ESTRELLA MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
COLLEGE PLAN

The College Plan was developed by the Estrella Mountain faculty and submitted to the president for approval. As part of the revision and continuous improvement process, during the academic year 04/05, the Estrella Mountain Community College Division Chair Job Description was incorporated into the Estrella Mountain College Plan document.

 

1.     Definitions

A. The College Plan contains the specific procedures to govern the selection process, terms of service, qualifications, and other aspects of the division chair role.

 

B. “Faculty” refers to residential faculty; it does not include one-year or one-semester only faculty.

 

C. “Division member” refers to a faculty member assigned to the division. Whenever possible, faculty will be assigned to only one division. If there is a need to split a load between two divisions, the faculty member, at the time of assignment, will be given the choice of his or her primary division assignment for purposes of voting.

D. A “Division Chair” is a faculty member as defined in the Residential Faculty Policy Manual with certain administrative functions as assigned by appropriate college personnel. The division chair is a member of the division who has been a faculty member at EMCC in that division for at least one year, except in areas that have unique program and budgetary needs. Exceptions may be made with agreement between the EMCC president and the Faculty Senate president and the faculty from that division.

E. An “Evening and/or Weekend Supervisor” is defined as one who the Division Chairperson, in consultation with the residential faculty of a division, may determine the need for and the selection of an evening or weekend supervisor(s). Candidates will meet the requirements of the College Plan; part 2 Qualifications for Division Chairperson. This individual will be selected from among the residential faculty members of the division. The recommendation of the selected candidate will then be made to the appropriate Vice President or Dean by the Division Chairperson. The evening and/or weekend supervisor(s) work(s) under the direction of the Division Chairperson

F. A “Summer Supervisor” is defined as one who the Division Chairperson, in consultation with the residential faculty of a division, may determine the need for and selection of a summer supervisor(s). Candidates will meet the requirements of the College Plan; part 2 Qualifications for Division Chairperson. This individual will be selected from among the residential faculty members of the division. The recommendation of the selected candidate will then be made to the appropriate Vice President or Dean by the Division Chairperson. The Summer Supervisor(s) works under the direction of the Division Chairperson.

G. Conditions of service for division chairs, including compensation and accountability, are in accord with the Residential Faculty Policies.

H. “EMCC President” means the Chief Executive Officer of EMCC or his/her designee.

I. “Faculty Senate” means the EMCC faculty senate or a successor organization.

J. “Majority” means more than half of the votes cast in an election where everyone has had the opportunity to vote.

K. “Reorganization” means but is not limited to the division, creation, merger, and dissolution of instructional units.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

 

The Division Chairpersons of Developmental Education, Information Resources, Liberal Arts, and
Science and Mathematics will report to the Dean(s) of Academic Affairs.

The Division Chairpersons of Occupational Education and Instructional Computing will report to the Dean(s) of Occupational Education.

The Division Chairperson of Counseling will report to the Dean(s) of Student Affairs.

Such an organizational structure lends itself to interdisciplinary cooperation and articulation and provides a suitable mechanism for the faculty to share in the governance of the College.

 

2. Division Chair Job Description: Division Chairpersons will be responsible for assisting the Deans and Vice Presidents in implementing the educational mission of Estrella Mountain Community College by:

·         Participation in short and long range planning and evaluation for facilities design, instructional, and staffing needs.

·         Coordinate, manage, collaborate, and solve problems to attain educational goals.

·         Act as an advocate for faculty, per the RFP.

·         Serve as a liaison for students, per the Common Pages and Student Handbook.

·         Collaborate in preparation and administration of budgets.

·         Provide instructional leadership for the division.

·         Facilitates community relations, as appropriate.

·         Facilitate two-way communication between division members, Vice Presidents, Deans and/or other personnel as appropriate.

