2010 ASCCC Curriculum InstituteSanta Clara Marriott • July 8-10, 2010

Cul de Sac? PROGRAM REDUCTION AND DISCONTINUANCE

• Julie Bruno, Sierra College

• Sidney Burks, Chaffey College

• Lesley Kawaguchi, Santa Monica College

Participant Learning Outcomes

• After attending this session, participants should be able to:– Distinguish between Program Review and

Program Discontinance– Explain the principles and key components of a

Program Discontinance Policy– Develop a principled Program Discontinance

Policy

A PRINCIPLED VIEW AND THE ROLE OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

DEFINING PROGRAMS

• Title 5 §55000(g): An educational program is “an organized sequence of courses leading to a defined objective, a degree, a certificate, a diploma, a license, or transfer to another institution of higher learning.”

TITLE 5 §51022

• Requires California community colleges to have policies for the establishment, modification, or discontinuance of courses or programs

TITLE 5 §78016

• Requires that districts form advisory committees for vocational education [career technical education] programs.

Education Code Section 78016

• Requires that occupational programs undergo a review every two years

EXAMINING PROGRAMS: PROCESSES

• 1. PROGRAM REVIEW:– Self Study: • What the program is doing well• The resources needed to improve, including the use of

Student Learning Outcome assessment results to highlight needs

– Opportunity to show program quality and success

– Opportunity to build a plan of correction– The emphasis is on improvement

PROCESSES, continued

• 2. PROGRAM VIABILITY PROCESS:– EXAMPLE: Los Angeles Pierce College– See

http://www.asccc.org/Events/Curriculum/2009/Curric2009.htm• Two handouts under “Natural Lifecycle of a Program”

PROCESSES, continued

• 3. Program Vitality/Discontinuance Policy

PRINCIPLES TO CONSIDER

• ASCCC POSITION:– Discontinuance policy is “distinct” from program

review– Include collective bargaining representative(s).– Focus on saving or improving a program– Local senate should take lead and process should

be collegial– Curriculum should reflect the missions of the

community colleges

GETTING A POLICY

• Curriculum Committee role

ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER

KEY COMPONENTS OF A PROGRAM DISCONTINUANCE POLICY

• WARNING: Do not write a policy during the current budget climate!

POLICY PURPOSE:

• Needs to be clearly stated

INDICATORS

• What conditions or events “trigger” a vitality or discontinuance review are identified, such as– Significant decline in enrollment– Significant facility and/or equipment issues– Availability of qualified faculty– Failure to meet state mandates or accreditation

standards– Significant changes in the labor market – Program no longer supports existing fulltime faculty

CONSIDERATIONS

• Accreditation Standard II.A.6.b: – “When programs are eliminated or program

requirements are significantly changed, the institution makes appropriate arrangements so that enrolled students may complete their education in a timely manner with a minimum of disruption.”

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Impact on students• Impact on faculty• Impact on community• Impact on local/regional employers• Keep in mind: Curriculum and the multiple

CCC missions

DEFINE THE PROCESS

• Who initiates the process?• What are the steps?• Who has the input?• Is there a timeline?• What data do you need?• How is the final decision made?• How is shared governance addressed?

QUESTIONS?

Thank you!

• Please fill out the evaluation form!