Guidance on Using Noncredit Courses as Prerequisites and Co-requisites for Credit Courses

Spring
2016
Resolution Number
09.07
 
Contact
Assigned to
Noncredit, Pre-Transfer, & Continuing Education Committee
Category
Curriculum
Status
Assigned
Status Report

The noncredit committee and the noncredit workgroup of 5C both had multiple conversations about the use of noncredit courses for pre-reqs and co-reqs. Guidance was provided to Kirsten Corbin, Dean of Basic Skills and Noncredit, who intended to develop a CO memo to be vetted through 5C. 2017 - 18: The committee to finalize the Noncredit paper and contact Kirsten Corbin to determine next steps for updating the Noncredit at a Glance document.

Whereas, Recent legislative action to equalize the apportionment funding rate for career development and college preparation noncredit instruction with that of credit instruction may make the use of noncredit courses as prerequisites and co-requisites for credit courses an attractive option for colleges that are developing alternative curricular pathways designed to prepare students for college-level work;

Whereas, Because students are not awarded units for completing noncredit courses, the potential benefits to students of the use of noncredit courses as prerequisites and co-requisites for credit courses include no registration fees, no effect on registration priority, and no effect on financial aid eligibility; and

Whereas, Title 5 §§55002 and 55003 are silent on the use of noncredit courses as prerequisites and co-requisites for credit courses and no existing professional guidance from the Academic Senate has been created to assist faculty in the effective use of noncredit prerequisite and co-requisite courses to adequately prepare students for the target credit courses;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges develop guidelines on the appropriate use of noncredit courses as prerequisites and co-requisites for credit courses that ensure the quality and rigor of the curriculum and distribute the guidelines by Spring 2017.

MSC