Whereas, Resolution S09 1.05 called for the creation of Diversity Caucuses and processes to allow for and support faculty Diversity Caucuses;
Whereas, other groups of faculty may also benefit from the use of caucuses to provide advocacy and input to the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate values all faculty voices and should provide opportunity for all to collaborate on issues of interest and importance to all faculty;
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has a demonstrated commitment to diversity through its committees such as the Equity and Diversity Action Committee (EDAC), actions, and initiatives as stated in the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Diversity Policy and Executive Committee Code of Ethics (2006);
Whereas, Local academic senates are experiencing legal challenges by local college administrations, boards of trustees and individuals in an effort to undermine their influence in the shared governance processes; and
Whereas, Local academic senates and individual faculty within their membership have been named as both petitioners and respondents in recent civil court proceedings;
Whereas, Environmental sustainability is a complex and profound issue, and initiatives that will impact our communities must and be addressed more systematically by California community colleges;
Whereas, Environmental sustainability has wide curriculum implications, involving new course and program development in environmental and green technologies as well as the infusion of sustainability themes within existing courses;
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Nominations Ad Hoc Committee has been charged with expanding the pool of faculty volunteers for Academic Senate committees and other related statewide service;
Whereas, The work of the Nominations Committee has focused on identifying new ways to make faculty across the state aware of opportunities for statewide service and communicating the nature and benefits of the various service opportunities; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has several resolutions directing it to provide leadership development opportunities for faculty;
Whereas, Colleges have hired many new faculty recently, and new people are assuming leadership positions with limited knowledge and understanding of the Academic Senate and the roles that faculty play in collegial governance;
Whereas, Many colleges are in the process of seeking accreditation for academic centers and the accreditation process requires that a local academic senate be formed before accreditation can be granted;
Whereas, Multi-college districts are also considering how best to form district academic senates and often seek advice about how best to work together to form local district senates; and
Whereas, New colleges and academic centers will need to establish participatory governance policies;
Whereas, College policies vary with respect to what form of shared governance is employed for each of the 10+1 academic and professional matters specified in Title 5; and
Whereas, Local senates would benefit from knowing how policies have been employed elsewhere, how they are implemented, and which have been effective;
Whereas, Local senates often spend an inordinate amount of time addressing the same issues in devising or revising policies and procedures that other senates have already addressed;
Whereas, One of the functions of the Academic Senate is to provide resources to support local senates; and
Whereas, The creation of an easily accessible database of sample policies and procedures would facilitate the exchange of information among the California community colleges, and save valuable senate time;
Whereas, Local senates face a range of problems involving shared governance, fiscal and legal challenges, and others;
Whereas, There exists a wide range of assistance to help local senates with such problems, from technical visits, to appeals, to the California Community College System Office;
Whereas, The circumstances and processes for enlisting such assistance vary and are not necessarily clear to local senates; and
Whereas, Current forms of assistance may not meet the needs of all local senates;