Coding to Ensure Quality Deciphering Minimum Qualifications and Equivalence

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Coding to Ensure Quality Deciphering Minimum
Qualifications and Equivalence

• Dan Crump, American River College
• Michelle Pilati, Rio Hondo College

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Overview

• Minimum Qualifications
• Disciplines List process
• Equivalency
• Eminence
• Assigning courses to a discipline

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The Pieces of the Puzzle
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What are Minimum Qualifications?

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

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Local Minimum Qualifications

• A district may establish additional
  qualifications which are more rigorous than the
  state-established MQs.
• However, local MQs cannot be less rigorous than
  the state-established MQs.

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The Disciplines List
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The Disciplines List

• Currently, disciplines are organized into
  two separate lists
• Disciplines requiring a Masters Degree
• Disciplines in which a Masters Degree is not
  generally expected or available

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The Disciplines List

• A new approach to the list will soon be
  recommended to the BoG for adoption (Resolution
  10.01, Spring 2008)
• A separate list for non-credit also exists (Title
  5 53412)

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The Disciplines List

• Preparation maintenance of Disciplines List
  assigned to Academic Senate (Ed. Code 87357)
• Reviewed and revised every two years
• Works through local senates
• Consults with statewide organizations
• Vote on discipline changes at Session
• Makes recommendations to BoG

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The Disciplines List

• Minimum Standards for Faculty and Administrators
  in California Community Colleges.
• The current edition is dated February 2008 and
  available at http//www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/minim
  um_quals_jan2008.doc

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MQs Vs Equivalencies

• MQs are established at the state level, but may
  be increased locally.
• Equivalencies are established locally and
  represent alternative means of meeting or
  exceeding MQs.

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Equivalencies

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

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What About Single-Course Equivalency?

• Ed Code and Title 5 refer to qualifications in
  terms of Disciplines not courses or subject areas
  within a Discipline (Ed Code 87357 Title 5
  53410 and 53430)
• Legal Opinion from Ralph Black, System Office
  Legal Counsel
• Faculty are hired to teach a discipline, not a
  course

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What is eminence?

• May 2008 Rostrum EminenceDo I Know It When I
  See It?
• Many districts recognize eminence as a basis for
  granting equivalency. Although eminence is not
  specified in current law, it is not prohibited
  and has been established in many districts.

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Eminence Some ideas

• Note NOT endorsed or adopted by Academic Senate
  for the California Community Colleges
• State champions in competition
• National winner (e.g. winner of TVs Dancing with
  the Stars)
• Prize Winners (e.g. chefs, authors, actors)
• High Pass Rate in State or National Exams
• World famous in the field

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Eminence - Sample

• Note NOT endorsed or adopted by ASCCC
• Eminence may include National certification or
  recognition publications research 6 years of
  full-time college teaching experience 6 years of
  full-time professional experience in the field
  or as otherwise determined by the division Dean
  and the division academic senator.

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Are there really that many eminent folks out
there?

• Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach ETNC 16/POLS 16 African-Americans in
  American Government, effective Fall 2007.
• c) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach DANC 96.18 Special Topics Choreographic
  Approaches Using Improvisation, effective Fall
  2007.
• d) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach HLTH 4 Healthy Living, effective Fall 2007.
  
• e) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach MEDA 100 Introduction to Health Careers,
  effective Fall 2007.
• f) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach ENSL 324/424 Beginning Conversation II,
  effective Fall 2007.
• g) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach CSIS 196.9 Special Topics Introduction to
  MS VISTA and Office 2007, effective Fall 2007.
• h) Grant Equivalency Based on Eminence to XX to
  teach AUTO 101 Engine Repair, effective Fall
  2007.

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Eminence

• Plusses and minuses?

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So.

• Faculty meet minimum qualifications in a
  discipline
• A course must be placed in a discipline (or more
  than one discipline) in order to determine who is
  qualified to teach it
• Only those faculty who meet minimum
  qualifications for a discipline can teach courses
  assigned to that discipline

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Placement of Courses in Disciplines

• Local senates maintain responsibility for placing
  courses in disciplines per Title 5
• Academic and professional matters includes (as
  first area) curriculum including establishing
  prerequisites and placement of courses within
  disciplines (Title 5 53200)

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Placement of Courses in Disciplines

• Required for all courses (credit non-credit)
  for which campus receives apportionment
• Not required for community service courses
• Suggestion Include discipline designations on
  all course outlines
• What do you do now?

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Placement of Courses in Disciplines

• For most courses, this is simple.
• Psychology 101 is placed in psychology, Sociology
  101 in sociology, etc..
• When does it get murky?
• Biological Psychology
• Social Psychology

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Cross-listing Courses

• Reason
• Course fits more than one discipline
• Advantage
• Individual with MQs in either discipline would be
  qualified to teach the course

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Cross-listing Courses

• Examples
• Economic History of the U.S.
• May be cross-listed with Economics and History
  disciplines and taught by faculty member with MQs
  for Economics or History
• Speech Communication 140 Journalism 140
• Course may be taught by faculty member with MQs
  for Journalism or Speech/Communication
• Potential Concerns
• May impact articulation agreements
• May affect bumping rights

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Interdisciplinary Courses

• When to be considered?
• Course clearly does not fall within a single
  discipline
• It combines two or more disciplines to such a
  degree that some preparation in each constituent
  discipline is required

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Interdisciplinary Courses

• More specialized preparation required than with
  cross-listed courses
• Interdisciplinary Studies Masters in the
  interdisciplinary area OR Masters in one of the
  disciplines included in the interdisciplinary
  area and upper division or graduate course work
  in at least one other constituent discipline.

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Interdisciplinary Courses

• More specialized preparation required than with
  cross-listed courses
• If Western Civilization listed as
  Interdisciplinary
• Components may be art, philosophy, literature
  therefore Instructor qualifications require some
  preparation in each area
• Qualifications must be based on course
  description of record

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Principles on Placement of Courses

• The guiding principle is course content, not
  personnel issues or FTEs
• Base decision to place a course in a discipline
  on the body of knowledge necessary to teach the
  course
• A decision of the local curriculum committee---a
  decision of the faculty

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Principles on Placement of Courses

• Regardless of the local situation, discipline
  faculty need to be involved in assignment of
  courses to disciplines.
• Remember
• Not all programs or department titles are
  disciplines Use the approved Disciplines List

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Principles on Placement of Courses

• A process for placement is needed, as well as a
  means of mediating disputes
• College vs. District
• If each college has its own curriculum, the
  placement of courses may vary
• Local control

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Principles on Placement of Courses

• When making a decision, the course content should
  be the driving force who is qualified to teach
  it?
• If Biological Psychology is assigned to
  Psychology, all those with Psychology minimum
  qualifications should be able to teach it

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Principles on Placement of Courses

• If there is no process for placing courses in
  disciplines, one is needed
• Local control/Faculty control
• Keep in mind ramifications if you determine
  that a course is interdisciplinary, will anyone
  be able to teach it?

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Resources

• Equivalence to the Minimum Qualifications.
  ASCCC. 2006.
• Qualifications for Faculty Service in the
  California Community Colleges minimum
  qualifications, placement of courses within
  disciplines, and faculty service areas. ASCCC.
  2004.
• Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and
  Administrators in California Community Colleges.
  Chancellors Office. 2008.