Standing Committees: Academic Planning Council

Committee charge:"Purpose: The Academic Planning Council of Riverside City College is composed of the chairs and assistant chairs of the academic departments of the college. Department Chairs have obligations to the RCC District, as defined in Board Policy and the NEA/CCA/CTA contract. Many chairs have obligations to the department faculty who elect them as stipulated in department policy. In its status as a standing committee of the Academic Senate, the APC acts to advise the Riverside City College Academic Senate with regard to “academic and professional” matters, as defined in Title 5 §53200. It further acts to advise the Riverside City College Strategic Planning Committee regarding resource prioritization on behalf of the Academic Senate.

The Academic Planning Council allows for open dialogue between chairs and the administration and advises the academic senate with regard to the maintenance and evolution of academic programs of the college and district. The Academic Planning Council seeks to develop and maintain a collegial approach to supporting academic programs, enrollment management,

Composition of the Academic Planning Council: All faculty serving as department chairs, co-chairs, or assistant chairs are members of the Academic Planning Council. The committee is co-chaired by the Dean of Instruction (or other designee of the college president) and a faculty member elected by the committee. The term of office shall be two years with the chair chosen at the end of the spring semester in even numbered years.

Duties: The Riverside City College Academic Planning Council shall:

• Review and approve proposed academic programs where such programs appear to be compatible with existing college resources. In such cases where the Academic Planning Council judges that proposed programs will have an adverse effect on existing programs, it shall recommend to the Academic Senate that approval for such programs be withheld until resources can be identified to support the program.

• Advise the Academic Senate with regard to the prioritization of new full-time faculty hires.

• Promote collaboration among departments and with the administration to best meet student needs and best use department resources.

• Promote consistent practices in those areas subject to board or college policy.

• With regard to resource allocation and priotitization, the Academic Planning Council advises the Riverside City College Strategic Planning Committee and, indirectly, the Riverside Community College District Strategic Planning Committee.

Meetings and Procedures: The Academic Planning Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month while the academic year is in session. Quorum shall require 50% plus one member; where possible, decision shall be made by consensus. Roberts Rules shall be used to structure the conversation of the committee. While the Dean of Instruction (or designee of the college president) co-chairs the committee, all votes of the committee regarding matters under the authority of the Academic Senate shall be limited to the faculty membership of the committee."

Department chairs and assistant chairs are elected by their departments to three-year terms in accordaince with the 2007-10 CTA contract. The committee elects its chair annually (Tim Brown for 2008-09).

Standing Committees: Assessment

The Assessment Committee functions primarily as a district committee. The committee is co-chaired by Kristina Kauffman and Sheryl Tschetter a Norco faculty member).

Committee Charge (Riverside Only): "The Assessment Committee supports both formative (in-class) and summative (end of class) assessment to improve student learning. The Assessment Committee facilitates college-based activities and discussion by consulting with and providing guidance to departments, disciplines, and other units undergoing program review. The committee seeks to foster engagement in student learning outcomes assessment by encouraging dialogue related to pedagogy and curriculum, and supporting college-wide assessment efforts."

Standing Committees: Curriculum

Committee charge: "The curriculum committee makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding new and revised course outlines and new and revised programs of study. Upon the submission of curriculum proposals from faculty, the curriculum committee reviews all curricular issues including establishing requisites, assigning courses to disciplines and resolving curriculum conflicts between disciplines."

Members are elected by their departments to two-year terms. The committee elects its chair annually. The Committee meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 3-5 in Digital Library 409.

Greg Burchett

Amanda Brown

Patricia Tutor

Mark Haines

Standing Committees: Part Time Faculty Issues

Committee Charge: "The Part-Time Faculty Committee represents part time faculty concerns in the Riverside City College Academic Senate:

The Part-Time Faculty Committee works to strengthen relations and mutual respect among the members of the Part-Time Faculty and between Part-Time Faculty, Full-Time Faculty, Staff and the Administration and to encourage Part-Time Faculty interest and participation in academic affairs.

The Part-Time Faculty Committee promotes development and leadership among Part-Time Faculty and supports the integration of Part-Time Faculty into institutional processes at RCC.

The Part-Time Faculty Committee facilitates Part-Time Faculty’s availability to interact with students, to participate in governance, and to contribute to the curriculum decision-making process.

The Part-Time Faculty Committee cooperates with organizations such as RCCDFA/CCA/CTA/NEA and the California Part-Time Faculty Association (CPFA) on matters of mutual interest or concern.

The Part-Time Faculty Committee promotes and encourages compliance with the recommendations of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to the Board of Governors."

The five committee members are elected to staggered two year terms.

Standing Committees: Planning  & Budget

Committee Charge: "The Strategic Planning & Budget Committee works with the Strategic Planning committee and RCCDFA/CCA/NEA to promote budget processes that place students and their learning experience at the center of budgeting processes at RCCD. The committee especially works to promote budget processes which prioritize effective support for faculty (including counselors and librarians, full and part time) as they fulfill their educational mission to students on the Riverside City College campus."

Standing Committees: Professional Growth & Sabbatical Leave

Committee Charge: "The District encourages faculty to continue their professional preparation through academic, scholarly, and professional endeavors beyond those skills presented at the time of employment. Faculty members must submit a plan to the College Professional Growth and Sabbatical Leave Committee in advance of initiating professional growth activities and must get preliminary approval of that plan. The Chairperson will inform the faculty member in writing of their approval or if changes need to be made. Upon completion of the plan, the faculty member will submit a formal written request for salary reclassification with all the necessary documentation.

Sabbatical leaves are also presented to the committee according to the CTA/RCCD contract which requires among other things the stated goals and outcomes of the leave.

The College PGSL Committee will submit its recommendations through its Chairperson to the President of the College for presentation to the Board of Trustees for final approval.

A representative from the PGSL Committee also attends Academic Senate meetings to keep officers and senators abreast of what is happening."

The Riverside faculty elected to PG&SL serve as members of the district PG&SL committee.

Standing Committees: Program Review

The Program Review committee functions primarily as a district committee. The committee is co-chaired by Kristina Kauffman and Jim Thomas (Norco faculty).

Committee Charge (Riverside Only): "The Program Review Committee works with both instructional and administrative units on the Riverside campus and across the Riverside Community College District to develop and refine Program Review processes that provide relevant information and effective methods for faculty, staff and administers to meaningfully evaluate and improve their programs so that the potential for student success is maximized across the campus and district."

Academic Senate Appointees: Strategic Planning Committee. The faculty members of the Strategic Planning committee are appointed to staggered two-year terms by the Academic Senate.

Click here to review Strategic Planning Committee bylaws