 

Seven (7) Division Chairpersons have been elected to provide leadership in the following areas:

Counseling
Developmental Education
Information Resources
Instructional Computing
Liberal Arts
Occupational Education
Science and Mathematics

RESPONSIBILITIES

Curriculum

 

1. Collaborates with appropriate faculty to prepare the class schedule for the division within the specified timelines.

2. Evaluates the viability of new program/course requests and modifications of existing courses/programs as requested by the division faculty

3. Develops and evaluates proposals for special projects

4. Serves on appropriate instructional council or selects designee

5. Consults with the administration and division faculty on curriculum, course, and program matters.

6. Coordinates the articulation of division disciplines with secondary schools and institutions of higher education

7. Supports the development of objectives and outlines for new and revised courses/programs by division faculty

8. Maintains a file of current syllabi for all instructors in all classes

9. Encourage integration of EMCC abilities at the classroom and program level.

 

Personnel

 

1.       Recommends to the appropriate Vice President or Dean the employment of residential faculty, adjunct faculty, evening/weekend/summer supervisor(s), and staff for the division

2.       Participates in the evaluation of division faculty as outlined in the RFP and Adjunct Faculty Policy manuals

3.       Performs annual evaluations of the Evening/Weekend/Summer Supervisor(s)

4.       Communicates college and district philosophies, objectives, policies, and procedures to the division faculty and staff

5.       Assumes a responsibility for keeping faculty and staff informed about college and district matters.

6.       Fosters faculty and staff development and professional growth

7.       Coordinates, processes, and resolves conflicts concerning the assignments of faculty

8.       Provides appropriate orientation for all faculty and staff

9.       Supervises and evaluates personnel in the division as per the appropriate Policy Manual.

10.   Coordinates the assignment of student employees within the division

11.   When requested, participates in the informal resolution of conflicts between students and division faculty.

12.   Mediates personality and philosophical conflicts within the division

13.   Responsible for the job posting and hiring process of new faculty for the division

14.   Supports access to technology within the division

 

Budget

 

  1. Coordinates the development and administration of the division budget and special program budgets in consultation with division faculty and recommends those budgets to the appropriate Vice President or Dean.
  2. Coordinates the requests for capital items for the division in consultation with division faculty and submits those requests to the appropriate administrator
  3. Manages the division and special program budgets
  4. Follows established District and College purchasing procedures and policies.

 

General Administrative Item

 

  1. Recommends to the appropriate Vice President or Dean all facility needs and modifications necessary to the functioning of the division
  2. Processes required reports such as personnel absence reports
  3. Coordinates and verifies the selection, ordering, and availability of textbooks for the division
  4. Conducts regular divisional faculty meetings
  5. Maintains an inventory of division equipment
  6. Initiates procedures for necessary repairs and maintenance of division equipment and facilities
  7. Works with advisory committees
  8. Facilitates long-range planning by division personnel
  9. Attends division chairperson meetings
  10. Assists the appropriate Vice President or Dean during the first week of instruction in the coordinating of normal first week activities, i.e., room changes, last minute instructor no-shows, aiding students, etc.
  11. Initiates schedule changes and submits them to the appropriate Vice President or Dean.
  12. Promotes diversity in the division
  13. Represents division on appropriate campus committees such as those involving campus leadership, strategic planning, budget, academic issues, and student academic achievement.
  14. Maintains responsibility for adjunct faculty credentials and required documentation.
     

Evening or Weekend Supervisor Responsibilities

 

  1. Participates in the evaluation of evening or weekend faculty as outlined in the Adjunct Faculty Policy manual
  2. Assists the division chairperson with evening or weekend faculty teaching assignments
  3. Recommends to the division chairperson the employment and assignment of any personnel that may be required for the evening or weekend program
  4. Reports personnel absences to the division chair
  5. Participates in the informal resolution of conflicts between students and evening or weekend faculty
  6. Assumes responsibility for keeping evening or weekend faculty and staff informed
  7. Coordinates with the division chairperson the recommendations of textbooks by evening or weekend faculty
  8. Assists the appropriate chair during the first week of instruction in the coordination of normal first week activities; i.e., room changes, last minute instructor no-shows, aiding students, etc. for the evening and/or weekend program.
  9. Initiates schedule changes and submits them to the division chairperson.

