Counselors as Discipline Experts

Fall
2013
Resolution Number
08.01
 
Assigned to
President
Category
Counseling
Status
Completed
Status Report

I'd say we have done this one many times over.

Whereas, The Student Success Task Force recommendations and recent legislation require colleges to increase matriculation services and other tasks typically completed by counselors due to their discipline expertise;

Whereas, Counselors are faculty who are required to meet the minimum qualifications stated in Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges (January 2012), and thus are the discipline subject matter experts whose roles and responsibilities are legally reserved to them because it falls within their subject matter expertise as defined in the state minimum qualifications;

Whereas, The recent Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted paper The Role of Counseling Faculty and Delivery of Counseling Services in the California Community Colleges reiterates the four functions of counselors noted in Title 5 §51018 and notes some of the discipline-specific competencies that counselors possess and some possible duties for paraprofessionals that are not reserved for counselors; and

Whereas, A recent Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) decision indicated “Unilateral transfer of work between classifications is unlawful,” (Desert Sands, PERB decision No. 1682, 8/25/04);

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges strongly encourage local senates to work collaboratively and collectively with their local bargaining units to prevent the improper appropriation of subject matter expertise and the roles and responsibilities legally reserved for counseling faculty to non-faculty paraprofessional advisors.

MSC