Fall

Whereas, The California Virtual Campus-Online Education Initiative (CVC-OEI) proctoring network, prior to COVID-19, promoted equity and accessibility by allowing students to take online courses and complete in-person exams at nearby participating colleges;

Whereas, In-person assessments help to mitigate inequities which exist in online assessments due to unequal access to technology and reliable internet, both of which can exacerbate test anxiety for students;

Whereas, Fostering a safe, inclusive, equitable, nonviolent, and discrimination-free educational environment is important for all students, faculty, administrators, and staff at California community colleges;

Whereas, The prevalence of sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as inadequate institutional responses to such incidents, is still an ongoing concern at some college campuses [1]; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has affirmed its commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, anti-racism, and accessibility through numerous resolutions and
resources that prioritize inclusive and affirming practices that recognize and help remove deficit-minded language, policies, and practices;

Whereas, Resolution 09.01 F21 Adding Culturally Responsive Curriculum, Equity Mindedness and Anti-Racism to Course Outline of Record (COR) Requirements in Title 5 [1] called for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) to work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to “revise California Code of Regulations Title 5 including section 55002 Titled ‘Standards and Criteria for Courses’ to include a component of culturally responsive curriculum, equity mindedness and anti-racism integrated into the COR that allows for

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has long-standing support for the role of Counselors in supporting student success, including a paper on The Role of Counseling Faculty and Delivery of Counseling in the California Community Colleges (2012) [1] and resolutions such as 08.01 S21 Counseling Faculty, Student Success, and Transfer [2], 04.00 S92 Counselors [3] and 08.02 F94 Role of Counseling Faculty in Noncredit Programs ;

Whereas, California Penal Code §2053.1 directs the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to “make college programs available at every state prison for the benefit of inmates” and states that these “college programs shall only be provided by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, or other regionally accredited, nonprofit colleges or universities,” and consequently, the CDCR “ shall prioritize colleges and universities that… [d]o not charge incarcerated students or their families for tuition, course materials, or other e

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is committed to ensuring that all Californians have access to high-quality education, regardless of their age, background, or life circumstances;

Whereas, Some lifelong learners face a number of barriers to enrolling in classes, including complex application processes, lack of time and resources, and difficulty navigating the system; and

Whereas, To increase transfer completion, the California legislature has prioritized data-informed reforms, such as AB 1705 (Irwin, 2022) [1], with the goal of achieving equitable outcomes;

Whereas, The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has interpreted AB 1705 (Irwin, 2022) [1] to require that students “begin in… math coursework that satisfies a requirement of their program,” and the guidance issued in memo ESS 23-19 [2} states that colleges must place students pursuing the Associate Degree for Transfer in Business Administration 2.0 into a business calculus class or other calculus class; and

Whereas, The Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors (December, 2022)  [1] requires that “any published materials produced under an agreement or sub-agreement using public funds must be subject to a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY),” allowing such materials to be used, modified, and monetized by any entity provided the source is properly attributed;