Going green and free speech were the main topics discussed at last Wednesday’s meeting of the academic senate.

With major confusion about FCC rules of free speech on campus, Phil Forham, member of the SCCCD Bourd of Trustees addressed the senate to clear the confusion. Although he didn’t express the board’s specific policies on the subject, Forham stated he believed that students should have, first and foremost, freedom of speech.

Fresno City College’s inconsistencies with free speech issues have outraged various senators and led to the Senate’s decision to invite Forhan to address the Senate body. Forhan cited “rich history of political events” on campus, going all the way back to Robert Kennedy’s rally in 1968.

Forhan stressed that all students should be allowed to have free speech, especially in such a historic place like FCC.

“He came for discussion, and it was very valuable that he came,” said president Rick Santos of Acaemic Senate.

Forhan was also informed of the Senate’s preoccupation with shifting to a more “green” campus. The topic of alternative energies was discussed, as well as working on a proposal to install various energy saving machinery around campus. “Lottery funds,” as the Senators called them, may be utilized to implement the plans.

Also discussed in the Senate meeting was the title 5 law which allows a students to attempt to pass a class only three times. After the student fails the third time, he or she cannot retake the class at FCC or any other community college. Contrary to popular belief, even withdrawals count as failed attempts. Two withdrawals equal one failure, which allows a student to withdraw from a class six times before denying entrance once again.

Senators expressed concern about student ignorance on the subject of title 5 and the significance of withdrawals. Senators were asked to inform students about the importance of passing classes with satisfactory grades.

Also discussed was the proper procedures for failing a student based on plagiarism, the act of stealing someone’s work. Teachers, according to state law, cannot fail a student for plagiarism. They should rather send a student to a dean who then decides the student’s academic future.

For students who depend on the tutoring center for their test taking needs, their visits may come to an end if the proposal to stop offering this service passes. The tutoring center which currently supervises 2000 test takers per semester can no longer serve such an immense number of students due to space. This is still, however, a proposal; nothing has been finalized to date.

Senators also discussed the well-being of disabled students. Currently at FCC, there are approximately 1800+ disabled students roaming with inadequate conditions.

Senator Zay Logan, who is a member of the facilities committee, brought a proposal to accommodate these students, which included DSP&S services be put in one strategic location, such as the present Administration Building on campus, in order to facilitate disabled students’ access to vital services.

The Senate voted to support Logan’s draft proposal which will be presented to other members on campus for further action.