Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, which implements the legislature's intent in passing AB 1725, established relationships among the constituencies within California Community colleges to "ensure faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to express their opinions at the campus level and to ensure that these opinions are given every reasonable consideration, and the right to participate effectively in district and college governance, and the right of academic senates to assume primary responsibility for making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards." The Lassen Community College District Board adopted policy 2510 to further define the relationship.
In addition, Title 5 states that colleges are to rely on the recommendations of their academic senates on the development of academic and professional matters. (Title 5, Article 2, Section 53200). Board Policy 2510 further states that the Board of Trustees will "rely primarily" on the recommendations of the Academic Senate in the areas of:
- Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines;
- Degree and certificate requirements;
- Grading policies;
- Educational program development;
- Standards and policies regarding student preparation and success;
- Policies for faculty professional development activities;
- Processes for program review;
- Processes for institutional planning and budget development.
Board policy provides that other academic and professional matters such as:
- District and college governance structures, as related to faculty roles;
- Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes, including self-study and annual reports; are to be reached through a process of "mutual agreement" by the College President and the academic senate.
The Governing Board will identify the method (rely primarily or mutually agree) to be utilized in consulting collegially at the time when other academic and professional matters are mutually agreed upon.
- Other academic and professional matters as are mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate.
The Lassen Community College academic senate is composed of six faculty members elected by the Lassen Community College faculty. The faculty members are elected for two-year terms to represent either the Physical Education/Career Technical faculty or the Liberal Arts/Sciences faculty with three to four seats up for election annually in early May. There is always equal representation from each faculty division. All elected senators are full-time tenured faculty. Senate officers are elected from within Senate every May once new senators are seated. Officers include the positions of president, vice-president, and secretary. There are no term limit restrictions fo senators or for senate officers. The Academic Senate has been a valued part of the governance process and recognizes the importance of faculty participation and representation. Prospective senators must be willing to volunteer, invest time and energy, engage faculty colleagues in often challenging conversations, and commit to promoting the best interests of students, faculty and the institution as a whole.
All recommendations concerning academic programs and services are developed and forwarded through established processes originating with faculty and involving the Curriculum/Academic Standards Committee, the Academic Senate and, when appropriate, the Governing Board.
Academic Senate Goals:
- Represent the faculty in all professional and academic matters.
- Promote and participate in shared governance as stipulated by Title 5.
- Foster continued sense of community, involvement and communication among faculty as well as other college groups.
- Support and encourage excellence in teaching and learning
- Continue to ensure understanding among faculty of the role of Instructional Program Review in institutional planning and budgeting
