Fullerton College Participatory Governance

Participatory governance at Fullerton College is achieved in the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and collegiality. It promotes the vision and values of the College and ensures their achievement through appropriate policies and procedures via a structure of councils, committees, and task forces.

The purpose of the Fullerton College participatory governance structure is to provide each constituent group the opportunity to participate in the planning process and program initiatives as well as to develop, review, and revise policies and procedures through their representatives. Functionally, this is accomplished by councils, committees, and task forces created to formalize collegiality, to facilitate collegial communication, and to resolve issues as close to the point of origin as possible. These structures provide an opportunity for all perspectives of constituent group interests to be considered.  The result is effective processes for planning, implementation, evaluation, and planning agenda(s) for improvement.

General Principles

1.    All decision making is based on recognition that the College exists to educate students.

2.    All constituent groups have a vested interest and a role in ensuring that Fullerton College fulfills the mission defined by the legislature, State Board of Governors, and the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees.

3.    Participatory governance is a method of organized and collegial interaction in which faculty, staff, students, and managers participate in thoughtful deliberation and decision-making, leading to recommendations made to the College President

4.    Mutual agreement is the goal to be achieved through active participation and collegial interaction by all constituent groups.

5.    The most effective means of developing policies and procedures is to provide opportunity for involvement by the constituent groups affected by the implementation of these policies and procedures.

6.    In academic and professional matters, as defined by AB1725, the College President will rely on the advice of the Academic Senate in reaching mutual agreement.

7.    Representatives of constituent groups involved in the participatory governance process have the responsibility of keeping their respective groups informed of the proceedings and recommendations of governance groups.

8.    Individuals not serving as representatives have the opportunity to share concerns with their constituent groups, with the anticipation that their views will be represented in governance councils, committees, and task forces.

Roles of the Participants in Participatory Governance

College President

The College President represents the Governing Board. The President is responsible for providing communication procedures and the infrastructure for achieving participation from all constituencies in the decision-making processes appropriate to participatory governance.  The President encourages the participation of all constituencies in their appropriate participatory governance roles.

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate represents the faculty of Fullerton College in academic and professional matters. Consistent with AB1725 and other District policies, the President consults collegially with the Faculty Senate on academic and professional matters.  The Senate expresses the view of the faculty through a vote of the Senate. At the Senate’s discretion, the Senate may choose to delegate its responsibility to specific committees or to individual faculty members for limited duration and purposes.

As appropriate, the Senate adopts procedures and approves or endorses actions related to academic and professional matters which include: (1) curriculum including established prerequisites and placing courses within disciplines; (2) degree and certificate requirements; (3) grading policies (4) policies for faculty professional development activities; (5) other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon.

The Faculty Senate makes all faculty appointments to college governance committees. Appointees are expected to regularly attend meetings and to contribute as a part of their professional responsibilities. The faculty members serving on those committees are participating to represent and express the interests of (1) the Senate and (2) their constituents.  Appointees do not make decisions for the Senate and are obligated to communicate regularly to the Senate and their representative groups on the governance committee’s activities.

Classified Senate

The Classified Senate represents the classified staff in participative decision making and in the participatory governance process which develops and formulates policy and practice with no collective bargaining effect related, but not limited to, the following: (1) representing the perspective of classified staff in policy and procedure deliberations; (2) offering staff  in-service activities; (3) communicating among the various interest groups and classified staff of  Fullerton College; (4) collaborating with CSEA for appointment of classified staff on all governance committees; (5) maintaining the delineation of responsibility between the Classified Senate and CSEA.  The Classified Senate has no responsibility in any area related to bargaining or working conditions; such issues are the explicit responsibility of CSEA.   CSEA has the right to appoint the classified representatives to all participatory governance committees.  The College President ensures that the recommendations and opinions of classified staff are given every reasonable consideration within this structure.

Associated Students of Fullerton College

The Associated Students of Fullerton College (AS) is the official voice of the Fullerton College student body and is responsible for selecting students to serve on appropriate college councils, committees and task forces.  The Associated Students represent the students of Fullerton College in participative decision making and in the participatory governance process which develops and formulates policy and practice related, but not limited to, the following:  (1) the AS makes recommendations to the Director of Student Affairs and/or Dean of Student Support Services regarding academic and extracurricular concerns of students; (2) the AS serves as the representative of Fullerton College students on the President’s Advisory Council;  (3) the AS presents to the President’s Advisory Council recommendations and policy for college wide consideration; (4) the AS appoints student representatives for governance committees.

Deans/Managers of Fullerton College

The Deans/Managers of Fullerton College represent the college deans, directors, and classified managers on the President’s Advisory Council.    The deans/managers are responsible for (1) communicating all college wide issues to deans/managers; (2) representing the perspective of deans/managers in college wide discussion of policy and procedures at the President’s Advisory Council; (3) reporting to the deans/managers governance issues for dissemination through their areas of responsibility.

