DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGES OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS REFERENCE: INDEX NUMBER Title 5, C.C.R. Section 55002 ISSUE DATE: CHANGES: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 1. E-65 TOPIC: Curriculum Development and Approval: Standards and Procedures July 18, 1983 Instructional and Student Support Services Division DATES OF CHANGES: July 18, 2001 INITIATED BY: Section 3 (b) BACKGROUND FOR CURRICULUM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges has adopted regulations establishing distinct sets of standards for courses, which may or may not be applied for credit toward the associate degree. In addition, the Board of Governors requires that noncredit courses be approved through the same local curriculum review and approval process as that required for credit courses. Title 5, sections 55000-55202 provide the regulatory framework for curriculum approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall be established by mutual agreement of the college and/or district administration and the academic senate. The committee shall either be a committee of the academic senate, or a committee, which shall include faculty and may otherwise be comprised in any way that is mutually agreeable to the college and/or district and the academic senate. Regulations require that all courses at a community college be reviewed and approved for recommendation by a college curriculum committee, and/or when applicable a district curriculum committee be established in a manner that is acceptable to the local academic senate, as well as the campus or district administration. This means that the academic senate must approve the process and structure of the committee charged with curricular review and approval. Once the process and structure of the curriculum committee have been established, this committee will then serve as the required body to which all course and program changes for the college will be submitted. The curriculum committee will also serve as the body that determines the appropriateness of prerequisites for all college courses and pre-collegiate basic skills courses. 2. DISTRICT CURRICULUM COMMITTEE A District Curriculum Committee shall be established to recommend policies and procedures concerning curriculum development, oversee the curriculum approval process, and in certain instances, to make recommendations to the District Senate on curriculum proposals. These instances shall be cases in which technical or other problems are identified in curriculum proposals approved and recommended by the College Curriculum Committee, Page 1 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Senate, and the College President, as described in Section B., Curriculum Development, below. The District Curriculum Committee will be a standing committee of the District Academic Senate. The composition of the Committee is as follows: * The nine local college faculty chairs of the college curriculum committees (9) *The President and Vice President of the DAS (2) *A faculty member representing AFT (Article 32, C Agreement) (1) Student (1) selected by Student Affairs Committee An Articulation Officer (1) selected by college Articulation Officers Academic Affairs Vice President (1) Educational Services Instructional and Student Support Services representative (1) (* Indicates voting member) A quorum will consist of 7 voting members. Other Academic Vice Presidents or faculty may serve as resource persons. The committee will be chaired by the Vice President of the District Academic Senate. 3. CURRICULUM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT This regulation applies to proposals for new, added, reinstated and/or archived courses and to proposals for changes in course number, title, units, or hours. These procedures are the recognized curriculum procedures of the LACCD as required by Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. These procedures are recognized as the exclusive curriculum development and approval procedures for the Los Angeles Community College District. a. New Courses 1. Approval Criteria In reviewing and recommending a course, the college curriculum committee shall consider whether the proposed course meets the following criteria: Page 2 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 a. Appropriateness to college mission. The stated goals and objectives of the proposed course are consistent with the mission and master plan of the college. The course provides systematic instruction in a body of content or skills whose mastery forms the basis of the student grade. b. Need. There must be a demonstrable need for a course that meets the stated goals and objectives of the college’s Educational Master Plan. c. Quality. The course meets the standards and criteria contained in Title 5, section 55002. d. Feasibility. The college has the resources necessary to support the course at the level of quality presupposed in the course design. e. Compliance. The course complies with all other laws applicable to it, including federal regulations, licensing requirements and any legal requirements that may exist for a particular course or courses 2. Procedures STEP 1: A new course proposal will be initiated by a faculty member/faculty members and approved by a majority of faculty within the discipline at the college. STEP 2:The District Office’s Instructional and Student Support Services Division will assign a course number and, if necessary, a subject code and/or TOP code. STEP 3: Curricular proposals will be forwarded to the chair of the college Curriculum Committee and the Vice President of Academic Affairs or designee for technical review. The proposals will then be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for action. STEP 4: The proposed new course will be placed on the agenda of the college curriculum committee for action in accordance with the college’s curriculum approval process. Each proposal, approved by the Curriculum Committee, will be forwarded to the college Academic Senate for consideration. Senate recommendations will be forwarded to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. STEP 5: Following all approvals, the college’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, or designee, will forward the approved Course Outline (electronically or in hard-copy) to the Instructional and Student Support Services Division for notification through the District's wide area network. Page 3 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 