Academic Senate Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Academic Senate are delineated in Title 5, Division 6 of the California Code of Regulations and in Title 3 of Education Code.

SECTION 53200(b),(c) of Title 5 of the CA Code of Regulations
DEFINITIONS

(b) “Academic senate,” “faculty council,” and “faculty senate” means an organization formed in accordance with the provisions of this Subchapter whose primary function, as the representative of the faculty, is to make recommendations to the administration of a college and to the governing board of a district with respect to academic and professional matters. For purposes of this Subchapter, reference to the term “academic senate” also constitutes reference to “faculty council” or “faculty senate.”

(c) “Academic and professional matters” means the following policy development and implementation matters:

(1) curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines;

(2) degree and certificate requirements;

(3) grading policies;

(4) educational program development;

(5) standards or policies regarding student preparation and success;

(6) district and college governance structures, as related to faculty roles;

(7) faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes, including self-study and annual reports;

(8) policies for faculty professional development activities;

(9) processes for program review;

(10) processes for institutional planning and budget development; and

(11) other academic and professional matters as are mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate.

(d) “Consult collegially” means that the district governing board shall develop policies on academic and professional matters through either or both of the following methods, according to its own discretion:

(1) relying primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate; or

(2) agreeing that the district governing board, or such representatives as it may designate, and the representatives of the academic senate shall have the obligation to reach mutual agreement by written resolution, regulation, or policy of the governing board effectuating such recommendations.

Note: our Governing Board has elected to rely primarily on the academic senate for Academic and Professional matters 1 through 3, and to reach mutual agreement with regard to matters 4 through 11. (See Administrative Procedure 1009.01)

SECTION 53203 of Title 5 of the CA Code of Regulations
POWERS

(a) The governing board of a community college district shall adopt policies for appropriate delegation of authority and responsibility to its college and/or district academic senate. Among other matters, said policies, at a minimum, shall provide that the governing board or its designees will consult collegially with the academic senate when adopting policies and procedures on academic and professional matters. This requirement to consult collegially shall not limit other rights and responsibilities of the academic senate which are specifically provided in statute or other Board of Governors regulations.

(b) In adopting the policies and procedures described in Subsection (a), the governing board or its designees shall consult collegially with representatives of the academic senate.

(c) While in the process of consulting collegially, the academic senate shall retain the right to meet with or to appear before the governing board with respect to the views, recommendations, or proposals of the senate. In addition, after consultation with the administration of the college and/or district, the academic senate may present its views and recommendations to the governing board.

(d) The governing board of a district shall adopt procedures for responding to recommendations of the academic senate that incorporate the following:

(1) in instances where the governing board elects to rely primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate, the recommendations of the senate will normally be accepted, and only in exceptional circumstances and for compelling reasons will the recommendations not be accepted. If a recommendation is not accepted, the governing board or its designee, upon request of the academic senate, shall promptly communicate its reasons in writing to the academic senate.

(2) in instances where the governing board elects to provide for mutual agreement with the academic senate, and agreement has not been reached, existing policy shall remain in effect unless continuing with such policy exposes the district to legal liability or causes substantial fiscal hardship. In cases where there is no existing policy, or in cases where the exposure to legal liability or substantial fiscal hardship requires existing policy to be changed, the governing board may act, after a good faith effort to reach agreement, only for compelling legal, fiscal, or organizational reasons.

(e) An academic senate may assume such responsibilities and perform such functions as may be delegated to it by the governing board of the district pursuant to Subsection (a).

(f) The appointment of faculty members to serve on college or district committees, task forces, or other groups dealing with academic and professional matters, shall be made, after consultation with the chief executive officer or his or her designee, by the academic senate. Notwithstanding this Subsection, the collective bargaining representative may seek to appoint faculty members to committees, task forces, or other groups.

SECTION 87359 (b) of Ed Code
WAIVER OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS; EQUIVALENCY

The agreed upon process shall include reasonable procedures to ensure that the governing board relies primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate. The process shall further require that the governing board provide the academic senate with an opportunity to present its views to the governing board before the board makes a determination.

SECTION 87360 (b) of Ed Code
HIRING CRITERIA

Hiring criteria, policies, and procedures for new faculty members shall be developed and agreed upon jointly by the representatives of the governing board and the academic senate.

SECTION 87458 (a) of Ed Code
ADMINISTRATIVE RETREAT RIGHTS

The agreed upon process shall include reasonable procedures to ensure that the governing board relies primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate. The process shall further require that the governing board provide the academic senate with an opportunity to present its views to the governing board before the board makes a determination.

SECTION 87610.1(a) of Ed Code
TENURE EVALUATION PROCEDURES

The faculty's exclusive representative shall consult with the academic senate prior to engaging in collective bargaining regarding those procedures.

SECTION 87663 (f) of Ed Code
EVALUATION PROCEDURES

The faculty's exclusive representative shall consult with the academic senate prior to engaging in collective bargaining regarding those procedures.

SECTION 87743.2 of Ed Code
FACULTY SERVICE AREAS

The exclusive representative shall consult with the academic senate in developing its proposals with regards to faculty service areas.