SERVING Students: Curriculum, Programs, Student Contacts

Academic Senate for CA Community

Colleges

Leadership Institute

June 2004

Session Description

Professional, rationale, responsible, forthright, honest, committed to students and their community: that describes the community college faculty we know and admire. And how do we as faculty exemplify and nurture these traits in our own leadership? This panel will preview thematic issues to be explored at this institute and suggest strategies they would have us consider.

When “Serving Students,”

• what recipe shall we follow?

First: ResourcesFirst: Resources((setting the tonesetting the tone))

““The Future of the Community The Future of the Community College: A Faculty Perspective” College: A Faculty Perspective” (adopted Fall 1998) begins with a (adopted Fall 1998) begins with a primary ingredient:primary ingredient:

RESPECT for students, for our RESPECT for students, for our disciplines, and for our effective disciplines, and for our effective participation in local decision participation in local decision making.making.

Available at <academicsenate.cc.ca.us>

This Paper acts as an early This Paper acts as an early warning system:warning system: though adopted in 1998, warns us that though adopted in 1998, warns us that

productivity models such as Total Quality productivity models such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Quality Management (TQM) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) will be promoted as a means Improvement (CQI) will be promoted as a means of rendering educational institutions an of rendering educational institutions an extension of the marketplace.extension of the marketplace.

According to the paper, According to the paper,

the aim of TQM is productivity, conceived as the aim of TQM is productivity, conceived as “getting more for less.” Since ‘more is not “getting more for less.” Since ‘more is not necessarily better…the slogan ‘getting more necessarily better…the slogan ‘getting more from less,’ used as a pro forma marker of from less,’ used as a pro forma marker of quality, is oxymoronic.quality, is oxymoronic.

And goes on to say,

that advocates of the managerial techniques of transnational corporations insist:

“The faculty are the primary resistors to the implementation of necessary change. Managers, who understand that the college’s survival is at stake, must overcome this resistance, a task made inordinately onerous by institutions such as tenure and shared governance.”

Proponents of the corporate model will claim

that we should view our students as customers, and, as the saying goes,

“the customer is always right.”

The proponents will also claim that community colleges are threatened by competition from the private sector, and that we need to form partnerships with the private sector.

So let’s set the record So let’s set the record straight:straight:

While college superintendents and While college superintendents and presidents have replaced their time-presidents have replaced their time-honored academic titles with more honored academic titles with more trendy corporado titles, such as Chief trendy corporado titles, such as Chief Executive Officer, and attempted to Executive Officer, and attempted to define teaching as a business, we define teaching as a business, we faculty continue to insist that the faculty continue to insist that the ones we serve are our ones we serve are our ““STUDENTSSTUDENTS.”.”

“We faculty proudly support the ideal that “community colleges should offer the sort of instruction that is maximally productive of humane values and which contributes toward students becoming informed, compassionate and productive members of their communities. The faculty believe, with many before them, that democracy requires an educated citizenry, literate people who are capable of making informed choices, and that the development of such citizens should be the primary task of a ‘democratic’ educational system.”

“In the final analysis, human beings are defined by what they care about, and to the extent that one’s focus is exclusively economic, one’s life is unduly truncated.”

And an essential ingredient is our And an essential ingredient is our 10+1:10+1:

1.   Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites. 1.   Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites.   2.   Degree and certificate requirements. 2.   Degree and certificate requirements.   3.   Grading policies. 3.   Grading policies.   4.   Educational program development. 4.   Educational program development.   5.   Standards or policies regarding student preparation and 5.   Standards or policies regarding student preparation and

success. success.   6.   College governance structures, as related to faculty roles. 6.   College governance structures, as related to faculty roles.   7.   Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation 7.   Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation

processes. processes. 8.   Policies for faculty professional development activities. 8.   Policies for faculty professional development activities.   9.   Processes for program review. 9.   Processes for program review.   10.  Processes for institutional planning and budget development.10.  Processes for institutional planning and budget development.   11.  Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed 11.  Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed

upon.upon.

