Lee College Faculty Assembly
April 8, 2026, 3:15 p.m., Tucker Hall
- Call to Order at 3:16 p.m.
- Approval of Minutes
Secretary: Kathleen Anderson
A motion was made by Dana Woods to approve the March 18, 2026, minutes. The motion was seconded by Steven Saunders.
Approved. - Reports of Officers and Standing Committees
Interim President: Georgeann Ward
Good things: It is Honors Day season! I had the privilege to be present when three students received their Honors Day invitations and to see their reactions. We're stressed, we're worried about the future with AI, we have changes at the college, and all that can be so overwhelming, but seeing students smile makes it all worth it.
Announcement from Dr. Norris (not present):
For years divisions have had scholarship funds that they could distribute. Some divisions would distribute scholarships based on merit and award them to their Honors Day recipients. Other divisions awarded by need. Other divisions left the funds unawarded. Administration became aware of some unmet needs, that there are students who are within 15 hours of graduation who are dropped for non-payment and therefore unable to graduate in a timely way.
Dr. Norris has changed the pot for the division scholarship fund. Those funds will now be used to help students in their last 15 hours as described above. Questions about that or concerns, please email Dr. Norris or you can share them now.
Audience Member: When does this new change start?
Answer: Starts next year with the new budget. Some divisions currently award scholarships for Honors Day, but next year it will be different. Decisions will be made by Scott Bennett, Kelly Ford Spears, and Dr. Norris.
Audience Member: Could we consider a foundation scholarship where students apply and divisions can still pass them out? Our division awards quite a few scholarships, and students feel validated and supported. This is important for students.
Audience Member: Thank you for saying that. We have a program in teacher education that the college has supported since 2005. It's a partnership with Goose Creek, Lee College, and University of Houston — Clear Lake. We used to award five scholarships; that money disappeared, and the only way that I can give out scholarships is through departmental funds.
Audience Member: This needs to be revisited as admin is still planning the budget. They need to be aware of these concerns.
Interim Vice President: Francisca Castillo
Officer Elections: We have unopposed candidates for most officer positions and committee chairs but still need volunteers.
Call for volunteers.
• Professional Standards & Responsibilities: Cassandra Bell
• Secretary: Kathleen Walker-Anderson
Announced nominations for each position:
• President: Channell Cook
• Vice President: Mark Solis
• Secretary: Kathleen Walker-Anderson
• Benefits: Kathleen Pastore
• Professional Development: Francisca Castillo
• Professional Standards & Responsibilities: Cassandra Bell
• Honors and Recognition: Carl Taylor
Only 1 nomination for each position, so no need to vote. All in agreement that these are the new officers, approved.
Interim Professional Standards and Responsibilities: Karen Guthmiller
Highlights of board meeting: Minutes for March reviewed and approved. Announced 1 resignation, 1 retirement, and 2 new hires.
A sabbatical request was approved. Nothing major changed.
Interim Benefits: Lara Capson— no report
Interim Professional Development: Joe Ganakos (not present)
Audience Member: If there are funds left over from faculty members who did not use all or any of their professional development funds, could those funds be transferred to someone else?
Answer: It's determined by the Professional Development Committee of Faculty Assembly. We are not funded by allotting $900 to every faculty member. We receive a bulk amount of funding that goes into a pot. $900 was determined by the committee to be the most that we would give out for each person. It's a first-come, first-served basis. The request/application for the $500 fee and other expenses must be made, then they will fund the request. If you have already used funds and don't have enough, you should still submit the request. Email Joe Ganakos with questions or concerns about requesting funds. Cristen Martin requested to be copied on any emails related to the issue.
Interim Honors and Recognition: Shemeka Phipps
Deposited $500 from FA, thanks for the contributions supporting students for graduation expenses. Students who have received SRAC services get an email; if students need help, they can request a voucher from SRAC. - Unfinished Business
Load Proposal / Adjunct Pay Update: Norris
Contingent on budget, will know more in August
Non-teaching Faculty Hours Update: William Mayer
No update; Waiting on response from Dr Norris - New Business
Excellence in Education Awards
In 1969, a former student and patron of Lee College created an award for outstanding faculty to be recognized. The Exxon Education Foundation established an Excellence in Education Award, which Faculty Assembly took over in recent years. Awards are $600 each to be used for further education, and the recipients also receive a plaque and a medallion.
Criteria for award: Excellence in Education, Professional and Personal Integrity, Effectiveness and Area of Responsibility, Ability to Communicate Enthusiasm for Learning, Ability to Communicate Effectively with Colleagues and Students, Leadership and Development of College Programs, Sincere Concern for Students and Fellow Faculty Members, and Loyalty to Lee College and the community it serves. Two awards are given each year, one to an employee with less than 10 years of service and one with 10 or more years of service.
