The current mission statement
of the Academic Senate as adopted by the delegates
in Spring 2005 is:
The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges fosters the effective participation
by community college faculty in all statewide
and local academic and professional matters;
develops, promotes, and acts upon policies
responding to statewide concerns; and serves
as the official
voice of the faculty of California Community
Colleges in academic and professional matters.
The Academic Senate strengthens and supports
the local senates of all California community
colleges.
Responsibilities
of the Executive Committee Members
YEARLY
CALENDAR OF DUTIES At the beginning of the year, Executive Committee members will be given a tentative calendar
of yearly Executive Committee responsibilities, targeting approximate due dates for submission
of agenda items, session breakout information, institute plans, etc. Committee Chairs will be
charged with compiling a similar calendar for their committee binder to acquaint committee
members and subsequent chairs with the cycle of responsibilities and duties they will encounter,
and the meetings they will need to schedule. These calendars will help members anticipate
demands on their time and will enable the field to know more about our on-going work.
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES Executive Committee members accept responsibilities as
summarized below.
Attend Executive Committee Meetings
These meetings are generally held immediately
before the spring and fall sessions and
Friday evening during session and 8-10
additional times during the year. The meetings
usually run from
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, followed
by an 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. meeting on
Saturday. The Academic Senate Office makes
meeting arrangements. The Senate Office
will also reserve a sleeping
room for Executive Committee members, if
necessary. Executive Committee members
within ½ hour
drive from the meeting are expected to sleep
at their homes. The Academic Senate reimburses
expenses per the approved Senate policy.
According to Academic Senate Rules, Section
II.A., Failure to attend either two
successive meetings or six days total of Executive
Committee meetings per year shall be deemed
a resignation.
Preparing the Executive Committee Agendas
The President has the final approval of items included on the Executive Committee agenda.
Members who chair Academic Senate committees or are liaison representatives to committees,
task forces, or commissions, are expected to send either for purposes of discussion or action
agenda items to advise the Executive Committee of proposed action or resolutions; or they
may submit written reports on the work of those groups or minutes of meetings as information
items. A template for agenda items appears in Appendix A; this form must be submitted
electronically, along with any back-up materials, by the calendared due date to allow members
to review them prior to the Executive Committee meeting.
If the Executive Committee is required to take action on an item, it should be noted on the
form. Each action item should have two readings, particularly papers to be forwarded to the delegates
for adoption. If there is an occasion when an item is urgent, the Rules of the day can be suspended
and the item can have action. However, desired practice is for the item to have two readings
to allow members time to discuss and research issues if necessary.
Preceding the meeting, then, members receive extensive agenda materials (perhaps 200-400 pages),
which must be read and analyzed for discussion and/or action at the meetings. If timing does
not permit prompt submission of printed or electronic materials, Executive Committee members should
bring 25 copies of the materials for distribution. Include your name as source, date, title, and
purpose in upper right-hand corner of all documents to be distributed to the Executive Committee.
Preparing for Executive Committee Meetings
Prior to each meeting, committee members
are expected to prepare their comments
in writing on issues presented in the meeting
packet. To the extent possible and as time
permits,
substantive suggestions should be communicated
in advance of the meeting to the chair
or author of the document to be reviewed.
Debate on issues brought before the committee
should at
all times be professional and courteous.
Position papers developed by the committee
are the group's work as a whole, not a
personal contribution by an individual,
and so authors are cautioned
to take criticism at its value to im¬prove
the paper, not as personal attacks.
Participating in Executive Committee Meetings
Committee chairs, liaisons, and others with assigned responsibilities should prepare clear, timely
reports, including written drafts of resolutions when appropriate. Members should read the packet
and other material carefully. Those with expertise have a particular responsibility to stay
on top of issues in their areas. However, all Executive Committee members have an obligation
to educate themselves on all issues, communicate with the field, and provide clear, written
input to those responsible for carrying the issue forward. To the extent that materials
are prepared and distributed in advance of meetings, such input should be communicated
beforehand. Members should attend each meeting on time, notifying the President when emergencies
necessitate delays or absences. During the meeting, each member should facilitate the
discussion and assist the chair in reaching closure.
Facilitating the Executive Committee Meetings:
Ground Rules
A. The following ground rules will prevail at every Executive Committee meeting.
Respect
Mind your manners.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Be respectful of others and their opinions.
Avoid emotional outbursts or personal attacks.
Speaking
Use courteous, non-inflammatory language.
Raise hand to speak and wait until other speaker is finished and you are recognized.
Be professional, courteous, and straightforward.
Speak briefly and to the point.
Avoid repeating points already made by yourself or another speaker.
Enable one person to speak at a time.
Listening
Avoid side conversations.
Avoid interrupting others.
Listen to and encourage different perspectives.
Role responsibilities
Monitor self and others.
Help each other learn.
Remind others to abide by these ground rules.
Make certain that everyone who so desires has expressed an opinion.
Don't play "devil s advocate" without
identifying the comments as such.
Focus
Remember your shared sense of purpose.
Stay on the agenda topic, unless the group agrees to change it.
Keep focused.
Focus on solutions.
Time
Agree on the process and time frames and stick to them.
Honor agreed upon lengths of agenda items and meetings.
Take breaks.
Limit per speaker time as needed when large numbers want to speak.
B. Team building and strengthening of inter-personal relationships are essential to the smooth
functioning of the Executive Committee. Regular activities, such as problem identification
sessions, group dialogues, Friday evening dinners, and facilitatorled workshops, will
be planned to accomplish these goals, and Executive Committee members are expected to participate.
C. Reports, consultation items, action items
and information items should be distributed
in advance (by mail or electronically) rather
than at the meetings.
1.
The deadline for agenda
items to be included
in the mailing will be the Monday of the
week preceding the meeting.
2. Action items require a first reading.
Relevant documentation must accompany
such items. Lack of such timely documentation
will be considered by the chair as grounds
for supporting a "point
of order" to delay the item to a
time (certain) in the agenda sufficient
to allow
members to be adequately prepared.
3.
By a ruling
of the President or vote to suspend the
rules, urgent items can
be added to the agenda and/or acted upon
at
first
reading.
Serving as Liaison
All members serve as liaison representatives
between their area colleges and the Executive
Committee, keeping these colleges informed
regarding State activities and, in turn, reporting
to the Executive Committee on activities and
views of area colleges. Area Representatives,
in particular, plan and chair at least two
area meetings a year; such area meetings often
generate
pre-session resolutions which Executive Committee
members must prepare in proper form and submit
to the Resolutions Committee through the Academic
Senate Office.
Assisting with Fall and Spring Plenary Session
Planning
All members assist with planning fall and spring
sessions and carry out such duties as assigned
during the plenary sessions. Executive Committee
members are asked to chair breakout discussions
and to prepare written material for these breakouts
for mailings and distribution at the sessions.
Executive Committee members are responsible for
arranging (by phone, e-mail, letter, or personal
contact) the participation of various resource
persons at the sessions. During and after the
session, Executive Committee members are expected
to act as hosts for those resource persons they
have invited, greeting them as they arrive, and
sending written thank-you letters following the
session.
Attending Various Advisory, Liaison, and Other
Committee Meetings
All members attend meetings of various advisory
committees, liaison committees, and other groups
as assigned by the President. Following any meetings
of such groups, the Executive Committee member
will submit a written report to the President.
When more than one Executive Committee member
serves on committees, one member should be selected
to prepare the written report. The Executive
Committee member is also expected to advise the
President on action to be taken by the Academic
Senate as a result of advisory or liaison committee
activities. Any documents resulting from
such activities should also be distributed to
the President and placed on the Executive Committee
agenda.
Keeping in Continuous Contact With the President
All members are responsible to the President
and should keep the President informed at all
times of activities, publications, etc.,
particularly if they have an impact on major
policy issues.
Writing Position Papers
Members write position papers, reports, summaries,
statements, and similar documents assigned
by the President and/or Executive Committee,
for publications, conferences, annual reports,
newsletters, testimony, etc. Executive Committee
members are expected to read the position papers
of others with care, making suggestions for
their improvement during drafting stages; electronic
responses may be sent in advance of the meeting,
while written comments on the text may be presented
to the chair or author at the meeting, especially
those of a non-substantive or editorial nature.
Executive Committee members may also be called
upon to contribute to such papers and statements
from committees other than their own.
Serving on Academic Senate Committees
Members serve on Academic Senate committees as
designated by the President.
Chairing Standing Committees
In assuming the position of chair of a committee,
the Executive Committee member has duties such
as arranging for meetings through the Academic
Senate Office, keeping proper account of expenses
including monitoring the expenses of committee
members, notifying members, preparing agenda
materials, and keeping the President and Executive
Committee informed of committee activities,
including distribution of position papers.
Generally the work of the Academic Senate committees
is directed by resolutions adopted at the fall
and spring plenary sessions. Committee chairs
also keep an account of how resolutions directed
to their respective committees have been implemented
and report on their actions in an annual summary.
Performing other duties as assigned by the President
and/or Executive Committee
Beyond the Executive and other committee meetings, the President may assign additional
duties to members, or reassign existing duties, taking care to distribute the workload equitably.
Representing the Academic Senate Honorably
The members of the Executive Committee should
at all times conduct themselves in a manner
befitting their office. As an Executive Committee
member, it is difficult to be seen as "just
an ordinary faculty member." As others
have long said, it is nearly impossible to
remove that Executive Committee member hat.
On the other hand, you may wear your Academic
Senate identification badge with honor when
you represent the Academic Senate in an official
capacity--at sessions and institutes, at various
task force meetings, and at other events sponsored
by members of the system family.
Carrying Out Assigned Duties
With the acceptance of Academic Senate reassigned
time, Executive Committee members assume a
responsibility to devote that amount of time
to their assigned duties. These duties should
be clearly stated at the beginning of the year
in the reassigned time letter. Such duties
include attending all Executive Committee
meetings, Orientation, Faculty Leadership Institute,
and assigned committee and liaison meetings.
Absences should be rare, for good reason, and
reported to the President and/or committee
chair prior to the absence.
Receiving Honoraria
Because Academic Senate duties are part of the
duties compensated by reassigned time, Executive
Committee members should not accept honoraria
for activities related to the Academic Senate.
If compensation is offered to an Executive
Committee member who is serving in the role
of an Academic Senate representative,
such honoraria should be sent to the Academic
Senate to support its work.
Representing Positions of the Academic Senate
Executive Committee members have an obligation
to carry out the instructions of the plenary
sessions when established clearly in resolution
form. Particularly when acting in an official
capacity, Executive Committee members must
represent adopted positions of the Academic
Senate to the best of their ability. When not
in an official Academic Senate capacity,
members may express their opinions as long
as they distinctly separate their views from
those of the Academic Senate.
Positions adopted by the Executive Committee
or its standing or ad hoc committees are not
as yet official positions of the plenary body
and so are open to discussion. Executive Committee
members are obligated to present the positions
of Academic Senate committees as well as their
own when discussing the issue with the public
or other groups.
Being Knowledgeable of Academic Senate Positions
The Executive Committee member is expected
to represent these Academic Senate positions
in
various arenas as assigned, including the Legislature,
System Office, and other State agencies. Positions in
its broadest sense include adopted resolutions,
history, by-laws, rules, and current activities.
Submitting Strategic and Annual Reports
Executive Committee members and others who chair
committees or are liaisons are expected to
prepare a strategic plan in August and an annual
report in May. Both reports use the same form
(see Appendix B) but contain different information
based on submission. Liaisons are required
to submit only an end-of-year report (see Appendix
C).
Strategic Plan: In August, the committee chair
will be provided the prior year annual report.
If no report exists, the Senate Office will
provide the committee chair with the appropriate
information
to begin to draft the committee strategic plan.
Using the prior year status, the committee
chair will update the form by removing all
completed
or tasks found not feasible by the Executive
Committee from the sheet. The chair will then,
working with his/her committee members and
the President, prioritize the tasks based on
what
the committee hopes to accomplish during the
year. If some tasks are unclear, the chair
should try to contact the previous committee
chair for
clarification. The committee strategic plan
will be submitted to the Senate Office in time
for
action by the Executive Committee in September.
The report will only have one reading since
the completed annual report serves as the first
reading.
The Executive Director will review the strategic
plans and work with the committee chair to
ensure the plans are complete. Once the plans
are adopted,
they will be posted on the standing committee
webpage on the Senate website. During the year,
the committee chair will review the strategic
plan to ensure the committee is on task. In
addition, the chair will update the plan with
new resolutions
assigned to the committee after each spring
and fall plenary sessions. The committee chair
will
send an updated version to the Senate Office
for posting on the website.
Annual report: Using the committee strategic
plan approved in September and updated with fall
and spring resolutions, the committee chair will,
in May update the status of tasks assigned to
the committee and make recommendations for future
committee work. A rough draft of the report will
be submitted to the Executive Committee at its
June meeting, with the final report submitted
for final adoption at the August meeting.
The report will highlight accomplishments of
the year, note unfinished work or unaddressed
resolutions, and clarify work in progress on
position papers. For any such papers in progress,
the chair shall review the charge to prepare
the paper so that the incoming Executive Committee
will be familiar with the work yet to be done.
This explanation will aid in the continuity for
transition from one year's committee to the next
and will acknowledge the value of the contributions
of previous committees. During this annual discussion,
the direction of the paper in progress will be
reviewed and refined, if needed, as long as the
intent continues to be in agreement with the
original resolution.
CODE ETHICS (Approved January 14, 2006)
The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges (Academic Senate) code of ethics identifies
a set of values that includes commitment to the
public good, accountability to the public, and
commitment beyond the minimum requirements of
the law. It also outlines broad ethical principles
in the following eight areas: personal and professional
integrity, mission, governance, legal compliance,
responsible stewardship, openness and disclosure,
program evaluation and improvement, and inclusiveness
and diversity.
I. Personal and Professional Integrity
The Academic Senate promotes an environment that values respect, fairness, and integrity.
All staff, Executive Committee members and volunteers
of the organization shall act with honesty,
integrity, and openness in all their dealings
as representatives of the Academic Senate.
Executive Committee members shall adhere
to the Code of Ethics for Executive Committee
members and comply with the Academic Senate s
Conflict of Interest Policy.
II. Mission
The Academic Senate has a clearly stated mission
and purpose approved by the delegates. All
of its programs support that mission and
all who work for or on behalf of the Senate
understand and act in accord with that mission
and purpose. The mission is responsive to
the constituency and communities served by
the Academic Senate and of value to the higher
education community at large.