So, when SERVING students,

Begin with respect for students Add self-respect for our profession Mix in subject area knowledge Stir in appreciation of matters academic

and professional And blend in a vigilant determination to

safeguard our students and our profession from occupying forces

Three areas where we Three areas where we serve students:serve students:

► ► CurriculumCurriculum

☺ ☺ ProgramsPrograms

☼ ☼ Student ContactStudent Contact

CURRICULUMCURRICULUM

Again, begin with resources: The Academic Again, begin with resources: The Academic Senate has 41 adopted papers under the Senate has 41 adopted papers under the heading of “Curriculum” at its website. The vast heading of “Curriculum” at its website. The vast majority have been written and published within majority have been written and published within the last decade and cover everything from the last decade and cover everything from governance authority to program review, governance authority to program review, distance learning, Intersegmental General distance learning, Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), course Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), course outlines, and the placement of courses within outlines, and the placement of courses within disciplines. disciplines.

The Curriculum The Curriculum InstituteInstitute

The Academic Senate also hosts the The Academic Senate also hosts the Curriculum Institute each summer. Our Curriculum Institute each summer. Our outgoing curriculum chair, Jane Patton, outgoing curriculum chair, Jane Patton, has been hard at work preparing this has been hard at work preparing this year’s institute which will take place at the year’s institute which will take place at the Hayes Mansion Conference CenterHayes Mansion Conference Center, , San Jose, CA July 15-17, 2004San Jose, CA July 15-17, 2004. .

How does “Curriculum” relate to How does “Curriculum” relate to “Serving Students”?“Serving Students”?

Academic Senate paper, “The Curriculum Academic Senate paper, “The Curriculum Committee: Role, Structure, Duties, and Standards Committee: Role, Structure, Duties, and Standards of Good Practice,” adopted Fall 1996 states:of Good Practice,” adopted Fall 1996 states:

“ “The main function of the curriculum committee is The main function of the curriculum committee is that of primary responsibility for the development, that of primary responsibility for the development, review, renewal, and recommendation of curriculum to review, renewal, and recommendation of curriculum to be approved by the Board of Trustees.”be approved by the Board of Trustees.”

The Education Code The Education Code and Title 5 specify the following:and Title 5 specify the following:

1.1. The academic senate has primary responsibility The academic senate has primary responsibility for making recommendations in the area of curriculum for making recommendations in the area of curriculum and academic standards [Ed. Code '70902(b)(7)]. This and academic standards [Ed. Code '70902(b)(7)]. This right is protected as a minimum standard set by the right is protected as a minimum standard set by the Board of Governors [Ed. Code '70901(b)(1)(E)].Board of Governors [Ed. Code '70901(b)(1)(E)].

2.2. The local governing board has the responsibility to The local governing board has the responsibility to establish policies for and approve courses of instruction establish policies for and approve courses of instruction and educational programs [Ed. Code '70902(b)(2)].and educational programs [Ed. Code '70902(b)(2)].

3.3. Title 5 Title 5 §§55002(a)(1) requires that the curriculum 55002(a)(1) requires that the curriculum committee contain faculty. committee contain faculty.

Student Learning Outcomes

• And because the new accreditation standards call for SLOs, local senates and curriculum committees must work together to make certain that outcomes serve instruction and avoid becoming a matter of subservient compliance to external authority.

How to Use SLOs How to Use SLOs Responsibly:Responsibly:

Keep the needs of the student and Keep the needs of the student and the integrity of the disciplines at the the integrity of the disciplines at the center of all planning.center of all planning.

Take it SLOw. The Commission has Take it SLOw. The Commission has said that it will take years to said that it will take years to establish a viable “climate of establish a viable “climate of evidence.” evidence.”

Programs:Programs:

A “program” is defined by Title 5 as A “program” is defined by Title 5 as follows: follows:

““An educational program is an An educational program is an organized sequence of courses organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another license, or transfer to another institution of higher education.”institution of higher education.”

In Practice,In Practice,

the Chancellor’s office only approves the Chancellor’s office only approves certificates and degrees that community certificates and degrees that community colleges wish to award to students. colleges wish to award to students. Recommended patterns of coursework for Recommended patterns of coursework for transferring, or achieving any other objective, transferring, or achieving any other objective, are not subject to Chancellor’s office are not subject to Chancellor’s office approval. Such patterns, although they may approval. Such patterns, although they may be locally referred to as “programs,’ are not be locally referred to as “programs,’ are not entered into the Chancellor’s office Inventory entered into the Chancellor’s office Inventory of Approved and Projected Programs.of Approved and Projected Programs.

