Curriculum Committee
Charge & Membership

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Overview

Responsibility for reviewing curriculum, establishing prerequisites, course placement in disciplines, assigning course identifiers, degree and certificate requirements, developing process and timelines for review of academic programs, grading policies, maintaining and updating discipline list, and making recommendations to the President for action by the Board of Trustees.  All new courses and programs, as well as changes in current course and program content, structure, or credit, must be reviewed by this committee.

Charge

The Curriculum Committee (hereafter referred to as “the Committee”) is responsible for ensuring and preserving the academic integrity and quality of all courses and programs offered by Las Positas College. The Committee’s primary responsibilities lie in five major areas, as specified by Title V [Title 5 §53200]:

• Curriculum
• Degree and certificate requirements
• Grading policies
• Educational program development
• Standards or policies regarding student preparation and success

As a sub-committee of the Academic Senate, the Committee reports its recommendations for approval in the areas of Curriculum and Educational Programs to the Senate as informational items, and forwards its recommendations in these areas to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Services. This office prepares the recommendations for presentation to the Board of Trustees by way of the President’s Office at the College. The Board of Trustees is the sole authority for approval of all curriculum recommendations in the areas of Curriculum and Educational Programs.

In the area of Degree and Certificate Requirements, it is the duty of the Committee to formulate policies for approving degree and certificate requirements for presentation to the Senate. “It is not the role of the Senate to change these recommendations. However, it is appropriate for the Senate to review the policies and procedures used [Title V §53203(a)] and call attention to any irregularities which might require a recommendation to be returned to the Committee for reconsideration.  Changes to the General Education pattern for the Associate degree may be recommended by the Committee, but must be agreed upon through collegial consultation with the Curriculum Committees and Academic Senates of both colleges and approved by the Board of Trustees.

The Committee’s duties and responsibilities in each of the areas are defined as follows:

• Curriculum

In the area of curriculum, the Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – approval of:

• New and revised course outlines of record for degree-applicable credit courses, non-degree credit courses, and non-credit courses
• Pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories for courses
• Limitations on the number of times a course may be repeated
• Courses to be taught in distance education mode
• Courses for inclusion in the requirements for the Associate degree (AA or AS)
• Courses for articulation and transfer to CSU and submission of courses for UC transfer, IGETC, and CSU GE Breadth
• Discontinuation of existing courses or programs
• Placement of courses within disciplines
• Assigning course identifiers
• Maintaining and updating the discipline list

Degree and Certificate Requirements

In this area, the Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – the following:

• Recommendations for changes to the General Education pattern for the Associate degree
• Definition of criteria for placement of courses within General Education areas
• Periodic review for appropriateness and relevancy of the courses listed within a specific general Education area

Grading Policies

The Committee’s duties in this area include – but are not limited to – the following:

• Review of grading policies for individual courses (e.g., whether the course is grade only)
• Review of coursework required of students (as specified in the course outline of record), to ensure that coursework meets rigorous academic standards

Educational Programs

Educational programs are initiated and developed within appropriate areas or disciplines. The Committee’s duties include – but are not limited to – approval of:

• Educational (degree and certificate) programs and requirements for such programs
• Pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories for new and revised programs

Standards or Policies Regarding Student Preparation and Success

The Committee’s role in this area is related to its charge to approve course outlines and pre-requisites. The Committee must ensure that pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories are appropriately selected in such a way as to ensure students are adequately prepared for a course and will have the skills necessary to succeed in the course. The Committee must also ensure that pre-requisites, co-requisites, and advisories do not act as a barrier to students seeking to complete coursework or programs.

Reporting Relationship: Academic Senate

Members (Voting):

• 2 Faculty from each Division 
• 1 Librarian (may also serve as a division representative)
• Articulation Officer (may also serve as a division representative)
• Division Dean (1 / academic year)

(Note: If the Librarian and/or Articulation Officer also serves as division representative, they will have only one vote)

Notes for Voting Members:

While all members of the Committee take seriously the charge of the group, the voting members have a special duty to develop expertise in curriculum matters, to attend all meetings of the Committee, to thoroughly review all matters presented to the Committee before voting, and to abstain from voting in situations where the Committee member is not adequately prepared to make an informed decision.

Non-Voting Members:

• Chair (votes only in case of a tie; see below for more information)
• Academic Services Curriculum & Student Learning Outcomes Specialist (acts as Secretary of the Committee)
• Vice President of Academic Services
• Student Services Division Dean
• Student Records Evaluator (attends as needed)
• Academic Services Curriculum & Scheduling Specialist (attends as needed)
• Other Classified Professional/s (appointed by the Chair)
• 2 Student Senate Representatives
• Appointments by: Academic Senate; College President; Student Senate; Curriculum Chair

Term

It is hoped that voting members will serve for a minimum of two years and should be allowed to serve longer if so selected by their constituency, in order to preserve valuable expertise amongst the Committee members. At the same time, it is important to bring new members onto the Committee within any two-year cycle, in order to develop curriculum expertise amongst all faculty members.

The term of office for the position of Chair is two years. The Chair may serve for more than one term, and may serve consecutive terms.

Quorum: 10 voting members, Quorum = 6