Large Class Factor LCF

Brief History LCF began at GWC with faculty/disciplines OPTING IN Most LCF classes were taught in the Forums with budgeted support Each Forum had 2 assistants Most disciplines received additional “reader” money

Over the last decade Over time the number of LCF classes increased, but the support waned During the budget crisis, Admin. took control over the process by adding disciplines/courses into LCF increasing class sizes to the max. increasing the # of LCF sections reducing (nearly eliminating) all LCF support

Increase in sections offered at 1.5 multiplier

Increasing LCF Class Sizes Rough averages of FTES per class FTES for = 6.27 FTES for = 9.74 Current FTES around 9.6 Nearly a 50% increase Student/Faculty ratios have increased FTES/FTEF from 62/1 to 96/1

GWC is relying more heavily on LCF for Total FTES

Currently From 1/3 to now more than 1/2 of all GWC students taught in LCF class LCF has become increasingly inter- disciplinary (over 100 faculty members) A very heavy reliance of LCF to generate the required FTES for GWC to maintain its “mid-size” college status

3 General Areas of Concern Pedagogical/Student Success Parity Support These areas of concern have been brought to the GWC Academic Senate, Union/Negotiating Team and GWC Administration

Pedagogy/Student Success-the problem(s) Program Reviews have noted lower Student Success Rates in LCF classes

LCF Success Rates on average are below 70%

Success rates by class size

Pedagogy and LCF LCF Faculty have had to restructure (essentially strip) LCF courses of many essential core elements Articulation agreements Distance Ed vs. Correspondence classes

Isn’t teaching LCF a benefit to faculty? NO The Trade-off for a f/t load (15 LHE) 6 hours/week less lecture for teaching an additional 220 students (220 students =to a full-time teaching load) Faculty choose to teach LCF classes. NO Many faculty members have no choice Example: All but one class/one section of the Sociology discipline including courses required in the ADT are LCF Scheduling is a right of the Administration, not faculty

Students need to grow accustomed to LCF classes before entering a 4 year. WRONG Our students do not have to meet the same admission requirements, thus skillsets can be (are) lower Our Student Success rates prove that this is not helping students; instead we’re setting up over 2,000 FTES to fail! And our students are not given a choice EX: All remedial Math classes are taught at LCF!!! Every section of courses required by Cal States for the US Constitution requirement are all LCF

Administration and Pedagogy Administration IS focused on retention and completion rates

Retention rates have remained stable, but Student Success Rates are lower in LCF and decrease based on class size Class size has little effect on retention GWC The larger the class size, the lower Student GWC

Administration and Pedagogy Faculty have proposed pedagogical reasons/concerns for the past few years, yet class sizes have increased Faculty have requested support (clerical, technical and instructional) but support levels are well below minimal with no sustainability measures in place and class sizes have increased

Case Example LCF and online classes: Online classes at 1.5 multiplier 80  90  100 Guidelines and Best Practices were established by disciplines but 100  115 for 8 and 16 week classes Increase of nearly 40% or 35 more students Some online classes are scheduled at 200 students for the 4 and 6 week Intersessions! WHY? The contractual right to schedule LCF classes is a right of Administration with NO required input from faculty!!

Final Comments GWC LCF faculty Request that our Academic Senate approve/recognize a LCF Task Force to further research these and other pedagogical issues as they affect LCF faculty and students and report back to Academic Senate and it’s subcommittees with recommendations on how to regain control over pedagogy! Request that our Senators read the California Academic Senate Resolution