Accreditation

Recommendation IV (4)

In order to meet the standard, the team recommends that the College include the Academic Freedom statement in the college catalog. (II.A.7, II.B.2.a)

Narrative Analysis

The College catalog is typically produced once every two years, with an addendum in alternating years, and this Recommendation was in reference to the 2014-16 catalog (R4.1). In response to the Recommendation for inclusion of an Academic Freedom Statement, conversations on the campus began in two arenas: the production of the catalog and the Academic Senate on how to best represent the Academic Freedom Statement in the catalog.

The production of the catalog is managed through the Academic Services Office with an ad-hoc workgroup that meets for this task bi-yearly. The group agrees on a timeline and tasks, led by the Vice President of Academic Services (R4.2). During the fall 2015 meeting, she suggested that the College would be served to produce the full catalog each year, beginning in 2016-17. This would give more opportunity to publish changes and would increase visibility of the updates of the curriculum, courses, and program outcomes; it could also include publishing the Academic Freedom Statement. The workgroup welcomed the idea and agreed to move the request forward; it was then considered at an Executive Staff meeting. Executive Staff agreed that for the short-term it would be advantageous to publish a catalog each year, rather than alternating with an addendum, and that the costs would be absorbed by the Academic Services Office (R4.3).

The Academic Senate President first put this Recommendation on the Academic Senate Agenda in December of 2015 for discussion (R4.4, R4.5). Because there are several places that Academic Freedom is addressed, such as Board Policy (R4.6), the Full-Time Faculty Handbook (R4.7) and the Agreement between the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and Chabot-Las Positas Faculty Association (R4.8) (R4.9), an Academic Senate work group, of three members, was formed to consider the options for submission to the Catalog (R4.10). The work group met and submitted drafts to the Academic Senate (R4.11) with substantial conversation to craft it for the context and to reflect the Senate’s views (R4.12). The language was reviewed by the Faculty Association Executive Board members and their attorney (R4.13), and shared broadly at Division Meetings (R4.14). The Academic Freedom Statement was approved by the Academic Senate on March 23, 2016 (R4.15). It was included in the LPC Academic Catalog 2016-17 production and can be found on page 5 (R4.16).

Conclusion

Las Positas College had addressed Recommendation 4, in order to meet the Standards as identified. The College acknowledges the need for a catalog that provides accurate and current information including an Academic Freedom Statement. The Academic Freedom Statement was reviewed and approved by the Academic Senate and published in the 2016-17 College Catalog. It exemplifies a commitment to the free pursuit and dissemination of knowledge and fully meets the Standards.

Recommendation IV (4)

Narrative Analysis

Conclusion

Evidence