General Concerns

The Effect of Calendar Compression on Noncredit Instruction

Whereas, While noncredit instruction has many similarities with credit instruction, there are also some differences;

Whereas, If a college that has noncredit instruction changes to a compressed calendar, some of those differences might translate into a different effect on noncredit students and faculty than for credit students and faculty;

Whereas, Many noncredit classes already meet 2.5 - 4 hours per day; and

Basic Skills Advisory Committee

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges’ Basic Skills Committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending positions and actions on issues related to under-prepared students and is responsible for gathering information on best practices to provide instruction and support services to underprepared students and conveying this information to the field;

Whereas, The Chancellor’s Office has established a new Basic Skills Advisory Committee that will advise the Chancellor’s Office on the direction for basic skills efforts within the state; and

Executive Order 1048, CSU Student Remediation

Whereas, California State University (CSU) Executive Order 1048, “Early Start Program,” requires that beginning in “summer 2012, incoming freshmen who have not demonstrated proficiency in English and/or mathematics will be required to begin remediation prior to the term for which they have been admitted, e.g., summer prior to fall”;

Whereas, Executive Order 1048 further allows that each individual CSU campus “will design a program for incoming freshmen to develop proficiency in mathematics and/or English before they enroll as matriculated freshmen”;

CCLC Board Policy Templates

Whereas, Local senates and boards must consult collegially for board policy development with regard to academic and professional matters;

Whereas, Some districts subscribe to the board policy templates offered by the Community College League of California (CCLC) which are intended to be a starting point for local policy development;

Providing Part-time Faculty with Adequate Resources and Support

Whereas, Community college budgets have been cut and resources and support limited for all faculty;

Whereas, Part-time faculty are particularly vulnerable to resource and support cuts since they have limited presence on campuses and often limited political power to protect and maintain an adequate level of resources and support; and

Whereas, Colleges and districts have a duty to protect academic integrity by maintaining the resources and support that all faculty, both full- and part-time, need to be effective educators;

Reading Competency Requirements

Whereas, Reading skills and strategies are core competencies inherently fundamental to all information acquisition, measurements of success in student progression, and achievement;

Whereas, Reading is a skill paramount to the educational process and the workplace, regardless of educational goals, expectations, or outcomes;

Feasibility of Common Statewide Assessment Tests

Whereas, A common statewide assessment test for math and English for the purpose of placement would allow portability of scores from one institution to another, eliminating the need for students to take assessment tests at multiple institutions;

Whereas, A unique set of assessment scores would obviate the increasingly common practice of students' shopping around for a college where they achieve a better placement;

Whereas, A common assessment data set could be used for statewide research; and

Alternative Calendars

Whereas, Many colleges are considering alternative calendars with insufficient data about the successes, challenges, and issues of such calendars;

Whereas, Direction is needed to resolve issues of full- and part-time faculty load;

Whereas, Information and direction are needed regarding the effect of alternative calendars on students; and

Whereas, Colleges are being pressured to move quickly to adopt alternative calendars;

Effective Practices for Online Tutoring

Whereas, Distance education has become a significant portion of California community college offerings, and parallel and equivalent services need to be offered to all students;

Whereas, Online academic tutoring services for distance education students are being implemented across the state as online programs expand; and

Whereas, Tutoring services are an effective means of supporting students, and faculty are concerned with student success and academic quality;

Subscribe to General Concerns