Oppose External Honors Programs

Fall
2015
Resolution Number
09.11
 
Contact
Assigned to
Curriculum Committee
Category
Curriculum
Status
In Progress
Status Report

2017 - 18: Curriculum committee chair will reach out to statewide honors coordinators to ensure this resolution is still relevant and to seek information about best to respond.

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has recognized the value of honors programs, encouraged their creation, and been concerned that they equitably serve California’s diverse population (20.01 S98, 20.04 F98, 20.04 F99, 03.01 S07, 13.12 F11);

Whereas, A number of presidents at California community colleges with honors programs have been contacted by American Honors, Inc. (AHI), a for-profit company, seeking to bring those existing programs under their corporate control, bypassing the local academic senate, curriculum committees, and existing honors program faculty;

Whereas, Students enrolled in the AHI program pay an average of $2,800 per year to the company in supplemental tuition and fees for participation in their honors programs,[1] and the company is reported to be seeking establishment of differential fees in California community colleges[2] ; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges established its “opposition to any bill that attempts to establish a two-tiered system” (Resolution 6.04 S12) and has resolved to “support legislation and policy directives that limit need-based financial aid packages to public and private nonprofit colleges only” (6.01 S12);

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges oppose the intrusion of external honors programs, including from for-profit organizations, into California community colleges;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Chancellor’s Office and other system partners to ensure that external honors programs do not intrude into the California community colleges; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges encourage local senates to oppose the involvement of external organizations providing honors program opportunities and the insinuation of supplemental fees for honors program participation.

MSC


[1] Moritz, B. (2014). Mission-Driven and For-Profit: Not Mutually Exclusive. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council,15(1), 29-34. (The author is Vice President for Academic Affairs for American Honors, Inc.)