Curriculum

Whereas prerequisites are designed to help ensure that students have a reasonable chance to succeed in courses, and

Whereas scrutiny of prerequisites is now required, and

Whereas evidence that the use of prerequisites enhances student success has not been collected and published,

Resolved that the Academic Senate work with the Chancellor's Office to research, evaluate, and report on the effects of prerequisite scrutiny on relevant institutional practices and student outcomes and report to the body at a future session.

Whereas Title 5 Regulations require separate course approval for all distance education courses, and

Whereas the Chancellor's Office has established new definitions for MIS to use for determination of course type, and

Whereas there are many different ways in which curriculum committees are reviewing and approving distance education courses,

Resolved that the Academic Senate provide hard copies of all papers passed by the Academic Senate pertaining to distance education at all state meetings and that they are distributed to all curriculum committee chairs, and

Whereas the Academic Senate has

Resolved in the past to request more frequent updating of the Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code, and occupational disciplines and English as a Second Language (ESL), in particular, have requested TOP Code revisions, and

Whereas the function and purpose of TOP Codes is not well understood in the field,

Resolved that the Academic Senate work with the Chancellor's Office to explore the conceptualization and implications of Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) Code assignments, and

Whereas English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are sometimes regarded strictly as precollegiate basic skills courses, and

Whereas some ESL courses do have degree-applicable - even baccalaureate - status at some community colleges, and

Whereas the relationship of ESL courses to the sequence of English courses varies dramatically from college to college throughout the state, and

Whereas, In 1998 the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted the position paper "Information Competency in the California Community Colleges" and subsequently adopted resolution 9.01 S01 recommending that information competency be a locally designed graduation requirement for degree and System Office Approved certificate programs;

Whereas, A clear disparity exists between the number of entering community colleges students who are assessed as needing basic skills instruction to succeed in college-level courses (more than 50%) and the number of those students who enroll in basic skills courses (about 34%);

Whereas, Effective matriculation processes, well-designed curriculum, and appropriate student support services are necessary to improve the performance of underprepared students; and

The following glossary was developed from existing research and feedback from faculty and researchers from the California community colleges in response to Resolution S08 2.02 that asked the Academic Senate for California Community College to address the confusion in the field by researching and developing a glossary of common terms for student learning outcomes and assessment. The glossary does not dictate terminology nor does it seek to be comprehensive.

Whereas all community college instructors should be knowledgeable about learning theory and diverse learning styles, and

Whereas the need for well qualified community college teachers is expected to grow, and

Whereas courses in instructional methodologies have already been developed at some CSU campuses (e.g., CSU Sacramento and Sonoma State),

Whereas CSUs have announced and are implementing a policy of gradually reducing the number of students admitted who need basic skills classes at CSU, and

Whereas CSU is seeking supplemental funds to work with K-l2students in order to improve student success in basic skills areas before these students enter CSU,

Whereas the responsibilities of the college leaders in the area of curriculum, both faculty and administrators, are considerable in their depth and complexity, and

Whereas the standards and requirements for development, review, and approval of curriculum are both broad and detailed, and

Whereas it is particularly important to develop faculty curriculum leadership with full knowledge and understanding of the curriculum process and related standards, requirements, and good practices,