Committee member Greg Gilbert has written an article addressing the issue that was published in the June issue of the Rostrum. (http://www.asccc.org/content/mou-and-marginalization-faculty)
Whereas, The California Community College System and individual colleges have been asked to form relationships through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with other higher education institutions that wish to enroll community college transfer students;
Whereas, Local academic senates may be pressured to agree to MOUs without sufficient faculty participation and information about the costs, risks, and benefits of such agreements; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has raised possible issues surrounding these agreements, such as but not limited to the following: The institutions may not offer support services for students; The institutions may not provide courses to meet basic skills needs of students; The tuition costs of some institutions can be considerable; There can be an implied endorsement from the presence of these institutions on our campuses and from our written agreements; The curriculum may not be developed by faculty; The faculty may not meet traditional qualifications; There may be pressure for local academic senates to endorse agreements without sufficient background and consideration of issues; There may not be articulation of courses; Units may not be acceptable if a student who takes courses at such institutions later chooses to transfer back to a community college or to one of our other established transfer partners; The institutions may not have academic senates; There is a difference between for-profit and not-for-profit institutions; Institutions may be accredited but may not meet the quality standards accepted at public California community colleges, CSUs and UCs; Their courses, held on our campuses and using our faculty and facilities, may move limited resources away from our own community college students; Some of their programs may not prepare students for California professional licensing and certification (e.g., nursing and teaching).
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges inform local academic senates about the complex issues of MOUs with other higher education institutions and urge local senates to participate fully in all discussions of academic matters relating to MOUs; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges develop criteria for local academic senates to use when considering strengths and weaknesses of MOUs with other educational institutions. MSCDisposition: Local Senates