Programs that must be Programs that must be submitted to the submitted to the

Chancellor’s Office:Chancellor’s Office: DegreesDegrees

All associate degrees and associate degree All associate degrees and associate degree majors that may appear by name on a student majors that may appear by name on a student transcript or diplomatranscript or diploma

CertificatesCertificates All certificates that may appear by name on a All certificates that may appear by name on a

student transcript, diploma, or completion student transcript, diploma, or completion award of any sort, and which require 18 or award of any sort, and which require 18 or more semester units or 27 or more quarter more semester units or 27 or more quarter units of coursework, require Chancellor’s Office units of coursework, require Chancellor’s Office approval. Each certificate that may be approval. Each certificate that may be separately approved on the transcript or separately approved on the transcript or student award requires separate approval.student award requires separate approval.

Substantial modificationsSubstantial modifications Pursuant to Title 5, Section 55130, a Pursuant to Title 5, Section 55130, a

program that has been approved by the program that has been approved by the Chancellor’s Office must be submitted Chancellor’s Office must be submitted for re-approval if it is “modified in any for re-approval if it is “modified in any substantial way.” This would include substantial way.” This would include substantive changes in goals and substantive changes in goals and objective, if job categories change objective, if job categories change substantially, or if baccalaureate majors substantially, or if baccalaureate majors for transfer change.for transfer change.

Options:Options: New options, emphases, concentrations, New options, emphases, concentrations,

specializations, strands, tracks and so specializations, strands, tracks and so forth also require Chancellor’s Office forth also require Chancellor’s Office review before they are offered, if they review before they are offered, if they are intended to appear by name on are intended to appear by name on student transcripts, diplomas, or student transcripts, diplomas, or awards. This is true for both awards. This is true for both occupational and transfer programsoccupational and transfer programs

Submission of a New Program Submission of a New Program ApplicationApplication

requires the signature of both the requires the signature of both the curriculum committee chair and the curriculum committee chair and the academic senate president.academic senate president.

Are Courses and Programs Mission Are Courses and Programs Mission Appropriate?Appropriate?

A program or course must be directed at the A program or course must be directed at the appropriate level for the community college (it appropriate level for the community college (it must not be directed at a level beyond the must not be directed at a level beyond the associate degree or the first two years of associate degree or the first two years of college, or the primary or secondary school college, or the primary or secondary school level)level)

A program or course must address a valid A program or course must address a valid transfer, occupational, or basic skills purpose. It transfer, occupational, or basic skills purpose. It must not be primarily avocational or recreationalmust not be primarily avocational or recreational

A course must provide distinct instructional A course must provide distinct instructional content and specific instructional objectives.content and specific instructional objectives.

And Student Contact:And Student Contact: Again, RESPECT for studentsAgain, RESPECT for students Among the recommendations with which this paper Among the recommendations with which this paper

concludes is that local senates “ensure that the concludes is that local senates “ensure that the local Curriculum Committee performs a separate local Curriculum Committee performs a separate review of courses offered by distance education, as review of courses offered by distance education, as required by Title 5 §55378.” Within these required by Title 5 §55378.” Within these recommendations, student access is addressed in recommendations, student access is addressed in a variety of ways: separate review of instructor-a variety of ways: separate review of instructor-student contact, methods, effectiveness, student contact, methods, effectiveness, frequency, availability of technical support for frequency, availability of technical support for faculty and students, access for students with faculty and students, access for students with disabilities, and adequate support services by disabilities, and adequate support services by consulting with counseling and library faculty.consulting with counseling and library faculty.

So,

Student contacts, whether they entail office hours, counseling and library services, curriculum oversight, or our collective effort to insure access to community colleges for all who wish to attend our courses and programs, we, the faculty, must take the lead.

How could it be otherwise, if we respect our students and our profession?

During these next few days, During these next few days,

our list of ingredients will our list of ingredients will grow:grow: Hiring of faculty Hiring of faculty

Placing courses within disciplinesPlacing courses within disciplines Working with local boardsWorking with local boards BudgetsBudgets EthicsEthics DiversityDiversity TechnologyTechnology ResourcesResources And so much more . . .And so much more . . .

But RememberBut Remember

Our profession is comprised of Our profession is comprised of many ingredients that can rise many ingredients that can rise together. Mostly, our recipe together. Mostly, our recipe should be a commitment to a should be a commitment to a comprehensive curriculum and a comprehensive curriculum and a passion for the success of every passion for the success of every individual student. individual student.