Distance Education Committee

Meeting Dates and Times

2nd & 4th Thursday of the Month

2:00 pm

FM 107

Bylaws

A. Membership: The term of each faculty member, including the chair, shall be two years with staggered terms expiring July 1. The Committee shall consist of the following members:

1. The chair appointed by the Senate President and confirmed by the Senate.
2. Minimum of four full-time faculty members from different instructional and non-instructional areas. Additional members are by approval of the committee or at the request of the Senate President
3. One full-time faculty member from CRDN/PB.
4. One associate faculty member appointed by the Senate President.
5. One representative of instructional technology appointed by the Vice-President of Instruction (VPI) in consultation with the Senate President who shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member.
6. The Distance Education Administrator shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member.

B. Membership selection process: Usually about one month before the end of the academic year, or as needed, the Chair will ask the Senate Office Administrator to communicate with full-time faculty to let them know about upcoming vacancies on the committee and to ask for volunteers to serve. Usually in the last two weeks of the academic year, or as needed, the Chair, in collaboration with the Senate President, will select new members to fill those vacancies, considering the following criteria:

1. Interest in and experience with distance education.
2. Availability to contribute to quorum.
3. Committee representation in terms of instructional and non-instructional areas and other factors contributing to group diversity, collegiality, and heterodoxy.
4. Faculty needing to fulfill contractual obligations regarding committee service, including new faculty hires who are starting the following semester.

C. Purpose and Duties: The Committee is charged with providing direction and leadership on matters pertaining to academic quality, faculty training and support, student learning, and institutional effectiveness in distance education.

1. To accept assignments from the Senate on issues of distance education;
2. To advise the Senate and the administration on issues related to distance education;
3. To participate in development of policies regarding distance education, including training and ongoing professional development of DE instructors, policies regarding training in the use of Canvas, and policies for ensuring that all courses and materials are accessible to all people with disabilities;
4. To support the DE program in matters related to the Chancellor’s Office, regional and State-wide consortia (e.g., Online Education Initiative), ASCCC, and the ACCJC; and
5. To communicate and collaborate with the Curriculum Committee, Student Development, Counseling and Advising, Disability Services and Student Programs (DSPS), LRC, and other District stakeholders regarding distance education.

Last Amended 11/3/2023