Topics for New(er) Curriculum Chairs, Specialists and Administrators. Lori Bennett, MoorPark College Diana Hurlbut, Irvine Valley College Eric Shearer, Napa Valley College Tiffany Tran, Irvine Valley College ASCCC Regional Curriculum meeting November 13 and 14, 2015

Introductions all around…  Who are we?  How many of you are new Curriculum Chairs; Curriculum Specialists; Articulation Officers; Deans; CIO/VPI?  How many of you are new to the Curriculum Committee?  Anything you REALLY want to be sure to get from this session?

Let’s start with the Curriculum Chair

CC Chair just has to worry about the COR, right??  Being the Chair of the Curriculum Committee is one of the most important faculty leadership roles on a college campus.  You are not only responsible for leading the Curriculum Committee but you are also an interface with your faculty, articulation specialist, A & R, the faculty, curriculum support staff, Academic Senate, CIO, CCCCO, ASCCC, and your local governing board on all curricular issues affecting your college.

CC Chair just has to worry about the COR, right??  The most important thing that you always need to remember is slow down and take a deep breath.

In an effort to SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH lets review some basics about the COR

Helpful COR published guidelines #1 px

Helpful COR published guidelines #2 Nicknames: the mustard book OR the poppy copy Or

The Course Outline of Record  The course outline of record (COR) is a legal document that must contain certain required elements that are outlined in: §55002 of Title 5 §55002 of Title 5  The COR serves as a legal contract between the faculty, student, and the college  All CORs must be approved by the local academic senate (curriculum committee) and the local governing board

Importance of the COR  The COR establishes the content and rigor of a course and ensures consistency for students across all section offerings  The COR serves as the basis for articulation agreements and course identification number (C-ID) designation  CORs are used to construct new or revised instructional programs.

C-ID and Local CORs  C-ID is a supra-numbering system that has been developed to facilitate transfer and articulation in California’s higher educational institutions.  C-ID descriptors contain many elements from COR, but describe minimum requirements and are not intended to supplant or dictate local curriculum 

C-ID and Associates Degrees for Transfer (ADTs)  The ADT is a degree that guarantees a student the ability to transfer to a California State University   Inclusion of some courses in ADT requires submission for C-ID review and designation.  Other courses are included through standard articulation mechanisms.

Great References for the Basic Elements of a COR  Title 5 requirements (sec )  Title 5 Title 5  Chancellor’s Office Data Elements  S/DED.aspx S/DED.aspx  Title 5 Standards for Approval (COR as a whole)  § Publication of Course Standards § Publication of Course Standards  Discipline Assignment(s)  Books/2014_MQHandbook/2014_MQHandbook_ADA.pdf Books/2014_MQHandbook/2014_MQHandbook_ADA.pdf

Elements of the COR Course Number and Title Catalog Description Prerequisites /Corequisites/ Advisories Units Total Contact Hours Course Content Objectives/Outcomes Instructional Methods Methods of Assessment Grading criteria (letter grade, P/NP) Outside of Class Assignments Required and Recommended Textbooks Repeatability Options Open Entry/Open Exit Justification of Need CCCCO Data Elements (e.g. TOP and SAM Codes, CB codes) Discipline Assignment(s)

Additional COR Items to Consider ItemWhy you might want it Student Learning Outcomes ACCJC Standard II.A.3 College Level Reading and Writing Assignments Insufficient detail might lead to a request for syllabi Transfer/ GE Information / C-ID It can be helpful to have this info on the COR Supplemental InstructionCould SI be part of your course? TBA HoursInclude TBA regulations? Enrollment limitsInstructional quality, external accreditation requirements

The important people and governing bodies that help with curriculum at a community college

What is the Curriculum Chair’s relationship to the CIO/VPI? What should it be?

Curriculum Chair: Working With Your CIO  The curriculum chair ideally should schedule regular meetings with your CIO.  Discuss important issues outside of the Curriculum Committee meetings.  It is completely unproductive for the CIO and the Curriculum Chair to be disagreeing with each other during a committee meeting.

Working With Your CIO  This does not mean that you will always agree with your CIO or that they just get their way.  Curriculum is a primary advice issue and belongs to the faculty.  You need to develop a good working relationship with your CIO so that they will understand where you are coming from, when there is room for compromise, and when they will need to defer to the faculty.  The CIO manual can be found at the CIO web site. The CIO manual CIO web site

Maybe you are just getting to know your CIO and still want the latest information quickly without worrying about politics  The Chancellor’s office web site : you can find the CIO news on the left side of the web page and it will look like this: The Chancellor’s office web site

Working With the Articulation Officer  Your Articulation Officer (AO) is an incredible resource of information for you and the curriculum committee.  If they aren’t already a member of your committee, they probably should be.  Role of the AO:  Does your AO give reports at your meetings?  How might you work with the AO to encourage faculty to make changes to their courses to improve your college’s articulation agreements?  Articulation Officer web site Articulation Officer web site

You Can’t Survive Without Your Support Staff: The Curriculum Specialist  Strong support from the staff in your curriculum office is vital.  Curriculum staff have many responsibilities including (but not limited to):  submitting changes to CCCCO;  inputting changes into your student enrollment system;  prepare submissions for the governing board; and  production of your college catalog.  Establish an effective working relationship. How?  The instructions your Curriculum Specialist uses to upload information into state Chancellor’s curriculum inventory. The instructions your Curriculum Specialist uses to upload information into state Chancellor’s curriculum inventory.

