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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] where the core vision of the California Community Colleges is to put students first;
Whereas, The United States History, Constitution and American Ideals Requirement in California Code of Regulations Title 5 §40404, commonly known as the American Institutions Requirement, which “ensure(s) that students acquire knowledge and skills that will help them to comprehend the workings of American democracy and of the society in which they live to enable them to contribute to that society as responsible and constructive citizens,” [3] is a vital part of the California Community Colleges mission, not just that of the California State University system, and is as vital today as it was 60 years ago when it was written into law to ensure an educated, empowered, and informed citizenry contributing to public life [4] and civic engagement; [5]
Whereas, The California State University (CSU) History Council, a group of historians from across the CSU system, have published in their March 2023 American Institutions Memo (“CSU History Council, American Institutions Memo Opposing Changes to American Institutions Requirement” [6]) that they “insist that the American Institutions requirement is an essential requirement, and is more important than ever to an accessible, equitable, and comprehensive higher-level education for California’s diverse college students” and contend “that understanding the history and government of American Institutions and values as mandated by Title 5 has become even more important to the education of all students of California’s public colleges and universities and should be preserved in a manner that effectively meets the needs of all students” [7] ; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges in 2019 resolved [8] its support for and belief in the importance of the current United States History, Constitution and American Ideals Requirement and committed to exploring possibilities to add a similar requirement to the associate’s degree requirements for the California Community Colleges;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges renew its commitment to the importance of the current United States History, Constitution and American Ideals Requirement and communicate to the Academic Senate of the California State University its support for this lower division requirement being accessible to the greatest number of students in the college systems;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges stand with the hundreds of history and political science faculty from throughout the California community colleges who have signed a petition [9] to support the California State University History Council’s memo in recognition of the essential role American Institutions courses provide for students as pathways to understanding their essential rights and responsibilities in this policy; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges stand in solidarity with the message articulated in the March 2023 American Institutions Memo from the California State University (CSU) History Council to oppose “any reduction to or weakening of the American Institutions requirement and strongly oppose a wholesale move of American Institutions to an upper-division requirement” [10] and call for “transparency with the CSU Chancellor’s Office, the CSU Academic Senate, and respective representatives in the California State Assembly . . . to actively seek input and guidance from stakeholders and disciplinary experts from all three segments of public higher education in California, as curricular discussions continue” [11] and report the message of solidarity to all intersegmental committees and workgroups by fall of 2023.
ACCLAMATION
1. “Key Facts” (2023). California Community Colleges. California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Key-Facts.
2. “Update to the Vision for Success: Reaffirming Equity in a Time of Recovery.“ (July 2021). pg. 5. https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Reports/vision-for-success-update-2021-a11y.pdf.
3. California Code of Regulations, title 5 §40404: https://casetext.com/regulation/california-code-of-regulations/title-5-education/division-5-board-of-trustees-of-the-california-state-universities/chapter-1-california-state-university/subchapter-2-educational-program/article-5-general-requirements-for-graduation/section-40404-requirements-in-united-states-history-constitution-and-american-ideals.
4. Based upon a 2022 survey conducted, employers ranked critical thinking, communication, and teamwork—complex skills fundamental to historical study—as the most important competencies for job candidates. See source: Gray, K. and Collins, M. (18 October 2022). “New College Graduates and Employers Agree on Key Competencies, But at Odds About New Grad Proficiency.” National Association of Colleges and Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/new-college-graduates-and-employers-agree-on-key-competencies-but-at-odds-about-new-grad-proficiency/.
5. “Americans’ Civics Knowledge Drops on First Amendment and Branches of Government.” (13 September 2022). Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey. Annenberg Public Policy Center. https://www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/news/americans-civics-knowledge-drops-first-amendment-and-branches-government.
6. California State University History Council, March 2023: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O6ZcNrBURhwgaDeLhAtcD9y5bgTiAhcILdSfxf7EJzQ/edit?usp=sharing.
7. Ibid.
8. Resolution S19 15.09 Support for the CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals Requirement, Commonly Known as the American Institutions Requirement: https://www.asccc.org/resolutions/support-csu-united-states-history-constitution-and-american-ideals-requirement-commonly#fn1.
9. Petition of California Community College Faculty to Support the CSU History Council on American Institutions AI/Title 5 Outreach to California Community Colleges: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g4o0og8W9z9B6BsXKp1C998GV7Zxvw-l/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115492749693624265068&rtpof=true&sd=true.
10. California State University History Council, March 2023: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O6ZcNrBURhwgaDeLhAtcD9y5bgTiAhcILdSfxf7EJzQ/edit?usp=sharing.
11. Ibid