Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) | Council of Chief Librarians

Reported by Dan Crump

The Academic Senate held its Fall Plenary Session in Irvine earlier this month (November 2-4). A wide variety of topics were discussed in the breakouts, including guided pathways frameworks, DACA, Flexible Learning Options for Workers (FLOW), AB 705 and assessment, quantitative reasoning, OER and ZTC degrees, and OEI, EPI and CAI. Materials from many of the presentations are available through the Events tab on the ASCCC website (www.asccc.org). The Senate also votes on resolutions that direct the work of the ASCCC and its Executive Board. Three library resolutions were adopted (much thanks to input from the CCL Advocacy Committee in helping me put them together). The text of those three resolutions are below and you can access all the resolutions on the ASCCC website.

LIBRARY RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE ASCCC FALL PLENARY SESSION, November 4, 2017

*+9.04 F17 Inclusion of Information Competency in College Institutional Learning Outcomes

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted the following definition of information competency for California Community Colleges: "Information competency is the ability to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all its various formats. It combines aspects of library literacy, research methods, and technological literacy. Information competency includes consideration of the ethical and legal implications of information and requires the application of both critical thinking and communication skills" (Resolution 16.02 S98);

Whereas, Resolution 9.04 S08 directed the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to urge local senates to ensure that students demonstrate information competency and to provide advice and assistance to local senates that seek to institute new requirements in information competency;

Whereas, Standard II.A.11 of the Accreditation Standards of the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges states that “The institution includes in all of its programs, student learning outcomes, appropriate to the program level, in communication competency, information competency, quantitative competency, analytic inquiry skills, ethical reasoning, the ability to engage diverse perspectives, and other program-specific learning outcomes;” and

Whereas, Many, but not all, California community colleges have a statement of information competency fundamental to their institutional learning outcomes;

Resolved, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge local colleges to include information competency in their institutional learning outcomes.

*+16.01 F17 Updating of ASCCC Papers on Library Faculty and Libraries in the California Community Colleges

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has adopted the paper Library Faculty in California Community College Libraries: Qualifications, Roles, and Responsibilities (adopted Spring 1996);

Whereas, Specific standards for library services have appeared piecemeal in various regulations and guidelines, but nowhere have these standards been collected, reviewed, and presented systematically with specific application to the roles of librarians in the California community colleges, and, in response to this concern, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges adopted the paper Standards of Practice for California Community College Library Faculty and Programs (adopted Fall 2010);

Whereas, The 2010 paper Standards of Practice for California Community College Library Faculty and Programs illustrates how libraries and library faculty play a significant role in supporting college curriculum and helping students succeed academically and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has several resolutions (including Resolutions 16.01 S08, 2.02 S12, and 7.01 S12) encouraging the inclusion and involvement of library faculty in the student success initiatives, including the Basic Skills Initiative, and the Student Success & Support Program, and by inference, later initiatives such as the Stronger Workforce Program, and the California Community College Guided Pathways Award Program; and

Whereas, Advances in the libraries, including the current statewide collection of electronic databases and the upcoming Library Services Platform, have greatly benefited the students and faculty of the California community colleges;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges explore methods to update and expand the content of the papers Library Faculty in California Community College Libraries: Qualifications, Roles, and Responsibilities and Standards of Practice for California Community College Library Faculty and Programs to illustrate the vital and important role that libraries and librarians can, and do, play in contributing to the success of our students.

*+17.09 Inclusion of Library Faculty on College Cross-Functional Teams for Guided Pathways and Other Student Success Initiatives

Whereas, California community colleges continue to engage in numerous student success initiatives, including California Community College Guided Pathways Award Program, Student Equity, and Basic Skills Initiative;

Whereas, The importance of libraries for student success has not been fully recognized or explored in the language or implementation of such initiatives, and often library faculty have not been encouraged to participate in developing the corresponding plans;

Whereas, Numerous studies demonstrate that students who use the library are more successful in college; they earn better grades and are more likely to complete their courses and programs of study, and studies show that collaborative academic programs and services involving the library enhance student learning, and information literacy instruction strengthens general education outcomes; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has several resolutions (including Resolutions 16.01 S08, 2.02 S12, and 7.01 S12) encouraging the inclusion and involvement of library faculty in the student success initiatives;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge local senates to ensure library faculty are included on cross-functional teams for student success initiatives and guided pathways frameworks.

[1] Association of College and Research Libraries. Academic Library Impact on Student Learning and Success: Findings from Assessment in Action Team Projects. April 2017.

URL: http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/value/findings_y3.pdf

Upcoming ASCCC Events
ASCCC Exec Board meeting	December 1-2	Sacramento
ASCCC Exec Board meeting	January 12-13	Riverside
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