1. California Community Colleges Classified Senate
Resolution Plenary Information Session
Presenters: Debbie Weatherly & Shondra West

2. 4CS Resolutions and what we hope to accomplish today
Senate
Area Mtg
Region Mtg
CLI
Overview of the plenary process in the context of Governance
Progress to date
4CS Resolution Handbook and Website
How to write and submit a resolution for consideration for the plenary session
Resolutions
Next Steps

3. Governance at the State Level
Board of Governors
Consultation Council
These are the 2 main governance bodies for the community college system at the state level.

4. About the Board of Governors
The California Community Colleges Board of Governors sets policy and provides guidance for the 72 districts and 113 colleges that constitute the system.
The 17-member board is appointed by the governor and formally interacts with state and federal officials and other organizations. The board selects a chancellor for the system. The chancellor, through a formal process of consultation, brings recommendations to the board. All of the preceding information is taken directly from the Chancellor’s Office Board of Governors website. It is important to cite the reference.

5. Board of Governors and Consultation Council
The California Community Colleges is guided by a process of shared governance.
The board of governors maintains a consultation process to ensure representatives from all levels of the system have an opportunity to advise the chancellor on state policy decisions. The chancellor considers this information prior to making final recommendations to the board.
This process has evolved over the years into a Consultation Council composed of 18 representatives of institutional groups such as trustees, executive officers, students, administrators, business officers, student services officers, instructional officers, and representative organizations such as faculty and staff unions and associations. The council is chaired by state Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley and meets once per month to review and evaluate policy proposals and related issues.
Each of the 72 community college districts has a locally-elected board of trustees. These individuals are responsive to members of their community. Trustees also oversee the operations and budgets of local colleges within their districts.
This information is taken directly from the Chancellor’s Office Consultation Council website. It is important to cite the reference.

6. Title 5 and Classified Participation in Governance
Title 5, Section specifically requires that the District’s Board of Trustees “adopt policies and procedures that provide district and college staff the opportunity to participate effectively in district and college governance,” on matters “that the governing board reasonably determines, in consultation with staff, have or will have a significant effect on staff.”
While this Title 5 reference is in reference to local governance policies, the spirit of the law is included, for the most part at the state level as classifiied representatives do sit on both Consultation Council and the Board of Governors.

7. Classified Representation on Consultation Council and Board of Governors
CFT/AFT Representative
Thomas Hamilton, President
Long Beach Council of Classified Employees
4421 East Village Road
Long Beach, CA 90808
(562)
CSEA Representative Manuel Payan Feather River Drive Stockton, CA (209)
Board of Governors:
Danny Hawkins

8. How do Classified Senates Provide Input into the Governance Process?
Right now there is no organized, institutionalized process for input at Consultation Council for classified senates
Academic Senates have a resolution process that we can adapt to fit our needs
We can lobby to be included at Consultation Council, but it would probably be more effective to begin demonstrating that we have an important perspective that should be included
The resolution process is a powerful way for us to demonstrate that participation
It is important to note here that all members of all senates should participate in the process. It is not the work of a single individual at a campus or at one senate only for statewide resolutions.

9. How will the Resolution Process Work?
4CS has added a new standing committee, a Resolutions Committee
Senates have voted on whether or not to institute a resolution process
Going forward, the Resolutions Committee will receive resolutions from local senates to be considered and voted upon at a plenary session.
The Resolutions Committee may also initiate the process, but a Resolution will not become part of the permanent record until all senates have voted (same for locally-generated resolutions)
Share voting results. And it is important to note here, that if a senate forwards a resolution, it is assumed that the resolution has passed at their local senate.

10. 4CS Resolutions Process
Senate
Area Mtg
Region Mtg
CLI
Resolutions may be generated at the 4CS or senate levels and refined at the Area and Regional meetings before going through the final vetting process at CLI
Again, a lot of communication has taken place before a resolution gets to plenary. If it is generated at the local level, It has been discussed at a local senate meeting, taken action upon at a subsequent meeting, taken to a regional meeting for feedback, then submitted to the Resolution Committee for review. If the resolution is generated at the 4CS (Executive Board) level, it also needs to be disseminated at a regional meeting for review and then voted on at plenary.

11. How Will Local Senates and the 4CS Executive Committee Become Informed on the Issue(s)?
Each resolution would have a contact individual or individuals. That individual is responsible for providing background information in the form of an information session at the plenary, or providing a paper (see examples of Rostrum articles on Academic Senate website).
A handbook has been developed to provide detailed instructions on the writing and submission process
Should we look into having an online process as well for those who cannot attend in person? Some issues are hot button items and cannot wait for several months for voting
This is a critical step. Writing a formal resolution is taking a stance on an issue. In the democratic process, we need to be fully informed on issues before taking a stance. Show the Academic Senate website Rostrum section. This is where individuals can read up on a topic in order to be best informed on an issue.

12. 4CS Resolution Website and Handbook

13. Resolutions Under Consideration
Classified known as Classified Professionals
Professional development funding
Establishment of Plenary sessions at the state level
Guidance of Undocumented Students
Participation in the Accreditation Process by Classified Professionals
Provide handouts so each participant will have this to take back.

14. How to Write a Resolution
Using your copy of the handbook that contains a section on how to write a resolution, we will use this time to comment on existing resolutions and brainstorm topics for new resolutions

15. What Will We do With our Resolutions?
We can publish them on the 4CS website
We can deliver them to our representatives on Consultation Council
And/or we can submit them directly to the Chancellor
Most importantly, they can serve to connect classified senates to each other and provide an information clearing house on a variety of subjects that will serve as a resource for local senates
It is important here to have a round table discussion on the “resolved” section of the resolution. It is a common mistake that writers often write recommended actions that 4CS has no authority over. This topic is covered in the handbook on pp of the handbook.

16. Next Steps
Make resolutions an agenda item for your local senate to educate your members and encourage them to write one of their own!
Plan to have at least one member of your senate attend the Classified Leadership Institute in June so that we will have a full voting contingent