Where the CBA Meets Curriculum Michael Wyly, Solano Community College Troy Myers, Sacramento City College David Morse, Long Beach City College

Overview: Topics for Discussion Student Success vs. Faculty Workload Determination of Class Maximums Workload, Grading, and Out-of-Class Work Program Discontinuance

Student Success v. Faculty Workload Issues to consider: How much should faculty workload impact curricular design? Under what circumstances, if any, should faculty workload concerns override curricular design that is otherwise valid? How are faculty compensated, if at all, for SLO development and assessment? What is the role of the bargaining agent in curricular design discussions? Who is responsible for speaking for the students?

Student Success v. Faculty Workload: Scenario for Discussion A proposal comes to the curriculum committee to increase the number of hours and units in all first and second-year foreign language courses from 4/4 to 5/5. The foreign language faculty argue that they need the additional class time due to the difficulty of the subject matter and a need for greater time on task. The change would also mean that a normal workload for foreign language courses from four courses per semester to three. The student representative to the curriculum committee, speaking on behalf of the associated students organization, protests the proposal based on the negative impact it would have on student workload and financial aid eligibility.

Determination of Class Maximums Issues to consider: According to local policy, practice, and CBA, how are class size maximums set and by whom? How will the change in class size impact interaction between teacher and students in the classroom? Is the class size based on fiscal considerations, and are those considerations legitimate?

Determination of Class Maximums: Scenario for Discussion At a particular college, class size maximums for social science courses are set at 45 students. This maximum is generally comparable to the statewide average for such courses. The social science faculty bring a proposal to lower the maximums to 35 students, noting that course in other departments such as English and communication have still lower class sizes and declaring the issue a matter of equity and fairness. The administration protests the change, basing its argument on fiscal considerations and noting that funding does not exist to offer more course sections and that therefore the change would mean reduced access for students.

Determination of Class Maximums: ASCCC Position “Determinations of enrollment maximums for different disciplines and courses should be rooted in balanced and fair considerations of workload for different disciplines, including factors such methods of evaluation (essays vs. tests), delivery methods (lecture vs. lab), etc.” “In order to maintain a sense of balance and fairness, the curriculum committee should establish a well-defined set of parameters or criteria for determining when student needs justify a smaller class size.” --from Setting Course Enrollment Maximums: Process, Roles, and Principles (Spring 2012)

Workload, Grading, and Out-of-Class Student Work Issues to consider: Why do laboratory courses count for less than lecture classes per classroom hour in terms of faculty load a many colleges? How does this practice relate to or impact discussions of curriculum? Some colleges also count writing-intensive courses as a greater share of faculty workload based on the claim that such classes involve more intensive grading. Is this practice justifiable? What other differentials exist in terms of counting courses for faculty workload?

Workload, Grading, and Out-of-Class Student Work: Scenario for Discussion A proposal is brought to the curriculum committee from a local CTE program to change its courses from laboratory to pure lecture or lecture and laboratory combinations. The discipline in question has not traditionally required out-of-class work for these courses, but the course outlines of record for the courses in question have been amended to indicate in very vague terms that homework will be required. The bargaining unit speaks in support of these changes in the basis of pay equality for all faculty. The administration protests, claiming that the changes could been seen as a violation of the Title 5 hours-to-units requirements.

Workload, Grading, and Out-of-Class Student Work: ASCCC Position Resolution 19.02 Spring 2016: Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Chief Executive Officers and Chief Instructional Officers to foster local support, such as substitutes and compensation, for CTE faculty to participate in local governance and statewide work associated with the task force recommendations; and Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the state-level leadership of faculty unions toward a joint effort to eliminate the differential between lecture and laboratory hours in order to allow more time for laboratory faculty in any credit and Career Development College Preparation noncredit programs to participate in governance matters at local colleges and statewide.

Program Discontinuance Issues to consider: Does the college policy on program discontinuance address the college’s fiscal situation or simply program viability? Who should be involved in the determination to discontinue, or not discontinue, a program? What is the collective bargaining units role in program discontinuance discussions?

Program Discontinuance: Scenario for Discussion During a financial downturn, the college administration suggests reviewing several programs for possible discontinuation. However, the district policy only addresses discontinuance processes for programs that are no longer viable. In this case, the question does not involve viability but rather whether the college can continue to offer all of its existing programs in the current fiscal climate. The existing policy therefore is not sufficient to address this instance, and a new or revised process will need to be created. What are the roles of the curriculum committee, the academic senate, and the bargaining unit in these discussions?

Program Discontinuance: ASCCC Position “While the decision to maintain, redesign, or discontinue a program is primarily an academic and professional matter and thus falls under the purview of the academic senate, such decisions, once made, can impact faculty working conditions or the need for faculty services. Thus, policies regarding program discontinuance should have two phases. The first, the process for determining whether an academic program will be discontinued, is a matter of consultation between the academic senate and the college or district administration. In the second phase, which should deal with implementation of such decisions, local academic senates must work with their union colleagues to ensure that collective bargaining issues related to program discontinuance are clearly addressed.” --from Program Discontinuance: a Faculty Perspective revisited (Fall 2012)

Thank You for Coming Michael Wyly: Michael.Wyly@solano.edu Troy Myers: myerst@scc.losrios.edu David Morse: dmorse@lbcc.edu