Congratulations to this year's recipients!
Less than 10 years: Lara Capson
More than 10 years: Ingrid Wallace
Facilities Master Plan
Designers with Pfluger Architects are working in the initial stages of the master plan for Lee College, focusing on both main campus in Baytown and McNair.
A Master Plan is a roadmap on how we organize the campus, what are the main improvements we need to make for the next 15-20 years, and how we implement all those changes that need to happen in the long term in the campus. Gathering feedback from campus users, including faculty.
Requested faculty to complete a two-part survey. The first part is related to an interactive map of the campus, and the questions will ask you to pin down different spaces. The second part is a structured survey with questions, where you pick different answers.
Audience Member: Will this be emailed out to faculty not in attendance?
Yes
Audience Member: Will the results be shared back with us? I have been on committees where wishes of faculty didn't come to fruition; have to consider the needs to serve our students best, have to look at what's best for instruction. How will you move forward with what you find?
Lead Designer Answer: We have established committees within the college. The steering committee, which is the president of the college, plus the cabinet, and the working group, which meets every 2 weeks. The committees decide what makes it to the final master plan. We report back to them with all your feedback, and then the committee decides how we prioritize all the different needs and requests from all the different users that we're currently gathering the data from.
Will email the survey; thank you for participating. - Comments by Interim President of Lee College, Jacob Atkin, or other representatives of the administration
Dr. Lane-Worley's updates:
• A question about the presidential search was raised at the Administrative Assembly last week; no update from the board at this point.
• AI policy group meeting next week: Lee College doesn't have any kind of regulations at this point regarding how any of us use AI, only the three AI choices within our syllabus. Cassandra Bell, the distance ed coordinator, is leading an AI policy group with representatives from different departments/divisions. If you have suggestions or concerns about AI policy, email either Cassandra or me.
Audience Member: Be aware that the recording of the March meeting is available on the FA webpage, and current and future meetings will be recorded and posted also.
Audience Member: I want to relay concerns from faculty that the grade report is causing undue stress. Currently, if more than 30 assignments are ungraded, your name goes on a report, and the chair contacts you. The suggestion is to worry more about the date of the assignment (and whether it has been more than two weeks since it was assigned and still not graded) than the number of assignments that need to be graded. Is there a way that we could tweak the report to be more concerned with time?
Dr. Lane-Worley: I can ask Janice if there's a category we can add to make the focus on length of time. We've directed division chairs to look at length of time for ungraded assignments; that it's not about penalty, and it shouldn't feel like a penalty. I will address it at the next instructional council.
Audience Member: The chairs may say this isn't punitive, but there's a now a written record, an email, and you're on this list, and all this does add undue stress.
Audience Member: Why can't I be on the report for spending 60 hours in Bb in one week? If we're running these numbers with a deficit-based mindset, even if it's not the intention, there's always going to be a deficit-based thing to find in the numbers.
Audience Member: What about courses that don't spend much time in Bb because the coursework is hands-on?
Audience Member: With all the variations in class size and content, would it be easier just to take that grading number away and just look at time-based only? The emails we get just say you have a lot of ungraded assignments. They're not saying you've taken too long to grade.
Dr. Lane-Worley: I can certainly suggest that to the chairs. It should be incumbent upon the chair to look and see, is this really a problem or is this just normal grading? Will talk with chairs again about not being punitive. - Announcements
Brianne Dayley: Presidential Honors Day — April 15
I sent an email explaining that we have identified cases where invitations were not received by the division or not delivered to students.
I checked with divisions and we have reached out to students who haven't RSVP'd. Please follow up with students that are receiving awards, even if you did give them the invitation, just to make sure they've RSVP'd.
Please arrive 20 minutes early in your regalia. Dr. Ward will help you line up backstage.
The ceremony will be finished by 4:30, then there is a reception. Not required to stay for the reception.
Karen Guthmiller: Ultra Training
Check your email for a follow-up about training for Ultra; will be offering more than just April.
The trainings are one-hour sessions hosted by the instructional designers. Lots of options/ opportunities to move forward with efficiency; we will want feedback on options. Contact the EEC if you have any questions.
Audience Member: If you want to be on a committee, how do you do that?
Answer: The minutes with the new officers listed will be emailed. If there is a committee that you would like to serve on, please email that person and let them know that you're interested. Keep in mind that we will also need officers for the Trust.
Round of applause for Dr. Georgeann Ward, since this is her last official meeting as president. - Adjournment — Adjourned at 4:15
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