It’s only week 2 and I already need to catch up!
Our 16-week semesters start fast, don’t they? Fall 2020 will be over before we know it. There is so much information about what is going onto share. Here are some key items CCC’s Academic Senate Council has been considering so far.
Regular and Effective Contact in DE courses
Distance Education courses must have regular and effective contact, both between faculty and students and between students themselves. The Accreditation visiting team will be looking at ~10% of the courses that were intentionally scheduled online for spring 2020. Regular and effective contact will be a key focus for them! See pages 6-8 of the Distance Education Handbook found on the distance education-faculty info link of the faculty and staff resources page which itself is found in the middle of the column called “Faculty and Staff” at the bottom of EVERY CCC website view. A training video is also available in the Professional Development section of the Online Teaching Essentials Canvas resource Maritez created over the summer.
eLumen Curriculum tool soft launch
Our curriculum processes still occur at the faculty-run CIC committee, just with a new tool! Mark Wong, Karen Rukowski, Lynette Kral, and the rest of the eLumen implementation team worked hard all summer to make sure we can start utilizing this technology. If you have a curriculum project and like being the first to try things out – contact Mark to be a beta tester. Your experience will help perfect the curriculum manual Mark is updating!
College Council faculty representatives for 2020-21 appointed
Congratulations to Vanna Gonzales, Nikki Ferguson, Stephanie Austin, and Me, who are continuing on as your faulty representatives to the highest participatory governance body of CCC. Extra congratulations to Marisol Cantu, who is stepping up to fill the faculty seat representing adjunct faculty! Don’t forget to find your own place in our participatory governance system. Share your insights and abilities to make our college a better place.
Accreditation is one month away!
Take a look at the beautifully formatted version of CCC’s ISER found on our Accreditation website. The team will visit us virtually October 5-8, so be prepared to share with them the good work we are all doing!
Guided Pathways Forum October 22
Development of meta-majors will be a main topic. We are also looking for a new faculty member to serve as the Pathway Supports workgroup co-chair. Don’t forget to watch the GuidedPathways workgroup videos and complete the GuidedPathways feedback survey to help the GP team prepare!
Academic Senate Goals for the year
On July 1, the ASC passed 23 resolutions in response to calls to action for racial justice. Now the real job begins – how to make these ideas real in the fabric of the work of the college, especially as it relates to the 10+1 (Academic and Professional matters which are the purview of the Academic Senate). Finalized concrete goals are expected at the next meeting; September 21. P,S. One important goal is to elect a new ASC President and Vice President, as Mark and are both returning to our teaching roles!
Part-time representation on the Academic Senate Council
A proposal for adding a voting seat representing adjunct faculty to the Academic Senate Council is being developed. Keep an eye out for the next agenda packet to view an amendment to the ASC by-laws to create this seat.
District Governing Board
They will be an active board this September, with a regular meeting on September 9 with a focus on the budget, a special meeting about diversity and inclusion on Sept 16, and multiple meetings related to hiring our next chancellor (sept 8 interview, sept 17 public fora, sept 24 final interview). The agendas and minutes are always available via the BoardDocs tool, which can be found on the 4CD Governing Board page of our district website.