1 Education Drive

Room F-3293 Garden City, New York 11530

Statement to BOT – NCCFT VP Dawn Smith on Dev Ed

Good evening,

My name is Dawn Smith.  I work in the Center for Students with Disabilities and I’d like to speak to you tonight about the Senate’s Developmental Education resolution on multiple-measures for exemption from taking the placement test.

  • I’m upset at Dr. Dolan’s veto of the Dev Ed resolution.
  • The BOT asked the Dev Ed committee to submit a resolution that contained multiple measures for exemption from taking the placement test. (this does not place a student in remediation, but just exempts them from taking the Placement test.)
  • The committee had many emergency meetings to meet the time-line imposed by the BOT  including many subcommittee meetings.
  • I was on the math subcommittee.  In our subcommittee, data was presented, analyzed, discussed and then used to create recommendations to go to the full Dev Ed committee.
  • Each sub-committee made their recommendations to the full committee.  After more meetings, much discussion and some changes, including input from faculty, administrator and student members the resolution was voted on.  15 voted for, 2 against.
  • It was clear this was to be voted on and sent to the senate as ONE resolution, not three.
  • It was then voted on and passed by the full senate.
  • It then went to the interim president who VETOED it.  However, before it was even vetoed there was an alternate resolution on the agenda for tonight’s meeting.
  • Why?
  • The Dev Ed committee’s resolution was more comprehensive and more data driven – it allowed a student to be exempt from one or both portions of the math placement exam.
  • And again, we are talking about exemptions, not placing a student into a remedial class.  We are allowing the college to gather more information about the student’s skills to help insure the student’s success and retention.
  • Also, remember, if a student does place in a remedial class, they can retest if they are within 15 points of passing.  They can also take a brush-up class through lifelong learning or take a free on-line brush-up called Advancer.
  • I respectfully request that the BOT reverse the Veto and allow the NCC shared governance process to continue.