Modification of Approval Process for Lower Division Transfer Pattern (LDTP) Descriptors

AS-2753-06/AA - May 4-5, 2006

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University (CSU) take the position that after academic departments are notified by Chancellor's Office staff of the need to vote on a proposed LDTP descriptor that has been delivered to the department chair, the academic department should be given a set period of time during the academic year, a minimum of five weeks, to vote on approving such a descriptor; and be it further

RESOLVED: That if more than 50% of departments respond favorably to a descriptor by the end of this review period but the 75% approval requirement is not met due to non-responses, the approval ratio will be calculated by dividing the number of departments approving the descriptor by the number of departments approving or disapproving the descriptor (abstentions excluded). The required ratio remains at 75%; and be it further

RESOLVED: Where an appropriate academic department cannot be determined, this policy shall refer to the appropriate faculty curricular authority.

RATIONALE: Faculty empowered to vote on these descriptors have a responsibility to vote within a reasonable time. In some cases fewer than 75% of campuses have responded to requests for department responses to LDTP descriptors. In fact, there are descriptors for which the response has been overwhelming positive, but the 75% approval rate has not been made due to abstentions or non-responses.

It is appropriate that a faculty body, in this case the Academic Senate CSU, retain curricular authority rather than implicitly or explicitly cede such authority to a non-faculty body (e.g. LDTP Oversight or LDTP Executive Committee).