Educational Policies Committee
2005-2006
Mark Wade Lieu, Ohlone College, Chair
Cathy Crane-McCoy, Long Beach City College
Greg Gilbert, Copper Mountain College
Karolyn Hanna, Santa Barbara City College
Andrea Sibley-Smith, North Orange County CCD/Noncredit
Beth Smith, Grossmont College
Alice Murillo, Diablo Valley College CIO Representative
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Definitions
History of Adult and Noncredit Education
Law and Regulation
Credit and Noncredit: Similarities and Differences
A Snapshot of Noncredit in the California Community Colleges
Recommendations
Sources
Appendices
A. Academic Senate Noncredit Resolutions
B. Regulations Pertaining to Noncredit
C. Academic Senate Noncredit Program Survey
Executive
Summary
Introduction
Noncredit programs and courses within California community colleges have long
been overshadowed by credit programs and courses. In spite of the fact that
noncredit generates approximately 10% of enrollment in the California Community
College System, many people outside and even within the System are not aware
of or do not fully understand the importance of noncredit and how it serves
California s educational needs.
This paper concludes with recommendations
on both the statewide and local levels. On the
statewide level, the recommendations include
better inclusion of noncredit viewpoints and
concerns in the work of the Academic Senate;
efforts to increase the number of full-time noncredit
faculty; promotion of noncredit as a pathway
into credit; advocacy for increased funding support
for noncredit courses; and the establishing of
an Academic Senate ad hoc committee on noncredit.
On the local level, the recommendations similarly
call for better inclusion of noncredit viewpoints
and concerns in local senates, efforts to increase
the number of full-time faculty serving noncredit,
and more coordination in articulating noncredit
and credit coursework. In addition, the paper
encourages local senates to ensure that augmentations
in noncredit funding are used to expand support
for noncredit instruction and asks for increased
resources for data collection and analyses of
noncredit instruction.
Appendices
A. Academic Senate Noncredit Resolutions
B. Regulations Pertaining to Noncredit
C. Academic Senate Noncredit Program Survey
