PREREQUISITES, COREQUISITES, ADVISORIES, AND ENROLLMENT LIMITATIONS

In order to promote student achievement and progress and to maintain high academic standards, the District shall, when appropriate and in accordance with law and sound educational practice, establish prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and other enrollment limitations that are demonstrably related to course content, necessary skill levels, and the probability of student success. Such prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and enrollment limitations shall be periodically reviewed, and students shall be afforded reasonable challenge and appeal procedures.

The Board recognizes that, if these prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and enrollment limitations are established unnecessarily or inappropriately, they constitute unjustifiable obstacles to student access and success; and, therefore, the Board adopts this policy which calls for caution and careful scrutiny in establishing them. Nonetheless, the Board also recognizes that it is as important to have prerequisites in place where they are a vital factor in maintaining academic standards as it is to avoid establishing prerequisites where they are not needed. This policy attempts to promote an appropriate balance between these two concerns.

THE PURPOSE OF PREREQUISITES AND COREQUISITES

Prerequisites and corequisites may be established for any of the following purposes:

1. The prerequisite or corequisite is expressly required or expressly authorized by statute, regulation, or articulation agreement.

2. The prerequisite will assure, consistent with section 55002 (a) (2) (D) of Title 5, that a student has the skills, concepts, and/or information that is presupposed in terms of the course or program for which it is being established, such that a student who has not met the prerequisite is highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade in the course (or at least one course within the program) for which the prerequisite is being established.

3. The corequisite will assure, consistent with Section 55002 (a) (2) (D) of Title 5, that a student acquires the necessary skills, concepts, and/or information, such that a student who has not enrolled in the corequisite is highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade in the course or program for which the corequisite is being established.

4. The prerequisite or corequisite is necessary to protect the health and safety of a student or the health and safety of others.

COLLEGE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The college shall provide the following explanations both in the college catalog and in the schedule of classes:

1. Definitions of prerequisites, corequisites, and enrollment limitations including the specific differences among them, and the specific prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and enrollment limitations which have been established pursuant to Section 55200 (a)-(f) of Title 5.

2. Procedures for a student to challenge prerequisites, corequisites, and enrollment limitations and circumstances under which a student is encouraged to make such a challenge.

3. Definitions of advisories on recommended preparation, the right of a student to choose to take a course without meeting the advisory, and circumstances under which a student is encouraged to examine that right.

CHALLENGE PROCESS

The college shall establish procedures by which any student who does not meet a prerequisite or corequisite or who is not permitted to enroll due to a limitation on enrollment, but who provides satisfactory evidence, may seek entry into the class according to a challenge process as required in and according to provisions of Section 55201 (f) of Title 5 and Section I.B. 1-3 of the Model District Policy

CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS

The Curriculum Committee, which is a committee of the Academic Senate, established in accordance with Section 55002 (a) (1) of Title 5, shall:

1. Establish prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and enrollment limitations pursuant to Sections 55002, 55201, 55202, and 58106 of Title 5 and Sections I.C.3.a.1-4 and II.C of the Model District Policy.

2. Verify and provide documentation that prerequisites and corequisites meet the scrutiny specified in one of the measures of readiness established in Section 55201 (b) (1) of Title 5 and Sections II.A.1.a-g of the Model District Policy.

3. Provide for a review of each prerequisite, corequisite, or advisory at least every six years pursuant to Section 55201 (b) (3) of Title 5 and Section I.D of the Model District Policy. Any prerequisite or corequisite which is successfully challenged under subsections (1), (2), or (3) of Section 55201 (f) shall be reviewed promptly thereafter to assure that it is in compliance with all other provisions of the law.

4. Provide for a review of each limitation on enrollment at least every six years pursuant to Section II.C of the Model District Policy.

IMPLEMENTING PREREQUISITES, COREQUISITES, AND ENROLLMENT LIMITATIONS

The college shall establish procedures wherein every attempt shall be made to enforce all conditions a student must meet to be enrolled through the registration process so that a student is not permitted to enroll unless he or she has met all the conditions or has met all except those for which he or she has a pending challenge or for which further information is needed before final determination is possible of whether the student has met the condition pursuant to Section 55202 (g) of Title 5 and Section I.E of the Model District Policy.

INSTRUCTOR'S FORMAL AGREEMENT TO TEACH THE COURSE AS DESCRIBED

The college shall establish a procedure whereby courses for which prerequisites, corequisites, or advisories are established will be taught in accordance with the course outline pursuant to Section 55201 (b) (2) of Title 5.


Adopted by Board of Trustees: September 12, 1994