placement of courses in disciplines dan crump, american river college michelle grimes-hillman, mt...

Placement of Courses Placement of Courses in Disciplinesin Disciplines

Dan Crump, American River CollegeDan Crump, American River College

Michelle Grimes-Hillman, Mt San Antonio Michelle Grimes-Hillman, Mt San Antonio CollegeCollege

ASCCC Curriculum Institute, July 2008ASCCC Curriculum Institute, July 2008

OverviewOverview

Assigning courses to a disciplineAssigning courses to a discipline

Disciplines List process Disciplines List process Minimum QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

Cross-ListingCross-Listing InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary

The Pieces of the PuzzleThe Pieces of the Puzzle

Disciplines List

Placement of Courses in

Disciplines

Faculty Service Areas

MinimumQualifications

Why Must Courses Be Placed Why Must Courses Be Placed in Disciplines?in Disciplines?

To indicate the academic preparation and To indicate the academic preparation and occupational experience (if a non-Masters occupational experience (if a non-Masters discipline) needed to teach the course.discipline) needed to teach the course.

Required for all courses (credit and Required for all courses (credit and noncredit) for which the college receives noncredit) for which the college receives apportionment.apportionment.

Not required for community service Not required for community service courses.courses.

Who determines the placement?Who determines the placement?

Local senates maintain responsibility for Local senates maintain responsibility for placing courses in disciplines.placing courses in disciplines.

Academic and professional mattersAcademic and professional matters includes (as first area) “curriculum including includes (as first area) “curriculum including establishing prerequisites and placement of establishing prerequisites and placement of courses within disciplines”courses within disciplines” (Title 5 § 53200)(Title 5 § 53200)

The curriculum committee---usually an The curriculum committee---usually an academic senate committee---is where the academic senate committee---is where the process occurs.process occurs.

Who can teach the course?Who can teach the course?

Only those with the Minimum Only those with the Minimum

Qualifications for that discipline may teachQualifications for that discipline may teach

the course.the course.

What are Minimum What are Minimum QualificationsQualifications??

The state, through the Board of Governors, The state, through the Board of Governors, establishes “minimum qualifications” for establishes “minimum qualifications” for teaching any credit or noncredit course, or teaching any credit or noncredit course, or as a counselor or librarian. In establishing as a counselor or librarian. In establishing and maintaining these MQs for faculty, the and maintaining these MQs for faculty, the BOG shall “consult with, and rely primarily BOG shall “consult with, and rely primarily on the advice and judgment of, the on the advice and judgment of, the statewide Academic Senate.” (Ed Code statewide Academic Senate.” (Ed Code 87357)87357)

LocalLocal Minimum QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

A district may establish additional A district may establish additional qualifications which are more rigorous qualifications which are more rigorous than the state-established MQs.than the state-established MQs.

However, such local MQs cannot be less However, such local MQs cannot be less rigorous than the state-establish MQs.rigorous than the state-establish MQs.

The Disciplines ListThe Disciplines List

The Disciplines ListThe Disciplines List Disciplines organized into two ListsDisciplines organized into two Lists

1.1. Disciplines requiring a Master’s DegreeDisciplines requiring a Master’s Degree2.2. Disciplines in which a Master’s Degree is Disciplines in which a Master’s Degree is

not generally expected or availablenot generally expected or available Note: a new category will soon be Note: a new category will soon be

recommended to the BOG for adoptionrecommended to the BOG for adoption (Resolution 10.01, Spring 2008)(Resolution 10.01, Spring 2008)

Note: A separate list for non-credit also Note: A separate list for non-credit also exists (Title 5 § 53412) exists (Title 5 § 53412)

The Disciplines ListThe Disciplines List Preparation & maintenance of “Disciplines Preparation & maintenance of “Disciplines

List” assigned to Academic SenateList” assigned to Academic Senate (Ed. Code (Ed. Code § 87357)§ 87357)

Reviewed and revised every two yearsReviewed and revised every two years Works through local senatesWorks through local senates Consults with statewide organizations Consults with statewide organizations Vote on discipline changes at Session (next Vote on discipline changes at Session (next

vote will bevote will be Makes recommendations to BOGMakes recommendations to BOG

The Disciplines ListThe Disciplines List

The official title of the document is The official title of the document is “Minimum Standards for Faculty and “Minimum Standards for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Administrators in California Community Colleges.”Colleges.”

The current edition is dated February 2008 The current edition is dated February 2008 and available at: and available at: http://www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/minimum_quals_jan2008.dochttp://www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/minimum_quals_jan2008.doc

EquivalenciesEquivalencies

A district may hire a person who A district may hire a person who “possesses qualifications that are at least “possesses qualifications that are at least equivalent to the [state] minimum equivalent to the [state] minimum qualifications.” The process, as well as qualifications.” The process, as well as criteria and standards…shall be developed criteria and standards…shall be developed and agreed upon jointly by …the [local] and agreed upon jointly by …the [local] governing board and the [local] academic governing board and the [local] academic senate.” (Title 5, section 53430)senate.” (Title 5, section 53430)

What About What About Single-CourseSingle-Course Equivalency?Equivalency?

Ed Code and Title 5 refer to qualifications in Ed Code and Title 5 refer to qualifications in terms of Disciplines terms of Disciplines notnot courses or subject courses or subject areas within a Disciplineareas within a Discipline (Ed Code § 87357; (Ed Code § 87357; Title 5 § 53410 and § 53430)Title 5 § 53410 and § 53430)

Legal Opinion from Ralph Black, System Legal Opinion from Ralph Black, System Office Legal CounselOffice Legal Counsel

So….So….

