Disciplines List Revision Process and Proposals

February
2023
ASCCC Standards and Practices Committee Chair

Updates to the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges occur through the Disciplines List Revision Process that is facilitated by the Standards and Practices Committee on behalf of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC). New disciplines may be proposed, or revisions may be proposed to existing disciplines. Starting each February, the disciplines list revision process extends into the next year, with submission due by September 30 and then numerous steps that result in successful proposals being forwarded to the Board of Governors for approval the following July.

Disciplines List Revision Process Summary

Initial proposals are submitted to the ASCCC office and include information on the nature of the proposed changes, rationale and supporting evidence of statewide need for the updates, an explanation of the impact of the proposal with pros and cons, and documentation that degrees satisfying the minimum qualifications in the proposal are available from accredited institutions. Proposals must also include the signature of either a college academic senate president or the president of a discipline-related professional organization and a discipline seconder from another district.

The full process can be briefly outlined as follows:

  • February: Disciplines list process distributed to all colleges;
  • September: Proposals due by September 30;
  • October: Proposals disseminated to colleges and discussed at Area meetings;
  • November: First disciplines list hearing at fall plenary session;
  • January/February: ASCCC Executive Committee confirms that process was followed and that sufficient evidence exists for the proposal to be debated at plenary session;
  • March: Discussion at Area meetings;
  • April: Second disciplines list hearing at spring plenary session and vote at the plenary session on proposals via the resolutions process;
  • July: Submission to Board of Governors for approval, with approved updates reflected in a new version of the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges that is distributed by the Chancellor’s Office.

Disciplines list hearings occur during fall and spring plenary sessions and are open to the public. One need not be a registered attendee of the plenary session to participate in the discipline list hearings by listening, asking questions, and providing testimony on proposed disciplines. Testimony either in support or opposition from the first hearing is recorded and included as information for the second hearing. Testimony may be from individuals or given as representatives of other bodies, such as academic senates, departments, and professional organizations. The initiator of the proposal or an informed designee must be present at each hearing where the proposal is considered.

Changes to proposals may occur after feedback from the first hearing but must appear in final form for a second hearing prior to being forwarded to the plenary session for debate and possible adoption via the resolutions process. Disciplines list resolutions have a standard form and may only be adopted or rejected as presented at the plenary session; no amendments are allowed as part of this special process.

Additional details are available on the ASCCC Disciplines List website and in the Disciplines List Handbook.

Proposed Disciplines List Revision—Ethnic Studies

The 2022-2023 cycle has raised a single proposal for a disciplines list revision in Ethnic Studies.  The proposal was received in September and verified for completeness before being forwarded for discussion at the fall area meetings. Its first hearing occurred during the 2022 Fall Plenary Session. In January, the ASCCC Executive Committee confirmed that the process had been followed and that sufficient evidence exists for the proposal to be debated by the body. The proposed change to the Ethnic Studies discipline would read as follows:

Master’s in African American Studies, Black Studies, Africana Studies, Latino Studies, La Raza Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies, or American Indian Studies

OR

Master’s in Ethnic Studies

OR the equivalent

Remaining Steps

The proposal summary that includes testimony from the first hearing will be distributed to colleges and discussed at the spring area meetings and is available on the 2023 Spring Plenary Session event page. The second public hearing will occur at the 2023 Spring Plenary Session, where clarifying questions can be answered. A resolution for the revision to the Ethnic Studies discipline will be considered during the resolutions process and may only be adopted or rejected; no amendments are allowed as part of this process. If adopted at the plenary session, the proposal will be sent to the Board of Governors for final approval, usually during its July meeting.

Future Cycle

An announcement for proposals for the 2023-2024 disciplines list cycle will be distributed in February, with proposals due by September 30, 2023, and information is also available on the ASCCC Disciplines List website