III. Governance
The Academic Senate has an active governing
body in its Executive Committee that is responsible
for setting the mission and strategic direction
of the Academic Senate and oversight of the
finances, operations, and policies. The Executive
Committee:
Ensures that its members have the requisite
skills and experience to carry out their
duties and that all members understand and
fulfill their governance duties acting for
the benefit of the Academic Senate and its
purpose;
Has a policy that ensures that any conflicts
of interest or the appearance thereof are
avoided or appropriately managed through
disclosure, recusal or other means;
Is responsible for hiring, termination,
and regular review of the performance of
the Executive Director, and ensures that
the compensation of the Executive Director
is reasonable and appropriate;
Ensures that the Academic Senate is fair
and inclusive in all of its hiring, selection,
and promotion policies and practices for
all its Executive Committee members, volunteers,
and staff positions;
Ensures that the Executive Director and
appropriate staff provide the Executive Committee
with timely and comprehensive information
so that it can effectively carry out its duties;
Ensures that the Academic Senate conducts
all transactions and dealings with integrity and honesty;
Ensures that the Academic Senate promotes
working relationships between Executive Committee
members, staff, volunteers, and program beneficiaries
that are based on mutual respect, fairness, and openness;
Ensures that policies of the Academic Senate are in writing, clearly articulated,
and officially adopted;
Ensures that the resources of the Academic
Senate are responsibly and prudently managed; and,
Ensures that the Academic Senate has the capacity to carry out its programs effectively.
IV. Legal Compliance
The Academic Senate is knowledgeable of and complies with all applicable federal and
state laws and regulations.
V. Responsible Fiscal Stewardship
The Academic Senate and its associated programs, projects, and committees manage their funds
responsibly and prudently including the following considerations:
The Academic Senate spends a reasonable
percentage of its annual budget directly
on programs in pursuance of its mission;
The Academic Senate spends an adequate
amount on administrative expenses to ensure
effective accounting systems, internal controls,
competent staff, and other expenditures critical
to professional management;
The Academic Senate compensates staff,
and any others who may receive compensation,
reasonably and appropriately;
The Academic Senate does not accumulate
excessive operating funds;
The Academic Senate ensures that all
spending practices and policies are fair,
reasonable and appropriate to fulfill the
mission of the Academic Senate; and,
The
Academic Senate follows General Accounting
Principles (GAP) and ensures that all financial
reports are factually accurate and complete
in all material respects.
VI. Openness and Disclosure
The Academic Senate provides comprehensive
and timely information to the public, the
media, Member Senates and constituent groups
and is responsive in a timely manner to reasonable
requests for information. All information
about the Academic Senate fully and honestly
reflects the policies and practices of the
organization. Basic informational data about
the organization, such as the Executive Committee
minutes, agendas, Federal Tax Form 990 and
audited financial statements are available
to the public. Informational materials accurately
represent the organization s policies
and practices. All financial, organizational,
and program reports are complete and accurate
in all material respects.
VII. Program Evaluation and Improvement
The Academic Senate is committed to improving
program and organizational effectiveness
through regular reviews of programs and incorporates
lessons learned into future programs. The
Academic Senate is responsive to changes
in academic and
professional matters caused by state or federal
regulations or by the changing needs of its
constituencies.
VIII. Inclusiveness and Diversity
The Academic Senate maintains a policy of promoting
diversity and inclusion and will actively
pursue that policy in a manner that is consistent
with its mission, its Constitution and Bylaws,
with this Code of Ethics, and with a high
degree of professionalism, fairness, and
equality. The Academic Senate takes an active,
meaningful and consistent role in promoting
diversity and inclusion in its hiring and
promotion of staff, retention of volunteers,
committee recruitment and constituencies
served.
IX. Code of Conduct for Executive Committee
Members
The Academic Senate in an effort to provide
clear expectations and appropriate accountability
processes regarding those expectations and
to foster and maintain a professional status
of the faculty volunteers to the Executive
Committee establishes the following code of
conduct for its members. The goal of the code
of conduct is to establish a set of principles
and practices that will set parameters and
provide guidance and direction for board conduct
and decision-making.
Members of the Executive Committee of the
Academic Senate are committed to observing
and promoting the highest standards of ethical
conduct in the performance of their responsibilities
on the Executive Committee. Members pledge
to accept this code as a minimum guideline
for ethical conduct and shall:
A. Accountability
1. Faithfully abide by the Articles
of Incorporation, By-laws, and policies of
Academic Senate.
2. Exercise reasonable care, good faith and
due diligence in Senate affairs.
3. Fully disclose, at the earliest opportunity,
information that may result in a perceived or
actual conflict of interest.
4. Fully disclose, at the earliest opportunity,
any facts that would have significance in decision-making.
5. Remain accountable for prudent fiscal management
to the Academic Senate Member Senates, the Executive
Committee,
and when applicable, to government and
funding bodies.
6. Agree to uphold the official positions taken
by the Academic Senate through resolutions and
position
papers adopted at plenary sessions.
B. Professional Excellence
1. Maintain a professional level of courtesy,
respect, and commitment in all Academic
Senate activities.
2. Strive to uphold those practices and assist
other members of the Executive Committee in upholding
the highest standards of conduct.
3. Strive to perform all responsibilities
as directed in the Executive Committee Policy
manual.
C.Personal Gain/Conflict of Intere
1. Exercise the powers invested for the good
of the Academic Senate rather than for personal
benefit, or that of the local campus
they represent.
2. Respect the requirement to inform the Executive
Committee of any prospective conflict of interest.
Refrain from discussing, voting,
or otherwise exerting influence regarding
decisions to participate or not participate
in transactions that may result in a
personal conflict of interest.
D. Equal Opportunity Ensure the right of all Member Senates to
appropriate and effective services without
discrimination on the basis of geography, political,
religious, socio-economical characteristics
of area represented, gender, sexual orientation,
national origin, race, ethnicity, religion,
age, political affiliation or disability, in
accordance with all applicable legal and regulatory
requirements.
E. Confidential Information
Respect the confidentiality of sensitive information
known due to service on the Executive Committee.
F. Collaboration and Cooperation
1. Respect the diversity of opinions as
expressed or acted upon by the Executive
Committee, committees and Member Senates,
and formally register dissent as appropriate.
2. Promote collaboration, cooperation, and
partnership within the Academic Senate and
among Member Senates.
The Academic Senate Executive Committee will
continue to review and revise this document
as necessary and appropriate.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
POLICY (Approved February 10, 2006)
The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges (the Academic Senate), its officers,
Executive Director, Executive Committee members,
and staff shall avoid any conflict between their
own respective personal, professional, or business
interests and the interests of the Academic Senate,
in any and all actions taken by them on behalf
of the Academic Senate in their respective capacities.
For this purpose, the term "interest" means
any financial, fiduciary, or other interest which
conflicts with the service of the individual
because it (1) could significantly impair the
individual's objectivity or (2) could create
an unfair advantage for any person or organization.
Executive Committee members, when representing
the Academic Senate, will refrain from unduly
advocating on behalf of their own colleges or
districts, whether the situations involved are
concerned with local, regional or statewide issues.
In the event that any officer, director, or
committee member of the Academic Senate shall
have any direct or indirect interest in, or relationship
with, any individual or organization which proposes
to enter into any transaction with the Academic
Senate, including but not limited to transactions
involving:
a. the sale, purchase, lease or rental of any
property or other asset;
b.
employment, or rendition
of services, personal or otherwise;
c.
the award of
any grant, contract, or subcontract;
d.
the investment
or deposit of any funds of the Senate;
Such person shall inform the Executive Committee
of such interest or relationship in a manner
that shall include the name of the individual,
the name of the institutional interest and the
nature of the relationship the person has with
each interest. Such person shall thereafter refrain
from discussing or voting on the particular transaction
in which s/he has an interest, or otherwise attempt
to exert any influence on the Academic Senate
to affect a decision to participate or not participate
in such transaction.
All Executive Committee members are expected
to maintain the highest standards of conduct
and ethical behavior and to adhere to the Executive
Committee Code of Ethics. The President of the
Academic Senate and the Executive Committee will
be prepared to investigate the factual basis
behind any charge or complaint of conduct that
is not in keeping with the Executive Committee
Code of Ethics.
Violations of the Executive Committee s
Code of Ethics policy will be addressed by the
Academic Senate President, who will first discuss
the violation with the Executive Committee member
to reach a resolution. If a resolution is not
achieved and further action is deemed
necessary, the President may appoint an ad hoc
committee to examine the matter and recommend
further course of action to the Executive Committee.
In situations where the violation concerns
the Academic Senate President or Academic Senate
Vice President, the responsibility for investigation
and resolution will pass to the highest ranking
officer of the Academic Senate not considered
part of the compliant.
DIVERSITY POLICY
The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges recognizes the benefits to students,
faculty, and the community college system that
are gained by a variety of personal experiences,
values, and views that derive from individuals
from diverse backgrounds. This diversity includes
but is not limited to race, ethnicity, gender/sex,
sexual orientation, sexual identity and expression
(transsexual/transgender) disability status,
religious and political affiliations, age, cultural
background, socioeconomic status, academic and
vocational disciplines, full- and part-time status,
and the types of colleges that exist throughout
the system. The Executive Committee respects
and is committed to promoting equal opportunity
and inclusion of diverse voices and opinions.
The Executive Committee encourages diverse faculty
to participate in Academic Senate activities
and supports local senates in recruiting and
encouraging diverse faculty to serve on Senate
standing committees.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
President: To act as the official leader and
spokesperson of the organization as its principal
elected officer.
Responsibilities:
Preside over meetings of the Executive
Committee and the general sessions.
Represent the Academic Senate at statewide
meetings.
Communicate regularly with the field.
Work with the Executive Director to carry
out all the resolutions of the plenary body.
Coordinate the work of the Executive Committee
and standing committees.
Ensure that Executive Committee members
are aware of and fulfill their responsibilities.
Call special meetings as needed.
Appoint all committee chairs and faculty
representatives to other Academic Senate
committees and task forces, and to external
advisory committees and task forces.
Serve as an ex officio member of all committees.
Maintain communication between the Executive
Committee and the Executive Director.
Facilitate Executive Committee decision-making.
Maintain a positive working relationship
with the Executive Director.
Work with the Executive Director in preparing
both the Executive Committee agenda and plenary
session agenda.
Work with the Executive Director to provide
new Executive Committee member orientation.
Oversee the search for a new director,
when the need arises.
Coordinate the annual evaluation of the
Executive Director.
Perform all other functions required by
the office of president.
Vice President: To assist the President and
be prepared to perform the duties of the President
in his or her absence in order to maintain continuity
of leadership.
Responsibilities:
Know the organization and the President s
duties.
Work closely as a consultant and advisor
to the President.
Develop rapport and a close working relationship
with the Executive Director and the President.
Perform such functions as the President
assigns to assist in carrying out the purposes
and policies of the Academic Senate.
Secretary: To maintain all Executive Committee
records and ensure their accuracy.
Responsibilities:
Record or supervise the recording of minutes
of all Executive Committee meetings and
plenary sessions, review and edit the minutes,
and
present the minutes to the Executive
Committee or Plenary Session delegates for
approval.
Assist in obtaining information from records
and minutes to help the Executive Committee
in decision-making.
Perform such functions as the President
assigns to assist in carrying out the
purposes and policies of the Academic Senate.
Know the organization and the President s
duties.
Treasurer: To ensure the financial integrity
of the Senate by providing oversight of its financial
activities and verifying the accuracy of all
financial records.
Responsibilities:
Present oral and written financial reports
at plenary sessions and Executive Committee
meetings.
Ensure that the financial policies of
the Academic Senate are being followed.
Ensure development and Executive Committee
review of financial policies and procedures.
Work with the Executive Director to secure
a Certified Public Accountant for the
purpose of auditing the Senate s financial
records.
Work with the Executive Director to review
and submit to Executive Committee full
and accurate financial data.
Chair the Budget Committee, which is responsible
for drawing up the annual budget and
recommending major modifications to the budget.
Perform such functions as the President
assigns to assist in carrying out the
purposes and policies of the Academic Senate.
Know the organization and the President s
duties.
Other Job Descriptions
Senate Standing Committee Chair: To have a clear
understanding of the committee charge and organize
the work of the committee accordingly.
Review the charge of the committee
with the committee members to determine
whether changes should be proposed.
Establish through the Academic Senate
Office a calendar of scheduled meeting days
for the committee.
In Consultation with the President, determine
and prioritize the goals of the committee.
Compile a list of committee responsibilities
and duties to be completed.
Notify committee members of upcoming meetings;
prepare and distribute agenda materials;
and meeting minutes in a timely manner.
Work with the Academic Senate Office to
monitor the committee budget and communicate
to the Office any special requirements
that could
impact the committee budget (such as
overnight stays for long distance).
Submit to the Executive Committee agenda
items developed by the committee for purposes
of
discussion, action, or information.
Keep the President and Executive Committee
informed of all activities and publications
from the committee.
Prepare an annual report highlighting
accomplishments of the year, note unfinished
work or unaddressed
resolutions, and indicate work in
progress on position papers.
Review and provide status of assigned
resolutions.
Work with committee members to propose
and present appropriate breakouts at plenary
session.
Work with other committee chairs as needed
on shared responsibilities.
Submit material describing committee activities
for publication in the Rostrum or
other publications as requested by the President.
Retain and transfer pertinent materials
in the committee binder.
Executive Director: To
serve as the chief executive of the organization
and manage the day-to-day
operation of the Senate. His or her responsibility
is to carry out the policies made by the Executive
Committee and to set objectives for the support
staff to meet the Committee s long-range
goals. Because he or she serves on the front-line
of the organization, the executive director should
be available to provide suggestions and insights
about the organization s needs as they
relate to the work of Executive Committee members.
While the President carries out the will of
the Plenary Body as expressed through the
resolution process, the Executive Director
oversees the
management of the Senate s business
affairs and services.
How selected: By the officers of the organization
and confirmed by the Executive Committee.
Term of position: Contract position, reviewed
at least annually.
Reports to: The President and the Executive Committee.
Evaluated: Annually, usually at the June
meeting.
Responsibilities:
Administrative/Managerial
Oversee all operational and financial
activities of the organization.
With the Treasurer, develop and
present to the Executive Committee
the proposed annual budget.
Develop goals and objectives for
the support staff to advance the strategic
plan set by the Executive Committee.
Develop and maintain the organization's
operating procedures consistent with
the policies set by the Executive Committee
and
with pertinent laws, regulations,
ethical standards, and practices.
Supervise all other organization
staff to include their hiring, evaluation,
and termination.
Research and recommend venues for
plenary sessions, institutes, and other
official meetings of the organization.
Maintain a professional working
relationship with the President.
Relationship to the Executive Committee
Serve as an ex officio, non-voting
member of the Executive, Budget, Standards
and
Practices, Publications, and
Resolutions Committees.
Provide the President and Executive
Committee with adequate information
to help reachsound decisions, carry
out policies and
foster clear communications
between the Executive Committee and
staff while working closely with the
President.
With the President, provide orientation
and training for Executive Committee
members.
Report regularly to the Executive
Committee on progress towards the organization s
goals and objects.
Maintain a positive working relationship
with the President.
