Academic Senate

About the Academic Senate

Role of an academic senate

Title 5 gives the academic senate power and responsibility to make recommendations to the Foothill Administration and the District Board of Trustees on academic and professional matters. Academic and professional matters and the role the academic senate in governing California Community Colleges was established and defined in AB 1725 (1988), which was a powerful piece of legislation shaping higher education in California. These are the academic and professional matters for which academic senates must be relied upon by the Board of Trustees and their delegates (administrators):

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The board, while retaining ultimate power, develops policies and procedures concerning academic and professional matters either by primary reliance upon the advice and judgement of the senate or by reaching mutual agreement with the senate.

For more information please refer to the Local Senates Handbook published by the Academic Senate of California Community Colleges (ASCCC).

Primary Areas of Reliance

Our district board policy #2223 (6/93) designates the following as primary reliance areas:

Curriculum and general education
Program specific degree requirements
Grading policies
Standards regarding student preparation and success
Policies for faculty professional development activities
Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate.

Areas of Joint Development

The following are designated as joint development areas:

Units for degrees and certificates
Educational program development
Governance structures as related to faculty roles
Faculty involvement in accreditation
Policies for program review
Processes for institutional planning & budget development
Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the governing board and the academic senate.