2012 Fall PlenaryState of the Senate

Overview

Evolution Vs Revolution

Environmental Pressures

The Year Ahead

Conclusions

Evolution VS

Revolution

evo·lu·tion

a process of change in a certain direction

a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state

a process of gradual and relatively peaceful social, political, and economic advance

evo·lu·tion

the process of working out or developing

Synonyms: elaboration, development, expansion, growth, progress, progression

Model of Evolution

Rapidly evolving.

Able to survive using more than one energy source.

Able to withstand environmental conditions meant to destroy it.

rev·o·lu·tion

the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course; also : apparent movement of such a body round the earth

a sudden, radical, or complete change

rev·o·lu·tion

a fundamental change in political organization; especially : the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed

rev·o·lu·tion

a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm

Synonyms: gyration, pirouette, reel, spin, roll, rotation, twirl, wheel, whirl

Environmental Pressures

“completion” agenda Expectation that we do more with less Decrease “unit accumulation”/time to degree Technology is the solution Modern world – promotes lack of attention

span, expectation that education is entertainment

The solution?

Rethink what we teach – focus on what they’ll remember later.

Decrease time to completion and ensure that everDy student completes.

Not a new idea…

http://www.fathersarducci.com/video.html

The Year Ahead - State

Implementation of the Student Success Task Force recommendations continues

SB 1456 Workgroups Enrollment management Basic skills

Responding to new legislation

OER ACE and military credit

The Year Ahead - Local

Implementation of the Student Success Task Force recommendations

Enrollment priorities Exploring new ways to serve students

Achieving AA-T/AS-T and C-ID goals

Modifying curriculum

Prerequisites Repeatability

The Year Ahead - Challenges

Protecting our sacred cows?

Two-tiered funding

Governance challenges

Accreditation issues

Sacramento

AAUP

“the governance practices of the California community colleges comply with the California Education Code and are decidedly not the source of the community college system’s problems. I would add as well that these practices are consistent with principles of shared governance promulgated by the AAUP and widely practiced throughout American higher education.”

Conclusions

We are in the midst of evolution.

Like democracy and participatory governance, evolution is messy – we don’t always get it right the first time.

Emphasizing what is best for students is critical.

Conclusions

Our mandate is to ensure the quality and integrity of our educational programs.

Change is inevitable and necessary.

Quality and lasting changing is a slow process.

Culture change is the first step in responding responsibly to the calls for us to “do better”.