Member and External Relations
Provide a positive representation
of the Academic Senate to faculty,
faculty
organizations,
individuals, and the public.
AREA REPRESENTATIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
California community colleges have been divided
into four areas, based upon geographical location.
From two to four Executive Committee members
are assigned to each area. In some years, the
areas may be further sub divided (e.g., LA area
and mid-coastal colleges, in Area C) and each
subdivision is assigned to Executive Committee
members to facilitate contact with local senates.
These areas with assigned Executive Committee
members appear in the Academic Senate Directory
published each fall. The four Academic Senate
areas are also cited in the Academic Senate rules
as "Areas for election purposes." Awards
(the Gerald Hayward Award, for example) often
stipulate for an award recipient from each of
the four Academic Senate areas.
The four Area Representatives are responsible
for providing information to his/her area and
coordinating area meetings.
The following are responsibilities of the Area
Representatives prior to plenary session. Other
Executive Committee members are asked to assist
the area representatives as needed.
Pre Session Area Meetings
The Area Representative will, with assistance
from other Executive Committee members in the
area, carry out the following tasks:
Date:
Area meetings are held typically
two weeks prior to each plenary session.
Dates are determined by the Executive Committee
well in advance of the area meetings.
Location:
The meetings are held at a college and
the Area Representative must work with the
local senate to ensure that a room is available.
Sites for the next area meeting should be
established at the current meeting and emailed
to the Senate Office for publication on the
Senate website.
Food:
The Area Representative should work with
the local senate president to provide lunch.
The Academic Senate will, within reasonable
limits, reimburse Executive Committee members
or colleges for the cost of lunch. Expenses
should be discussed with the Executive Director
prior to committing members or colleges to
expenditures.
Notification:
The Area Representative will notify local
senate presidents via the listserv, and if
necessary by email or phone, of the date
and place of the meeting. Area Representatives
should secure the following items and send
them to the Senate Office for inclusion with
the packet of materials that is mailed to
all local senates with the agenda and Executive
committee resolutions: 1) driving directions
to the college, 2) a campus map and 3) a
parking permit suitable for duplicating.
Agenda:
The agenda is perhaps the most important
part of planning an area meeting, for it
gives focus and direction to the discussion.
The agenda should include topic areas for
resolutions, an update on recent statewide
activities, and a review of resolutions prepared
in advance of the area meetings by the Executive
Committee and other committees of the Academic
Senate, as well as a short orientation about
the plenary session, resolution writing,
and voting processes. See Appendix D for
a Sample Area Meeting Agenda.
Identify a Recorder:
Ideally, the Area Representative should
arrange in advance to have a laptop computer
and perhaps a projector at the meeting. One
of the Executive Committee members not chairing
the meeting or a local delegate should volunteer
to keep minutes and transcribe the resolutions
proposed at the area meeting which are later
distributed to the Executive Director and
to all colleges. The Area Representative
will be responsible for seeing that Area
resolutions and amendments are sent electronically
to the Academic Senate Office, usually within
24 hours of the Area meeting.
Follow-up:
The Area Representative is responsible
for sending a thank you letter to the host
college for making its facilities available.
The Senate Office will assist in the distribution
of the meeting agenda, directions, parking passes
and other materials announcing the Area meetings.
However, it is the responsibility of the Area
Representative to provide the Senate Office with
materials at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
This information will also be posted on the Academic
Senate website.
Plenary Session Area Meetings
During each of the plenary sessions, the Area
Representatives will hold an area meeting.
These area meetings are to discuss recently
introduced resolutions and amendments and other
area related issues. The Area Representative
will chair the meeting.
Other Executive Committee Responsibilities
Executive Committee members may be assigned other
duties relating to local senates in their areas,
such as the following:
A. Write to local senate presidents within
the area to inform them of fall and spring
plenary session dates, area meeting dates,
issues of interest. The Executive Committee
members
may also want to share their business cards
containing email addresses and phone number
with local
senate presidents and urge them to call if
they have questions or concerns. Note: Executive
Committee names, home addresses, home and college
phone
and FAX number and email addresses are
published in the Academic Senate Directory.
B.Follow up with local senates whose officers
or delegates do not attend fall or spring
plenary session or Faculty Leadership Institute.
Executive
Committee members may be asked to report
to the Executive Committee reasons for local
senate
representatives not attending a plenary
session or a pre-session area meeting.
In addition to the duties relating to assigned
area, Executive Committee members may be assigned
duties at specific colleges, some of which may
not be within the members' area, for special
contact purposes.
Strengthening Local Senates
Executive Committee members are asked to do what
they can to strengthen local senates in their
areas. These duties may include such activities
as:
A. Visiting
colleges and attending local
senate meetings as approved by the President;
B. Sending appropriate Academic Senate
publications to meet local needs;
C. Informing local senates of statewide
issues of significance via phone or by listserv;
D. Informing the Academic Senate President
of problems that may require the President's
or Executive Committee's attention; and
E. Reporting area concerns to the
President and Executive Committee.
Working With the Home College/District
Executive Committee members are assigned their
own colleges/districts as part of their area
responsibilities. Members depend a great deal
upon their colleges/districts for support such
as the use of college mail facilities, substitutes,
use of duplication facilities, or for additional
reassigned time. Consequently, it is important
that Executive Committee members keep their
college administrative and senate leaders informed
of Academic Senate activities. Activities might
include the following:
Distributing copies of significant material
on statewide issues;
Requesting a place on the home senate
agenda for reports; and
Meeting occasionally with administrators
to inform them of Academic Senate activities
and to express appreciation for their support.
PLENARY SESSION:
ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Regardless of whether a plenary session is held
in the North or South all members of the Executive
Committee share responsibilities for planning
and carrying out a worthwhile, informative, productive
statewide meeting. The following outlines some
of those responsibilities.
Before Session
At the August and January meetings, Executive
Committee members make suggestions for the
fall or spring session. Usually there is some
general discussion regarding items such as
thematic focus, changes in procedures, possible
speakers, and topics to be covered. At the
next two meetings, the Executive Committee
members plan details such as the format, breakouts,
speakers, and time of events. Usually the Executive
Director will send a tentative program and
a timeline for assignments to be completed.
The Executive Committee will in May or June,
decide when area meetings should be held. This
advanced planning responds to adopted resolutions
asking that the next area meeting dates be announced
in the fall and spring programs, and as early
as possible in plenary session and other mailings
and publications.
Executive Committee members may be asked to
do any or all of the following specific assignments:
Chair breakout discussions
Contact speakers, usually by phone at first,
then confirm by letter or email. The breakout
chair may suggest speakers or may be assigned
to include other knowledgeable individuals.
It is important to confirm the correct spelling
of each individual's name and exact title,
and to identify any AV needs the speaker(s)
may have (see below). Having met the deadline
for confirmation of participants, the chair
will provide the Executive Director with
the name, title, address, and a phone number
or
email for each breakout participant. It is
important that this information is accurate
because it will be included on the roster
and used to make name badges. The breakout
chair
should request a speaker vitae for purposes
of introduction, should give each speaker
a specific time limit for the presentation,
and
should make arrangements for meeting each
speaker and, if necessary, for transportation
to/from
the airport (the latter depends on the eminence
of the speaker). The Academic Senate requires
that breakout presenters officially register
for the conference. The chair is responsible
for contacting the Senate Office to acquire
the appropriate forms. The breakout chair may
want to "host" the speakers at
the meal by introducing them to others seated
at
the table. In times when there are funds
available, the Executive Committee may choose
to reimburse
presenters for their cost of travel. This
request will be noted on the presenter registration
form submitted by the committee chair. However,
presenters are only reimbursed for costs
incurred
the day of their presentation. Other restrictions
may apply, so it is usually best to confirm
proposed arrangements with the Executive
Director PRIOR to extending offers to presenters. As
with committee members, be certain to provide
reimbursement and travel information in writing
and to copy the Executive Director on all related
correspondence.
Note: In an effort to ensure that the Senate
positions are communicated to the presenters
and the attendees, breakouts must be facilitated
by an Executive Committee member. If you are
unable to facilitate one of the breakouts conducted
by your committee, another Executive Committee
member may be asked to facilitate the breakout.
Supply background material for the breakout
topic
In addition to new presentation material, there
may be printed material already available for
background, particularly Academic Senate papers.
Or, a speaker's research, for example, with the
permission of the speaker, could be distributed
either at the breakout, in the packets, or in
a mailing, provided it is not excessively long.
The Senate Office will make copies of breakout
materials. Since the Senate has a reduced rate
for copying, no other copy charges will be reimbursed.
The Executive Director will provide the Executive
Committee with a deadline for copying. Be sure
that material to be duplicated reaches the Academic
Senate Office on time for inclusion in mailings
or packets. Breakout chairs should submit originals
to the office at least two weeks prior to the
plenary session. The Senate Office will make
75 copies of each item and bring them to the
plenary session marked with the name of the breakout
chair. As noted above, no other reimbursements
will be made for copying charges. Extra handouts
should be put on the materials table at the back
of or near the general meeting room.
For preparation of the packets, the Executive
Committee member may be asked to do any of the
following:
Strictly adhere to the timeline for submitting
material to the Academic Senate Office.
That will allow them to duplicate materials
and
include it in the packets or prepare
for individual breakouts. The President has
the final decision
on what is in packets, what is mailed,
or what is disseminated in breakouts.
The Executive Committee member may also
be asked to inform the Events Coordinator
of the
need for special equipment such as:
overhead projector, tape recorder, easel,
or LED/projection
panel.
Executive Committee members are expected to
attend Area meetings in their area before each
plenary session to help delegates and presidents
understand the issues, to discuss breakout topics,
explain the mailed material, and generally encourage
attendance at the session. In addition, Executive
Committee members will be asked to call senate
presidents not at the Area meetings to help them
prepare for the plenary session and to assure
that they will attend.
Breakout Guidelines
Focus
Have a clear focus when selecting the breakout
topic. To the extent possible, the breakout
should be related to the theme of the session,
if there is one, and should be narrow enough
for a one to two hour discussion, but not so
narrow as to appeal to only a handful of participants.
Presenter Selection
Limit the breakout to three to five presenters
and limit the presentations so that there is
time for participants to ask questions and
discuss important issues.
In selecting speakers, consider the relative
expertise of people and strive to balance the
panel so that highly experienced individuals
are paired with other highly experienced people.
Also, be careful to consult with local senate
presidents when a speaker represents a local
senate to ensure that the local president is
comfortable with that speaker.
If funds are available and included in the Senate
budget, the Senate will reimburse the costs for
speakers to participate in breakout sessions.
However, the cost will only cover the day of
the event and shall be noted on the presenter
registration form noted above.
Keep in mind that the chair of the breakout
should know almost as much as the most knowledgeable
speaker, since it does occasionally happen that
a valued presenter will have a sudden schedule
change and not be able to attend. It is then
the breakout chair's task to fill in for that
speaker.
In selecting breakout participants, also keep
in mind our desire to reflect the diversity of
California Community Colleges--in their size,
their geographic distribution, and their varieties
of people and views.
Consider also the overall balance of breakouts
offered at a given time and be sure that speakers
for one breakout do not outweigh all other breakouts
scheduled at the same time, thereby jeopardizing
attendance at the other breakouts. Breakouts
are not evaluated in terms of popularity or size
of attendance, but rather in terms of the value
of information presented.
Keep in mind, too, that Executive Committee
members' time is limited and should not be over
extended, that community college participants
must pay registration fees and travel expenses,
and that registration fee waivers are only granted
at the invitation of the president or to organizations
with whom we have a reciprocal relationship.1
Finally, remember Academic Senate sessions are
legislative not just information meetings. Keep
in mind what possible Academic Senate policy
or positions this breakout addresses and what
resolutions they might give rise to.
Speaker Notification
Begin early with the process of calling and writing
to prospective presenters. In the preparation
for the first call or letter, have the following
details ready:
When the presentation is tentatively
scheduled (day and time);
Where the plenary session is located (city
and hotel);
What the presentation topic and plenary
session theme are;
How long the presenter should plan to
speak; and
What AV equipment or duplication needs
the presenter might have.
All of this information must be submitted to
the presenter in written form (letter or email)
as confirmation of agreement to participate.
It is wise to repeat the information in a follow
up letter about three weeks before the session,
reminding the presenter of deadlines for submission
of handouts or other materials that must be reviewed
or duplicated.
Also consider asking presenters for their estimated
arrival times and ask if they need assistance
in preparing for the session. As soon as presenters
are confirmed, notify the Academic Senate Office
so that names can be built into the program.
Be careful to spell names correctly and inquire
as to the presenter's appropriate title.
Executive Committee Approval
The Executive Committee approves breakout topics,
collectively assigns breakouts to Executive Committee
members or others as appropriate. Thus, the breakout
titles and potential presenters' names should be
ready in time for approval at the Executive Committee
meeting a month before the plenary session. The
committee chair should seek approval of the President
or Executive Director when presenters other than
the committee members are used to make breakout
presentations. The program must be printed in time
to be included in the packets, and that means that
breakout information must be received well in advance
of the printing deadline.
Handouts
Collect at least one copy of every handout distributed
at the breakout and send it to the Academic
Senate Office for inclusion in the archives.
The Academic Senate often receives requests
for specific documents distributed at breakout
meetings, so it is important that copies be
kept on file. These copies should be on white
paper for easy duplication, and they should
include the plenary session date, breakout
title, and name of the breakout chair in the
upper right comer. Whenever
possible, chairs should request electronic copies
of handouts and PowerPoint presentations for
potential posting on the Academic Senate website
or sharing with others.
Information Gathering
To make the most of presentations and discussions,
the chairs should arrange for a note-taker,
if possible. These "minutes" will
prove useful later when the committee reports
in a Rostrum article, or continues its work
on papers or position statements.
Effective Breakout Sessions
Sessions that begin and end on time, that balance
the presentations of all (so that no one speaker
or delegate dominates the session), and that
permit participants to ask questions, are rated
as more successful. Remember to distribute
the evaluation sheets a few minutes before
the session is scheduled to end and encourage
all to complete that evaluation form. The Academic
Senate Office personnel will collect the forms
and replenish the evaluation forms for the
next session.
1.Organizations who give reciprocal courtesy
to the Academic Senate, for example, the AAUP
or the Community College Association or California
Federation of Teachers, would send a representative.
Other Responsibilities at the Session
Executive Committee members may also be asked
to chair resolution and amendment writing sessions
and should have copies of resolution and amendment
forms (usually contained in the session packets).
All resolutions should be entered on a laptop,
if possible, and the disk (or forms) turned
into the onsite Senate Office by the deadline
as stated in the program. Committee members
should work with the resolution makers to ensure
that each resolution is coherently written
and follows resolution guidelines as outlined
in the Resolution Procedures document included
in every plenary session packet.