STEP 6: The Instructional and Student Support Services Division will conduct a technical review and notify the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Curriculum Committee Chair, and the Articulation Officer at the other colleges in the District, as well as appropriate Discipline Committee Chairs, Senate Presidents and local Curriculum Committee Chairs of the proposed new course(s). These parties have twenty (20) working days to forward any comments to the college proposing the course. These parties do not have the authority to stop the approval of the course, but they may express concerns they would like the initiating college to consider. STEP 7: A Districtwide Discipline Committee or any member of the District Curriculum Committee can request to have a new course proposal reviewed by the District Curriculum Committee prior to review of the Board of Trustees. Concerns will be in writing and will be sent (either electronically or in hard-copy) to the Chair of the DCC, with a copy to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Instructional and Student Service Support. Concerns from a Discipline Committee must be in the form of a letter signed by a majority of the members of the Districtwide Discipline Committee or in minutes from a Districtwide Discipline Committee meeting, where there was a quorum and a majority of the members present voted for the action. STEP 8 Upon receipt of the written concerns, the Chair of the DCC will place the matter on the next agenda of the DCC. Upon receipt of the concerns, the clock on the 20-day review period will stop. If the concerns were raised by a Districtwide Discipline Committee, the Chair of the DCC will notify the Districtwide Discipline Committee Chair as to the date when the committee’s concerns will be reviewed by the DCC. The Chair of the Curriculum Committee at the college proposing the new course may also invite faculty from the college to address the concerns. STEP 9: During the DCC meeting when the concerns are discussed, the DCC will review the written concerns, listen to comments from both the college proposing the course and the Chair of the Districtwide Discipline Committee. The DCC will discuss the concerns and formulate possible recommendations. If the DCC has any recommendations, the DCC Chair will forward those recommendations to the Senate President and College President of the college proposing the course (with copies to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Curriculum Committee Chair). The DCC will then either take action to restart the clock on the 20-day review process or extend the review process by up to an additional 20 days. If the DCC extends the review period, it will do so with Page 4 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 explicit recommendations for actions to be taken by the college, Districtwide discipline committee or both. STEP 10: At either the end of the initial 20-day review period (less the time taken for DCC review) or at the end of the extended review period, the new course will be placed on the next available agenda of the Board of Trustees STEP 11 If After twenty (20) working days, no requests (see STEP 7) are received for DCC/DAS review, the Chair of the District Curriculum Committee will notify the District Senate President and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Instructional and Student Support Services Division, who will place the proposed new course on the next available agenda of the Board of Trustees STEP 12: Following Board Action, the Instructional and Student Support Services Division will enter the new course(s) into the course database and provide appropriate notification to the DAS President and Vice President, Senate Presidents and Curriculum Committee Chairs, Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, and appropriate discipline committee chairs. NOTE: Course Content Equivalency (cross-listing with a course in another subject) may not be included as a course attribute of a new course approval. Requests for the cross listing of courses must be done in accordance with the provisions of section 3(b) of this regulation, once the new course has been approved in accordance with the provision of section 3(a) b. Changes to Existing Courses 1. Procedures The procedures in this section apply to changes to course attributes of existing courses with the same subject title and subject number, approved at more than one college. The course attributes subject to these procedures are as follows: Course Title Units TOP Code Course Classification (Liberal Arts & Sciences, Occupational, Developmental, etc.) CSU Transferability Associate Degree Applicable Special Class Status (for disabled students) Basic Skills Indicator Page 5 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 Course Content Equivalency (cross-listing with a course in another subject) NOTE: Subjects placed in disciplines with minimum qualifications that require a master’s degree may not be cross-listed with subjects placed in a discipline that have minimum qualifications that do not require a master’s degree. Changes to these attributes, approved through the procedures listed below shall be applied to the course at all colleges in the District where the course is offered. All other changes to existing courses will be made in accordance with established college curriculum approval procedures and may vary by college. To the extent possible, the college will maintain and update these local changes in the District course database. STEP 1: Changes to the course attributes (data elements) listed above shall be initiated and approved at the college level by the faculty in the discipline STEP 2: Proposals for course changes will be forwarded to the chair of the College Curriculum Committee and the Vice President of Academic Affairs for appropriate action, as determined by college curriculum approval procedures. STEP 3: The proposed course revisions will be placed on the agenda of the college curriculum committee for action. Each proposal, approved by the Curriculum Committee, will be forwarded to the college Academic Senate for consideration, in keeping with college curriculum approval procedures. Senate recommendations will be forwarded to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. STEP 4: The Vice President will forward his/her recommendation, along with the recommendation of the Senate to the College President. STEP 5: Following all approvals, the