Responsibilities of All Parties

Participatory governance committee deliberations and actions should be public. In addition to representation afforded to individuals through constituent groups, individuals and groups may also be heard by any council, committee, or task force by requesting permission to speak.

The final authority for governance at Fullerton College is the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees delegates authority to the President through the District Chancellor. The President and all constituent groups are committed to a functional and effective participatory governance process.

The Governance Structure

Council – A council meets on a regular basis and is composed of constituency representatives designated or selected to act in an advisory capacity. A council often directs the work of numerous committees or task forces.

Standing Committee – A standing committee is composed of constituency representatives and considers matters pertaining to a designated charge or subject. A committee reports its recommendations to appropriate representative bodies.

Committee – All governance bodies may establish their own committees to support their work.  All committees should have a defined purpose.  If desired, governance units may request membership from other constituent units to serve as resource members.  Resource members will be assigned as defined under “Membership.”  The President’s Advisory Council may establish committees with overarching purpose on topics that are also being reviewed from the perspective of a particular constituent unit.  

Task Force - A task force addresses special college wide issues or tasks and meets until the issue is resolved or the task is completed.

Membership

Fullerton College faculty, staff, students, and managers serve on a variety of college, constituent group and district councils, committees, and task forces. Members of the governance groups of the college are determined by constituent groups. When the appointment is to be made based on the position held by the individual, the specific position is identified in the composition of the group. When the individual is appointed or elected to represent a constituent group, the following processes are followed:

Faculty Senate Appointments - All faculty appointments are made through the Senate.

Classified Appointments – All Classified appointments are accomplished by the collaboration of the Classified Senate through the CSEA appointment process.

Student Appointments - All student appointments are made through the Associated Students.

Deans/Managers Appointments - All deans/managers appointments are made by the College President after consultation with the deans/managers.

Appointments - Appointments of membership will generally be made in April/May to fill positions which will be vacated the subsequent year. Appointments may be otherwise made at any time deemed appropriate by the participatory governance group.

Fullerton College Councils and Committees

President’s Advisory Council

Purpose: The purpose of the President’s Advisory Council (PAC) is to receive and review college policy recommendations from any and all college groups, obtain constituent opinions, advise the President as to policy recommendations, provide a venue for college wide initiatives and provide a means of communication within the college community. The PAC is the forum in which all proposed broad-based college policy and procedural changes are discussed collegially before they are acted on or implemented by the College President.  (PAC)

Planning & Budget Steering Committee

Charge: The charge of the Planning & Budget Steering Committee (PBSC) is to:  (1) advise on the development of budgetary policies, processes and timelines; (2) receive and review budget proposals from departments and/or program areas; (3) review and recommend projects to be funded through the  “Dynamic Fund”; (4) recommend funding priorities for the overall college budget; (5) sponsor budget orientation workshops for the members of PBSC and as needed by the college community;  (6) engage in self-directed study to meet its regulatory obligations under Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and to maintain authority delegated by the State Chancellor’s Office.  (PAC)

Staff Development Committee

Charge: The charge of the Staff Development Committee is to: (1) plan, develop, coordinate, review and evaluate the professional development activities; (2) plan Flex Day activities for ongoing professional development; (4) assist in the preparation of the twice yearly reports to the District Officer of Staff Development: on expenditures, funding priorities, procedures, deadlines, activities, schedules of meetings, attainment of goals, needs assessments, etc. (PAC)

Distance Education Program Advisory Committee/Technology Implementation Committee

Charge: The charge of the Distance Education Advisory Committee is to: (1) assess how effectively current technology is being utilized at the college; (2) identify, prioritize and recommend areas for expansion of technology utilization for the enhancement of instructional programs, student services and the management of the college; (3) identify, prioritize and recommend both on-going and specialized training needs for maximum utilization of technological resources.  (Faculty Senate)

Technology Implementation Committee

Charge:  The charge of the Technology Implementation Committee is to: (1) identify, prioritize and recommend staffing for technology; (2) develop an on-going comprehensive College Technology Plan for consideration by PAC; (3) recommend funding strategies and priorities for major technology spending to the BDC; (4) receive regular reports from the District Information Technology Committee, and review and respond as appropriate. (PAC)

Campus Diversity Committee

Charge: The charge of the Campus Diversity Committee is to: (1) plan and develop activities with the purpose of promoting harmony, equality and unity through a greater understanding of diversity; (2) provide advice and recommendations to the College President on related issues.  (PAC)

Adopted by President's Advisory Council - 05/06/2009

Updated 10/2/12

Fullerton College is part of the
 North Orange County Community College District
For comments and suggestions email sbowman@fullcoll.edu
Disclaimer © Fullerton College, Copyright 2004