Executive Committee members are also expected
to attend Executive Committee meetings as scheduled
at each plenary session. Typically, those meetings
occur on the day prior to session, and on the
Thursday and Friday evenings following submission
of resolutions.
Executive Committee members may be asked to
volunteer for any of the following:
Help host plenary session receptions.
Post signs when meeting locations are moved.
Give directions to the registration desk,
meeting rooms.
Distribute material such as the Treasurer's
report at the plenary sessions.
Welcome new delegates, answer questions
and help make them feel welcome.
Help presenters find meeting rooms, registration
area, their discussion leaders, lunch or
dinner.
Encourage completion of turn-around surveys.
Participate in Executive Committee breakouts informal
conversation between participants and Executive
Committee members not assigned to a breakout
at that hour. Host presenters at meals or
receptions.
Encourage submission of Application/Nomination
to Serve Forms.
Evaluate the breakouts and session, including
speakers, hotel arrangements and General
Sessions.
After Session
Executive Committee members are expected to do the following:
Fill out the evaluation form provided
at the session.
Contribute to the discussion of the plenary
session at the Executive Committee meetings.
Note what to do differently in planning
for future sessions and include it in
your committee binder.
Write letters of thanks to breakout presenters.
Plan for future sessions.
Write an article for the Rostrum, highlighting
the findings and remarks of session presenters,
or identifying new issues to be considered.
Post-Plenary Session Follow Up
As noted earlier, breakout session chairs should
send a thank you letter to each presenter within
three weeks of the close of the last general
session. These letters should be separately
written and individualized. Copies should be
sent to the presenter's college president (if
appropriate) and to the Academic Senate Office
for the files.
DEVELOPMENT OF
A POSITION PAPER
Position papers may originate in Academic Senate
committees as a result of a resolution from
a plenary session. Those initiated by a resolution
passed by a plenary session calling for an
Academic Senate position on a particular subject
will follow these steps.
1. The Executive Committee shall review the
resolution for feasibility. On rare occasions,
if the call for a paper is deemed not
feasible, the Executive Committee shall report
its decision and rationale to the next plenary
session through its Resolution Status Report,
a document that offers follow-up on resolutions
passed at the previous plenary session and
on any
resolutions still unresolved from previous
sessions. If deemed feasible, the Executive Committee
shall assign the position paper either
to a standing
committee or to an ad hoc committee.
2. As part of the review of the resolution
calling for the position paper, the Executive
Committee shall normally communicate to the
committee assigned to write the paper the direction
which
the position paper shall take; the Executive
Committee may also suspend such direction, pending
the
findings of needed study, research, or surveys.
After appropriate study and deliberation, the
assigned committee shall communicate to
the Executive Committee the proposed outline
for the paper with any significant background
information. During a full, substantive review
at an Executive Committee meeting, Executive
Committee members will return the outline or
paper with their comments. Input from the field
on draft position papers may also be sought.
Drafts require at least two readings before
approval by the Executive Committee. Ideally,
all drafts will be received in time to be submitted
through the normal agenda process. However, any
drafts emailed to members must be received at
least three days before the meeting.
At its first reading, a position paper shall
be reviewed in detail by the Executive Committee.
Three actions are likely at the first-reading
stage: (1) A vote will determine if the paper
is ready to advance for a second reading.
(2) If the suggested changes are substantive
enough, the paper shall be returned to the committee
for additional revision and then resubmitted
to the Executive Committee for further review.
Only when determined by vote of approval will
a paper be advanced to a second reading, its
consideration by the field and proposal for adoption.
(3) The general direction or findings of a paper
may call for radical revision, necessitating
a delay in its progress. At its second reading,
a position paper shall be reviewed only for minor
technical changes. Approval by majority
vote is required to advance the paper for adoption
at the next plenary session.
Position papers or their outlines that have
yet to be approved by the Executive Committee
may be presented to plenary sessions for discussion
only, not adoption. Such papers are to be
marked "Draft For Discussion Only; Not an
Official Position Paper of the Academic Senate" and
shall bear the name of the writing committee,
the committee s chair, and contributors
to the draft.
Position papers that have been approved by
the Executive Committee must be included in a
mailing
for the plenary session at which they will be
considered for adoption. The vote of approval
by the Executive Committee constitutes a resolution
for adoption of the position paper by the plenary
body. Papers will be considered the position
of the Academic Senate only when adopted by a
plenary body. These papers are marked for
adoption &
Academic Senate
Committees
THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEES
Where
do the duties and responsibilities of Academic
Senate committees originate?
Fall and spring plenary session resolutions,
which are assigned by the President to
a specific committee, group, or individuals
responsible
for providing a response with approval
of the Executive Committee.
Directive of the Executive Committee.
Directive of the President.
Decision of the committee, subject to
approval of the Executive Committee.
Breakout presentations at fall and spring
plenary sessions.
How should a committee proceed
with its work?
All projects should have prior approval
of the President and the Executive Committee.
Activities that require extraordinary funding
(over $200), including extensive mailing and
printing, must have prior approval of the President.
The committee, under the leadership of
the chair, should, at its first meeting,
adopt
its strategic plan for the year. (See also "Duties
of the Committee Chair" below.)
How are
committee members chosen?
Committee members may be recommended by
their local senate, the committee chair,
the President or members of the Executive
Committee.
In addition, individuals may indicate
their desire to serve on an Academic Senate
committee.
The Selection Process is described in
detail below. (See also Appendix E: Application/Nomination
to Serve on a Senate/State Committee
Form.)The
President, in consultation with the committee
chairs, will make recommendations on
committee membership to the Executive Committee,
which
approves committee membership at its
August meeting.
In selecting committee members, the chairs
should observe adopted guidelines urging
consideration of diversity, geographical
location, and college size.
Committees generally have 3 6 members
including the chair. If a chair requests
more members,
the President may approve or deny the request.
As a general rule, no more than half
the members of a committee should
be Executive Committee members. Also, an
Executive
Committee
member should not expect to serve
on more than one or two Academic Senate committees.
The President will endeavor to distribute
committee memberships among as
broad a constituency as possible. Members
from the field serve one-year terms
and no more than two
consecutive terms on a given committee,
unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Members should not promise acceptance
to potential committee members but inform
them that committee appointments are contingent
on approval of the Executive Committee.
The following description of the appointment
process appears in plenary session packets, on
our website, and within each committee chair's
binder. All chairs should be aware of the duties
and obligations this document obliges them to
fulfill.
SENATE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT
PROCESS
The
Academic Senate continuously collects Nominations to Serve/Application
Forms at Senate events such as plenary
session and institutes. Additionally, a letter
is mailed in May that asks local senates to nominate
faculty to serve on a variety of committees for
the upcoming year. The Senate Office acknowledges
the receipt of the nomination form with a confirmation
letter. This letter provides nominees with information
about the appointment process as well as the
timeline for appointments.
Standing Committee
In June, committee chairs review the list of
interested faculty and select members based
on criteria below. The committee chair may
also search the Senate directory or solicit
the local senate presidents for additional
nominations.
Previous senate assignments (performance,
frequency or recency of service)
Location (If the committee is not one
that requires geographical equity, the chair
may select members with an eye to
minimizing
travel expenses)
The committee chair will contact the selected
faculty to confirm their willingness to serve.
In August, the committee chair will present recommended
members to the Executive Committee for approval
since all appointments are subject to Executive
Committee approval. Following approval of the
recommended committee members, the chairs will
contact those faculty they had previously personally
contacted to indicate the Executive Committee
action. Names of faculty members who are not
selected for a standing committee membership
will be retained throughout the year as other
needs may arise.
Ad Hoc, Special Task Forces, Grant Readers,
or Advisory Groups
Throughout the year, the Academic Senate receives
requests for faculty to participate on a number
of task forces or advisory groups. When such
a request is received, the Senate Office reviews
the list of faculty interested in serving on
Senate committees for faculty that have the
expertise needed on the task force or advisory
committee.
If no faculty on the list have the skills or
expertise needed for the task force or advisory
committee, the Senate Office contacts local
senates for nominations. Names of potential
appointees
are given to the President for approval. Once
the President has selected potential appointees,
the Senate Office contacts the local senate
president to confirm the nominee s appointment.
Then the faculty member is contacted.
Terms
According to Article V, Section 4, appointments
to committees or special assignments shall
be for no more than one year. At the end of
the one-year term, faculty members must resubmit
the Nomination to Serve form if they would
like to serve on the committee again. No faculty
may serve on any one committee for more than
two consecutive one-year appointments, unless
the Executive Committee confirms exigent circumstances.
Adopted May 2004
DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR
How does the chair develop
a work plan for the committee?
The committee chair, in consultation with
the President, should identify specific
goals for the committee, based on assigned
resolutions,
status of work done in previous years,
and emergent needs. Consulting the binder
and the
annual report submitted by the previous
chair offers a good starting place. These
goals will
be submitted for the Executive Committee
agenda with a first reading at the first
Executive
Committee meeting in August and for action
at the second Executive Committee meeting.
Sometimes priorities have to be made,
but the chair should always consult with
the
President as work progresses and
when changes have to
be made.
Committees usually have a first meeting
in August; because the committee
members may not have been confirmed, the
chair needs to
make clear to participating members
the tentative nature of their August participation.
How does the committee chair keep the Executive
Committee and President informed of committee
activities? Where are reports sent?
First, the committee chair should always
send copies (hard copies or electronic
copies) of agendas, reports, and correspondence
to
the Executive Director. These copies contribute
to the Academic Senate's archives and provide
back up for the committee chair.
The committee chair is responsible for
reporting the meeting activities to
the President within 10 days of the meeting.
These reports are
also sent by the committee chair to
the Academic Senate Office for inclusion
in the Executive
Committee agenda and, once approved,
for posting on the Senate website.
Chair is responsible for archiving reports
and other materials in the committee binder.
Issues of immediate concern should be communicated
to the President without delay.
Committees do not report, orally or in
writing, or send their deliberations, to bodies
outside the Academic Senate, unless such reports,
including position papers and other documents,
have been approved by the Executive Committee
or the plenary body.
How are meetings scheduled?
The chair should schedule meetings at
times and places after taking into consideration
the cost factors and members' schedules.
These
meeting dates will be established at the
beginning of the year after consultation
with the committee
members, and will be posted on the Academic
Senate website and should be changed only
under extreme circumstances. The Senate Office
should
be notified of any changes to initial meeting
dates.
To reduce expenditures, the chair should
also consider conducting at least one
meeting each semester using electronic means
(e.g.,
CCCConfer, teleconferencing, etc.). At
each orientation, Executive Committee chairs
will
receive information about the latest
options available to them.
Prior to making any commitments to individuals
or venues, the chair should share with
the Executive Director any concerns
about unusual expenses (cost of hotel room,
cost of food,
etc.). Alternatives may be available.
What are the chair's responsibilities to committee
members?
The committee chair should make sure that
all committee members understand the travel
and expense reimbursement policies of the
Academic Senate, including the need for receipts,
and
the need to send the expense forms to the
Academic Senate Office, and reports to the
President.
The committee chair should ask the Academic
Senate Office to put on the Academic
Senate mailing list committee members who
would
not otherwise receive Academic Senate
material (i.e., those who are not Executive
Committee
members, delegates or presidents, heads
of organization).
The committee chair should distribute
to all committee members a list of fellow
committee members with home as well
as
college phone numbers, email and place
addresses. This list should also be forwarded
to other
Executive Committee members and to
the Academic Senate Office.
Committee chairs send their own agendas, meeting
notices, and meeting minutes to their committees.
While the Executive Director may serve as an
ex officio member, it is NOT the responsibility
of this individual to do this work under usual
circumstances. With permission of the President,
a committee chair may wish to make use of Academic
Senate listservs to send local senate presidents,
curriculum chairs or others time-sensitive information.
Are there suggestions for conducting effective
committee meetings?
The chair should appoint a committee secretary
to keep an accurate record of committee minutes
and decisions.
The chair should involve all committee
members when assigning and distributing
committee tasks and should avoid overburdening
some individuals
and overlooking others. Committee membership
is an opportunity to cultivate statewide
leadership.
The chair should assign committee members
to assume responsibility for writing portions
of position papers in response to resolutions
from the fall and spring plenary sessions,
to draft policies or procedures, to contact
speakers or presenters.
What fiscal responsibilities does the chair
have?
The committee chair has a responsibility
to review and comment on the Academic Senate s
own budget; specifically, the chair must be
familiar with the allocations provided to that
committee, to monitor those committee s
expenditures, and to review them when reported
cumulatively over the year by the Treasurer.
More immediately, the committee chair must
promptly submit draft or officially adopted
minutes or reports of the committee; no chair
or committee member can be reimbursed for incurred
expenses without submission of this report.
Committee chairs are responsible for communicating
the Academic Senate expense reimbursement policy
to committee members.
What obligation does the
chair have to next year s committee?
The chair must write an annual report.
Each chair s responsibility is to the
Academic Senate and the faculty it represents,
as well as to the Executive Committee that
carries out the Senate s charges. Thus,
each chair has a responsibility to communicate
clearly with successive committees what has
been accomplished, what has only been partially
addressed, what remains to be completed,
what possibilities lie ahead. The annual
report
contains that information and launches subsequent
chairs.
Prior to each plenary session, chairs
will be asked to submit a Status Report on
resolutions
assigned to their committee. These reports
are submitted to the field to ensure
progress on adopted resolutions.
The chair must maintain and turn in the
binder created for that committee.
This binder minimally
contains: committee minutes, agendas,
goals, membership, papers in progress, resolution
status, and annual reports. This completed
binder will be submitted in May each
year
and will be given at Orientation to
the individual who will serve as chair the
following year.
COMMITTEE EXPECTATIONS
How should a committee chair
prepare for the fall and spring plenary sessions?
The chair should report on the progress
of work being done.
The chair should recommend resolutions,
as appropriate to the work of the committee.
The chair should suggest breakouts and
discussions as appropriate.
The chair should designate a committee
member, if possible, to take notes
for the committee
record or for reporting in a forthcoming
Rostrum article.
The chair should work with committee
members to write a relevant article
for the Rostrum,
explaining some of the issues
to be addressed in forthcoming breakouts
sponsored
by
the committee.
What other reports are expected of the committee
chair?
The chair should distribute minutes and
a report of every meeting to the President
and the Executive Committee. The chair
should also provide regular reports to the
Executive
Committee, detailing work in progress.
The chair should prepare a final report
of committee accomplishments for
the Academic Senate Annual Report for action
at the June
Executive Committee meeting. (See Annual
Reports@
Section of this manual.)
What are the responsibilities of the committee
and its membership?
Committees serve as an advisory group
to the Executive Committee.
Members should work with the chair to
further the work of the committee rather
than pursue
private or unrelated agendas.
Members should make every attempt to attend
all meetings as scheduled.
Members should be honest about the workloads
they can bear, declining membership
if unwilling to assume their fair shares
of the duties
and obligations.
