Assembly Higher Education Committee's Draft Report On Revision Of The Master Plan: Opposition To "Strategy 3.1"

AS-2160-93/AA - May 6-7,1993

WHEREAS, The Assembly Higher Education Committee's draft report on revision of the Master Plan proposes a number of strategies intended to decrease the costs to the State of public higher education; and

WHEREAS, The draft report declares the primary mission of public higher education to be "to provide access to the highest quality postsecondary educational opportunity at the lowest cost"; and

WHEREAS, The draft report contains suggestions for changes in the educational system to compensate for the loss of access to course sections caused by increases in student demand for course sections and/or the loss of course sections due to fiscal restraints; and

WHEREAS, "Strategy 3.1" of the draft report proposes that when "adequate course sections cannot be scheduled, the faculty shall review and reconfigure, as appropriate, general education and major requirements to reflect the reduced availability and frequency of classes"; and

WHEREAS, By "reconfiguration" the draft report clearly means a reduction or dilution of the number of courses required in general education and major discipline curricula; and

WHEREAS, Any such reduction or dilution would in many instances undermine the very quality called for by the term "highest quality postsecondary educational opportunity"; and

WHEREAS, Any Legislative mandate of such course "reconfiguration" would undermine the faculty's authority and responsibility in matters of curriculum; and

WHEREAS, The reduction or dilution of curricula could also threaten the accreditation of campus programs and degrees; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Academic Senate of the California State University oppose "Strategy 3.1" of the draft report on revision of the Master Plan produced by the Assembly Higher Education Committee and any effort to reconfigure the curriculum in response to budgetary shortfalls; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Academic Senate CSU urge the Chancellor to join with it in opposition to "Strategy 3.1" of the draft report on revision of the Master Plan produced by the Assembly Higher Education Committee.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY - May 7, 1993