Local Leadership: Do You Know Local Leadership: Do You Know How to Hire Effectively?How to Hire Effectively?

Academic Senate for

California Community Colleges

Leadership Institute

According to the Education Code, the local academic senate works jointly with the local governing board to establish policies and practices for hiring faculty. 

Thus, it is imperative that local senates understand the laws, regulations, and Academic Senate-recommended practices to ensure they meet their consultative obligations—and hire effectively.

The Hiring of New Faculty

Faculty:Faculty:

Those employees of a district who are employed in Those employees of a district who are employed in academic positions that are not designated as academic positions that are not designated as supervisory or managementsupervisory or management for purposes of Article 5. for purposes of Article 5. Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, librarians, counselors, community college health service librarians, counselors, community college health service professionals, disabled student programs and services professionals, disabled student programs and services professionals, extended opportunity programs and professionals, extended opportunity programs and services professionals, and individuals employed to services professionals, and individuals employed to perform a service that, before July 1, 1990, required perform a service that, before July 1, 1990, required nonsupervisorial, nonmanagement community college nonsupervisorial, nonmanagement community college certification qualifications.certification qualifications.

(Authority cited: Sections 66700, 70901, 87001, and 87002, Education Code)(Authority cited: Sections 66700, 70901, 87001, and 87002, Education Code)

. . Definitions:Definitions: Experience:Experience: The requirement is for the stated number The requirement is for the stated number

of years of full-time experience or the equivalent in part-of years of full-time experience or the equivalent in part-time experience. (time experience. (Ed Code Ed Code §53404).§53404).

Certificated Employees:Certificated Employees: Persons employed by Persons employed by districts pursuant to minimum qualifications (Ed Code districts pursuant to minimum qualifications (Ed Code §53405).§53405).

Requirement for Accredited Requirement for Accredited Degrees and Units:Degrees and Units:

All degrees and units used to satisfy minimum All degrees and units used to satisfy minimum qualifications shall be from accredited qualifications shall be from accredited institutions.institutions.

RESOURCESRESOURCES

In the fall of 1989, the Academic Senate adopted In the fall of 1989, the Academic Senate adopted two papers on faculty hiring: two papers on faculty hiring:

Contract Faculty Hiring Procedures: A Model Contract Faculty Hiring Procedures: A Model Based on Assembly Bill 1725Based on Assembly Bill 1725; and ; and Part-time Part-time Faculty Hiring Procedures: A Model Based on Faculty Hiring Procedures: A Model Based on Assembly Bill 1725Assembly Bill 1725. .

Faculty are encouraged to review both papers Faculty are encouraged to review both papers and, with them, the legislative intent language of and, with them, the legislative intent language of AB 1725 §4AB 1725 §4, upon which the papers draw heavily. , upon which the papers draw heavily. The models posited in those papers are still valid The models posited in those papers are still valid today.today.

A Re-examination of Faculty A Re-examination of Faculty Hiring Processes and Hiring Processes and

ProceduresProcedures (ASCCC, Adopted Fall 2000)(ASCCC, Adopted Fall 2000)

TThe California Education Code is unequivocal in its he California Education Code is unequivocal in its assignment of authority to faculty in the realm of assignment of authority to faculty in the realm of hiring. Section 87360 (b) reads: hiring. Section 87360 (b) reads:

HHiring criteria, policies, and procedures for new iring criteria, policies, and procedures for new faculty members shall be developed and agreed faculty members shall be developed and agreed upon jointly by representatives of the governing upon jointly by representatives of the governing board, and the academic senate, and approved by board, and the academic senate, and approved by the governing board.the governing board.

Two things are Two things are significant here. First,significant here. First,

this mandate appears in Education Code, this mandate appears in Education Code, rather than in Title 5 Regulations, and rather than in Title 5 Regulations, and whereas both Education Code and Title 5 whereas both Education Code and Title 5 Regulations have the force of law, this Regulations have the force of law, this mandate is clearly the express intent of the mandate is clearly the express intent of the Legislature. Legislature.

Second,Second,

there is no qualification of the mandate, no there is no qualification of the mandate, no specification of circumstances wherein it would be specification of circumstances wherein it would be permissible for boards to circumvent the permissible for boards to circumvent the requirement to reach joint agreement with the requirement to reach joint agreement with the academic senates.academic senates.

These two pointsThese two points

combine to make the authority of faculty in hiring combine to make the authority of faculty in hiring even stronger than in the ten-plus-one academic and even stronger than in the ten-plus-one academic and professional areas specified in Title 5 §53200. professional areas specified in Title 5 §53200.

That faculty have the discipline expertise and the That faculty have the discipline expertise and the motivation to set the highest possible standards in motivation to set the highest possible standards in selecting those who will be their colleagues for the selecting those who will be their colleagues for the next twenty to thirty years is simply unarguable.next twenty to thirty years is simply unarguable.

When Hiring Superintendents When Hiring Superintendents and Presidents:and Presidents:

The The Chair Chair of a search committee for this of a search committee for this administrative position is most frequently a senior administrative position is most frequently a senior administrator with academic or student services administrator with academic or student services experience; it is also not uncommon to have a experience; it is also not uncommon to have a faculty member co-chair this responsibility.  Such faculty member co-chair this responsibility.  Such an arrangement builds district-wide trust in the an arrangement builds district-wide trust in the entire selection process.  entire selection process. 

Conducting a Successful CEO Conducting a Successful CEO SearchSearch

(Excerpted from the Community College League of California)(Excerpted from the Community College League of California)

Because the outcome of the selection process is so Because the outcome of the selection process is so important, it should never be taken lightly or conducted important, it should never be taken lightly or conducted in haste. The entire district—and particularly the board—in haste. The entire district—and particularly the board—will benefit from a comprehensive and thoughtful process will benefit from a comprehensive and thoughtful process that involves the appropriate constituencies of the that involves the appropriate constituencies of the institution and community and clarifies goals and institution and community and clarifies goals and priorities. Such a process allows the board to select a priorities. Such a process allows the board to select a person it can support fully and establishes a foundation person it can support fully and establishes a foundation that enables the new leader to be effective.that enables the new leader to be effective.

Conclusion:Conclusion:

Faculty have a vested interest in who will be their Faculty have a vested interest in who will be their colleagues, in who will teach and advise their students, colleagues, in who will teach and advise their students, in who will work with them “to develop and safeguard the in who will work with them “to develop and safeguard the curriculum and uphold the sort of instruction that is curriculum and uphold the sort of instruction that is maximally productive of humane values and which maximally productive of humane values and which contributes toward students becoming informed, contributes toward students becoming informed, compassionate and productive members of their compassionate and productive members of their communities.” communities.”

(The Future of the Community College: A Faculty Perspective” (adopted Fall 1998) The Future of the Community College: A Faculty Perspective” (adopted Fall 1998) .