 

EVALUATION

 

Each division chair shall be evaluated in the spring of each year as per the RFP. This includes both an evaluation by the appropriate Vice President or Dean and evaluation by the faculty members in the division as described in the college plan.

 

3.  Division Chair Selection

A. Qualifications for Division Chair

1.     Meets certificated faculty requirements for at least one of the Disciplines in the division.

2.Meets the requirements of “1. Definitions’ B, C, and D.

B. Division Chair Selection Process

1.    The division chair shall be determined by an election of the faculty members within the division.

2.    The EMCC President shall, in writing by the first Friday in February inform members of all divisions, including those on leave or sabbatical, in which an election for chair is due and call for nominations or self-nominations of individuals willing to run for election in March.

3.    Nominations or self-nominations by interested faculty qualifying to be members in that division per “2. Qualifications for Chair” shall be submitted in writing to the EMCC President by the end of the third Friday in February.

4.    In making the ballots, the EMCC President will make certain all nominees meet the requirements of “2. Qualifications for Chair.” 

5.    The EMCC President shall inform those nominated of their nomination and prepare a list of nominees which will be distributed to all faculty members no later than the first Friday of March.

6.    In the event of no nominees or self-nominees see 3. Selection Process.

7.    The EMCC President distributes election ballots to all eligible voters of the division no later than the first Friday of March.

8.    Election shall be by secret ballot due back in the ballot box in the president’s office by the fourth Friday in March, such date being printed on the ballot. The procedure for return and confirmation of proper ballots shall be according to procedures established jointly by the EMCC President with the Faculty Senate President.

9.    Ballots will be opened and counted by, and in the presence of, the EMCC President, the Faculty Senate President, and the Faculty Senate President-elect. If either of the Faculty Senate presidential officers is on the ballot, they shall be replaced by another Faculty Senate officer. If no such Faculty Senate officer is available, the Faculty Senate shall appoint a faculty member whose name is not on the ballot(s).

10.  The new division chair shall be determined by the majority of votes cast.

11.  There would be a run off election in the following cases:

                                                      i.         There is a tie between two or more nominees.

                                                    ii.         There are more than 2 nominees and neither of those who receive the two highest vote tallies has the majority of votes cast.

12.  The procedures in Selection Process B. 1 - 10 will be followed in the event of a runoff election with a time line determined by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President.

13.  If there is no resolution after two elections, a lottery of the nominees involved in the runoff election, to be organized and officiated by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President, will be held to select the chair.

14.  In the event of no nominees or self-nominees the following will occur:

                                                      i.         The EMCC President shall issue a second call for self-nominees.  Nominations shall be due by the following Friday.

                                                    ii.         The procedures for ballots and tabulation of results shall be the same as “3. Selection Process” B. 1-10 with a time line determined by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President.

                                                   iii.          The EMCC President shall prepare a final ballot of individuals nominated and will distribute these names within two weeks to all faculty in that division, including those on sabbatical or leave, following the election call.

                                                   iv.          If again no nominee or self-nominee surfaces a plan of action, agreed upon by the EMCC President, the Faculty Senate President and the faculty from that division, will be created and followed to provide for the faculty governance the division.

4. Term of Office

  1. Each term shall be for two years. 
  2. The term of office shall begin immediately after the last day of the Spring Semester.
  3. A chair can only serve three full consecutive terms unless there are no nominees when the first call for nominees is made. Then, the residing chair may run for reselection.

5. Division Chair Peer Evaluation

  1. Each division chair shall be evaluated annually by the faculty members in the division.
  2. All division members will receive, from the division chair, by the first week of February, a copy of the job description for division chairs.
  3. Division members will be given opportunity in writing or electronically, by February 15, using a plus/delta form to evaluate division chairs in four categories that are listed below. Refer to appendix, Division Chair Job Description, for complete evaluation criteria.

Categories:
Curriculum
Personnel
Budget
General Administrative Items

  1. A faculty division member has a right to a conference with the division chair to discuss issues or concerns.
  2. All evaluations will be given to the division chair.