Faculty meet minimum qualifications in Faculty meet minimum qualifications in a disciplinea discipline

A course must be placed in a discipline A course must be placed in a discipline (or more than one discipline) in order to (or more than one discipline) in order to determine who is qualified to teach itdetermine who is qualified to teach it

Only those faculty who meet minimum Only those faculty who meet minimum qualifications for a discipline can teach qualifications for a discipline can teach courses assigned to that disciplinecourses assigned to that discipline

Principles on PlacementPrinciples on Placement

The guiding principle is course content, The guiding principle is course content, notnot personnel issues or FTEs personnel issues or FTEs

Base the decision to place a course in a Base the decision to place a course in a discipline on the body of knowledge discipline on the body of knowledge necessary to teach the coursenecessary to teach the course

A decision of the local curriculum A decision of the local curriculum

committee---a decision of the facultycommittee---a decision of the faculty


Regardless of the local situation, discipline Regardless of the local situation, discipline faculty need to be involved in assignment of faculty need to be involved in assignment of courses to disciplines.courses to disciplines.

Remember: Remember:

Not all programs or department titles are Not all programs or department titles are disciplines – Use the approved disciplines – Use the approved Disciplines ListDisciplines List


A process for placement is needed, A process for placement is needed, as well as a means of mediating as well as a means of mediating disputesdisputes

College vs. District College vs. District If each college has its own If each college has its own

curriculum, the placement of curriculum, the placement of courses courses maymay vary vary

Local controlLocal control


When making a decision, the course When making a decision, the course content should be the driving force – content should be the driving force – who is qualified to teach it?who is qualified to teach it?

If Biological Psychology is assigned If Biological Psychology is assigned to Psychology, all those with to Psychology, all those with Psychology minimum qualifications Psychology minimum qualifications should be able to teach itshould be able to teach it


If there is no process for placing If there is no process for placing courses in disciplines, one is neededcourses in disciplines, one is needed

Local control/Faculty controlLocal control/Faculty control Keep in mind ramifications – if you Keep in mind ramifications – if you

determine that a course is determine that a course is interdisciplinary, will anyone be able interdisciplinary, will anyone be able to teach it?to teach it?

Placement of Courses in Placement of Courses in DisciplinesDisciplines

For most courses, this is simple.For most courses, this is simple. Psychology 101 is placed in Psychology 101 is placed in

psychology, Sociology 101 in psychology, Sociology 101 in sociology, etc..sociology, etc..

When does it get murky?When does it get murky? Biological PsychologyBiological Psychology Social PsychologySocial Psychology

Cross-listing CoursesCross-listing Courses

Reason:Reason: Course fits more than one disciplineCourse fits more than one discipline

Advantage: Advantage: Individual with MQs in Individual with MQs in eithereither discipline discipline

would be qualified to teach the course would be qualified to teach the course

Cross-listing CoursesCross-listing Courses Examples: Examples:

Economic History of the U.S.Economic History of the U.S.• May be cross-listed with Economics and May be cross-listed with Economics and

History disciplines and taught by faculty History disciplines and taught by faculty member with MQs for Economics member with MQs for Economics oror History History

Speech Communication 140 & Journalism 140Speech Communication 140 & Journalism 140• Course may be taught by faculty member Course may be taught by faculty member

with MQs for Journalism with MQs for Journalism oror Speech/CommunicationSpeech/Communication

Cross-listing CoursesCross-listing Courses

Potential Concerns:Potential Concerns:

May impact articulation May impact articulation agreementsagreements

May affect “bumping May affect “bumping rights”rights”

Interdisciplinary CoursesInterdisciplinary Courses

When to be considered?When to be considered?

Course clearly does not fall within a Course clearly does not fall within a single disciplinesingle discipline

It combines two or more disciplines to It combines two or more disciplines to such a degree that such a degree that somesome preparation in preparation in eacheach constituent discipline is required constituent discipline is required

Interdisciplinary CoursesInterdisciplinary Courses MoreMore specialized preparation required than specialized preparation required than

with cross-listed courseswith cross-listed courses

Interdisciplinary Studies: Master’s in the Interdisciplinary Studies: Master’s in the interdisciplinary area OR Master’s in one interdisciplinary area OR Master’s in one of the disciplines included in the of the disciplines included in the interdisciplinary area and upper division interdisciplinary area and upper division or graduate course work in at least one or graduate course work in at least one other constituent discipline. other constituent discipline.

Interdisciplinary CoursesInterdisciplinary Courses MoreMore specialized preparation required than specialized preparation required than

with cross-listed courseswith cross-listed courses If “Western Civilization” listed as If “Western Civilization” listed as

InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary • Components may be art, philosophy, Components may be art, philosophy,

literature – therefore Instructor literature – therefore Instructor qualifications require some preparation in qualifications require some preparation in each areaeach area

• Qualifications Qualifications must bemust be based on course based on course description of recorddescription of record

ResourcesResources Equivalence to the Minimum QualificationsEquivalence to the Minimum Qualifications. .

ASCCC. 2006.ASCCC. 2006. Qualifications for Faculty Service in the Qualifications for Faculty Service in the

California Community Colleges: minimum California Community Colleges: minimum qualifications, placement of courses within qualifications, placement of courses within disciplines, and faculty service areasdisciplines, and faculty service areas. ASCCC. . ASCCC. 2004.2004.

Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Administrators in California Community CollegesColleges. Chancellor’s Office. 2008.. Chancellor’s Office. 2008.

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Questions – on anything and everything…Questions – on anything and everything…

placement of courses in disciplines dan crump, american river college michelle grimes-hillman, mt...

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