Current Regulation, Statute and Legal Authorities: Title 5 Sections 55800, 55130, 51022, Ed Code Sections 78016, 87740, and 78016

Key factors to be determined and considered in the development of a process of program discontinuance:

• Who should be involved and their role?
• What criteria should be used to initiate the process?
• What will be the impact upon students and what transitional provisions shall be made?
• How does the program discontinuance process fit into the educational and budget planning process?
• What are the effects upon local/regional business and industries?
• Effect upon transfer programs.
  

The program discontinuance policy should include a proactive process to identify, strengthen, and implement steps for at-risk programs. Items to be considered include:

• Low growth/low enrollment problems
• Low retention/persistence/completion problems
• Analysis of program resources
• Analysis of physical resources
• Analysis of appropriate levels of external support
• Trends noted over three to five years
• Uniform measures to be applied to all programs
• The relationship between the program and the mission of the college
• Qualitative and quantitative data
  

Collaboration between the union and Senate is imperative to ensure that both academic and professional issues as well as those that are contractual are addressed. Items include:

• Adequate notification to affected faculty, Ed Code Sec 87740
• Availability of retraining for displaced faculty
• Construction of Faculty Service Areas
  

Our college must develop a written policy that addresses this issue in relationship to the educational master plan, program goals and objectives, student access and success.