6. Vacancy

  1. A vacancy in a chair position shall be declared when a residing chair resigns, is absent for 60 successive days of accountability, is removed or is reassigned.
  2. In the case of a vacancy a new election will be held within two weeks to fulfill the remainder of the term. The procedures for ballots and tabulation of results shall be the same as for an election  with a time line determined by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President (see “3. B. 1-10 Selection Process”).
  3. Exceptions to this vacancy procedure may be made with agreement between the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President and the faculty from that division.

7. Removal of a Chair

  1. A recall election may be initiated by either:
    1. A signed petition of two-thirds, (this number being rounded to the nearest unit) of the division faculty members presented to the EMCC President, or
    2. The EMCC President.
  2. The recall election shall take place within two weeks of said petition or president’s call. The procedures for ballots and tabulation of results shall be the same as “3. Selection Process’ B. 1-10 with a time line determined by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President.

8. Divisional Reorganization

 

Division(s) may initiate the reorganization process at any time provided they adhere to the following timeline and regulations.  To initiate the reorganization process, the discussion of reorganization shall be a formal agenda item at a regularly scheduled division meeting.

 

The administration may initiate the reorganization process at any time provided they adhere to the following timeline and regulations.  To initiate the reorganization process, a discussion of reorganization shall occur between the appropriate Dean(s) and Vice-President(s) and the affected division(s) at a regularly scheduled division meeting. 

 

In the case of the creation of a division where none currently exists, the process shall start at A.3. with the committee being made up of the affected faculty.

 

  1. Initial Steps for divisional reorganization

1.       A divisional vote(s) for reorganization shall occur in the fall semester.  By 3/5 vote of the faculty in each of the affected division(s), the division(s) structure shall be subject to reorganization.  In the case of an administrative proposal, the affected faculty will provide rationale and justification for rejecting the proposal. After receiving rationale and justification for rejection of the proposal the Dean(s) and Vice-President(s) will be provided the opportunity to meet with the affected faculty to discuss the decision.

2.       A divisional reorganization committee hereafter referred to as the committee, will be created.  The committee will consist of members to be determined by the division(s) in question faculty. In the case where there is more than one division affected there will be equal representation from each division on the committee.

3.       The committee will schedule meeting(s) to discuss and collaboratively develop the reorganization proposal, hereafter referred to as proposal, with appropriate Dean(s) and Vice-President(s)

4.       The appropriate Vice-President(s) will inform the College President and senior college leadership of the intent of the division(s) to reorganize.

 

B.      Divisional Reorganization Proposal

1.       The committee and the appropriate Dean(s) and Vice-President(s) will collaboratively develop a proposal using the following guidelines:

 

Rationale for Proposal

                                             i.            Justification that the restructuring is to the overall advantage of the students, the college, and the division.  Justification will include: best practices on academic organization underscoring student success; name of proposed division(s) and distribution/grouping of prefixes; and how specified grouping(s) of faculty and teaching disciplines will operate as a separate division(s). (see Division(s) Snapshot below for suggested informational items)

                                           ii.            Sufficient number of full time faculty in each of the proposed divisions. ("sufficient number" is based on justification such as; student success, best practices, programmatic needs and rules or guidelines of external governing / licensing agencies if applicable.)

Impact on college budget

The documentation of the budget impact will include the following budget considerations as outlined in the RFP: 

·         Remuneration of division chairperson(s)

·         Administrative Reassigned Time

·         Personnel (i.e. clerical support, lab techs, adjuncts, PSA etc.)

·         Summer Extended Contract Hours as Related to Department/Division FTTE

·         Evening/Weekend Supervisor(s) 

Resource Allocation

Present a plan to allocate existing division budget(s), classroom(s), facilities and other resources so that the newly created division(s) will be able to operate effectively.

