Examine Title 5 Ethnic Studies Requirement

Spring
2008
Resolution Number
09.05
 
Contact
Assigned to
Curriculum Committee
Category
Curriculum
Status
Completed
Summary
Examine Title 5 55063 (b) (3), along with its original intent, and the various current statewide practices for implementing the requirement to offer Ethnic Studies and report back to the body its findings and recommendations. (*note: there is a known numbering and reference error in this statement that is scheduled to be corrected in a pending administrative clean-up package. The actual reference is to Title 5 55063 (b) (1) - General Education Requirements).
Status Report

This issue was addressed in a Fall 2010 breakout and again in a Jan. 2010 Rostrum article co-written by committee members Dvid Morse and Pamela Watkins.

Whereas, Title 5 55063 (b) (3) states "Ethnic Studies will be offered in at least one of the areas required by subdivision (2)"*;

Whereas, The term "Ethnic Studies" is inconsistently used across the state to define courses and programs of study such that in some cases the offering is to promote multicultural and diversity awareness and in other cases the interpretation is to develop a high degree of expertise in specific ethnic studies subject areas;

Whereas, It is also not clear in this requirement if such studies are in fact required for all students taking general education that leads to a degree, nor is it clear just to what level or degree these studies are intended to achieve because the requirement just calls for Ethnic Studies to be offered; and

Whereas, In part due to this lack of clarity there seems to be a wide variety of ethnic study and or multicultural requirements, or lack thereof across the state, and it has been quite a long time since this requirement was first implemented such that a re-examination of the original intent and the current language to determine its effectiveness may promote changes that lead to greater and more wide-spread student understanding of ethnicity and diversity issues;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges examine Title 5 55063 (b) (3), along with its original intent, and the various current statewide practices for implementing the requirement to offer Ethnic Studies and report back to the body its findings and recommendations. (*note: there is a known numbering and reference error in this statement that is scheduled to be corrected in a pending administrative clean-up package. The actual reference is to Title 5 55063 (b) (1) - General Education Requirements). MSC Disposition: Local Senates