State of the Senate: Evolution vs. Revolution - Navigating Environmental Pressures

2. 2012 Fall Plenary State of the Senate

3. Overview Evolution Vs Revolution Environmental Pressures The Year Ahead Conclusions

5. Evolution VSRevolution

6. evo·lu·tion a process of change in a certain direction a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state a process of gradual and relatively peaceful social, political, and economic advance

7. evo·lu·tion the process of working out or developing Synonyms:elaboration, development, expansion, growth, progress, progression

11. Model of Evolution Rapidly evolving. Able to survive using more than one energy source. Able to withstand environmental conditions meant to destroy it.

15. rev·o·lu·tion the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course; also: apparent movement of such a body round the earth a sudden, radical, or complete change

16. rev·o·lu·tion a fundamental change in political organization; especially: the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed

17. rev·o·lu·tion a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm Synonyms:gyration, pirouette, reel, spin, roll, rotation, twirl, wheel, whirl

19. Environmental Pressures “completion” agenda Expectation that we do more with less Decrease“unit accumulation”/time to degree Technology is the solution Modern world – promotes lack of attention span, expectation that education is entertainment

20. The solution? Rethink what we teach – focus on what they’ll remember later. Decrease time to completion and ensure that everDy student completes. Not a new idea…

21. http://www.fathersarducci.com/video.html

22. The Year Ahead - State • Implementation of the Student Success Task Force recommendations continues • SB 1456 Workgroups • Enrollment management • Basic skills • Responding to new legislation • OER • ACE and military credit

23. The Year Ahead - Local • Implementation of the Student Success Task Force recommendations • Enrollment priorities • Exploring new ways to serve students • Achieving AA-T/AS-T and C-ID goals • Modifying curriculum • Prerequisites • Repeatability

24. The Year Ahead - Challenges Protecting our sacred cows? Two-tiered funding Governance challenges Accreditation issues Sacramento

25. AAUP “the governance practices of the California community colleges comply with the California Education Code and are decidedly not the source of the community college system’s problems. I would add as well that these practices are consistent with principles of shared governance promulgated by the AAUP and widely practiced throughout American higher education.”

26. Conclusions We are in the midst of evolution. Like democracy and participatory governance, evolution is messy – we don’t always get it right the first time. Emphasizing what is best for students is critical.

27. Conclusions Our mandate is to ensure the quality and integrity of our educational programs. Change is inevitable and necessary. Quality and lasting changing is a slow process. Culture change is the first step in responding responsibly to the calls for us to “do better”.