2008 Woodie Awards
Dr. Hodge, Faculty, Trustees at Odds
The Board of Trustees and the Faculty Senate debate the role of the college President in approving curriculum.
Rachel Nishimura
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: News
FC faculty were present to discuss curriculum rejected by President Kathleen Hodge due to concerns about class sizes at the Board of Trustees meeting held on Tuesday, September 25.
Faculty Senate President Kenneth Collins gave a statement along with Curriculum Committee Chair Jennifer Combs, committee member Cindy Zarske and former Cypress President Steve Gold.
The statements brought up the question of what power the president's signature holds on the approval of curriculum and how the appropriate class size for courses should be determined.
The four statements echoed curriculum committee concerns that the expertise of the faculty who developed the curriculum and the established curriculum process is being discounted.
"The curriculum review process is lengthy and rigorous," Combs said. "Proposals are developed by faculty who are experts in their discipline, and reviewed by Division Deans and many more faculty in a wide variety of roles."
The faculty also mentioned that the Board is not following regulations stated in Title 5 section 53203 of the California Education Code. Title 5 states, "The governing board elects to primarily rely upon the advice and judgement of the academic senate."
"If the Board does not approve this curriculum by December 11, they are allowing one person's objection to one aspect of the curriculum prevent or delay students from realizing the benefits of all aspects of the revisions and new courses," Zarske said.
The North Orange County Community College District Chancellor Jerry Hunter also gave a prepared statement expressing the Board's position.
"Although the contract states that class size will be determined by the campus curriculum process, there is a lack of clarity with respect to the role that administration, specifically the College President, plays in the approval of curriculum," Hunter said.
Hunter proposed that the role of the College President and administration in deciding class size should be discussed in the District Curriculum Coordinating Committee and if a resolution is not reached at the DCCC, the existing contract will need to be renegotiated.
Faculty Senate President Kenneth Collins gave a statement along with Curriculum Committee Chair Jennifer Combs, committee member Cindy Zarske and former Cypress President Steve Gold.
The statements brought up the question of what power the president's signature holds on the approval of curriculum and how the appropriate class size for courses should be determined.
The four statements echoed curriculum committee concerns that the expertise of the faculty who developed the curriculum and the established curriculum process is being discounted.
"The curriculum review process is lengthy and rigorous," Combs said. "Proposals are developed by faculty who are experts in their discipline, and reviewed by Division Deans and many more faculty in a wide variety of roles."
The faculty also mentioned that the Board is not following regulations stated in Title 5 section 53203 of the California Education Code. Title 5 states, "The governing board elects to primarily rely upon the advice and judgement of the academic senate."
"If the Board does not approve this curriculum by December 11, they are allowing one person's objection to one aspect of the curriculum prevent or delay students from realizing the benefits of all aspects of the revisions and new courses," Zarske said.
The North Orange County Community College District Chancellor Jerry Hunter also gave a prepared statement expressing the Board's position.
"Although the contract states that class size will be determined by the campus curriculum process, there is a lack of clarity with respect to the role that administration, specifically the College President, plays in the approval of curriculum," Hunter said.
Hunter proposed that the role of the College President and administration in deciding class size should be discussed in the District Curriculum Coordinating Committee and if a resolution is not reached at the DCCC, the existing contract will need to be renegotiated.
Be the first to comment on this story