Division(s) snapshot

The proposal may include a divisional fact sheet addressing data including but not limited to:

·         Direct reports (e.g. Residential faculty, adjunct faculty including dual enrollment, and PSA)

·         Evening supervisors

·         FTSE

·         Total number of evaluations per semester

·         Total number of sections currently offered per semester by division(s)

·         Number of disciplines in current division(s)

·         Ratio of voting representation at leadership meetings

·         Revised Organizational Chart

 

2.       The Dean(s) and Vice-President(s) will provide feedback to the committee based on discussions with the college president.

3.       The committee will share the completed proposal with the division(s) in question.

4.       The completed proposal shall be submitted to the appropriate Vice-President(s) no later than the last business day of February in the semester immediately following the divisional vote for reorganization.

5.       The appropriate Vice-President(s) shall submit the proposal to the College President by the first business day in March of the semester immediately following the divisional vote for reorganization. Official notification of the submission of the proposal and copies of the proposal will be provided to Faculty Senate and senior college leadership at this time.

 

C.      Approval Process

By April 1, the College President will respond to the proposal by informing the appropriate Vice-President(s) and division chairperson(s) in one of the following three ways:

1.       Approval of the proposal.

                                             i.      Following section 9 of the College Plan, the EMCC College Plan will be amended to reflect the new divisional structure.

                                           ii.      The organizational structure and reporting pattern of the newly created division(s) shall follow the RFP and EMCC College Plan.

                                          iii.      The affected division(s) will work to do the following:

a)       During transition the current divisional structure still applies.  The current division chairperson(s) is responsible for the newly created division(s) divisional plan(s) and corresponding budget(s) in accordance with college timelines.

b)       The newly approved division(s) must hold division chairperson elections, pursuant to the EMCC College Plan, in the spring semester following reorganization approval.

2.       Approval of the proposal contingent upon revisions.

                                             i.      The committee and the Dean(s) and Vice-President(s) will meet to collaboratively revise the proposal and resubmit to the college president by May 1.

                                           ii.      The College President will respond to the revised proposal by the last day of accountability of the spring semester and the affected division(s) will work to do the following:

a)       Following section 9 of the College Plan, the EMCC College Plan will be amended to reflect the new divisional structure no later than the second week of accountability during the fall semester immediately following approval.

b)       The organizational structure and reporting pattern of the newly created division(s) shall follow the RFP and EMCC College Plan.

c)       During transition the current divisional structure still applies.  The current division chairperson(s) is responsible for the newly created division(s) divisional plan(s) and corresponding budget(s) in accordance with college timelines.

d)       The newly approved division(s) must hold division chairperson elections, pursuant to the EMCC College Plan, in the spring semester following reorganization approval.

3.       Rejection of the proposal.

                                 i.      The College President will provide rationale and justification for rejecting the proposal. After receiving rationale and justification for rejection of the proposal the committee will be provided the opportunity to meet with the College President to discuss the decision.

                               ii.      The affected division(s) should consider the College President’s response in future reorganization proposals.

                              iii.      Division(s) may start the reorganization process at any time provided they follow the EMCC College Plan.

 

9. Revision of the College Plan

  1. A proposal for change in the policy may be presented to the Faculty Senate by any faculty member at Estrella Mountain or by the EMCC President. The proposal for change in the policy may occur at any time.
  2. The Faculty Senate will then address the proposed change in the plan.
    1. A two-thirds majority vote in the Faculty Senate is needed for the motion to revise the College Plan.
    2. The Faculty Senate President will bring the motion to the EMCC President.
  3. Changes in this policy may be effected when the EMCC President and two-thirds majority of the faculty in the Faculty Senate agree. Unless otherwise specified, changes will take effect after the revised College Plan is signed by the EMCC President and the Faculty Senate President.
  4. The College Plan shall undergo periodic review every two years by a sub-committee of the Faculty Senate.

 

 

 

 

College President                                                                      Date

 

 

 

College Senate President                                                           Date

 

The original EMCC College Plan was signed May 1997. Revisions of this plan occurred in spring 1999, spring 2004, fall 2005, and spring 2007. Original copies of these documents are available in the EMCC’s President’s office.