Members should bring to bear their
particular experiences in fulfilling
the assigned
tasks.
SUBCOMMITTEES AND AD HOC COMMITTEES OF THE ACADEMIC
SENATE
Why are there subcommittees
and ad hoc committees of Academic Senate committees?
A project may be too large for a single
committee or have overlapping concerns
with another committee; or, conversely, one
or two
individuals on a committee may assume
the primary responsibility for an assigned
task while other
members attend to other work.
The expertise of someone not on the full
committee may be needed and that individual
may be asked to join committee members
in working on a special project.
Some urgent matters may arise from intersegmental,
Consultation or system advisory
committees requiring immediate attention
of experts
from the field as well as from
Executive Committee members. These tasks
are
usually of shorter duration but might
not be driven by specific resolutions.
What are some subcommittee and ad hoc committee
procedures?
Subcommittees and ad hoc committees report
to their parent committees or to the
committee chair, who then reports to the
full committee,
the Executive Committee, or the President,
as needed.
Expenses for subcommittee and ad hoc committee
work must be approved by the President.
PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR AND USE OF RESEARCH
FUNDS
Research Project Proposals
Committee chairs who have a need for research
assistance, beyond the capabilities and/or
scope of the members of the committee,
should develop
a proposal for funds and submit it to the
Executive Committee. Special projects,
outside of the charge
of a particular committee, may be identified
and proposals may be submitted at the direction
of the President or Executive Committee.
In order for the proposal to be considered
for funds,
it should include the following items:
1. A needs assessment: scope and goals of
the project.
2. The number of hours of assistance needed
(approximate).
3. An itemized budget.
4. The clerical support needed for the research
project.
5. A process for reporting to the committee
chair the progress of the research
project.
6. A rationale for why this research
cannot be carried out by
current committee members.
Criteria for Selection of Proposals
The criteria for selection will be as follows:
1. The request is for a high priority issue
facing the Academic Senate and is in line
with the stated goals of the Academic Senate.
2. The proposal includes all of the items
listed about in this Research Project Proposals section.
3. The rationale for why this work cannot
be done by committee members is clear
and reasonable
and makes sense based on the goals
of the project.
4. The budget is reasonable and makes sense
based on the goals of the project.
5. The process for reporting the progress
of the project is thorough and
allows for regular
updates to the committee chair.
6. The proposal is well written and
organized.
7. The proposal includes a reasonable
time frame and number of hours
needed to complete
the project.
RESARCH REVIEW GUIDELINES
Research studies are generally intended as
a basis for decision making and, therefore,
their
findings and conclusions must be closely
scrutinized. The following rubric is intended
to satisfy
minimal expectations against which research
may be considered. Our goal should be to
provide useful information to decision-makers
(ASCCC
and local senates). According to former Stanford
professor Jim Collins, good research
gives results you don t expect, but great
research gives results you don t like. The
best research will often yield results that
are surprising, even disappointing.
1. Are the study s objectives well
defined? What did the study attempt
to investigate, and why? Studies without
clear purpose lack
focus, and incorporate measures
that lack precision and meaning. Conversely,
a
clear purpose facilitates
efficient and appropriate methodology.
A well-considered methodology frequently
begins with an examination
and written summary of published
scholarly research.
2.Does the study s design attempt
to limit fuzziness? That is does
the study feature strategies to control,
through design or statistical methods, for
extraneous factors that could influence the
outcome variable(s)? The viability of a study
is dependent on the inclusion of relevant
variables and the validity and reliability
of the techniques employed (example: short
course variables and pretest/posttest data).
A study investigating the influence of compressing
course length might use the rate at which
students earn passing grades as the outcome
variable. One would expect the study to use
strategies to isolate potentially influential
variables (e.g., differences in course rigor
or the student s literacy
level) that are not the focus of
the study.
3. Is the study of sufficient size and length
needed to meaningfully address
the objectives? Evidence is more convincing when
studies
gather longitudinal data derived
from a series of studies conducted over a span
of
three
to five semesters, and incorporating
groups of courses. Better-designed studies
seek
to include as many variables as
possible and thereby would hold a study on abbreviated
courses, for example, to the same
precise
standards as traditional course offerings.
4. Is the research design well delineated?
Similarly, are the methods of
gathering data carefully designed? A good research
design is clear and logical so that its
methodology and intent is readily understood
by non-researchers
and those who rely on the study s
findings to make decisions. On
another note, even
the best research design has limitations
beyond the researcher s control.
Good studies often include a section
describing
all known limitations. A survey
instrument, for example, should
be designed so that it
is easily understood by the participant.
Factors may include consistency
among question types, avoidance
of loaded questions
(questions that indicate the surveyor s
desired survey result), and format
that allows easy compilation
and analysis
of data.
5. Are the study s outcome measures
appropriate? The study should explain
the choice of measures and provide supporting
literature or other evidence to
justify this
choice as well as information about
each measure s reliability and validity.
6. Does the study raise any bias flags?
Does the study s funding source have
a hidden (or not so hidden) agenda? Have
any unsubstantiated assumptions been incorporated
into the study s design?
Do the data generated from the
study
justify
the conclusions
that were drawn? Unsubstantiated
assumptions, particularly when
foundational to the
design of a survey or other type
of study, can skew
research and result in poorly founded
decision-making.
7. Where was the study published? Research
articles that appear in
scholarly journals (e.g., Journal of Educational
Psychology) pass through the scrutiny of
peer
reviewers
who verify the study s
quality. It is good to
keep in mind that
studies found
in ERIC, as well as unpublished
studies, may not meet the
rigorous criteria demanded
for publication in scholarly journals.
Thorough guidelines for the above topics, as
well as others regarding the development of surveys,
can be found at the American Statistical Associations
website: http://www.amstat.org/sections/srms/whatsurvey.html
SURVEY
ASSISTANCE PROCESS
When a standing committee, ad hoc committee
or task force of the ASCCC believes that expert
assistance is required to develop, administer,
and analyze a survey, the following process shall
be used.
1. The committee chair seeks approval from the
president to invite the expert/consultant to
meet with the committee to explore the goals
of conducting a survey to complete a task assigned
to the committee.
2. The committee meets with the expert/consultant
to review the resolution or assignment and the
target audience, to consider alternate forms
of surveys and the type of analysis required,
timelines, etc.
3. The expert/consultant provides an estimated
cost of the job to the committee chair.
4. The committee chair completes the Request
for Survey Assistance Form (available from the
Senate Office) and submits a copy to the president
and the executive director.
5. The president, in consultation with the Executive
Director, evaluates the need for expert/consultant
assistance, the cost, the timeline, etc., and
approves or denies the request.
Note: If denied, the committee chair may appeal
the decision to the Executive Committee by following
the appropriate rules and practices for adding
an item to the Executive Committee agenda. The
ruling of the Executive Committee is final.
6. After approval, the committee chair becomes
the direct contact with the expert/consultant.
7. Once a draft survey and plan is approved
by the committee, the committee chair will
submit it to the Executive Committee for input,
including the estimated cost of the entire
survey. After further revision, the survey
is submitted to the Executive Committee for
final approval.
8. All final analyses and raw data are returned
to the committee chair. The committee chair shares
the final results with the Executive Committee
to determine which results, if any, will be published
on the ASCCC web page. The committee uses the
data to develop papers, positions, policies,
practices, etc.
9. The process, costs and results are added
to the office archive.
COMMITTEE CHARGES
Standing Committees
Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes
Committee
The Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes Committee is charged to provide
guidance for faculty in areas related to accreditation, outcomes, assessment
and accountability. The committee will gather effective practices for outcomes
and assessment and empower faculty to create effective self-studies. The committee
will distribute information via the SLO listserv and through institutes, papers
and rostrum articles, regarding faculty roles in accreditation. The committee
will interact with the Commission and other appropriate organizations representing
faculty and their concerns in the Community College System. The committee will
also provide SLO Coordinator training throughout the state. Under the direction
of the President, the chair and/or members of the committee will provide technical
assistance to local college academic senates and the faculty in general who request
assistance with accreditation and SLO issues.
Basic Skills Committee
The Basic Skills Committee reviews policies
and recommends to the Executive Committee
positions
and actions on issues related to meeting
the needs of under-prepared community college
students.
In addition, the Basic Skills Committee
gathers information on best practices in
providing
instruction and support services to under-prepared
students and conveys this information to
the field through breakouts, workshops,
and papers.
Members of the Basic Skills Committee represent
the Academic Senate on such bodies as the
System Office Basic Skills Advisory Committee.
Counseling and Library Faculty Issues Committee
The Counseling and Library Faculty Issues Committee
is responsible for review of policies, procedures,
administrative requirements and general information
regarding counseling and library issues; discussion
of current counseling and library programs;
and consensus development on issues through
study and research. The committee presents
position statements and policy recommendations
to the Academic Senate Executive Committee.
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee is charged to make recommendations
to the Executive Committee on issues related
to the development, review, and implementation
of curriculum both at the college and state
level. By resolution, the committee is charged
to have members representing students, articulation
officers, librarians, and noncredit faculty.
Under the direction of the President, the chair
and/or members of the Curriculum Committee
provide technical assistance to local college
curriculum committees, academic senates, and
the faculty in general.
Educational Policies Committee
The Educational Policies Committee studies educational
issues of concern to the Academic Senate and
is the standing committee that recommends educational
policies to the Executive Committee. The Committee
provides a forum for high-level discussion
and development of Academic Senate Policy,
including its effect on faculty and students.
The discussions include the viewpoint of students,
CIOs and union representatives.
The Educational Policies Committee researches
issues as required, and writes background and/or
position papers where appropriate. The Committee
may pass general recommendations to other Senate
committees, or work with them on more detailed
implementation or technical issues. New or revised
educational policies of the Academic Senate pass
through the Educational Policies Committee. These
may include policies to be implemented either
locally or at the state level, suggested positions
on proposed policies or changes in existing policies,
and responses to assignments given by the President
or Executive Committee.
Equity and Diversity Action Committee (EDAC)
The Equity and Diversity Action Committee (EDAC)
responds to resolutions from the session that
deal with the issues of equity and diversity
in hiring, equal opportunity, and cultural
diversity in the curriculum. The EDAC committee
recommends strategies that promote student
equity and student success, including effective
teaching and student learning styles and fostering
a campus climate conducive to faculty diversity
and student achievement. The Committee advises
the Executive Committee on guidelines, laws
and regulations relating to equal opportunity
and cultural diversity and promotes the integration
of equity and diversity issues in appropriate
ASCCC activities.
Faculty Development Committee
The Faculty Development Committee is responsible
for advising the Executive Committee on developing
papers and processes to promote faculty development.
The Committee provides guidance in the areas
of faculty development, developing innovations
in teaching/learning strategies, and promoting
good teaching/learning practices.
Legislation and Governmental Relations Committee
The Legislative and Governmental Relations Committee
is responsible for providing the President
with background information on all legislation
related to academic and professional matters.
Through research and analysis, and representation
on appropriate advocacy groups, the Committee
will provide the President and the Executive
Committee with recommendations on such legislation.
The Committee is also responsible for providing
legislative alerts to the local senates, identifying
liaison persons to contact legislators, and
providing support to local senates regarding
California's legislative process as it has
bearing on academic and professional matters.
It is the goal of the Committee to provide
the President and the Executive Committee with
the resources to ensure that the Senate is
recognized as the voice of authority with the
Legislature and Governor's Office in the areas
of academic and professional matters.
Occupational Education Committee
The Occupation Education Committee provides
a forum for discussion of current vocational
education issues, develops consensus on those
issues, and recommends policy and positions
to the Executive Committee and the General
session. The Committee develops and implements
strategies to increase the number of occupational
education faculty on their local Senates.
Publications Committee
The Publications Committee is responsible for
soliciting and reviewing contributions for
The Rostrum and The Forum, reviewing and approving
the layout designs for the publications, development
of the publications budget, and reviewing the
publications policies to reflect current needs.
Relations with Local Senates Committee
The Relations with Local Senates Committee serves
to augment the work of the Executive Committee
in its efforts to provide an opportunity to share
information on issues of concern at the local
and state levels. While members of the Relations
with Local Senates Committee should be conversant
with pertinent statutes and strategies for effective
academic senates, their work will be primarily
as liaisons and conduits for information and
requests for assistance.
Research Committee
The charge of the Research Committee is to
enable research support for assigned goals
of the standing
committees, to assess project requests, and
to work with committee chairs to link them
to available
and project-appropriate researchers screened
by the committee. The State Academic Senate s
Research Committee is dedicated to supporting
faculty research efforts in areas such as
accreditation and program review.
Standards and Practices Committee
The Standards & Practices Committee is charged
with reviewing, acting on, and monitoring various
activities as needed and assigned by the President
or the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
The Standards & Practices Committee's activities
include, but are not limited to, conducting
Disciplines List hearings, monitoring compliance
with the
Full Time/Part Time Ratio (75/25 rule), reviewing
the faculty role in accreditation, screening
faculty Board of Governors applications, analyzing
and reviewing suggested changes in Executive
Committee policies and Senate Bylaws and Rules,
and administering designated awards presented
by the Academic Senate. As assigned by the
President or Executive Committee, the committee
chair or
designee will assist local academic senates
with compliance issues associated with state
statutes
and their implementation.
Technology Committee
The Technology Committee is responsible for considering
issues surrounding existing and emerging technologies
and the implications for teaching and learning.
It has additional responsibilities for making
recommendations to the Executive Committee
on such technologies and implications for the
Academic Senate in fulfilling its communication
and representative responsibilities
Operational Committees
Budget Committee
The Budget Committee is responsible for making
recommendations to the Executive Committee
for the annual budget for each subsequent year
and making recommendations on fiscal policies
and procedures.
Elections Committee
The Elections Committee is responsible for the
delegate credential sign-in registration, providing
election information, overseeing the nominations
process, and collecting and tabulating of ballots
at the fall and Spring Session of the Academic
Senate.
Resolutions Committee
The Resolutions Committee charge is to provide
accurate and timely documents of the resolutions
that eventually are adopted at the Senate Sessions.
The process begins with Senate Committees that
submit resolutions to the Executive Committee,
which in turn adopts resolutions for submission
to Area meetings where more resolutions may
be written. A resolution document
is in the packet at the Session and additional
resolutions are developed there and printed at
the Session. A final document for Plenary Session
deliberation is prepared including resolutions
and amendments.
Ad Hoc Committees
Futures' Ad Hoc Committee
The Ad Hoc Future of California Higher
Education Committee is charged with
advising the president and the executive committee
regarding the on-going role of the California
community college system within California
higher education. The committee will review
public policy documents such as the California
Master Plan for Higher Education and AB1725,
resolutions of the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges, and recent public policy
research and position papers in order to foreground
and emphasize those policies and practices
that will best serve all citizens of California
as the California community college system
educates and prepares the citizens of the state
for life in the twenty-first century.
