State and Legislative Issues

Mission of the California Community Colleges

Whereas, The California Performance Review makes extensive reference to the vocational/career/workforce development function of the California community colleges;

Whereas, Recommendation ETV26 suggests that the California community colleges should "reinforce the priority of the economic and workforce development role of community colleges;"

Whereas, The California community colleges have multiple missions defined in Education Code 66010.1 through 66010.8, including degrees, transfer, basic skills, as well as vocational; and

Process for Revision of Education Code

Whereas the Chancellor's Office has instituted the Education Code Reform Initiative, and

Whereas this reform initiative affects all levels within the system, faculty, students, administrators, trustees, the Chancellor, and the Board of Governors, and

Whereas all of the above mentioned constituencies must have opportunity for ongoing dialogue and input to recommendations for reform of the Education Code,

Increased Funding for Noncredit Courses

Whereas many colleges offer remedial courses through the noncredit mode, and

Whereas many of our students in transfer classes have deficiencies in skills that may include reading, mathematical computation, writing, and communication,

Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge the community college organizations to support increased funding for noncredit courses to the level of 80% of the current credit funding.

MSR

Student Fees

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has a long and consistent history of resolutions that oppose both the introduction of and subsequent increases in mandatory student fees in the California Community College System;

Whereas, Recent fee changes have increased student fees by 136%, have doubled the revenue collected in student fees and have reduced the level of state support (Proposition 98 dollars per funded FTES) and constitute an increased user tax on those least able to pay;

Fees Paper

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopt the paper What's Wrong with Student Fees? Renewing the Commitment to No-Fee, Open-Access Community Colleges in California.

Yes On Proposition 47

Whereas, Proposition 47-the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2002-provides $13.05 billion in bonds to relieve overcrowding; reduce class size; and repair and upgrade California's elementary, middle and high schools, community colleges, and universities; and guarantees California community colleges 40% of the higher education share;

Position on Master Plan Recommendations 34 through 34.5

Whereas, The Master Plan Recommendations 34-34.5, which include the proposal that "The California Community Colleges should be reconstituted as a public trust.," contain elements that have been supported by past Academic Senate resolutions;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate support Recommendations 34-34.5 to the extent that they propose making the California Community College System a full partner in the California postsecondary system of education, with the implication that this change would involve the achievement of equitable funding for the community colleges;

Response of the Academic Senate to the Master Plan

Whereas, The legislative Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education has published The California Master Plan for Education; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has offered commentary on this plan through its several iterations, commentary which has been grounded in past positions of the Academic Senate;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate adopt the Response of the Academic Senate to "The California Master Plan for Education". MSC Disposition: Local Senates

Adoption of the Updated Paper, Student Equity: Guidelines for Developing a Plan

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted in 1993 the document Student Equity: Guidelines for Developing a Plan in furtherance of the Board of Governors' Student Equity Policy;

Whereas, The Board of Governors established in 1996 the adoption of a student equity plan as a minimum standard for districts' receipt of state funding but did not require that those plans be regularly updated;

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