Get to Know the Senate
The Academic Senate is the college's primary voice in academic and professional matters within collegial governance.
Collegial Governance at MiraCosta
9 Academic Senate Subcommittees, along with other district-wide stake holders, bring items of academic professional matters to the Senate for discussion and deliberation. The Senate, with primacy in 10+1 decision-making areas, votes on recommendations that are then shared at College Council.
College Council is a governance group comprised of 15 members representing interests across the district. Anyone may attend a College Council meeting where plans, policies, and procedures are reviewed before they are presented to the College President and Board of Trustees.
The College President reviews all recommendations and presents their final decisions to the Board of Trustees--an elected body of public representatives--who provides oversight and approves college wide policies.
Explore further: MCC's Governance Manual and Collegial Governance at MiraCosta College
According to Title 5, “the district governing board shall develop policies on academic and professional matters through either or both of the following: 1) Rely primarily upon the advice and judgment of the academic senate. OR 2) The governing board, or its designees, and the academic senate shall reach mutual agreement by written resolution, regulation, or policy of the governing board effectuating such recommendations.”
10+1 Areas of Primacy
As as a Senate, we our primary function is to make recommendations in 10 areas of academic and professional matters plus other areas as are mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate.
These 10+1 areas are worth exploration and a deep dive. Scroll through the ASCCC slide deck from the 2021 plenary and then head over to our 10+1 page for more.
Senate Roles and 10+1 for SAC Senate Retreat Fall 2021.pdfMCC's Senate Rules and Bylaws
Senate Bylaws include basic provisions of purpose, functions, and membership while Senate Rules offer more details about how the Senate and Senate members conduct business. These Bylaws and Rules applying to the Academic Senate:
list officers, terms of office, and procedures for election, recall, and resignation
establish duties of Academic Senate members
list fundamental basics for calling and conducting meetings, including ad hoc committees
set procedures for placing items on meeting agendas
Explore Further: Senate Bylaws and Senate Rules
Academic Senate Subcommittees
9 Academic Subcommittees specialize in certain 10+1 issues
Explore Further: Faculty Committee Assignments and Faculty Leadership Opportunities
The Brown Act
The Brown Act is law designed to protect the public’s right of access to decision-making processes of local agencies. Brown Act guidelines applying to the Academic Senate:
define regular, special, and teleconference meetings
require public posting of meeting agendas and set essential agenda elements
ensure the rights and opportunities of the public to address meetings
limit discussion of agenda items and actions outside of meetings
ensure recording of meetings and reporting of actions taken and votes
permits closed sessions of meetings under limited circumstances
Explore Further: Brown Act guidelines