Math and English Implementation Committee
The Math/English Implementation Ad Hoc Committee
will assist faculty in implementing the proposed
increase in the minimum mathematics and English
levels needed to earn the Associates degree.
In addition, the Committee will collect and
disseminate effective practices and activities,
such as teaching strategies, courses, and workshops,
to help students in developmental classes learn
and to overcome math anxiety.
Nominations Committee
The Nominations Committee helps the president
expand the pool of faculty volunteers for Academic
Senate committees and other related statewide
service. This Committee seeks to develop an
ongoing pool of qualified community college
faculty applicants that represents diversity
to include racial/ethnic background, sex, geographical
area, college/district, and discipline.
Membership: Initially chaired by the Academic
Senate vice president and includes in the membership
the Relations for Local Senates Chair, and one
representative from each area (not on the Executive
Committee).
Questions for the newly formed Nominations Committee
to consider:
1. How will the committee
accomplish expanding the pool?
2. Should the committee develop criteria
for faculty participation?
3. Should the committee interview faculty
for required skills (writer, researcher)?
4. Should the committee work with other
committee chairs to identify committee
members that
should develop their skills by serving
on other committees?
5. Should the committee prepare a report
to the president with background
information on
the pool of candidates?
Noncredit Ad Hoc Committee
The Academic Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Noncredit
will serve as a resource to the President and
Executive Committee on issues related to instruction,
counseling, student services, and program development
in noncredit and the role of faculty in noncredit
instruction as related to governance and local
participation in academic and professional
activities.
Textbook Ad Hoc Committee
The Textbook Ad Hoc Committee is charged with bringing forward concepts to address
the issue of high textbook costs for students for the Academic Senate to consider
as possible legislative proposals. The Committee will use its paper Textbook
Issues: Economic Pressures and Academic Values and discussions with the Student
Senate for California Community Colleges as resources in the development of
such proposals.
Transfer and Articulation Ad Hoc Committee
The Articulation and Transfer Ad Hoc Committee
is responsible for the review of intersegmental
issues regarding articulation and/or transfer,
such as IGETC, LDTP, UC Streamlining, and
related legislation. The Committee informs
and makes recommendations to the Academic
Senate Executive Committee and the faculty
regarding intersegmental policies and procedures.
The Committee works closely with the Counseling
and Library Faculty Issues Committee on issues
of concern to both.
ACADEMIC
SENATE FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES EXPENSE
POLICY The expense policy of the Academic
Senate (AS) is designed to recognize the fact
that faculty members serving this organization
are volunteers who receive no direct compensation
for their efforts. Therefore, it is the intent
of AS to reimburse those expenses that members
are mandated to undertake while serving in an
official capacity on behalf the AS. The policies
listed below are intended to provide ease of
use and administration while maintaining prudent
accountability.
I. Reimbursement Procedures
A. All claims for reimbursement
shall be submitted on standard Senate Expense
Reimbursement
Forms.
B. Original receipts or clear
copies of them are required as documentation
of all claimed
expenses of an amount greater than $10.00
in order for them to be reimbursed.
C. Signature of the President
on Senate Expense Reimbursement Form will
constitute
authorization for the Treasurer to
issue a warrant for said amount and will
also serve as the second signature on the
disbursement.
D. It is the responsibility
of the President, in consultation with the
Treasurer, to ascertain
the necessity and reasonableness of the expenses
for which reimbursement is claimed. Claiming
an expense does not guarantee
reimbursement. NO PERSON MAY ENCUMBER
AN EXPENSE ON BEHALF OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE
IN EXCESS OF $200.00 WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL
OF THE PRESIDENT.
E. Members may be reimbursed
for supplies, postage, equipment, hosted functions,
and
other miscellaneous charges necessary for
the completion of official business with
prior approval from the Executive Director.
F. Members may be reimbursed
for business calls. For reimbursement, calls
must be clearly identified on the original
bill or a copy. Further documentation may
be requested
at the discretion of the President.
G. Travel expenses and registration
fees incurred while attending an authorized
conference, convention, or business meeting
within California will be reimbursed.
H. All out-of-state travel
must be pre-approved by the Executive Committee.
I. This is Times New Roman
font. All illustrations in this column use
this font to distinguish
it from the details in left column
J. Reimbursement
requests must be received at the Senate
Office in a timely manner (no more than
120 days following the event, AND no later
than July 15th for all
events occurring after March 1st in the
previous fiscal year, ending June 30th).
Expense forms will be forwarded to the President
for approval within approximately two weeks
of receipt; once
approved, checks will be forwarded to the
Treasurer for signature. Hence, they will
be mailed out within about one week, unless
precluded by a budgetary shortfall. Please note:
Requests MUST be received no more than 120
days after an expense has occurred, AND no
later than July 15th for all events occurring
after March 1st in the previous fiscal year,
which ends June 30th; requests received after
the applicable deadline will NOT be approved
for payment.
K. With the exception of
meetings where
the President or the Executive Director
is present a written report of the meeting
must be submitted by the primary Senate representative
to the meeting before reimbursement for
travel expenses
may be made to anyone for that meeting.
II. Travel
A. A person
is expected to neither gain nor lose money
while traveling on AS business.
B. The Senate s
reimbursement policy is, for air travel
between cities for which
the State of California rate is available,
to reimburse the lesser amount between
the State of California Rate or the itinerary
rate no matter what amount the faculty member
actually
paid, unless there is other prior approval
by the President.
C. Travel will be reimbursed
only upon authorization of the President in
accordance with the following:
1. When personal contact
is the most efficient method of conducting
AS
business.
2. When the most economical method
of transportation is selected. For
airline
travel, individual
effort to obtain YCAL or advance
purchase lower fares is expected.
3. When attendance at a conference
or meeting is limited to persons concerned
with the
topics discussed or the business
to
be transacted.
4. When travel is scheduled to avoid
backtracking and duplicate
travel whenever possible.
5. When appropriate receipts and
reports have been submitted.
D. Committee
members are expected to use economy lots
whenever possible and be aware
that for overnight travel, parking costs
may exceed the cost of door-to-door shuttle
service;
therefore, members might give consideration
to utilizing that service.
E. Travel Expense Limits:
1. Breakfast $8.00
2. Lunch $10.00
3. Dinner $17.00
4. Lodging $85.00
5. Mileage Govt. Rate (Rate as of January
1, 2008
($0.505 per mile))
6. Incidentals $5.00/day (President/Executive
Director
$10.00/day)*
*Executive Committee members only
F. The President may authorize
higher limits in high cost areas.
G. When travel arrangements
require a member to leave home before 6:00
a.m. or return
later than 7:00 p.m., s/he may be reimbursed
for
additional meal expenses.
USE OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE OFFICE'S RESOURCES
Executive Committee members are requested to
consider the following guidelines for use of
the Academic Senate Office:
Office Visits
Executive Committee members should communicate
in advance the dates on which they plan to
be in the Academic Senate Office by notifying
the staff and by securing the approval of the
Academic Senate President, if travel is involved.
Whenever possible, members should try to couple
an office visit with some other visit to Sacramento
to save travel costs. Normal business hours
are 8:00 6:00 M F. Please note that the Senate
Office hours may change. Please check with
Senate staff on operating hours.
Committee Meetings at the Academic Senate Office
When available and convenient, Academic Senate
committee meetings may be hosted at the Academic
Senate Office in Sacramento. These arrangements
must be made well in advance with the Executive
Director to avoid duplicate bookings and to
minimize disruption to the regular work of
the office personnel. Chairs must prepare for
all meetings as they would if this meeting
were held off-site, copying materials in advance
and asking committee members to resist making
requests of the Academic Senate office members.
Material Review and Distribution
Material for statewide distribution should
first be reviewed by the President. If
there is not
time for full Executive Committee review,
send a copy to the Academic Senate Office
for the
President's review, with a note to the
President indicating how many copies are
needed, to whom,
by what date. Much material can be submitted
and sent electronically. Whether you request
postal or electronic delivery, please allow
approximately 3 5 business days for reproduction
and mailing. The Executive Director within
the constraints of the normal office workload
will prioritize all requests. Whenever
possible, Executive Committee members should
have material
sent from the Academic Senate Office, especially
for statewide distribution, since that
facilitates the office process of keeping
a copy for the
files. If reproductions costs are to exceed
$200, the President s approval including
approval of the distribution list and estimated
cost is required.
Paper Duplication
Whenever possible, Executive Committee members
should have duplication work done at the Academic
Senate Office rather than by a commercial print
shop. The Academic Senate saves on the expense
and the Academic Senate Office has a copy of
the item for the Academic Senate files. Material
to be distributed at an Executive Committee
meeting should be sent to the Academic Senate
Office seven (7) working days before the meeting
date so that copies can be included in the
Executive Committee agenda.
Stationery Requests
At the June Executive Committee Meeting, the
President will distribute a form to members
who desire business cards.
Meeting Room Arrangements
All meeting room arrangements are made through
the Academic Senate office. Executive Committee
members need to call the office at least fourteen
(14) working days in advance of the meeting with
the following information: the date and time
of the meeting, preferred location (with first
and second choice of hotels if possible), number
of people attending, and the food and beverage
needs. The meeting will be included on the Master
Calendar.
Hotel Reservations
Executive Committee meeting hotel and meal reservations
are made in advance, so members must notify
the hotel directly if they know they cannot
attend a meeting.
Except for plenary sessions and Executive
Committee meetings, Executive Committee members
are responsible
for making all of their own hotel reservations
after receiving approval for such expense.
Travel arrangements should be made by contacting
the
Academic Senate Office at 916-445-4753; representatives
from the Office will book travel (approved
flights, rental cars, etc.) via an online system
of the
Academic Senate s contracted travel
agency, through which they may secure California
State
rates. Executive Committee members may book
their own travel online if doing so results
in a rate
not higher than would be offered by using
the Senate travel services. However, if nonrefundable
tickets are purchased and the tickets are
not
used, the Executive Committee member will
not be reimbursed for their cost. Each August,
a
qualifying letter will be provided to each
Executive Committee member indicating his/her
eligibility
for state rates.
Monthly Calendar
The Academic Senate Office will prepare a monthly
calendar of Executive Committee members' meetings
for reference. Executive Committee members
are responsible for reviewing the Master Calendar
for accuracy and notifying the Executive Director
electronically of changes. Members should send
monthly updates directly to the Academic Senate
Office so that it arrives by the beginning
of each month and can be included in the Executive
Committee meeting agenda and can be entered
on the Academic Senate website. This calendar
will let the Academic Senate President and
other Executive Committee members know of planned
and approved attendance. Thus, it will be distributed
with the Executive Committee meeting agenda
materials for information.
GUIDELINES FOR EQUIPMENT USE FOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
The Academic Senate maintains a variety of computers
and business office equipment for use by Executive
Committee members. A list of current equipment
owned and maintained by the Senate is located
in the office. Executive Committee members are
requested to consider the following guidelines
for borrowing equipment.
Borrowing Equipment
Executive Committee members should review the
equipment list and notify the office staff
if they are in need of equipment available
for use. If a piece of equipment that fits
the needs of the Executive Committee member
is available, obtain permission from the Senate
President and then check out the equipment
through the office. The office staff will maintain
a status file of all equipment on loan.
When traveling with senate-owned equipment,
the Executive Committee member should take the
following precautions:
1. Do not check equipment as luggage. If it
fits in the overhead compartment, carry
on the equipment. If it is too large to carry
on, have it shipped by other means, where
it
can be insured, before you travel.
2. Be especially aware of safety and location
of all equipment at airports, train stations,
and in hotels. Don t leave equipment
unattended or attended by people whom you
don t
know.
When you return equipment to staff, make sure
to get a receipt signed by the staff member.
When Executive Committee members leave the Senate,
they must return any borrowed equipment to the
Senate Office. The staff will then update the
equipment list with the new status of the equipment.
Lost and Stolen Equipment
The Academic Senate is currently insured by an
outside agency; therefore the loss of any equipment
is the financial responsibility of the Senate.
Executive Committee members will not be held
responsible for costs associated with lost,
stolen or broken equipment in their possession.
The member should use the following process for
resolving lost and stolen equipment issues:
a. Notify
the Senate President if equipment is
lost or stolen.
b. Write a letter outlining the circumstances
in which the equipment was lost or
stolen and submit it as soon as possible
to the office.
c. Make every effort to identify the missing
equipment using serial numbers and
complete descriptions in the letter.
PUBLICATIONS
POLICY
The Academic Senate produces its publications
to provide statewide communication between local
academic senates or other equivalent organizations
in order to coordinate the actions and requests
of the faculty of the California community colleges.
Purpose: To improve and strengthen communication
between the Executive Committee of the Academic
Senate and the local academic senates and to
reflect the official views or position of the
Academic Senate on Statewide and local issues.
Authority/Responsibilities
The Publications Committee is a standing committee
of the Academic Senate. The Publications Committee
has responsibility for the development and
distribution of all Academic Senate publications,
i.e. journals, newsletters, or articles, printed
or electronic, representing the viewpoint of
the Academic Senate. The President will make
the final approval of all Academic Senate publications.
The Publications Committee will review, evaluate,
and select final contributions for all authorized
Academic Senate publications, written or electronic,
with recommendations to be forwarded to the
President to ensure that all material is appropriate
for distribution under the name of the Academic
Senate. Layout and production decisions will
be the responsibility of the Executive Director
working in conjunction with the Publications
Specialist.
The Executive Director works with the Publications
Committee to develop timelines for submission,
production, and distribution. The Executive Director
may also assist in editing or revising as directed
by the Publications Committee and/or the President.
The Publications Committee responsibilities
include:
Soliciting contributions from the President,
Executive Committee, and Community College
Faculty.
Developing timelines for submissions.
Making recommendations on printing and
distribution process.
Making recommendations for layout and
design.
Attending Publications Committee Meetings
as needed.
Consulting on all preparations for
the production of the Rostrum
and The Forum
prior to final
approval by the President.
Publication Guidelines
All documents submitted for Academic Senate publication
will follow the style sheet. Publications,
written or electronic, are designed:
To improve and strengthen communication;
To showcase academic research;
To highlight the many creative talents
of community college faculty;
To promote discussion on academic and
professional topics.
To ensure clarity and professionalism,
especially of adopted papers.
PUBLICATIONS STYLE SHEET: USING
APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS OF APA STYLE MANUAL
The purpose of this quick style sheet is
to make drafting papers easier for committee
members
and the publication process easier for the Academic
Senate Office. To ensure timely and professional
dissemination of our documents in both draft
and final forms, we assist our readers when we
provide similar appearances of our drafts, regardless
of authorship. This document will offer you guidelines
as you begin and as you divide your labors, reminding
you of the final form toward which you aspire.
Doing it "right" from the beginning
will save you time both prior to adoption and
after session as it heads for publication. Correcting
the format before circulation saves your readers--on
Exec and in the field--from spending time on
editorial rather than substantive comments. Ultimately,
your adopted document will not be accepted for
publication unless it achieves these minimal
standards, common in our profession and familiar
to you.