college’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, or designee, will forward the approved Course Change form (electronically or in hard-copy) to the Instructional and Student Support Services Division for notification through the District's wide area network. STEP 6: The Instructional and Student Support Services Division will conduct a technical review and notify the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the District Curriculum Committee Chair, and the Articulation Officer at the other colleges in the District, as well as appropriate Discipline Committee Chairs, Page 6 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 Senate Presidents and local Curriculum Committee Chairs of the proposed course change(s). These parties have twenty (20) working days to request that the proposal be placed on the Agenda of the District Curriculum Committee for discussion. Such Agenda requests must be made in writing to the Chair of the District Curriculum Committee (VP DAS) within 20 working days of receipt of proposal. The District Curriculum Committee Chair and Associate Vice Chancellor of Instructional and Student Support Services Division will log receipt of requested changes for the purpose of defining this time period. STEP 7: If, after twenty (20) working days no Agenda requests are received, the Chair of the District Curriculum Committee will so indicate on the proposal and will advise the District Senate President who will present the item to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Instructional and Student Support Services Division so that the recommended changes can be made to the course(s). Future Changes to District standard course attributes will be effective in the next available semester. An available semester is one where schedule production has not commenced at a college where the course is approved. If District Curriculum Committee Agenda requests are received within the twenty (20) working day period they will be placed on the Agenda of the next meeting. The Agenda will be prepared and distributed by the Chair of the District Curriculum Committee after consultation with the Associate Vice Chancellor of Instructional and Student Support Services Division, and with the assistance of staff provided by Instructional and Student Support Services Division. The District Curriculum Committee, will then review the proposed changes and either accept or deny the requested change. If the District Curriculum Committee denies the request, the college can appeal the decision to the District Academic Senate. c. Added Courses The Addition of existing District courses to a college’s curriculum shall be initiated and approved at the college level by the faculty in the discipline and or department/division/cluster in consultation with the college administration, and college articulation officer. Proposals for added courses, which are recommended by the college faculty in the discipline or department/division/cluster, the college curriculum committee, and the college Senate, shall be forwarded by the college President to Instructional and Page 7 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 Student Support Services Division, which will place the course in the District course database. d. Experimental/Emergency Action Colleges may offer an experimental/emergency course as a “99” on a provisional basis for one full academic year if the course is approved by the college's curriculum approval process. Courses will be given a “99” number designation. Copies of the course description shall be sent to District Instructional and Student Support Services Division for distribution as listed above. During the second semester, the college must submit a complete course proposal with a regular course number. The “99” course shall be terminated at the end of the second semester. e. Modules The modularization of existing courses shall be initiated and approved at the college level by the faculty in the discipline and/or department/division/cluster in consultation with the college administration. Proposals for modularized courses which are recommended by the college faculty in the discipline or department/division/cluster, the college curriculum committee, and the college Senate shall be forwarded by the College President to the Instructional and Student Services Support Division which will place the modules in the District course database and on the Agenda of the District Curriculum Committee as information items. 4. DISTRICTWIDE DISCIPLINE COMMITTEES Districtwide discipline committees, formed according to District Senate guidelines and/or otherwise approved by the District Academic Senate, may be consulted by Disciplines at a college, by College Curriculum Committees, the Chancellor (or designee), the District Curriculum Committee, and/or by the District Senate, as needed. Topics which may be referred to a discipline committee by any of these constituencies might include, but are not limited to, renumbering of courses, restructuring of graduation requirements, restructuring of competency requirements, uniformity of course content across the district, and articulation with four year colleges and high schools. District Discipline Committees may also initiate the discussion of these or other issues and make recommendations in turn to any of these groups as the need arises. However, recommendations on the curriculum as listed above must be initiated at the college level as described. Page 8 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 5. REVIEW OF CURRICULUM PROCESS The procedures described in this regulation may be reviewed, changed, or adjusted subject to the mutual agreement of the DAS and the Chancellor. 