The Role of Students in Participatory Governance Richael Young, College of San Mateo Barbara Illowsky, De Anza College

Student Senate for California Community Colleges The Law  Board of Governors shall establish "minimum standards" and local governing boards shall "establish procedures not inconsistent" with those standards to ensure faculty, staff and students the right to participate effectively in district and college governance and the right of academic senates to assume primary responsibility for making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Definition  Participating effectively in district and college governance is shared involvement in the decision-making process.  It does not imply total agreement.  The same level of involvement by all is not required.  Final decisions rest with the board or designee.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Student Association  The governing board of a community college district may authorize the students of a college to organize a student body association.  A community college district may assume responsibility for activities formerly conducted by a student body association if the student body association is dissolved.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Student Association  The governing board of the community college district may authorize the students of a college to organize more than one student body association when the governing board finds that day students and evening students each need an association or geographic circumstances make the organization of only one student body association impractical or inconvenient.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  The governing board shall recognize each associated student organization or its equivalent within the district as provided by Education Code Section 76060, as the representative body of the students to offer opinions and to make recommendations to the administration of a college and to the governing board of a district with regard to district and college policies and procedures that have or will have a significant effect on students.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  The selection of student representatives to serve on college or district committees, task forces, or other governance groups shall be made, after consultation with designated parties, by the appropriate officially recognized associated student organization(s) within the district.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  The governing board of a community college district shall adopt policies and procedures that provide students the opportunity to participate effectively in district and college governance.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  Students shall be provided an opportunity to participate in formulation and development of district and college policies and procedures that have or will have a significant effect on students. This right includes the opportunity to participate in processes for jointly developing recommendations to the governing board regarding such policies and procedures.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  Except in unforeseeable, emergency situations, the governing board shall not take action on a matter having a significant effect on students until it has provided students with an opportunity to participate in the formulation of the policy or procedure or the joint development of recommendations regarding the action.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  Governing board procedures shall ensure that at the district and college levels, recommendations and positions developed by students are given every reasonable consideration.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Significant Effect  grading policies  codes of student conduct  academic disciplinary policies  curriculum development  courses or programs which should be initiated or discontinued;

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Significant Effect  processes for institutional planning and budget development  standards and policies regarding student preparation and success  student services planning and development  student fees within the authority of the district to adopt

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Significant Effect  any other district and college policy, procedure, or related matter that the district governing board determines will have a significant effect on students

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Hiring  The governing board shall give reasonable consideration to recommendations and positions developed by students regarding district and college policies and procedures pertaining to the hiring and evaluation of faculty, administration, and staff.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Faculty  Board of Governors shall establish "minimum standards" and local governing boards shall "establish procedures not inconsistent" with those standards to ensure the right of academic senates to assume primary responsibility for making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Overlapping Areas ggrading policies ccodes of student conduct aacademic disciplinary policies ccurriculum development ccourses or programs which should be initiated or discontinued

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Overlapping Areas pprocesses for institutional planning and budget development sstandards and policies regarding student preparation and success sstudent services planning and development sstudent fees within the authority of the district to adopt

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Overlapping Areas  any other district and college policy, procedure, or related matter that the district governing board determines will have a significant effect on students  other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate (faculty)

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Hiring  The governing board shall give reasonable consideration to recommendations and positions developed by students regarding district and college policies and procedures pertaining to the hiring and evaluation of faculty, administration, and staff.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Staff  The governing board of a community college district shall adopt policies and procedures that provide district and college staff the opportunity to participate effectively in district and college governance.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  Staff shall be provided with opportunities to participate in the formulation and development of district and college policies and procedures, and in those processes for jointly developing recommendations for action by the governing board, that the governing board reasonably determines, in consultation with staff, have or will have a significant effect on staff.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  Except in unforeseeable, emergency situations, the governing board shall not take action on matters significantly affecting staff until it has provided staff an opportunity to participate in the formulation and development of those matters through appropriate structures and procedures as determined by the governing board

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Regulation  The policies and procedures of the governing board shall ensure that the recommendations and opinions of staff are given every reasonable consideration.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges The Scenarios  In groups of 3-4, discuss the scenario and identify the key governance issue involved.  Once you have identified the issue, discuss how the issue can be resolved in a collegial way.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Scenario One  Your college is exploring the idea of offering courses at sister colleges in France and China. The College President has asked faculty in the French and Chinese departments to identify two students each to participate in the working group. The Associated Students claims the right to make the appointments to the working group.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Issue  Does the Associate Students have the right to make the appointments to the working group?

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Scenario Two  The college is considering moving to a compressed calendar, and the Faculty Senate has taken the lead on the issue. The Faculty Senate has organized meetings for input from faculty, staff, students and administrators. All of the meetings have been scheduled during the day. While many members of the Associated Students are able to participate in the meetings, members who can only come to the college at night are not.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Issue  If only day students are able to participate in the discussions of the proposed calendar change, have students been afforded the opportunity to participate effectively?

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Scenario Three  The college has built a new student parking structure on campus and wants to require an additional fee to use it even if a student has purchased a semester parking permit. Because of its convenient location, faculty want to use the new structure, but they would also be subject to the additional fee. At both the academic senate and associated students meetings, faculty and students have voiced the intent of protesting the new fee at the board of trustees meeting.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Issue  Does the issue of parking fees fall under the purview of the associated students? Under the purview of the academic senate?

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Scenario Four  In order to improve retention, the academic senate decided to revisit the college’s withdrawal policy, in particular the final date to withdraw from a class. The senate consulted with the associated students, who opposed any change to the existing policy. After further discussion, the senate voted to change the withdrawal date. The associated students plan to protest this proposal when it goes before the board of trustees.

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Issue  What is the responsibility of the academic senate when it presents an issue to the board on which the associated students are in disagreement?

Student Senate for California Community Colleges Thank You