Program Vitality and Discontinuance Kevin Bontenbal, Cuesta College Don Gauthier, Los Angeles Valley College Paul Setziol, De Anza College Spring 2011 Plenary Session

Program Vitality and Discontinuance  Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges research the various changes regarding program discontinuance and related issues that have occurred since the 1998 paper Program Discontinuance: A Faculty Perspective was written and update the paper as necessary. Spring 2011 Plenary Session

Program Vitality and Discontinuance  Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges research the various changes regarding program discontinuance and related issues that have occurred since the 1998 paper Program Discontinuance: A Faculty Perspective was written and update the paper as necessary. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Assessing Program Viability and Vitality Program Discontinuance: A Faculty Perspective Revisited

 Fundamental importance of commitment to programs and its ramifications for a program discontinuance policy.  Probationary year  Funding a probationary year  Other concepts to consider;  Vitality  Viability  Revitalization  Suspension Spring 2011 Plenary Session Commitment to Programs

 The longstanding position of the Academic Senate has been that the process of program discontinuance should be kept distinct from program review.  See updated 2009, ASCCC paper entitled Program Review: Setting a Standard. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Relationship / Linkage with Program Review

 Relationship program discontinuance has to Program Review processes and criteria:  During regular, periodic program review, principal material is self study and institutional research.  During consideration of program discontinuance, program review self studies are not referenced.  Institutional research data from previous as well as current program reviews used.  During program discontinuance processes, program faculty and administrator response and submission of whatever information they feel pertinent. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Relationship / Linkage with Program Review

 Title 5 §55000(g) defines an educational program as "an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher education.”  “an instructional program is defined as a discipline and as an organized sequence or grouping of courses leading to a defined objective such as a major, degree, certificate, license, the acquisition of selected knowledge or skills, or transfer to another institution of higher education” Spring 2011 Plenary Session Program Definition

 Faculty  Academic Senate  Collective Bargaining Unit  Administration/Governing Board  Students  Others? Spring 2011 Plenary Session Role of Constituent Groups

 Community college educational planning requires that the college examine what it does and how that compares to a forecast of what is needed in the future. As stated in The Academic Senate’s paper Program Review: Setting a Standard;  "we see enrollments decreasing in course A and wait lists growing in course B so we offer fewer of A and more of B. But planning asks why these changes are occurring, whether the condition can be changed by the college and the faculty, and what is to be done.”  A comprehensive program discontinuance process should help answer such questions.  The college community is best served when curriculum and educational plans drive the budget development process. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Educational and Budget Planning

 Program discontinuance can have implications beyond the immediate community and extends into neighboring geographical regions. Consideration should be given to:  need for workers in the region with skills taught in the program  availability of the program at other community colleges offering the major within the region  collaboration with business and industry in the region to strengthen the program  possibility of conjoint programs with other community colleges in the region  effects on UC/CSU transfer students  effects on local industry  the impact on the transfer student's ability to complete specific lower division subject areas and general education requirements when eliminating a program Spring 2011 Plenary Session Regional Issues

 Ed. Code “Review of program; termination” states that every vocational or occupational training program offered by a community college district shall be reviewed every two years by the governing board of the district to assure that each program, as demonstrated by the California Occupational Labor Market Information Program established in Section of the Unemployment Insurance Code, or if this program is not available in the labor market area, other available sources of labor market information, does all of the following:  Meets a documented labor market demand  Does not represent unnecessary duplication of other manpower training programs in the area  Is of demonstrated effectiveness as measured by the employment and completion success of its students. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Statute, Regulation, and Accreditation

 Title 5 §51022 requires that “Within six months of the formation of a community college district, the governing board shall adopt and carry out its policies for the establishment, modification, or discontinuance of courses or programs.  Title 5 §55601 requires local governing boards to appoint advisory committees: “The governing board of each community college district participating in a vocational education program shall appoint a vocational education advisory committee to develop recommendations on the program and to provide liaison between the district and potential employers.”  Title 5 §55130 specifies that program approval is effective until the program or implementation of the program is discontinued or modified in any substantial way. Spring 2011 Plenary Session Statute, Regulation, and Accreditation

 Accreditation Standard II.A.6.b states that; “when programs are eliminated or program requirements are significantly changed, the institution makes appropriate arrangements so that enrolled students may complete their education in a timely manner with a minimum of disruption.”  Accreditation expectation that requires colleges to plan and budget effectively.  “The institution provides the means for students to learn, assesses how well learning is occurring, and strives to improve that learning through ongoing, systematic, and integrated planning.” Spring 2011 Plenary Session Statute, Regulation, and Accreditation

 Are there aspects of program vitality/discontinuance that appear missing, that the paper should discuss? Spring 2011 Plenary Session What areas are missing?

 A snap shot of recent survey results…  Insert results here Spring 2011 Plenary Session What’s happening across the state?