Updates
The President shall be responsible for generating
monthly Update reports to the field. These
communications will provide reminders of deadlines,
information about statewide events of current
interest (including budget formation, legislation,
system alerts, and Academic Senate activities).
These Updates will be disseminated electronically
and by mail to each local senate president,
to Executive Committee members, and to other
interested parties.
Legislative Alerts
Working in concert with the Legislative and Governmental
Relations Committee and its Chair, the President
will publish periodic alerts to the field regarding
pending legislation and governmental hearings
that call for intervention and education by
faculty and local senates. These notices will
be sent electronically and posted on the Academic
Senate website.
Strategic Plan
The President will present to the Executive Committee
a strategic plan for the year. This plan may
build upon existing standing committee goals,
may place emphases or priority upon certain
activities, or may delegate new responsibilities
to respond to critical needs. The effectiveness
of committees and their contributions to the
Strategic Plan will be assessed in the President's
year-end report.
EDITORIAL GUIDELINES FOR THE ROSTRUM
The Rostrum is the official voice of the
Academic Senate and reflects the Academic Senate s
position on Statewide and local issues. The
Executive Committee will submit the majority
of contributions for each edition and these
articles will reflect statewide activities
and issues. The Rostrum may reflect the ideas
and opinions of a diverse statewide faculty
with submission from the field.
Articles are on topics that concern the
academic and professional life of California
community
college faculty.
Articles are short and clearly written,
usually of no more than 1500 words.
All articles must be of general interest
to community college faculty.
The Publications Committee Chair or
the Executive Director, in consultation
with
the President,
may edit or rewrite articles for accuracy,
tone, consistency, or length. Significant
changes will be cleared with the author
before publication.
Letters to the Publications Committee
and unsolicited articles by faculty
members are
invited.
Manuscripts will be evaluated for
appropriateness and interest.
Deadline dates will be published
and included on the Academic
Senate website
There will be four (4) Rostrums
produced and distributed each
year, two of which
will be devoted to reporting
on fall and spring
plenary sessions.
Each issue of the Rostrum
will be entered on the Internet.
EDITORIAL
GUIDELINES FOR THE FORUM
The Forum is a magazine showcasing a
variety of the best work of California community
college faculty.
Contributions can include, but are not
limited to: essays, fiction, poetry, fine
art, musical compositions, plays, architectural
design, photography, and book reviews.
The Editor may edit or rewrite submissions
for accuracy, tone, consistency, or length
with the approval of the Publications
Committee. Significant changes will be
cleared with
the author before publication.
All submissions accepted for publication
must be of general interest to community
college faculty.
All submissions from currently employed
California community college faculty
members, both full time and part
time, will be considered.
The Forum will be produced and
distributed once each year, pending
submissions
OTHER
PUBLICATIONS
The Rostrum and the Forum are the official Academic
Senate publications. Recommendations for the
development of other publications
must be reviewed by the Publications Committee.
Consideration will be based on the following
criteria:
Publication budgetary constraints
Requests from California community
college faculty
Duplication of existing Academic
Senate publication format and information
Timeline considerations
Production logistics
Recommendations for the establishment of procedures
and guidelines will be submitted by the initiator.
Upon the committee s recommendation, the
proposal will be forwarded to the President for
consideration as an official Academic Senate
publication.
PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICER
The President will serve as the Public Information
Officer for the Academic Senate. As such, the
President, in coordination with the Executive
Director, will provide the faculty with timely
and accurate information pertaining to current
events. This is accomplished through various
venues including the Senate Rostrum, Senate
website, correspondence, President Updates,
and other avenues as necessary.
In those instances where the faculty members
need to be alerted about key issues such as legislative
activity or Board of Governors actions, the President,
working with the Executive Director, will develop
Alerts or press release e-mail as appropriate.
The President may ask other Executive Committee
members to develop such materials as necessary.
The President and Executive Director will seek
opportunities, as appropriate, to alert the media
when significant policy decisions such as the
Graduation Requirements for Math and English
are under discussion.
ACADEMIC
SENATE LISTSERVS
The Senate Office maintains seven Academic Senate
listservs: senate presidents, curriculum committee
chairs, SLO coordinators, Area A, Area B, Area
C, and Area D. All the lists are moderated
by the Executive Director and only staff can
post to the senate presidents, curriculum committee
chairs and SLO coordinator listservs. Area
representatives can post to his/her area listserv
only. All Executive Committee members are on
the senate president lists, as well as the
listserv for his/her area. The Senate s
Curriculum Committee members are on the curriculum
committee chair list and the Accreditation
Ad Hoc Committee members are on the SLO listserv.
Executive Committee members can request to
be included on any Senate listserv.
The internal listservs are primarily designed
to serve
the communication needs of Academic Senate
Committees and Task Forces
the surveying functions essential to our
work
the delivery of regular updates from president
or office stafF
Procedure for using the Area Representative
Listserv
Area representatives will develop a message and
email to his/her area listserv (Areaa@listserv.cccnext.net,
Areab@listserv.cccnext.net, Areac@listserv.cccnext.net,
or Aread@listserv.cccnext.net). You will receive
the following message from the CCC Technology
Center LISTSERV Server with the following message:
For security reasons, the AREA list has
been configured to request positive confirmation
of messages posted to the list. You must
now
confirm
that the enclosed message did originate
from you. To do so, simply reply to the
present
message and type "OK" (without
the quotes) in the text of your message,
or click
on the
link below. If this does not work, or if
the message did NOT originate from you,
contact
the list owner for assistance.
To APPROVE the message: [CLICK ON THE LINK].
Once you confirm that the message did originate
from you, you will receive the message. If
you don t receive a message, your message
was probably not successful. Check with the
Executive
Director to see if she received an email. If
not, then resend.
External use of the Academic Senate Listservs
At times other organizations request that information
be sent via listserv. When ASCCC receives requests
for use of one or more of these listservs by
groups outside our organization, the following
procedure will be used to determine an appropriate
response to these requests.
1. The President or designee will review
the request to determine first
a. who or what group is making the
request;
b. whether the purposes for the request
are consistent with the
ASCCC mission, its positions,
pursuits,
interests, and concerns;
c. the time-frame of the request
and needed response;
d. whether or not Academic Senate
for California Community
Colleges has sufficient
time and
resources.
2. If during step #1 above, the
request is deemed incompatible
with ASCCC
objectives, the group
requesting the use will
be contacted and
will be apprised of other
available resources (e.g.,
the System Office listservs).
3. If deemed compatible with
ASCCC objectives during
the preliminary review described in
#1 above, the request
will next be forwarded to
the committee chair(s)
most closely aligned with the request
(e.g., Legislation and Governmental
Relations, Curriculum,
Ed Policies)
with a time-line by
which the committee will determine
a. whether the proposed survey or
communication is duplicative
of or contrary to other work currently
being
planned or undertaken by
the committee;
or
b. whether the survey or
communication is separate
from or compatible with work currently
being
planned or undertaken
by the committee.
4. If a survey instrument
has been
received as part of the
request,
the Research
Committee will
also work
with the assigned committee
to ensure
the clarity of the
instrument.
5. The reviewing
committee(s)
will forward recommendations
to the
ASCCC office
prior to the next Executive
Committee
meeting so
that any
necessary action may
be taken
promptly
by the Executive
Committee or the Executive
Director.
6. If approval
is not
recommended, step #2
(above)
will be pursued.
7. The ASCCC
office's
current work load
will
determine the timeframes
for
distributing the information/surveys,
etc.
8. As part
of
granting permission
for
use
of its listserv,
the ASCCC may
request
that the
external
group share
its
raw data, findings,
or results
with
the Executive Committee or
other committees.
Procedure for Responding to External Requests
for Using ASCCC Listservs
Relationships with
Other Groups
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF FACULTY APPOINTED
TO OTHER GROUPS
Faculty members named by the Academic Senate to
a committee, task force, coalition, or other group
not directly under the auspices of the Academic
Senate should be careful to understand their role,
the role of the Academic Senate, and that of the
group to which they were appointed. The Academic
Senate was established in 1969 by a vote of local
academic senates to "promote
the best interests of higher education in the
state and to represent the faculty in all California
community colleges at the State level." The
process for policy development used by the Academic
Senate culminates in the adoption of resolutions
at the biannual plenary sessions that then guide
the Executive Committee and Academic Senate appointees
as they represent the Academic Senate before
various bodies. Appointees should inform themselves
of
the relevant resolutions adopted by the plenary
body in order to honor the process. Assistance
in this matter can be requested from the Academic
Senate Office staff and the Academic Senate Website
(www.asccc.org).
Task Forces and Advisory Committees
Task Forces and Advisory Committees to which
the Academic Senate names members are under
the jurisdiction of the body forming the group,
such as California Postsecondary Education
Commission or the System Office. Academic Senate
nominees appointed to such groups must keep
the Academic Senate informed of committee actions
by reporting promptly to the President and
the Academic Senate office.
Appointees must represent the Academic Senate's
adopted perspectives and must inform committees
of the need to seek additional Academic Senate
direction should committees or task forces pursue
positions at odds with adopted resolutions. Ideally,
final committee positions should reflect those
of the Academic Senate, but, for a variety of
reasons, that may not be the case. When committee
positions do not coincide with those of the Academic
Senate, faculty members should inform the President
and take care that the committee does not represent
its position as being that of the Academic Senate.
Persons named by the Academic Senate should
understand that they represent the Academic
Senate positions and should agree to the following:
Attend all meetings of the group and notify
the Academic Senate President if unable
to attend so that an alternate might be named;
Send a written report to the Academic
Senate President within ten days of the meeting
and
contact the President at once if the
meeting raises issues of immediate concern;
Seek guidance from, and discuss issues
with, the President, as necessary;
Inform themselves of Academic Senate positions,
resolutions, and papers on topics related
to the charge of the group;
Make clear that they speak on behalf of
the Academic Senate s positions
and interests, not as an individual faculty
members or representatives
of their college or other professional
groups; and
Notify the President if their status change
from faculty to administrator, or if
they retire, or are henceforth unable to
attend
meetings,
so that a new appointment may be made.
Coalitions in Which the Academic Senate Participates
Coalitions in which the Academic Senate participates
and to which the Academic Senate sends representatives
should have clear operating procedures. Often
the decision of a coalition must represent
the unanimous agreement of the member organizations.
In any case, no Academic Senate representative
should take a position that is not officially
adopted at the plenary session, or, failing
that, endorsed by the Executive Committee.
A representative may therefore need to request
direction from the Executive Committee before
voting on a particular position. Like a faculty
member on a task force or advisory committee,
a representative appointed to a coalition should
be careful that the coalition's view is not
represented as being that of the Academic Senate
unless that is in fact the case.
Academic Senate representatives to task forces,
advisory committees, and coalitions are expected
to submit reports to the Academic Senate President
within ten days of meetings and to notify the
President personally in the event of urgent concerns
or events.
NOTE: This section will be distributed to all
Senate appointees.
NON-SENATE CONFERENCE
ATTENDANCE
It is the policy of the Academic Senate to support
travel by Executive Committee members to non-Senate
conferences when such conferences:
Provide information of an essential nature
for the Academic Senate to fulfill its decision
making functions;
Are meetings of a major segmental organization
to which the Academic Senate has been formally
invited; and
Provide an opportunity for the Academic
Senate to present information or policies
to others
who may have a significant role in the
implementation of such policies.
The Academic Senate does not support travel
of its members to conferences primarily of personal
or professional interest or in instances where
the invitation was issued to an individual rather
than to the Academic Senate.
Procedures
The President shall appoint all attendees to
conferences in California. All out of state
conference attendance shall require Executive
Committee approval.
Attendance at regular conferences of segmental
organizations, at times, may benefit the work
of the Senate committees or liaisons to other
groups. Executive Committee members should forward
requests to attend such conference to the President
and Executive Director with a rationale about
how attendance would inform their work. Liaisons
are asked to work with groups to have registration
fee waived or reduced, particularly if they are
required to make a presentation. Conferences
generally attended are as follows:
For regular conferences of segmental organizations,
these appointees generally attend:
Community College League of California
(CCLC): Academic Senate Officers or designees
California Community College Association
for Occupational Education (CCCAOE)
Faculty Association of California Community
Colleges (FACCC): Academic Senate
Officers or designees
Chief Instructional Officer (CIO) Up
to two representatives
Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Up to
two representatives
California Community College Trustees
(CCCT):Up to two representatives
Community College League of California
(CCLC) Legislative Conference:
One representative
American Association of Community
and Junior Colleges (AACJC):
One representative
Community College Association
(CCA)/Community Teachers
Association (CTA): Up to
two representatives
Community College Council
(CCC)/California Federation
of Teachers (CFT):
Up to two representatives
Intersegmental Coordinating
Council (ICC): Up
to six representatives
Conference attendance approval is based on availability
of funds and is at the discretion of the President.
GRANTS
Any grant proposal sponsored or co-sponsored
by the Academic Senate will be considered under
the authority or co authority of the Academic
Senate, and policy decisions related to such
grants must be endorsed by the Executive Committee.
The selection of the project director will
be made by the President. The project director
who develops the grant proposal will not necessarily
be the person who actually coordinates the
project if it is funded.
Grant proposals in draft form should be presented
to the Executive Committee for its consideration
and approval, and the actual grant application
should carry the written endorsement of the Academic
Senate President.
Mid year and final reports should be sent to
the Academic Senate President for review and
signature before being submitted to the System
Office.
Normally, grants will be overseen by the President
and/or Project Director. The President and/or
Project Director is responsible for choosing
the coordinator of the grant, for ensuring the
fulfillment of the grant's objectives, and for
keeping the Executive Committee informed about
the progress of the grant. If a committee is
formed to coordinate the work, the Project Coordinator
is responsible for keeping the President informed
on the progress of the grant and the work of
the committee. The committee, however, does not
serve as an autonomous body and is in all matters
directly responsible to the Academic Senate.
The Project Director or writer of each grant
proposal should communicate the above policy
to the district designated as fiscal agent by
means of a memo of understanding.
The Executive Director, with direction from
the Project Director and fiscal oversight by
the System Office Project Monitor, will provide
overall grant management including supervision
of project staff, disbursement of funds, and
drafting of grant reports including budget reports.
ACADEMIC SENATE LEGISLATIVE
POLICY
The chair of the Legislative and Governmental
Relations Committee and the President or a
designee from the Executive Committee will
be responsible for the Academic Senate's legislative
activity. The Academic Senate President will
seek to be conversant with important legislation
affecting the community colleges. The President
or designee will present the Academic Senate
point of view to the legislature whenever necessary.
Persons presenting information or positions
to the Legislature will attempt to consult
with Faculty Association of California Community
Colleges (FACCC) for advice and background
information prior to any presentation.
