Spring

Whereas, The California Community Colleges system, with 1.8 million students at 116 colleges, is the largest system of higher education in the country [1] and is empowered with the Vision for Success from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to remain “accessible and personal institutions that can help students on an individual level regain their hopes and rebuild their futures” and the “California Community Colleges have always been an instrument for achieving broad access to higher education,” [2

Whereas, Resolution F21 1.05 states in-part, “the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges should make remote attendance an option at all Academic Senate for California Community Colleges-organized events” [1] without consideration of resources and technology requirements associated with the provision of remote attendance;

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Area A and Area B meetings have consistently been held on a Friday, and the Area C and Area D meetings have consistently been held on a Saturday, which is often outside of the traditional work week;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) explore options for Area meetings that align with the needs and best interest of each individual Area while also balancing logistical considerations of the ASCCC Executive Committee and ASCCC office team starting with the Fall 2023 Area meetings.

Whereas, Strategic planning is a critical component of successful organizations that provides clear direction and stability and ensures that the organization’s leadership is responsive to its members;

Whereas, Since the 2018–2023 Strategic Plan [1] of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) is set to expire in 2023, the ASCCC Executive Committee engaged in comprehensive and public strategic planning sessions from December 2022 through February 2023; [2]

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) has had a long-standing commitment to participation of part-time faculty as demonstrated in resolutions [1] and papers, as they bring vital and unique authentic voices and experiences to discussions of academic and professional matters in alignment with the inclusion, diversity, equity, antiracism and accessibility commitment of the ASCCC;

Whereas, Resolution 3.01 SP14 Infusing Cultural Competence directed “the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges [to] engage in cultural competency and equity training at its annual Executive Committee orientation, and use the information from that training to develop its cultural competency plan as a model for local senates”;

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) has established the creation of formal liaison positions, including Resolution 03.02 SP21 Inclusion Diversity Equity and Anti-racism Liaison, Resolution 17.02 FA18 Open Educational Resources Liaison,

Whereas, Previous Academic Senate for California Community Colleges presentations have recognized that course enrollment maximums are maximum student enrollment limits specified for each course, and course enrollment maximum determinations have sometimes been made inconsistently on the basis of classroom size and other arbitrary factors;

Whereas, Part-time faculty comprise the majority of the faculty on every community college campus [1] and are vital to the success and retention of students throughout the California Community Colleges system, and the representation of part-time faculty is crucial for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) and California Community College Chancellor's Office to fulfill their respective missions;

Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic forced a quick pivot, within weeks after California Governor Newsom’s March 19, 2020 Stay At Home Order, of most of California’s community colleges’ course offerings from in-person to online teaching and learning;

Whereas, Most of this online teaching and learning necessitated faculty and students quickly learning how to use and navigate learning management systems (LMS) and other online educational tools and services for course delivery and engagement;