2003

Location Of Future Spring Plenary Sessions

Whereas, California's fiscal crisis requires active lobbying and thus an active presence in Sacramento to protect and promote interests vital to California Community Colleges;

Whereas, The Academic Senate currently holds its plenary sessions in varying locations throughout the state; and

Whereas, Meeting facilities in Sacramento are now adequate to host a plenary session;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges consider the viability of holding Spring Plenary Sessions in Sacramento when they occur in Northern California.

Real Cost of Education

Whereas, the Academic Senate participated in and significantly contributed to the development of the "Real Cost of Education" report (file attached);

Whereas, The Board of Governors adopted in March 2003 the preliminary draft of the "Real Cost of Education" as both a realistic vision of equitable funding and a reasonable statement of the actual fiscal costs associated with the provision of a high quality lower division education in the California community colleges; and

Support for Faculty Implementation of Student Learning Outcomes

Whereas, The new Accreditation Standards require data collection at the levels of the classroom, the program, and the institution;

Whereas, Curriculum, degree and program policies, and grading policies are academic and professional matters, wherein local academic senates have primacy; and

Whereas, The management of Student Learning Outcomes is an ongoing process and, therefore, separate from the cyclical processes surrounding Accreditation Self-Studies;

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

Fees, Access, and Quality

Whereas, The ongoing California budget crisis may prompt attempts to increase various student fees, thus having the potential to further jeopardize student access and to force a choice between declining quality or reliance on increased fees to maintain quality of instruction; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate has long-standing positions in support of student access and in opposition to student fees;

Faculty Staffing

Whereas, The state budget, especially as regards education, is facing potentially severe cuts with the result that many faculty positions are not being staffed or re-staffed and many funds for senate duties are either being cut or the senates are being asked to give back those funds (or time); and

Whereas, Such temporary reductions, although necessary to meet severe reductions in state funding, should not become permanent;

Substitute Motion for Resolution 9.06

Whereas, Current programs in California community colleges serve a wide variety of student and community needs;

Whereas, Local colleges and districts are best qualified to assess the needs of students in their programs and communities;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges support the right of local faculty, working through their local academic senates, to determine what writing course requirements within current Title 5 standards best meet the needs of the student populations and communities they serve.

Amend Title 5 Requirement for English (see 9.06R F 02)

Whereas, A mission of the California Community Colleges is to prepare its students for transfer to four-year institutions or for a career by providing two years of college-level study for which students receive an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree;

Whereas, All students, in order to be prepared to succeed in their chosen fields of employment, need to develop their abilities to read and write critically, comprehend and react to ever more complex texts, conduct research and prepare reports; and

Amendment to Resolution 5.04

Add two final resolves to read:

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges support a class-action lawsuit seeking equal per-student funding throughout the California community colleges; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for seeking support for such a lawsuit from associated student organizations.

Amendment to Resolution 5.04

Add a new first resolve to read:

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges support funding on the basis of full-time equivalent students (FTES) and urge enactment of legislation that will ensure fair and equitable funding to all community college students without reducing the funds for any district.

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