Whereas, Career and technical education (CTE) programs have faculty members who are skilled professionals with industry experience and close ties to employers and who have completed apprenticeship programs and/or industry certifications classes that require theoretical learning;
Whereas, The development of an associate’s degree specifically focused on teaching in CTE programs, a CTE teacher credential, expanding the minimum qualifications list, honorary degrees, and college credit for work and professional experience are examples of potentially viable alternatives to eliminating equivalency to an associate’s degree; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate holds the position that urges local senates to consider general education and course expertise when approving equivalence to the minimum qualifications as cited in the Academic Senate paper Equivalence to the Minimum Qualifications.
Resolved, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges take no action to disallow equivalencies to an associate degree and study alternatives to an associate’s degree that preserve the quality of CTE programs and departments until research can be completed on the implications that allowing no equivalency to an associate’s degree might have on apprenticeship programs and discipline areas where faculty within the field have external state and/or federal certification or licensure.
MSR Disposition: Referred to the Executive Committee to reconsider and return in Fall 2010.