Resolution on “New Curricular Process Guidelines”

WHEREAS

the Academic Senate of the California State University, Long Beach (ASCSULB) recognizes the importance of streamlining curriculum development and implementation and of reducing the workload associated with these processes for faculty and staff;

 

WHEREAS

the ASCSULB acknowledges the new more limited standards for new academic degree programs established by the CSU Office of the Chancellor;

 

WHEREAS

the ASCSULB appreciates the significance of limiting the scope of existing academic degree programs by not adding requirements (in terms of units) without compelling reasons;

 

WHEREAS

the memo “New Curricular Process Guidelines” was issued without consultation with the Academic Senate in violation of the principles of collegial and transparent shared governance;

 

WHEREAS

various resolutions from the Statewide Academic Senate of the CSU (such as 3051 and 3081) clearly define curriculum development as a faculty responsibility;

 

WHEREAS

Section One of the CSULB Curriculum Handbook, paragraph “Curricular Authority,” clearly establishes, “Responsibility for intellectual content of the curriculum and its constituent courses, including the requirements governing curricula and courses, resides primarily with the faculty, both as individual teachers and as members of department and college committees, the several faculty Councils and the Academic Senate;” and

 

WHEREAS

the memo “New Curricular Process Guidelines,” issued by the Office of the Provost on May 22, 2012, encroaches on the faculty’s primary authority for curriculum at CSULB by limiting curricular change in an unnecessarily restrictive manner;

 

be it therefore

 

RESOLVED

that the Office of the Provost rescind the memo immediately and

 

RESOLVED

that the AS and/or one of its Councils or Committees work collaboratively with the Office of the Provost to draft a revised memorandum that encourages the streamlining of curricula and their processes while preserving the faculty responsibility over curriculum development at CSULB.