes and confirmed that our Monitoring Well was non- contaminated.  TCEQ also came over and took samples to test for  pesticides and also found no contaminants in our monitoring well.

e.)    ACC First Aid Training –Bob Blodgett announced that the First Aid Training was being offered through professional development.  Bob also mention that in the fall we would offer special sessions for some more specific first aid training for field activities for Physical Sciences and Biology.

f.)      Safety Issue at RGC - A safety issue has come up at RGC.  Students will no longer be able to retrieve ice from the ice machine.  Only lab technicians and faculty will be authorized to retrieve ice.  When classes are in session, no one should come in during classes for ice because students are performing experiments near the ice machine.  Appropriate safety glasses should always be used when retrieving ice from ice machine.

g.)    iClickers – Ron Johns announced that 100  iClickers had been ordered.   Riverside, Rio Grande, Cypress Creek and Northridge will receive 25 each.  The campuses will start receiving the iClickers the week of May 7, 2007

h.)    Planetarium Star Party – Ron Johns told everyone at the meeting that (FOTAP) Friends of the Austin Planetarium would be having a Planetarium Star Party at Kathy Caraway School in Round Rock tonight, May 4, 2007 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.  If anyone would like to come by and help, please show up at 6:30pm.   

i.)      Special Guests – Christy Vasquez and Danaan Thome, two of the five students from the Austin Space Ace’s group that attended the NASA trip with John Underwood in March, gave a presentation about their experiment flight on the NASA zero gravity airplane.  After the presentation, faculty asked questions and requested more information about the group.   To learn more about the Austin Space Ace’s, their website is www.austincc.edu/awood/microgravity

j.)      CYP Update – Jeff Bechtold announced that the baffles would be installed on Saturday, May, 5, 2007.   There were other concerns and suggestions made by the faculty.

k.)    Alternative Energy Club –  John Underwood mentioned to everybody that there were several students showing interest in starting a Solar Energy Club.  John and Saad Eways had a meeting with Becky Cole, Director of Environmental Health Safety and Insurance and Dean Johnson, Director of Building and Grounds to discuss the issue and they too liked the idea.  A solar bench will be installed on the RGC roof sometime this summer.   Saad also contact Austin Energy and they agreed to give us a 4 kilo watts installed solar panel on our roof sometime in October.  The Solar Energy club is now official.  The name of the club is Alternative Energy Group.  After discussing the item, there were questions from the faculty.

l.)      Institutional Membership Update – ACC is now a member of the Texas Space Grant Consortium.  John Underwood explained that the Texas Space Grant Consortium has monies from NASA that is distributed to all of the states and each state organizes a space grant consortium. For more information, the link to the Texas Space Grant Consortium will be sent to James Friedrichsen, he will then pass it along to everyone else.

4.) Discussion Items

a)      Measurement of Learning Outcomes – Ron Johns informed everyone in the meeting that he and Paul Williams had attended a workshop of Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes at Temple College.   This ties to the Coordinating Board wanting us to assess if our students are meeting the exemplary educational objectives which are defined for the Core Curriculum   We need to do this for every course. The college as a whole has to report to the Coordinating Board by Oct 2008.

b)      Future Department Meeting Schedule - Paul Williams announced that our future department meetings would begin at 10:00am instead of 9:30am.  He also mentioned that there would be no March meeting, unless something urgent comes up.

c)      Budget Issues – deadlines/expenditure/approvals/etc – James Friedrichsen informed        everyone that formal bids are due June 30th.  He also mentioned that we would need to keep track of our budget and spend our money.  Ron Johns announced that the Tech Committee approved the Capital Replacement for Physics and Geology.  Physics will be getting $25,000 to replace equipment.

d)      Planning – Projectors and Faculty Positions – Ron Johns told informed everyone that the budget was going to more than double for more projectors to be installed in class rooms. Ron also mentioned that there will be about 30 new fulltime faculty positions next year.  The faculty agreed that an Astronomy fulltime faculty would be the highest priority if we were awarded a position in Physical Sciences.

e)      Scheduling – CYP – Chris Cavalli wanted to remind everyone that things were still   evolving at CYP.  She also mentioned that the original building would be re-opening in the fall, creating more classroom space.  Chris and some of the other faculty made suggestions regarding what classes should be added to the schedule.   Paul Williams suggested that the spring schedule should be revised.  The committee agreed and they will meet Friday, May 11, 2007 in the morning at NRG in the dean’s conference room to revise the CYP schedule.

5.) Action Items:

 a.) Required Topics List for CPI - The committee met two weeks ago and came up with a list

     of required topics for CPI.   The list was approved.

 b.) Jan Smith’s Retirement - Jan Smith announced that she would be retiring.  It will become

      official by May 7, 2007 but she will not retire until the end of August.  Jan Smith was

      awarded a plaque for the many years of service and to the dedication to ACC Geology

      Department.

 c.) James Friedrichsen Awarded – James Friedrichsen was also awarded a plaque for his

      outstanding work as department chair of Physical Sciences for the past 2 years.

6.) New Business:

 

 

Minutes of GEOL/ESTE Subcommittee

May 4, 2007

 

 

Participants                   Ron Johns, George Staff, Sal Valastro, Bob Blodgett,

 

                                    GEOL 1305 Textbook – The committee decided to go to the new 4th edition of Introduction to Environment Geology by Edward Keller for GEOL 1305 for Fall 2007.

 

 

 

Minutes of PHYS/AST/ENG Subcommittee

May 4, 2007

 

Participants                   James Friedrichsen, John Cise, Allen Underwood, Saad Eways, Paul Nacozy, Paul Williams,  C.D. Rao,  Chris Cavalli, Eric Ebner, Laura Tacheny, Mostafa Pirnia, Elliot Richmond, Dale Biggs, Jim Heath

 

                                    Syllabi Changes – James Friedrichsen told everyone in the meeting that a safety statement needed to be placed into our master syllabi and also student service websites. 

 

                                    Astronomy Textbook - James Heath informed everyone that there would be a discussion on the Astronomy textbook in the fall semester because Chaisson and McMillan are going to a new edition.  He also said that if  anyone had any ideas of Astronomy textbooks, to bring them to his attention.

                                   

                                    Engineering Physics Textbook Selection – The Committee decided to go with the new 6th edition of Tipler for PHYS 2425 and PHYS 2426 for Fall 2007.

 

                                    PHYS 1401 Lab Report –  Paul Williams announced that the 1401 Lab Committee met last Friday, April 27, 2007 and reviewed the list and chose one lab for each lab on the approved list.  He also mentioned to everyone that he would post the information on the website.