The Curriculum Inventory This site is the main place that the Curriculum Specialist will work with but YOU can use it too for the Chancellor’s Data Mart.

What should the Curriculum Chair consider when working with Faculty?

Local Academic Senates  Remember that the Curriculum Committee acts under the authority granted to the academic senate and they need to stay in the loop even if they are not actively reviewing all of the items approved by curriculum.  Whether the Curriculum Chair is a voting member of your local academic senate or not, it is important that the Curriculum Chair attend all senate meetings.  Explain upcoming issues that your local senate needs to be aware of.

Working With Faculty  Faculty tend to only look at their CORs when they are in curriculum review or want to create a new class.  Educate the faculty on effective curriculum practice.  Make yourself available to faculty to answer questions  When regulatory changes happen (like repeatability), you need to sit down with affected faculty and explain what is going on and why.

Technical Review  Establish a strong technical review process for effectiveness.  This committee can deal with looking at some of the things that tend to make CC meetings drag on: grammar, wording, codes, etc.  Chaired by the Curriculum Chair or Vice- chair.  Membership may include Curriculum Committee members.

The Curriculum Chair, the faculty and CTE  Career Technical Education (CTE)  The courses and the programs that should have been reviewed by/approved by:  an advisory board  regional consortium  The programs must include labor market information

The CTE faculty co-ordinator and you – or are you in this role too?  Do either of you attend your local business association curriculum meetings?  Do either of you attend your regional CTE meetings/institutes/leadership?  Do either of you know who your sector and district sector navigators are and what they can do for your faculty?  Doing What Matters web site Doing What Matters web site

Will there be Conflict? Do ducks swim in water?

Managing Conflict  Get comfortable with conflict.  Conflict can be productive or destructive, depending on how it is handled.  Listen first. “Listen” to both the content and emotional component of a message and honor both.  Often these conflicts have little to do with what is being discussed and is really about something else. No matter what this is happening, stay focused on the current issue.

Managing Conflict (2)  Remain impartial and remember that you are representing the faculty of your college not just one area.  You can’t make everyone happy. Work with all parties to try and reach a solution that meets as many interests as possible.  If conflicts happen during a meeting, take back the floor when the discussion gets off topic. Remember that you are in control of the meeting and you need to keep the discussion as civil as possible.

Working with your Deans: they can be your ally!  Dean of Academic Affairs  Dean of CTE  Dean of Non-credit/Not for credit/  A web site where Deans get their training and updates A web site where Deans get their training and updates

Chancellor’s office Who to know:  Curriculum and Instruction:  Jackie Escajeda, Interim Dean of Curriculum and Instruction Jackie Escajeda  Responsible for management, policy development and implementation in the areas of instructional resources and academic standards.  Instructional Programs and Services  LeBaron Woodyard, Dean of Instructional Services and Special Programs LeBaron Woodyard  Responsible for administration of special project funding.

Additional Useful Resources  Curriculum Institute! Curriculum Institute!  get there! and join us!   CCC: Program and Course Approval Handbook  CCC: Distance Education Guidelines  CCC: Guidelines for Title 5 Regulations Section55003 Policies for Prerequisites, Corequisitesand Advisorieson Recommended Preparation   Curriculum FAQ Document Curriculum FAQ Document  Components of a Model Course Outline of Record  Links to other curriculum resources

Be Prepared and have a thick skin and sense of humor (two curriculum chairs walk into a bar…..)  Learn as much as you can about regulations and current issues at the state level.  Adopt the phrase: “Let me get back to you on that.”

Where do I go for help?  : FAQs, links to ASCCC papers and rostrum articles.  : Chancellor’s Office website with many resources.  Join the ASCCC Curriculum listserv.ASCCC Curriculum listserv  Join the Curriculum Chairs Yahoo Group. If you are not a member of this informal group ask another member to ask to have your name added to the group (it’s easy and quickly done).  Contact the current (or a former) ASCCC Curriculum Chair.  Past curriculum chairs at your college or district.

Summing Things Up  Do your best and that is almost always enough.  Gather information for as many sources as you can. The more you know, the better the choices you will make.  If you can’t find an answer, contact others and see if they have one.

Summing Things Up  Always keep your senate president in the loop.  We are all in this together.  Network at institutes and regional workshops so you can draw on the experience of others.  Ask for help from members of your collective.

Questions??  Do you have any other questions?  Presenter Contact Information:  Lori Bennett  Diana Hurlbut –  Eric Shearer –  Tiffany Tran –