WHEREAS, at Palomar College we comply with Title 5 for distance education; and WHEREAS we evaluate our distance education courses according to the following specific Title 5 regulations:

instructor-student contact
identifying at-risk students
student access to resources
accessibility
security
evaluation
faculty selection according to established minimum qualifications
WHEREAS, our approval of courses delivered via Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) should be based on the same scrutiny of compliance with Title 5 regulations and student success for all online courses.
WHEREAS, faculty at Palomar College are concerned with the following issues:

diversity
non-independent learners working independently in online MOOCs
faculty as evaluators of student success as well as course content and delivery

WHEREAS, there is ample evidence of poor completion rates for MOOCs (please see recent research on documented completion rates of less than 20% in MOOCs: http://www.katyjordan.com/MOOCproject.html), in particular those classes that are impacted.

Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the faculty at Palomar College strongly oppose accepting MOOCs as substitutions or equivalent courses for college credit.
The motion carried.

WHEREAS Palomar College supports Academic Freedom in both board policy and the Palomar Faculty Federation/District Agreement, and
WHEREAS Palomar College faculty are legally obligated to follow the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines,
BE IT RESOLVED that any observations of a course be it face-to-face or online outside of contractual evaluations must have the expressed permission of the faculty member.
The motion carried unanimously.

WHEREAS, The U.S. system of regional accreditation has been well-established and has provided essential guarantees of quality education in America’s post-secondary institutions since the 1950s; and
WHEREAS, Keys to the overall success of this unique system are a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect between the regional commissions and their member institutions as well as a shared focus on the needs and interests of the students who attend these institutions; and

WHEREAS, For the last decade, the relationship in the Western region between the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and many of California’s 113 public community colleges has been contentious; and
WHEREAS, The ACCJC has sanctioned California Community Colleges with a higher frequency and severity compared to other regions and four-year institutions accredited by Western Association Schools and Colleges (WASC);

Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Faculty Senate of Palomar College hereby expresses deep concern over the combative nature of the relationships between the ACCJC and many of California’s Community Colleges as well as the future of public education in California; and be it

Further RESOLVED, That this Faculty Senate urges the U.S. Dept. of Education (USDOE) to carefully scrutinize the ACCJC’s work as a regional accreditor during the upcoming review of the ACCJC for federal recognition; and be it
Finally RESOLVED, That this Faculty Senate joins the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges* in recognizing that the ACCJC’s contentious relationship with the California Community Colleges and the severity of the commission’s sanctions threaten to undermine the original mission of the California Community Colleges which is to provide quality public education to all.
*The letter dated September 5th, 2013 from Beth Smith to Kay Gilcher, Director of the USDOE accreditation division, and the letter dated September 6th, 2013 from the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges to the USDOE Accreditation committee.
The motion carried.