The Academic Senate assembled on Feb. 12 discussing their current stand on the non-renewal of two dean contracts and budget issues. 

In November 2024 the administration sent non-renewal notices to deans Alan Price and Elizabeth Imhof. Price was the dean of health and human services and career technologies. Imhof was the dean of arts, humanities, and social sciences. 

The senate is advocating for the deans and do not support the non-contract renewal. A draft of the resolution was written in support of Price and Imhof by the senate and the Executive Board of the SBCC Faculty Association.

Academic Senate President, Joshua Ramirez presented the draft.

“They need to have a document that they can point to that says the faculty and staff resolutely support them,” Ramirez said.

The draft states the Academic Senate and faculty association request the administration and Board of Trustees rescind the non-renewal notices. 

Senate members gave suggestions on the current draft and what should be added. Automotive Department Chair, Russell Granger suggested their work should be highlighted in the draft.

“They’ve maintained an incredibly high level of performance and benefits to the college over a long period of time,” Granger said. “Which administratively at this institution is rare.”

The draft was revised and was moved to be shown to the board as soon as possible. 

The senate then gave feedback on the recent budget forum where Chris Renbarger, the newly appointed assistant superintendent and vice president of business services, presented ideas to improve City College’s budget.

Accounting and finance professor Cornelia Alsheimer-Barthel added that because of the budget forum, there have been more recommendations for the budget committee that are currently being looked at. 

Laura Woyach, accounting and finance professor, said she feels relieved.

“He [Renbarger] clearly understands how community college funding works,” Woyach said. “He clearly understands our restraints.”   

Woyach said she likes how he acknowledges Measure P as well. 

Ramirez announced that Renbarger offered to come back to any senate meetings in case there is anything about the City College budget they would like to discuss. 

“He is walking into a bit of a nightmare,” Ramirez said. 

Ramirez suggested giving Renbarger time to stabilize financial issues so that if there are any questions the senate will have in the future, he can prepare.

Regarding the budget forum Academic Counselor, Christy Grant said she felt Renbarger communicated well, but didn’t promise anything or provide any real answer about the budget. She feels there’s a huge misconnection with it.

“I’d love to think that changing one position is gonna change that [misconnection] but I didn’t get from the presentation that anything was gonna change at all,” Grant said. 

Due to a deficit, history professor Danielle Swiontek brought up whether program elimination was going to happen at the budget committee.

“We should be prepared for that,” Swiontek said. “Why do you fire Alan Price if you’re not gonna start gutting CTE.”

To conclude the meeting, the senate said the CTE programs at City College cost a lot financially, but that those programs are the most in demand currently. 

The next Academic Senate meeting will be on Feb. 26.