Gavilan College Academic Senate Recommendation
Approved by the Senate: December 7, 2010

Recommended Criteria for Schedule Reductions

1. The Academic Senate requests that the administrative team provide reasons for cutting classes and the overall strategy for reducing sections and the college budget.

2. When possible, full-time faculty scheduled to teach overload courses should consider deferring those courses to part-time faculty.

3. Full-time faculty should consider teaching their load during Fall and Spring semesters and consider not teaching in the summer session or winter intersession, giving part-time faculty the opportunity to teach courses in summer session and winter intersession.

4. When scheduling classes for part-time faculty, department chairs should make transparent and consistent decisions based upon a clearly defined departmental strategy for hiring continuing and new part-time faculty.

5. Department chairs should make an effort to provide at least one class for part-time faculty who have been and wish to continue teaching in the department.

6. Department chairs should make every effort to prioritize those classes that need to be offered as part of the curriculum, including classes usually taught by part-time faculty.

7. Each department should consider preserving the depth and breadth of its class offerings. They should keep classes that: allow students to finish their academic goals in a timely manner; give students a variety of courses; and offer different modalities and access options. Afternoon, evening, and online classes are part of the depth and breadth of each department.

8. When departments rank their classes, these priorities should be shared with the administrative team so that their choices for course reductions can be understood and honored.

9. Departments should consider cutting classes that historically get small enrollments, unless they are required for degrees or certificate completion.

10. Department chairs should immediately notify their faculty members, particularly part-time faculty, of any administrative proposals or requests to cut classes.

11. The Academic Senate requests that the administrative team communicate with faculty about any decisions regarding schedule cuts no later than the week of final exams prior to the semester in which the cuts would take effect.