AUTHORITY
The Curriculum Committee derives its authority from the Oxnard College Participatory Governance/Standing, Advisory and Ad-Hoc Committees Manual in 2010 by the Academic and Classified Senates, Associated Student Government, and Oxnard College Management. The Curriculum Committee is a subcommittee of the academic senate and is a participatory governance committee. The Oxnard College faculty is charged by Title 5 with the primary responsibility for making recommendations in the areas of curriculum and academic standards to the Board of Trustees. The Curriculum Committee reports out to the Academic Senate.
PURPOSE
The Curriculum Committee supports and advances the college mission, vision, and values through recommending new and revised curriculum to the governing board of the District. The Curriculum Committee provides guidance, advocacy, and oversight in the development of courses, programs, and academic policies. It ensures that the curriculum is academically sound, comprehensive, and responsive to student needs. This committee directly supports the 10 + 1 of the Academic Senate.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Members have the following responsibilities:
- Review and approve new courses; their requisites; their classification as degree-applicable, nondegree applicable, or noncredit; applicability to associate degree requirements and transfer general education patterns; general transferability; and all other curricular elements as mandated by Title 5 and Accreditation Standards. Ensure that suitable transferable courses will facilitate articulation with four-year institutions.
- Approve courses for distance education.
- Review all new credit and non-credit programs, including degrees, certificates, and proficiency awards for approval by the Board of Trustees, and ensure that all recommended programs comply with California Education Code and Title 5.
- Review and approve modifications to and deactivations of courses and programs and, when necessary, forward them for approval to the Board of Trustees, making sure that such changes comply with California Education Code and Title 5.
- Recommend graduation and general education requirements for the Associate in Arts (A.A.) and Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees for approval by the Board of Trustees.
- Receive and approve the placement of courses within Oxnard College’s General Education (GE) pattern per the recommendation and approval of the GE Committee.
- Ensure that the college’s curriculum is current and reviewed at least every five years (with CE requisites and programs reviewed at least every two years).
- Ensure that each college course is described in an official course outline of record that will be maintained in the college’s curriculum management system, the official college files, and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office’s (CCCCO) curriculum inventory and made available to each instructor.
- Communicate via the co-chairs with the District Technical Review Workgroup–Instruction (DTRW-I), transmitting proposals as appropriate for review as determined by the VCCCD Decision Making Handbook and receiving DTRW-I recommendations.
- Review district academic policies and procedures referred by DTRW-I and make recommendations for revisions to the Academic Senate and DTRW-I.
- Provide training on local and state curriculum policies, processes, and best practices as well as training on the use of the college’s curriculum management system.
- Receive updates on revisions to Title 5, Education Code, CCCCO policies and procedures, and articulation changes affecting course and program standards and requisites.
- Update and maintain the Curriculum Handbook and, through its subcommittees, the General Education Handbook.
