Whereas, Use of equivalency is required by California Education Code §87359, and the “agreed upon process shall include reasonable procedures to ensure that the governing board relies primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate to determine that each individual faculty member employed under the authority granted by the regulations possesses qualifications that are at least equivalent to the applicable minimum qualifications”;
Whereas, The subjective nature of evaluating a candidate’s experience and training against the degrees and professional experience required to meet minimum qualifications makes it difficult for colleges to confidently apply the equivalency process to candidates with little to no formal academic education, especially in career technical education disciplines where industry professionals may be experts in their fields without having completed an associate degree;
Whereas, Equivalency processes at California community colleges are locally established, vary widely, and may or may not include a means for evaluating equivalency to the associate degree, particularly the general education component; and
Whereas, Resolution 10.05 S17 called for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges “to develop and disseminate resources that empower local senates to evaluate and assess” the qualifications of faculty with significant professional experience but not necessarily sufficient academic preparation;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with faculty to disseminate proposed equivalency resources for feedback and ensure equivalency committees and other stakeholders review proposed equivalency resources and make revisions as needed to ensure the finished resources meet the needs of local senates; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in Spring 2019 to facilitate dialog among local senates and equivalency committees about equivalency practices and about determining equivalencies to the associate degree.
MSU