Minutes of Physical Sciences Task Force
Meeting Time: 10:00 am
Participants: Paul
Williams, Lala Guerra, Saad Eways, Paul Nacozy, Chris Cavalli, Jim Heath ,
James Friedrichsen, CD Rao, Amy Cunningham, Elliot Richmond, Bob Blodgett, Jeff
Bechtold, Dean Becker, George Staff, John Cise, Hadi Parhikhteh, Luis Cuellar,
Mike McGraw, Elliot Richmond, Qurrat Thakur, Leslie Davis, Karl Trappe
1.) Approval of
Agenda
2.) Approval of Minutes from: December Meeting
3.) Information items presented:
a.) Update on Ron Johns – It was announced that Ron Johns was
now out of the hospital and his prognosis was good.
b.) Reminder
of Assessment - Everyone was reminded about the Course Assessment again.
c.) Budget
Planning – The Long Range Planning Committee will be meeting March 13, 2009 at
NRG, in
room 2222
starting at 10:00 to start budget planning.
d.)
eStaffing Timeline for fall 2009 – Everyone was informed that eStaffing
for the fall had already started. Fulltime instructor assignments are
due to the dean today, March 6, 2009.
Paul Williams then showed
the
schedule for fall eStaffing.
e.)
Summer Overloads – It was explained that adjunct faculty could only request
one section in the
beginning of
eStaffing for the summer semester but could request another one as an overload
if
sections were
available. Adjuncts interested in
selecting another section can email Paul Williams with
their
request.
f.)
Update on Solar System Lab Course - Our Solar System Lab course will be
showing in the 2009-2010
catalog in fall 2009. The lab course will start being offered in
spring 2010.
g.)
April Department Meeting - The April department meeting will be moved to
April 10, 2009.
h.)
State Science Standards – The State Board of Education will be making
their final voting on State
Science Standards on March 26, 2009. Bob Blodgett encouraged to email
their
State Board representatives and express their concerns about the Science Standard.
i.) Round Rock Update – Paul Williams updated everyone
on the Round Rock Campus. He
informed everyone that the deck was looking good, but the prep
room had gotten smaller. Two safety
showers were added in the lab room and one in the prep room. There was a discussion about the update.
Suggestion and concerns were shared.
j.) Student
for Environmental Outreach –
a. 24
Hours to Empower - Amy Cunningham shared a U Tube video on the 24
hours to Empower. She explained that the
event was affiliated with the Whole Planet Foundation. She also reminded everyone that they were
still looking for volunteers for the event scheduled for April 2nd and
3rd. If anyone is interested
in participating, please contact Addie Broussard at sustainyourplanet@gmail.com to
sign up.
b. Taste
the Waste – Amy informed everyone that there would be a Taste the Waste reunion
tour at RGC on April 24th for the Taste the Waste.
k.) John Cise Appreciation Day – There will be a
John Cise Appreciation Day event on April 17, 2009.
Yvonne
Estes is looking for volunteers for the event. If you are interested in participating, please
Contact
Yvonne at yestes@austincc.edu. Paul Williams also suggested passing a resolution
through
our physics department for appreciation of John Cise. Everyone agreed to pass a resolution.
l.) Possible Expansion of PHYS/GEOL course offering
at CYP – It was announced that there is a possibility of expanding course
offering at CYP. There was a
discussion
on what classes to add. Everyone agreed
to add a CP I on the weekend, a CP II on the
weekdays
and an EP I on the weekdays too.
m.)
Community College Aero Space Scholars - Saad Eways announced that the
CCASS trip will be
April 2-4, 2009. Saad also said if anyone was interested in
helping with the trip to let him know.
5.) New Business: None
GEOL/ESTE Breakout Session – 3/6/09
Attendance: Bob Blodgett, Amy
Cunningham, Leslie Davis, George Staff
The GEOL/ESTE faculty in attendance agreed to adopt the following textbook for GEOL 1445 effective with the Fall Semester 2009:
Paul R. Pinet, 2009. Invitation to Oceanography, 5th edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers (ISBN: 9780763759933)
This book contains content
that will facilitate meeting the Exemplary Educational Objectives for GEOL
1445.
Minutes of PHYS/AST/ENG Subcommittee
March 6, 2009
Participants Paul
Williams, Lala Guerra, Saad Eways, Paul Nacozy, Chris Cavalli, Jim Heath ,
James Friedrichsen, CD Rao, Elliot Richmond, Bob Blodgett, Jeff Bechtold, Dean
Becker, John Cise, Hadi Parhikhteh, Luis Cuellar, Mike McGraw, Elliot Richmond,
Qurrat Thakur, Karl Trappe
International
year of Astronomy
It
was announced that 2009 is the 400th anniversary of Galileo. The United Nations has declared 2009 as the
International year of Astronomy. James
Heath told everyone in the meeting that he would like ACC to hold events to
celebrate the International year of Astronomy.
He presented some ideas for the celebration. If anyone has suggestions for the
celebration, please email James Heath.
CD
of AAPT Demonstration show
John
Cise shared a CD of the AAPT demonstration show from the Summer
2008 meeting
Books
Reps. Requesting for Presentations
Several
book reps had asked to give presentations concerning their texts. The department decided to not have the
presentations.
Upcoming
Physics Meetings
Some
of the upcoming Physics meetings are as followed: Joint AAPT/APS meeting, April 2-4, 2009 in
Stephenville Texas - ATE Project for Physics Faculty meeting, April 23-25, 2009
in Phoenix, Arizona - AAPT meeting, July 25-29 in Arbor Michigan
ACC
hosting spring 2010 section of TSAAPT/APS meeting
Our
department has been committed to host the spring 2010 section for the
TSAAPT/APS meeting. The meeting will be
March 18-20, 2010. Thursday and Friday
sessions will be held at UT and Saturday session will be at held at the
RGC. Several faculty members volunteered
to help.
1405
Standards Committee
The
Standards Committee recommendations on policies for PHYS 1405 were passed
out. There was a discussion on the
recommendations and everyone shared their concerns and suggestions. One of the main concerns was inventory of
laboratory and demonstration equipment available to instructors.
Discussion
of Textbooks for PHYS 1401
There
was a discussion on PHYS 1401 textbooks that were being looked over for
adoption for fall 2009. Everyone shared
their suggestions and concerns on the textbooks. Everyone agreed that they were not ready to
make a decision on what textbook to adopt.
An intermediate meeting was scheduled for March 27, 2009 at 12:00 noon
at the Tavern downtown. Our final
decision on a textbook would be April 10, 2009.