6. DEFINITIONS “Working day”: a day when the majority of the colleges in the District are in session, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and summer and winter session days. b. “Subject” is a general title used to describe the content of courses. Courses are placed in subjects and are listed with course identification numbers given by the State Chancellor’s Office. a. c. “Discipline” refers to the determination of preparation needed to teach a subject or perform a defined purpose. Discipline relates to State Minimum Qualifications. (Note: Faculty qualified for a single discipline may be able to teach multiple subjects. Faculty are qualified to teach in disciplines). Page 9 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 346 347 348 349 350 FLOW CHART OF LACCD COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS (Each college Senate will determine local curriculum approval process within guidelines established by Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations) 351 Step STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3: STEP 4: Individual or Body Faculty member/faculty members A majority of faculty within the discipline at the college. The District Office’s Instructional and Student Support Services Division Department Chair Action Initiates a new course proposal Approves proposal Assigns a course number and, if necessary, a subject code and/or TOP code. Forwards Curricular proposals to the chair of the college Curriculum Committee and the Vice President of Academic Affairs or designee for technical review. Curriculum Committee Chair Curriculum Committee Chair Forwards proposal to the Curriculum Committee for action. Curriculum Committee Chair Forwards proposal, approved by the Curriculum Committee, to the college Academic Senate for consideration. Places proposed new course on the agenda of the college curriculum committee for action in accordance with the college’s curriculum approval process. Page 10 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 STEP 5: STEP 6: STEP 7: STEP 8 College Senate President Vice President of Academic Affairs, or designee The Instructional and Student Support Services Division Forwards Senate recommendations to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Forward the approved Course to the Instructional and Student Support Services Division for notification through the District's wide area network. Conducts a technical review and notifies the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Curriculum Committee Chair, and the Articulation Officer at the other colleges in the District, as well as appropriate Discipline Committee Chairs, Senate Presidents and local Curriculum Committee Chairs of the proposed new course(s). . Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Curriculum Committee Chair, and the Articulation Officer at the other colleges in the District, as well as appropriate Discipline Committee Chairs, Senate Presidents and local Curriculum Committee Chairs A Districtwide Discipline Committee or any member of the District Curriculum Committee DCC Chair Forward any comments to the college proposing the course within twenty (20) working days. These parties do not have the authority to stop the approval of the course, but they may express concerns they would like the initiating college to consider. DCC Chair Notifies the Districtwide Discipline Committee Chair as to the May request to have a new course proposal reviewed by the District Curriculum Committee prior to review of the Board of Trustees. Upon receipt of the written concerns, places the matter on the next agenda of the DCC. Upon receipt of the concerns, the clock on the 20-day review period will stop. Page 11 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 STEP 9: DCC DCC Chair Forwards those recommendations (if any) to the Senate President and College President of the college proposing the course (with copies to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Curriculum Committee Chair). DCC Takes action to restart the clock on the 20-day review process or extend the review process by up to an additional 20 days. If the DCC extends the review period, provides explicit recommendations for actions to be taken by the college, Districtwide discipline committee or both. At either the end of the initial 20-day review period or at the end of the extended review period, places the new course on the next available agenda of the Board of Trustees DCC STEP 10: ISSSD STEP 11 DCC Chair If after twenty (20) working days, no requests (see STEP 7) are received for DCC/DAS review, notifies the District Senate President and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Instructional and Student Support Services Division, ISSSD Places the proposed new course on the next available agenda of the Board of Trustees ISSSD Following Board Action, enters the new course(s) into the course database ISSSD Provides appropriate notification to the DAS President and Vice President, Senate Presidents and Curriculum Committee Chairs, Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, and appropriate discipline committee chairs. STEP 12: 352 353 354 date when the committee’s concerns will be reviewed by the DCC, if the concerns were raised by a Districtwide Discipline Committee. Reviews the written concerns, listen to comments from both the college proposing the course and the Chair of the Districtwide Discipline Committee. The DCC will discuss the concerns and formulate possible recommendations. NOTE: Course Content Equivalency (cross-listing with a course in another subject) may not be included as a course attribute of a new course approval. Requests for the cross listing of courses Page 12 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 355 356 must be done in accordance with the provisions of section 3(b) of this regulation, once the new course has been approved in accordance with the provision of section 3(a) Page 13 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 357 358 359 LACCD FLOW CHART FOR COURSE CHANGES Individual or Body Action Faculty member or members Initiates recommended course change Majority of Faculty within the discipline Approves recommended course change Discipline/Dept./ Division/Cluster Reviews and forwards recommended change proposal to: College Curriculum Committee Reviews and forwards recommended course change to: College Academic Senate Approves course change College President via VP Academic Affairs Signs and sends proposed course change to Instructional and Student Services Support Division (ISSSD): 1. Places course on Districtwide curriculum agenda and District WAN (new courses) for 20 days. Instructional and Student Support Services Division 2. After 20 days, inputs change into course database (unless change is challenged) 3. Places on DCC agenda (challenged changes) DCC Reviews challenge and make decision to accept or reject recommended change DAS Hears appeals of DCC decision not to accept recommended change and makes final decision Page 14 of 15 DRAFT: 6/6/2006: Revised 9/25/2006 Revised by DCC: 10/20/2006 Revisited CIOs: 1/12/2007 Approved DCC (w/o CIO changes): 3/16/2007 Revised DCC: 9/21/2007 Instructional and Student Support Services Division Inputs course into District database if DCC decision is overruled on appeal 360 361 Page 15 of 15