Whereas, The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in its 2020 Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Grant Program Legislative Report, has recommended that future zero-textbook-cost (ZTC) funding should focus on investment priorities, including efforts to do the following:
Whereas, Oral and written testimony given through the consultation process used for the review of Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, also known as the Disciplines List, supported the following addition of the nanotechnology discipline:
Master of science degree in a STEM-related field, such as chemistry, physics, biochemistry, or engineering, and a minimum of two years teaching nanotechnology courses in a college/university or two years of industry work experience as a leading scientist/engineer on a nanotechnology project; and
Whereas, Oral and written testimony given through the consultation process used for the review of Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, also known as the Disciplines List, supported the following addition of the Native American/American Indian studies discipline:
Master’s degree in Native American/American Indian studies OR a master’s in ethnic studies and bachelor’s degree in Native American/American Indian studies OR the equivalent; and
Whereas, Oral and written testimony given through the consultation process used for the review of Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, also known as the Disciplines List, supported the following revision of the Asian American studies discipline:
Master’s degree in Asian American studies OR a master’s in Ethnic Studies and bachelor’s degree in Asian American studies OR the equivalent; and
Whereas, AB928 (Berman, 2021) presents unintended consequences for students in many disciplines, including kinesiology, within the California Community Colleges system;
Whereas, C-ID constructed a template in “Social Justice Studies” as a general “Area of Emphasis” for students wishing to transfer into Ethnic Studies programs or Women and Gender Studies programs;
Whereas, The fields of Ethnic Studies and Women and Gender Studies have long been recognized in higher education as distinct and legitimate disciplines and exist as separate programs and degrees at transfer institutions including California State University and University of California;
Whereas, AB 927 (Medina, 2021) expands baccalaureate degree programs in the California Community Colleges;
Whereas, AB 705 (Irwin, 2017) was passed in 2017 and discouraged the placement of students into pre-transfer intermediate algebra and encouraged placing students directly into transfer-level math based on multiple measures data;
Whereas, The course outline of record is at the center of local curricular process, its required elements have been outlined in California Code of Regulations Title 5 § 55002, and the application of those requirements is detailed in the Program and Course Approval Handbook; and
Whereas, There is a lack of system guidance on the definition and appropriate practice of cross-listing sufficient to guide colleges on course development and submission;
Whereas, California Education Code §78052 requires that districts “Develop degrees with consideration for sustainability after grant funding is exhausted, including how content is updated and presented” and that the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office ensure that “a grant does not result in the development or implementation of duplicate degrees for a subject matter to avoid duplication of effort and ensure the development and implementation of the greatest number of degrees for the benefit of the greatest number of students,” a requirement that can only be met for the Zero-Tex