This paper, developed by the Educational Policies Committee of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges identifies and discusses the following qualities of effective faculty: (1) Discipline preparation and the ability to teach or provide professional support services and to maintain discipline currency, including an understanding of contributions of ethnic minorities, women and global cultures to the discipline; (2) Communication and other interpersonal skills; (3) Sensitivity to, and knowledge of, a diverse student body and its needs; an appreciation of different student learning styles.
Recommendations
Suggestions For Carrying Out These Proposals
To ensure that the current faculty is capable of assuming the responsibility of hiring effective new faculty, special training should be provided to those involved in every phase of the employment process. Staff diversity and staff development funding from AB 1725 could be used for workshops to teach faculty how to assume their new responsibilities in hiring diverse faculty. Training should include: understanding affirmative action and non-discrimination requirements, reframing our traditional Eurocentric model of excellence to a multicultural model of excellence; applying minimum qualifications and the equivalency process; using effective multicultural paper screening; using appropriate multicultural interviewing techniques; identifying and assessing the qualities and criteria outlined in this paper. Faculty should also learn how to develop hiring policies and procedures, including: preparing advertising copy, writing job announcements, and designing application forms which are specific and elicit the information required to make the best hiring decision.