Spring 2022
Committee:
Executive Committee, Regional Affairs Committee
WHEREAS, higher education institutions depend on syllabi to determine student readiness, validating courses’ credit requirements and serving as evidence in disputable cases, although current syllabi are inconsistent in providing students with accurate and up-to-date resources in regards to the institution’s grading policies and the students’ right to self-advocate in circumstances where academic and/or behavioral issues arise;
WHEREAS, The Student Senate for California Community Colleges approved Resolution S20.03.07 (2020) which calls for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to work with local academic senates to create policies that provide public access to archives of Course Outlines of Records and past syllabi[1];
WHEREAS, syllabi should provide students concrete guidelines for course expectations and outcomes throughout the duration of the course, as well as additional resources and information to aid their academic success in a particular course (including external information on grading policies, support for grade and/or behavior-related issues, and general resources for students’ well-being and success); and
WHEREAS, no requirement exists for educators to disburse syllabi before class sessions begin, giving minimal time to students to consider course validity and compatibility prior to course drop dates; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges urge the individual colleges to include faculty contact information in the course schedule to provide students an opportunity to request the most recent versions of syllabi;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges facilitate communication between the Academic Senates for California Community Colleges and local academic senates to ensure policies are in place to provide students access to past syllabi; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to provide additional information in all syllabi that direct students to external academic and behavioral support and any student services that may be necessary for completing a course, including information on grade grievances and filing for incompletes.
Citation 1: S20.03.07 Syllabi Access: https://ssccc.org/what-we-do/syllabi-access-toolkit.html
WHEREAS, The Student Senate for California Community Colleges approved Resolution S20.03.07 (2020) which calls for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to work with local academic senates to create policies that provide public access to archives of Course Outlines of Records and past syllabi[1];
WHEREAS, syllabi should provide students concrete guidelines for course expectations and outcomes throughout the duration of the course, as well as additional resources and information to aid their academic success in a particular course (including external information on grading policies, support for grade and/or behavior-related issues, and general resources for students’ well-being and success); and
WHEREAS, no requirement exists for educators to disburse syllabi before class sessions begin, giving minimal time to students to consider course validity and compatibility prior to course drop dates; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges urge the individual colleges to include faculty contact information in the course schedule to provide students an opportunity to request the most recent versions of syllabi;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges facilitate communication between the Academic Senates for California Community Colleges and local academic senates to ensure policies are in place to provide students access to past syllabi; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to provide additional information in all syllabi that direct students to external academic and behavioral support and any student services that may be necessary for completing a course, including information on grade grievances and filing for incompletes.
Citation 1: S20.03.07 Syllabi Access: https://ssccc.org/what-we-do/syllabi-access-toolkit.html