Whereas thousand of adults are currently enrolled as students in community college noncredit programs which include adult basic education, secondary skill courses, ESL, citizenship, older adult, DSP&S, parent education and short-term vocational education, and
Whereas these programs are acknowledged to be of high quality and efficiently operated since the early 1970s when community colleges entered into agreements with unified school districts, and
Resolved that the Academic Senate recommend to the Chancellor's Office that, as a condition of continuous delegation of authority as described in the Chancellor's Office Curriculum Handbook, there be a mandatory sign-off by the local senate president.
Whereas, A poor budget environment is resulting in colleges' reducing or eliminating programs;
Whereas, Title 5 51022 states that colleges should have policies for the establishment, modification, or discontinuance of courses; and
Whereas, Many local senates need assistance in using the collegial consultation process to review, modify, or develop policies and procedures for program discontinuance at this critical time;
Whereas, Articulation between individual California community colleges and individual campuses of the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) is based on the course outline of record;
Whereas, The course outline of record is a contract that establishes the objectives and content to be included in a given course; and
Whereas, Distance education offerings are merely an alternative mode of instruction in which a course is taught in accordance with the existing course outline of record;
Whereas, The existing pool of research concerning courses offered in abbreviated time frames is generally inadequate and inconclusive with regards to what may constitute significant tradeoffs of content, rigor, grade distribution and service to students between traditional and abbreviated course offerings;
Whereas, There has been confusion about the articulation to the University of California of a few California community college courses offered in a distance education mode;
Whereas, There exist specific curriculum guidelines and processes for the development, approval and articulation of all courses, with additional review of courses offered in a distance education mode, as required by Title 5 Regulations; and
Whereas, The continuation of courses offered in a distance education mode is critical to meet the demands of community college students;
Whereas the concomitant effects of increased enrollment and increased fees have adversely impacted access for community college students, and
Whereas the colleges are using more distance learning technologies to meet the increased demands for access to our institutions, and
Whereas college faculty have the expertise to determine the applications of appropriate instructional technologies,
Resolved that the Academic Senate urge local senates to assume the primary responsibility for determining the implementation of distance learning policies.
Whereas the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has conducted 21 statewide orientations on course standards and the Chancellor's Office course standards handbook, and
Whereas participants at those workshops unanimously requested follow up sessions that support local curriculum committees,
Resolved that the Academic Senate continue to provide support to the local curriculum process.
Whereas the Chancellor's Office is authorized to approve new programs, substantial changes in programs, and stand-alone courses, and
Whereas the Board of Governors and Chancellor's Office have approved the delegation of its approval authority to the colleges for stand-alone courses and substantial changes in programs, and
Whereas AB 1725 grants faculty the primary responsibility for curriculum,
Resolved that the Academic Senate recommend to the Chancellor's Office that the signature of the local academic senate president be required for approval of educational programs in the curriculum review process.