RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE

In order to ensure that the faculty have a formal and effective procedure for participating in the development and implementation of district policies on academic and professional matters, the Board of Trustees recognizes the College of the Redwoods Academic Senate. The Board will consult collegially with the Academic Senate when adopting policies and procedures on academic and professional matters and will rely on the knowledge and experience of the faculty as expressed through the Academic Senate. The Board will, in turn, expect the Academic Senate to communicate the Board's issues and concerns clearly and effectively to the faculty.

In the following areas the Board delegates authority and responsibility to the Academic Senate for making recommendations to the Board. In making decisions in these areas, the Board will rely primarily upon the advice and judgment of the Academic Senate:

1. Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines
2. Degree and certificate requirements
3. Grading policies
4. Standards or policies regarding student preparation or success
5. Faculty qualifications, including equivalencies, internships, and the placement of courses in disciplines for the purpose of establishing minimum qualifications
6. Decisions to offer tenure.
7. Policies for faculty professional development activities

In these areas the recommendations of the Senate will normally be accepted, and only in exceptional circumstances and for compelling reasons will the recommendations not be accepted. If a recommendation is not accepted, the Board or its representative, upon request of the Academic Senate, will communicate its reasons in writing.

In the following areas the Board or its representatives will reach mutual agreement with the Academic Senate, and such agreement will be expressed either by written resolution, administrative regulation, board policy, or other board action:

1. Educational program development, including both the initiation and elimination of programs
2. College governance structures, as related to faculty roles
3. Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes, including self-study and annual reports
4. Processes for program review
5. Processes for institutional planning and budget development
6. Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the Board and the Academic Senate

In these areas, when agreement cannot be reached between the Board and the Academic Senate, existing policy shall remain in effect unless continuing with such policy exposes the district to legal liability or causes substantial fiscal hardship. In cases where there is no existing policy, or in cases where the exposure to legal liability or substantial fiscal hardship requires existing policy to be changed, the Board will act, after a good faith effort to reach agreement, only for compelling legal, fiscal, or organizational reasons.

In addition to the specific responsibilities noted above, the Academic Senate is responsible, after consultation with the President or his or her designee, for making faculty appointments to all committees, task forces, or other groups dealing with academic and professional matters. Notwithstanding this provision, the collective bargaining representative may also seek to appoint faculty members to such committees, task forces, or groups.

Nothing in this policy is intended to preclude the Academic Senate from exercising its right to present its views directly to the Board on any issue it deems appropriate. Nor is anything intended to impinge upon the due process rights of faculty or to detract from any negotiated agreements between the Board and the collective bargaining representative

Adopted by the Board of Trustees: June 6, 1994