Whereas, The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, effective August 1, 2009, provides a maximum of 36 months of benefits for veterans to assist them in completing a college education, including full tuition "not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition and fees of a public institution of higher learning," a monthly housing allowance, and an annual books and supplies stipend of up to $1000 (http://www.gibill.va.gov/);
Whereas, Restrictive and inadequate funding from the state and enrollments caps have forced colleges to seek alternate sources of revenue;
Whereas, Out of state and international students pay higher fees and in many colleges are guaranteed 12 units; and
Whereas, Many colleges give enrollment priority to out of state and international students, thereby depriving resident students of access in spite of their contributions to California higher education;
Whereas, Certain occupational programs involve patient or client safety and classes with large numbers of class hours in laboratory or clinical practice, thus making it difficult for many of the students in these programs to carry a minimum 12-unit load;
Whereas, Many of these occupational programs are impacted and have limited training slots available for students, thus forcing students to attend laboratory or clinical classes as early as 5:00 a.m. and as late as 11:00 p.m., thereby creating burdens on students with families and children; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is on record as encouraging faculty to consider the cost of books;
Whereas, Textbook prices have increased beyond the resources of many students; and
Whereas, The Fall 2005 paper Textbook Issues: Economic Pressures and Academic Values provided recommendations to local academic senates about how to reduce textbook costs for our students;
Whereas, The high cost of textbooks is a barrier to student access, retention, and success, and the expense of textbooks often forces students to sacrifice academic time for work hours;
Whereas, Electronic web-based material is often less expensive than a printed text and may be of greater educational value because of its interactive and multimedia nature, and is sometimes paid for through licensing fees rather than purchased like a textbook;
Whereas, Education Code 76060-76067 codifies student council rights, including the delegation of exclusive and specific fundraising and budgeting rights;
Whereas, Some of these budget decisions impact faculty-sponsored co-curricular programs, often without faculty input; and
Whereas, Faculty rights of consultation are outlined in Title 5 and postdate Education Code 76060-76067;
Whereas, Several initiatives and projects, such as, the Center for Urban Education, the USC Transfer and Retention of Urban Community College Students study (TRUCCS), and California Tomorrow, have engaged in partnerships with California community colleges to examine issues of student equity, retention, and success;
Whereas, The System Office has actively recommended and/or supported community colleges participation in these projects; and
Whereas, California's community college student population is a transient one, yet a population whose input in academic and professional matters is valued and necessary for the success of all of our colleges;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges encourage local colleges to identify mechanisms for involving students in campus committees early and effectively; and
Whereas, The rising cost of college textbooks has been a topic of public debate in the past year; and
Whereas, Faculty members who make textbook adoption decisions must consider, in addition to cost, a complex array of educational and ethical issues;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopt the paper Textbook Issues: Economic Pressures and Academic Values. MSCDisposition: Local Senates
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges direct the Senate's Student Committee to develop a packet of information explaining how students may now participate in the chancellor's consultation process, and
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges direct the Senate's Student Committee to distribute this packet to the local senates and encourage them to communicate this information to student leaders on their campuses.