Supporting the Authority of Local Academic Senates to Determine Curriculum and to Establish Prerequisites and Their Equivalents

Fall
2012
Resolution Number
09.07
R
Contact
Category
Curriculum

Whereas, Title 5 §53200 invests local academic senates with purview over academic and professional matters, including policy and implementation of curriculum and the establishment of prerequisites, as well as standards and policies regarding student preparation and success;

Whereas, Title 5 §55003 states that the assignment of a prerequisite to a course signifies that the course skills, or body of knowledge described in the prerequisite, are essential to the success of the student in that course and that it is highly unlikely that a student who has not met the prerequisite will receive a satisfactory grade in the course for which the prerequisite has been established; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges support the authority and right of local community college curriculum approval processes established by local academic senates, as set out in Title 5 regulations, to approve prerequisite courses for college-level mathematics, which are consistent with the development of alternative math pathways for non-STEM majors in the community college;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges will work to protect the authority and right of local community college curriculum approval processes established by local academic senates, as set out in Title 5 regulations, to approve prerequisite courses and/or their equivalents; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge the Intersegmental Committee of Academic Senates (ICAS) to respect the right of local community college academic senates to determine via local curriculum approval processes appropriate prerequisite courses and/or their equivalents for college-level mathematics.

MSR: Referred to the Executive Committee to bring back same resolution, or new one, if necessary, after such time that the math discipline faculty and/or statewide math groups have fully discussed and come to consensus on the best course of action to address the issue.