Participatory governance at Grossmont College is achieved in the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and collegiality. It promotes the vision, mission and values of the College and ensures their achievement through policies and procedures, via a structure of councils, committees, and task forces. Through effective processes of planning, implementation, evaluation, the college is committed to student learning and achievement, continuous improvement and institutional excellence.
The purpose of the Grossmont College's participatory governance structure is to provide stakeholders and constituent groups the opportunity to participate in the planning process and initiatives as well as to develop, review, and revise policies and procedures through their representatives. Functionally, this is accomplished by councils, committees, and task forces created to formalize collegiality, to facilitate collegial communication, and to resolve issues as close to the point of origin as possible. These structures provide an opportunity for all perspectives of constituent group interests to be considered.
The following expectations and ground rules were adopted by Planning and Resources Council as well as Leadership Council in 2011.
The Governing Board, with appropriate input from all constituencies through a participatory governance model, establishes District goals, adopts policies, authorizes the annual budget, awards bids and contracts, appoints and terminates personnel, and as delineated by policies and procedures, serves as an avenue of final appeal within the District for issues unresolved through normal processes of a participatory governance model.
The College President represents the Governing Board and has the authority to operate the college (BP 7113). The President is responsible for setting a tone of collegiality in providing the college environment with communication procedures and the infrastructure for achieving participation from all constituencies in the decision-making processes appropriate to participatory governance. The President is responsible for representing the College's perspective/recommendations based on these processes. The President encourages the participation of all constituencies in their appropriate participatory governance roles.
The Academic Senate represents the faculty of Grossmont College in academic and professional matters. The Senate expresses the view of the faculty through representation and a vote of the Senate. At the Senate's discretion, the Senate may choose to delegate its responsibility to specific committees or to individual faculty members for limited duration and purposes.
In line with AB1725 and other District policies, the Governing Board consults collegially with the Academic Senate on academic and professional matters. Consult collegially means the Governing Board strives to reach mutual agreement with the Academic Senate. As appropriate, the Senate adopts procedures, approves or endorses actions related to academic and professional matters which include: (1) curriculum including established prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines; (2) degree and certificate requirements; (3) grading policies; (4) educational program development; (5) standards or policies regarding student preparation and success; (6) District and College governance structures as related to faculty roles; (7) faculty roles and involvement in the accreditation process, including the College's self-study and other annual reports; (8) policies for faculty professional development activities; (9) processes for program review; (10) processes for institutional plans and budget development; and (11) other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon between the Governing Board and Academic Senate. In the development of policies or procedures, after consultation with the administration of the college/district, the Academic Senate may present its views and recommendations to the Governing Board.
The Academic Senate makes all faculty appointments to College governance committees. Appointees are expected to regularly attend meetings and to contribute as a part of their professional responsibilities. The faculty members serving on those committees are participating to represent and express the interests of (1) the Senate and (2) their constituencies; appointees do not make decisions for the Senate and are obligated to communicate regularly to the Senate and their representative groups on the governance committee's activities.
The Classified Senate and California School Employees Association (CSEA) as defined in the Memorandum of Understanding with the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, dated 3/22/94 and 5/2002, represent the classified staff in participative decision making. Both groups represent the classified staff in promoting the participatory governance process which develops and formulates policy and practice related, but not limited to, the following: (1) the selection of administrative staff; (2) in-service education; (3) facilities and services; (4) relations and communication among the various interest groups in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District; and (5) finance and budget. The practice is to have a representative from both the Classified Senate and CSEA on all College governance committees. The College President ensures that the recommendations and opinions of classified staff are given every reasonable consideration within these structures.
The Associated Students of Grossmont College (ASGC) is the official voice of the Grossmont College student body and is responsible for selecting students to serve on appropriate College councils, committees and task forces. The ASGC makes recommendations to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and/or Vice President of Student Services regarding academic and extracurricular concerns of students, and makes appropriate decisions regarding the operation of ASGC consistency with its approved Constitution and By-Laws.
Whether or not governed by the Brown Act, participatory governance committee deliberations and actions should be public. In addition to representation afforded to individuals through constituent groups, individuals and groups may also be heard by any council, committee, or task force by requesting permission to speak. Written minutes or notes of proceedings will be recorded for all governance committees.
The final authority for governance at Grossmont College is the Governing Board. The Governing Board delegates authority to the President through the District Chancellor. The President and all constituent groups are committed to a functional and effective participatory governance process.
Council � A council meets on a regular basis and is composed of constituency representatives designated or selected to act in an advisory capacity. A council often directs the work of numerous committees or task forces.
Standing Committee � A standing committee is composed of constituency representatives and considers matters pertaining to a designated charge or subject. A committee reports its recommendations to appropriate representative bodies. Committees exist for the following purposes.
Task Force - A task force addresses special college-wide issues or tasks and meets until the issue is resolved or the task is completed.
Grossmont College faculty, staff, and students serve on a variety of constituent group College, Senate and District councils, committees, and task forces. Members of the governance groups of the College are determined by position held or through selection by constituent groups. When the appointment is to be made based on the position held by the individual, the specific position is identified in the composition of the group (e.g., College President, Academic Senate President, CSEA Representative, ASGC President). When the individual is appointed or elected to represent a constituent group, the following processes are followed:
Academic Senate Appointments - All faculty appointments are made through the Academic Senate.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Guild � All AFT appointments are made by the AFT Guild President.
Classified Senate Appointments � All Classified Senate appointments are made through the Classified Senate.
CSEA Appointments - All CSEA appointments are made through the Executive Board of the Chapter.
Student Appointments - All student appointments are made through the ASGC, Inc. Whenever possible, an elected student member will be asked to serve on College councils, committees, or task forces. When elected student members are not able to serve, faculty, staff and students are asked to recommend a student representative. Students who are recommended by staff need to be confirmed by the ASGC.
Administrator Appointments - All administrative appointments are made by the College President.
Appointments - Appointments of membership will generally be made in April/May to fill positions which will be vacated the subsequent year. Appointments may be otherwise made at any time deemed appropriate by the participatory governance group.
FALL � Updated Governance Structure posted on the college website
SPRING - Revisions to the Organizational and Governance Structures are solicited and collected. Representatives from Academic Senate, CSEA, Classified Senate, Administration, and the Student Senate participate in the update of Organizational and Governance Structures.
The effectiveness of the Governance structure is regularly assessed through the annual institutional effectiveness survey. Modifications needed are discussed by ADSOC and the appropriate committee or council.
The process used to request additions, deletions, or changes to the councils, committees, or task forces begins by completing a Request for Committee/Council/Task Force form available below, in the President's Office and the Academic Senate Office. The completed form is submitted to the College President, who has the responsibility to place the request on the ADSOC agenda.
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