The 2012 - 13 Governance and Internal Policy Committee held a breakout and developed a Rostrum article. The Executive Committee deemed this completed in May 2013.
Whereas, Attacks on public higher education from numerous external organizations and agencies are increasing, and in some cases internal groups push agendas to achieve goals inconsistent with the goals of faculty;
Whereas, Responses to attacks on and challenges to California community colleges must be strategic and timely, as well as provide guidance for local academic senates so that they can inform faculty and develop local action, such as writing letters to the editor, visiting or writing legislators, dividing work among colleges, and attending hearings;
Whereas, As an example, the draft recommendations of the California Community Colleges Task Force on Student Success (established in response to Senate Bill 1143, Liu, 2010) necessitates an immediate response from the Academic Senate to effectively communicate the concerns of California community college faculty with the recommendations; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges functions as a democratic organization driven by resolutions and grass roots initiatives, which sometimes causes a delay in the ability to engage the numbers of faculty who want to join the cause;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges establish a process that will provide strategic directions and plans for coordinating efforts by local academic senates to respond rapidly to aspects of state or federal initiatives that challenge our primacy in educational matters.
MSC