The Chair of the Legislative and Governmental
Relations Committee and President or designee
will provide the Executive Committee with periodic
legislative updates that include the legislative
reports of the System Office as well as reports
from other community college organizations.
The FACCC Liaison will be asked to provide information
regarding legislation affecting community college
academic and professional matters (including
budget items). The update will include a summary
of each bill, where it is in the legislative
process, and what chance of passage the bill
has. FACCC will highlight those bills that require
Academic Senate attention and which are within
the Academic Senate scope of activity. FACCC
will also notify the Academic Senate President
as to hearings and other meetings that the President
or a designee should attend in order to present
the Academic Senate viewpoint. (See Academic
Senate/FACCC Relationship, p. 45.)
A FACCC representative will be available at
the time of discussion for input and advice.
Each bill of interest, as it is introduced in
legislation, will be referred to an appropriate
Academic Senate committee or individual Executive
Committee member for written analysis, summary,
and suggestions as to a formal Academic Senate
position or concern. The responsible committee
or person will provide the written analysis,
summary, and suggestions to the Academic Senate
President. The President will take the written
analysis, summary, and suggestions to the Executive
Committee with recommendations for Academic Senate
action. The Academic Senate will share legislative
positions or concerns with other appropriate
faculty organizations.
LIAISON TO THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
The following organizations provide designated
liaisons to participate in the Executive Committee
meetings: AAUP, CCA/CTA, CCC/CFT, CCCI, CPFA,
FACCC, Student Senate, and the System Office.
Below are specific details describing the relationships.
RELATIONS WITH SYSTEM OFFICE
The Academic Senate President should be informed
in advance of all scheduled meetings with System
Office staff and should be kept fully informed
of the results of all meetings between Executive
Committee members and System Office staff,
preferably by written memo or report.
Executive Committee members may consult with
System Office staff to discuss Academic Senate
issues, particularly in the area of the member's
assignment. However, Executive Committee members
should not attempt to speak for the Academic
Senate except to reflect positions clearly established
through Academic Senate resolutions, and members
should in no instance commit the Academic Senate
to a particular action or position without the
prior endorsement of the Executive Committee
or the Academic Senate President.
ACADEMIC SENATE/FACCC
RELATIONSHIP Approved
by Academic Senate Executive Committee on September
7, 2007
and
FACCC Board of Governors on October 18, 2007
The
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
(Academic Senate) is empowered
through legislation
to represent all California community college
faculty members on academic and professional
matters. The
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
(FACCC) is a statewide professional membership
association that advocates for all community
college faculty on a wide variety of
issues. At times,
it is necessary for both groups to work together
to represent the faculty on a number of legislative
issues. Thus, it is important for the Academic
Senate and FACCC to maintain close communication
to address common policies surrounding legislation
about academic and professional issues.
In order that the relationship between the Academic
Senate and FACCC continues to serve faculty to
the greatest benefit, it is the policy of both
organizations that:
1. The Presidents of the Academic Senate and
FACCC, in consultation with their respective
governing boards, shall each year appoint one
liaison to the other's governing board.
2. The Presidents and Executive Directors of
the Academic Senate and FACCC, in consultation
with their respective governing boards, shall
meet each year to discuss strategies for the
legislative year.
3. FACCC will provide legislative information
to the Academic Senate including but not limited
to:
A. Providing the President and/or designee copies
of all bills, amendments, budget items, staff
analysis of bills, and other pertinent state
government reports affecting the community colleges
or of special interest to the Academic Senate.
B. Attending, on an occasional basis, important
meetings of legislative committees or other meetings
as requested by the Executive Committee or the
Legislative and Governmental Relations Committee.
C. Assisting the Academic Senate in coordinating
ICAS Legislative Days as requested.
D. Giving reports at meetings of the Academic
Senate meetings and at the fall and spring sessions.
4.
The Academic Senate agrees to work with FACCC
to provide:
A. Background and research on academic and professional
matters as feasible.
B. Faculty experts to work with lobbying staff
to provide testimonies to the Legislature.
C. Faculty experts to make presentations at
FACCC Conferences as requested.
D. Articles for the FACCC newsletter as requested.
5. The Academic Senate and FACCC shall annually
hold one joint meeting of the Legislative Committees
of each organization.
6. The Academic Senate and the FACCC shall provide
local academic senates and FACCC members with
legislative updates and coordinated advocacy
strategies.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE ACADEMIC SENATE FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION
The reform legislation which established the
California community colleges as a system allows
a tremendous opportunity for the accomplishment
of more and better teaching and learning through
increased rigor in curriculum, instruction, services,
and governance. The Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges is empowered through legislation
to represent the faculty on academic and professional
matters. The Community College Association provides
training and is recognized as a primary legislative
representative for faculty.
In responding to the needs of the faculty, the
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
and the Community College Association must maintain
communication between the two organizations in
order to address common policies surrounding
legislation regarding academic and professional
issues. In order that the relationship between
the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges and the Community College Association
continues to serve each organization to the greatest
mutual benefit, it is the policy of both organizations
that:
1. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges Executive Officers and the Community
College Association Executive Officers
meet jointly once each year; and
2. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges and the Community College Association
jointly sponsor professional workshops;
and
3. The Presidents of the Academic Senate
for California Community Colleges and the
Community College Association, in consultation
with
their
respective governing boards, shall each
year appoint one liaison to the other's governing
board.
4. The Community College Association Executive
Board maintains legislative services to
the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges
including,
but not limited to:
a. Providing the President and/or designee
copies of all bills, amendments,
budget items, staff analysis of bills, and
other
pertinent state government reports
affecting the community colleges or of special
interest
to the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges.
b. Attending important meetings of legislative
committees or other meetings
as directed by the Executive Committee.
c. Giving reports at meetings of the
Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges and at the fall and spring
plenary sessions of the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges.
5. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges provides services to enhance the
relationship including, but not limited to:
a. Providing session resolutions and Executive
Committee recommendations to
the Community College Association.
b. Attending important meetings of legislative
committees or other meetings
as directed by the Executive Board.
c. Giving reports at meetings of the
Community College Association
and at the fall and Spring Councils of the
Community College Association.
6. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges and the Community College Association
shall provide local academic senates and
California College Association members with
updates and
coordinated advocacy strategies.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE ACADEMIC SENATE FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNCIL OF
THE CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
The reform legislation which established the
California community colleges as a system allows
a tremendous opportunity for the accomplishment
of more and better teaching and learning through
Increased rigor in curriculum, instruction, services,
and governance. The Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges is empowered through legislation
to represent the faculty on academic and professional
matters. The Community College Council provides
training and is recognized as a primary legislative
representative for faculty.
In responding to the needs of the faculty, the
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
and the Community College Council must maintain
communication between the two organizations in
order to address common policies surrounding
legislation regarding academic and professional
issues. In order that the relationship between
the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges and the Community College Association
continues to serve each organization to the greatest
mutual benefit, it is the policy of both organizations
that:
1. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges Executive Officers and the Community
College Council Executive Board meet jointly
once each year; and
2. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges and the Community College Council
jointly sponsor professional workshops;
and
3. The Presidents of the Academic Senate
for California Community Colleges and
the Community
College Association, in consultation
with their respective governing boards, shall
each year
appoint one liaison to the other's governing
board.
4. The Community College Council maintains
legislative services to the Academic
Senate for California
Community Colleges including, but not
limited to:
a. Providing the President and/or designee
copies of all bills, amendments,
budget items, staff analysis of bills, and
other
pertinent state government reports
affecting the community colleges or of special
interest
to the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges.
b. Attending important meetings
of legislative committees or
other meetings as directed
by the Executive Committee.
c. Giving
reports at meetings of the
Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges
and at the fall and spring
plenary sessions of the Academic Senate for
California
Community Colleges.
5. The Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges provides services to enhance the
relationship including, but not limited to:
a. Providing
session resolutions and Executive
Committee recommendations to
the Community College Council.
b. Attending
important meetings of legislative
committees or other meetings as directed
by the Executive Board.
c. Giving reports
at meetings of the Community
College Council and at the
fall and Spring
Councils of the Community
College Council. The Academic Senate for
California
Community Colleges and the Community
College Council
shall provide local academic
senates and Community College Council members
with
updates and coordinated advocacy
strategies.
AAUP RELATIONSHIP
Agreement on an Organizational Relationship Between
the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges ( ASCCC ) and the American
Association of University Professors ( AAUP )
Purpose
The AAUP and the ASCCC agree to continue
their organizational partnership as a
means of enabling
the AAUP to contribute in a systematic
fashion to the ASCCC s ongoing mission of strengthening
faculty governance in California community colleges.
It is the parties shared belief
that promoting adherence to AAUP principles
and
policies inures
to the benefit of two-year faculty and
institutions in California.
Organizational Contacts and Communication
The AAUP shall designate a liaison to
the ASCCC, and the ASCCC shall designate
a liaison
to the AAUP. Liaisons will be invited to all relevant
meetings of each organization.
The AAUP shall invite interested
officers of the ASCCC, as well as governance
leaders from
individual campuses, to attend workshops
conducted by the AAUP that address governance
and related
concerns, and issues specifically relating
to community colleges. The ASCCC will assist
the
AAUP in publicizing such workshops.
Programs and Services
AAUP staff and leaders will be available
on a regular basis (anticipated as two events
per
year) as speakers, or as workshop or
panel participants, at meetings such as the
ASCCC spring and fall
plenaries, the Leadership Institute,
and other statewide meetings of a similar
nature. Topics
that may be addressed will consist
of all areas of AAUP s programmatic
work, including the following:
governance practices
academic
freedom and tenure
part-time and non-tenure
track appointments
status of women
and faculty of color
economic status
of the profession
distance education
and intellectual property
legal developments
government relations
If requested, and if logistically feasible,
the AAUP will make speakers available to
conduct additional educational forums on
governance
and related matters on individual campuses.
AAUP staff / leaders shall be available
on an occasional basis to furnish guidance
to the ASCCC regarding governance and
other matters as noted above on individual
campuses.
The
AAUP shall advise the ASCCC and invite
its governance leaders to participate in
AAUP activities not specifically tailored
for the ASCCC, including the following:
national conferences on governance
and other topics
training opportunities,
including: the annual Summer
Institute; national leadership
trainings dealing with academic
freedom and governance matters; and
regional
trainings
When the involvement of AAUP in
a Technical Assistance Visit is called for
by
the ASCCC, the AAUP shall make available
knowledgeable individuals to: conduct a campus
visit with
necessary consultations; issue a written
report incorporating recommendations for
the parties
on the campus; and conduct necessary followup.
(It is the expectation of the AAUP and
the ASCCC that such Technical Assistance
Visits
will be conducted on an infrequent basis,
approximately one every two years. But it
is understood that
within the constraints of the availability
of knowledgeable individuals, the AAUP
may provide this service on a more frequent
basis.)
The AAUP shall send to the ASCCC
Office 16 copies of each new issue
of Academe.
The ASCCC shall provide the AAUP
with 7 copies of each new issue of Rostrum.
Five copies shall be sent to the AAUP s
national office and two shall be sent to
the California office. Additionally, the
ASCCC shall provide to the AAUP s
California office one copy of each Executive
Committee
agenda packet.
Financial Arrangements
For the services set forth above, the
ASCCC shall make annual payments to the AAUP
of $10,000.
At the option of the ASCCC, the payments
may be made on a quarterly basis.
The ASCCC shall reimburse the AAUP for
actual reasonable expenses incurred (transportation,
lodging, food) for on-site Technical Assistance
Visits.
Duration
This agreement s effective date
is January 1, 2006. It is the intention of
the
parties
to maintain a productive organizational
relationship of indefinite duration,
though the specific
terms
of that relationship may be changed
by mutual agreement of the parties. Either
party
may
terminate this agreement only upon
providing one year written
notice to the other. In the event
that this relationship is terminated, the
parties
shall
make no continuing
claims on each other, neither will
be held responsible for the claims of the
other,
and neither will
be held responsible for the debts
or obligations
of the other.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CALIFORNIA PART-TIME ASSOCIATION (CPFA)
In an effort to ensure participation of part-time
faculty on the Executive Committee, a liaison
representative will be appointed by CPFA. This
representative must be employed as a faculty
member in a California community college, in
a part-time capacity only, and a current member
of CPFA.
The Executive Committee will provide financial
support for the participation of the CPFA liaison
at Executive Committee meetings, orientation(s),
and plenary sessions.
APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Based on Education Code §71000, the Academic
Senate is responsible for nominating each year
the faculty members to the Board of Governors.
Below is the process for selecting nominations
for the position.
Candidate Criteria
Required:
Tenure as a faculty member.
Leadership experience in an academic
environment.
Demonstrated understanding of California
community college issues
at a state level.
Desirable:
Academic senate leadership at local
level such as senate
officer, Executive Committee
member, or committee chair.
Experience at statewide level
such as Academic
Senate committees, System
Office advisory
committee, or
other statewide faculty organization.
Recruitment Process
Each year the President of the Academic Senate
or his/her designee shall initiate and oversee
the recruitment and selection process to ensure
timely submission of nominees to the Governor's
Office. The Executive Committee, Standards
and Practices Committee and Local Senates Committee
will recruit candidates for the Board of Governors.
Nominations may be made by a local senate
or a member of the Executive Committee of the
Academic
Senate. The candidate is strongly encouraged
to include a letter of endorsement from the
nominee s
local academic senate.
Any faculty member who has been previously considered
and would like to be reconsidered may do so by
submitting a letter stating that request and
an updated resume to the Academic Senate Office.
The Standards and Practices Committee, in consultation
with the President, shall screen the applications
of all nominees and shall forward names of at
least three candidates to the Executive Committee
for interview and final selection at the Executive
Committee meeting in October.
The President of the Academic Senate shall select
a workgroup of Executive Committee members to
develop questions that the Executive Committee
will use in the interviews of candidates whose
names have been forwarded by the Standards and
Practices Committee. The questions will be developed
from questions suggested by Executive Committee
members. To preserve the confidentiality of the
process and to ensure fairness to nominees, any
review of interview questions by the Executive
Committee shall be conducted in closed session.
Interviews by the Executive Committee shall
occur in closed session prior to its regular
October meeting. Each Candidate who is interviewed
must be asked the same questions as the other
candidates; however, follow-up questions are
allowed. The Executive Committee, by majority
vote, will select at least three nominees to
recommend to the Governor.
It must be understood that in order to avoid
a conflict of interests, a candidate who holds
a position on the board of a statewide faculty
organization will probably be required to resign
from that position upon appointment to the Board
of Governors. If a sitting member of the Academic
Senate Executive Committee is appointed to the
Board of Governors, he/she is required to resign
from the Executive Committee.
Faculty whose names are not among those forwarded
to the Governor's Office shall be notified immediately
after the final selection of nominees is forwarded
to the Governor.
