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Explore Further: Local Decisions about Academic Matters
Explore Further: Local Decisions about Academic Matters
At MiraCosta, there are several types of committees that contribute to to governance at the college. The Academic Senate is one of these committees. In some cases, the Academic Senate is relied upon as a decision maker, meaning The Board (and its designees) accepts the Academic Senate's position to make policies. In other areas, the Academic Senate is relied upon as a recommending body, which means The Board (and its designees) works with the Academic Senate to reach mutual agreements.
Given its charge over 10+1 and given this dual role as a decision making body and a recommending body, the Academic Senate has created 9 Subcommittees over the years to manage the scope of the work and "perform necessary Academic Senate functions" (AS Bylaws, Article 10; AS Rules, section P).
As section P of the AS Rules states, "the purview of such committees shall be internal to the Academic Senate..." which means the work completed by Subcommittee is an extension of the Senate, and your preparations and engagement in the voting process on these Agenda Items is an important means by which the Senate and its Subcommittees mesh together.
So what does this mean for you and your role as a Senator? You will be asked to review and approve Agenda Items from our Subcommittee colleagues. These items will always be relevant to "academic and professional matters" such as new and/or modified curriculum, request to grant equivalency, or the structure of the next academic calendar.
These items will have been deliberated over by our faculty colleagues within those Subcommittees. This means a few things: 1) we can trust our colleagues' work, and for this reason, such items are often approved by "unanimous consent," and 2) our Subcommittee colleagues in the pursuit of making decisions about complex topics and issues can trust us to deliberate with them as partners in the collegial governance process.
For the purposes of this training, please the diagram and resources explaining governance structures at MiraCosta College. Next review the charge each subcommittee and click into their website to view the structure and membership composition. Please prepare insights and inquires to share with your colleagues.
Collegial Governance at MiraCosta
Collegial Governance at MiraCosta
8 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.”
Academic Senate Subcommittees
Academic Senate Subcommittees
Academic Senate Subcommittees specialize in certain 10+1 issues. Please take a moment to review the charge each subcommittee and click into their website to view the structure and membership composition.
If you wish to explore further, please consider reviewing the Faculty Committee Assignments and Faculty Leadership Opportunities pages linked on the MiraCosta Committees website.
The Courses and Programs Committee (CPC) exists for the purpose of making recommendations pertaining to the programs and courses offered by the college, including associated local board policies, administrative procedures, and guidelines, primarily to the Academic Senate. The Academic Senate forwards the committee’s recommendations regarding policies and procedures to the College Council for consideration and recommendation to the superintendent/president and Board of Trustees. The committee acts by means of careful study and open discussion to assure the college’s curriculum has consistent quality, rigor, and compliance with state regulations and standards as well as with district policies and procedures.
Mission: As a subcommittee of the Academic Senate, DEqCC consults and collaborates with various entities on campus to promote an equitable and culturally responsive work environment for all MiraCosta faculty. In addition, DEqCC offers focused support, resources, and professional development for faculty of color while also recognizing how their intersectional identities account for the differences in their campus and classroom experiences. Our mission aligns with campus and statewide efforts such as MiraCosta's Community College District Equal Opportunity Plan and the principles from the Chancellor's Office Vision for Success.
Mission: As a standing committee of the MiraCosta Academic Senate, the mission of MiraCosta Online Educators (MOE) is to provide leadership and guidance to the Academic Senate and MiraCosta community regarding online education and its varying communities of practice and modalities. Areas of focus include pedagogy, technology, support services, and student experience. MOE’s focus is to fulfill the mission expressed in the Online Education Plan: to create and support an engaging, equitable, and student-centered learning experience through online instruction, resources, and services. Members commit to enacting equity principles of diversity, antiracism, accessibility, and inclusivity, to create a supportive collegial environment, and to foster the academic and holistic success of diverse learners.
Charge: Academic Affairs Committee, a subcommittee of the Academic Senate, is responsible for
formulation and recommendation of policies and procedures on academic and professional matters
implementation of procedures for faculty hiring prioritization
annual academic calendar formation
coordination with IPRC on academic program review standards and processes
Mission: The Equivalency Committee's mission is to ensure that faculty members hired by the District, who do not directly meet minimum qualifications as stated in Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, possess qualifications that are at least equivalent to the applicable minimum qualifications as per Education Code §87359.
Mission: The mission of SAC is to ensure the integrity of the professional growth process and support the professional development of faculty by assisting those colleagues in the preparation of quality applications and reports of activities undertaken for advancement on the salary schedule.
The Professional Development Program at MiraCosta College provides faculty with a comprehensive and systematic program of activities and resources designed to foster staff, student, and/or instructional improvement.
The PDP Committee develops the local policies and procedures pursuant to our participation in the state's Flexible Calendar Program, a privilege afforded to community colleges whereby instructional time can be replaced by "flex" time on the academic calendar. Thus, PDP-sponsored activities are sometimes referred to as "flex" activities or activities done for "flex" credit.
The program also sponsors workshops during flex week and throughout each semester, develops the flex calendar, maintains a library of resources and equipment for faculty use, offers funds to support travel to and participation in professional development activities, assists faculty with maintaining their flex transcripts, and provides access to other relevant resources!
Mission: The mission of SLC is to ensure the integrity of the sabbatical leave process and support the professional development of colleagues by assisting colleagues in preparation of quality applications for sabbatical leave and sabbatical reports. For a quick Sabbatical Leave Overview, please view this video.
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