Ensuring Proper Circulation and Setting Broken Bones: Curriculum/Senate Relations and Intersegmental Issues Richard Mahon and Michelle Pilati

Why are we here? What can you do to ensure a healthy Senate-Curriculum relationship? What do the various Title 5 changes mean for you? What intersegmental agreements do you and your senate need to know about? Questions/discussion

Senate-Curriculum Relations What is the relationship between your Senate and your Curriculum Committee? Is it stipulated in the constitution/bylaws of your Senate? In board policy?

Senate-Curriculum Relationship  What should it be?  Consider the fall 1996 adopted paper, “Curriculum Committee Role, Structure, Duties and Standards of Good Practice”:  “There is no single or monolithic list of ‘good practices’ in the process of curriculum renewal and development. Many effective practices exist that are appropriate within the unique setting of shared governance at each local college.”

Title 5, § Standards and Criteria for Courses & Classes Senate-Curriculum Relations Title 5, § Standards and Criteria for Courses & Classes “Curriculum Committee. The college and/or district curriculum committee recommending the course shall be established by the mutual agreement of the college and/or district administration and the academic senate. The committee shall be either a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise comprised in a way that is mutually agreeable to the college and/or district administration and the academic senate.”

Senate-Curriculum Relations “The curriculum committee is the vehicle on which the local academic senate relies to carry out its responsibility to develop curriculum recommendations for presentation to the local governing board.” Governing boards must commit themselves to reach “mutual agreement” or “rely primarily” on the advice of their senates in several areas involving curriculum (Title 5 §53200, the “10 + 1”).

Structure & Membership of the CC Senate-Curriculum Relations Structure & Membership of the CC  Must the CC be a subcommittee of the Senate?  No, but “.. the policies and procedures by which the committee will operate are determined by the academic senate, either solely or in partnership with the board. Because of this required senate oversight, there must be a direct link between the curriculum committee and the senate” (ASCCC 1996).  What is this link on your campus?

Linking your Senate & CC Senate-Curriculum Relations Linking your Senate & CC  Chair may be a member of the senate.  Chair may be an ex-officio senator.  CC action may be regular senate agenda item.  Does your senate have the authority to override your CC?  What role do district CCs have?

Many Roads Lead to CC Solutions Senate-Curriculum Relations Many Roads Lead to CC Solutions  Clear policies concerning curriculum can resolve problems before they arise:  Class size: Ed. Code allows for the CC to recommend class size. What policy is used on your campus? Why should the CC play a role?  Load Issues: Title 5 §55211 covers “regular effective contact” in Distance Education and the System Office Guidelines suggest that policy regarding REC be developed by the CC.  Other Examples?

Carrying the Load: Doing the Work Senate-Curriculum Relations Carrying the Load: Doing the Work Seek diversity of membership: classroom faculty, counselors, articulation officer, students… Know the law & regulations… Exercise your authority/do the work… Recognize when to be creative… Don’t take the easy way out… Send faculty to the Curriculum Institute (annually in July)

Title 5 Changes Stay tuned.. If all proposed changes are passed, what will the local impact be? English/math graduation requirements**

Title 5 Changes Non-compliant degrees** Minimum grade of C Renaming of certificates New opportunities for majors

Intersegmental Agreements C-ID LDTP IGETC

What is C-ID? A proposal that improves upon CAN –a supra-numbering system –a response to mandates and needs –course descriptors for use by postsecondary institutions and CCC students

C-ID Today  Minimally funded at this time ($511,000)

Goals of C-ID Create a collaborative, intersegmental, organizational infrastructure Establish processes for descriptors and course qualification that rely on faculty expertise

Goals of C-ID Create and maintain internal and external web portals Develop sustainability***

LDTP Lower Division Transfer Pattern CSU Project (SB 1785 & MOU) Goal: to improve transfer into majors

LDTP Gives “highest priority” for admission Plan: to take effect Fall 2007 June, 2007 LDTP Update

IGETC The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a series of courses prospective transfer students attending California community colleges may complete to satisfy the lower division breadth/general education requirements at both the University of California and the California State University. It was developed to simplify the transfer process for students. ICAS GE Task Force

ICAS The Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates (ICAS) was established in 1980 as a voluntary organization consisting of representatives of the Academic Senates of the three segments of public higher education in California. Each of the senates appoints five representatives to ICAS. The meetings of ICAS are financed by the segments, and deal with a variety of issues of mutual concern such as the Master Plan for Higher Education, transfer, articulation, general education, and educational quality and standards. The recommendations of ICAS are made to the Academic Senates of each of the segments. ICAS has only advisory powers to the senates; it has no direct way to implement higher education policy.

Questions? Comments?