Changes to Recent Community College Repeatability Regulations

Spring
2014
Resolution Number
09.02
 
Contact
Assigned to
President
Category
Curriculum
Status
In Progress
Status Report

We have continued to work on this. I think if the auditing change ever happens or if the guidelines are ever published for combining credit and contract ed, it could be marked as completed.

Whereas, California community colleges have built extensivedepth and breadth of educational programs for over 50 years, responding to the educational needs of their respective communities, contributing to a skilled workforce, fostering a more engaged citizenry and creating a diverse, multi-generational component in the social and cultural make-up of our state, and in November  2012 voters passed Proposition 30, signifying state-wide, taxpayer support for maintaining access to this high quality public educational system;

Whereas, During the recent economic downturn, when California community colleges were turning away hundreds of thousands of students due to budget shortfalls, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in the context of rationing education, passed regulations to limit the repeatability of coursework in order to focus on and prioritize basic skills, career technical education, and transfer preparation;

Whereas, Lack of repeatability in performance, physical education, and skill-building courses has had the unintended consequence of severely limiting the ability of students of the arts (including dance, music, theater, creative writing, and the visual arts), and physical education to transfer as majors into advanced programs which select students based on demonstrated performance and athletic skills, excellent portfolios, and strong resumes, often developed over years of repeating coursework in order to attain the required higher levels of proficiency needed to transfer to selective four-year programs; and

Whereas, The repeatability regulations raise other barriers for community college students, particularly those enrolled in career and technical education programs, to take a more current version of a course they have already completed in order to update skills, adapt to new technologies or maintain professional competency;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges continue to support unfettered access to quality community college education for all Californians, including lifelong learners.

MSC