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Administrative Regulation
Equivalence to
Minimum Qualifications
I
AB1725 provides for
the hiring of faculty who do not meet the precise letter of the minimum qualifications,
provided that “the governing board determines that he or she possesses
qualifications that are at least equivalent” (Sec 87359). The criteria and process for reaching this
judgment must be determined jointly by the Board of Trustees of Glendale
Community College District and the Academic Senate (Title 5, Sec 53430). Together, they will be responsible for
establishing and monitoring the process to assure its fairness, efficiency, and
consistent adherence to maintaining standards.
The authority to
determine equivalent qualifications does not allow GCC to hire less-qualified
individuals. The standards of the GCC
Disciplines List cannot be waived. The
fact that a particular candidate is the best that the college can find does not
affect the question of whether he or she possesses equivalent
qualifications. The issue is not how
badly an instructor is needed, but whether this person does have qualifications
as good as those who do meet the letter of the minimum requirement. Care has been given in this document to
establish guidelines for equivalent criteria and to draft a supplemental
application page that elicits relevant information. Determination of equivalency must be done
fairly and expeditiously while maintaining the standards of AB1725.
It is the philosophy
of the Glendale Community College District that faculty hiring procedures and
guidelines be established that provide for a college faculty of qualified
people who are experts in their subject areas, who are skilled in teaching and serving
the needs of a varied student population, who can foster overall college
effectiveness, and who are sensitive to and themselves represent the racial and
cultural diversity of the adult population of the students they serve. The Board of Trustees, represented by the
administration, has the principal legal and public responsibility for ensuring
an effective hiring process. The
faculty, represented by the local Academic Senate, has an inherent professional
responsibility to ensure the quality of its faculty peers through the
development and implementation of policies and procedures governing the hiring
process.
The GCC Disciplines
List states the minimum qualifications for all GCC faculty positions (whether
full-time or part-time) in each discipline that is recognized by the Board of
Governors in consultation with the Academic Senate for California Community
Colleges. (The GCC list differs from the
statewide list in that a few disciplines at GCC have higher local
qualifications.) Minimum qualifications
are determined for disciplines, not for courses or subject areas within
disciplines, not for programs or for divisions.
The first GCC Equivalency Policy was presented to the board in June,
1990. This updated version provides
clarification and is intended to make the policy easier to understand and to
implement.
One part of the
process needed to fulfill these responsibilities is a procedure for determining
when an applicant for a faculty position, though lacking the exact degree or
experience specified in the GCC Disciplines List, nonetheless does possess
qualifications that are at least equivalent.
The equivalency process is, by statute, one upon which the local
governing board and the local academic senate must jointly agree. If the Board of Trustees is not in agreement
with an equivalency recommendation, the Equivalency Committee of the Senate
shall meet with the Board so that agreement can be reached.
II
Criteria for Equivalency and the Burden
of Proof to establish the Equivalence to a Required Degree or to establish the
Equivalence to Required Experience
Equivalency
committees evaluate minimum qualifications that are based on the disciplines
that have been determined by the Board of Governors in consultation with the
Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges. The Academic Senate of Glendale Community
College, in consultation with the appropriate divisions, may choose to raise
the statewide minimum qualifications for a discipline to create a local
qualification.
Where GCC standards are higher than the state minimum qualifications,
GCC local qualifications shall prevail.
A
current GCC Disciplines List is available in each Division Chair’s office as
well as in the Office of Human Resources.
Some disciplines at
GCC, such as Computer Science, have a degree component and an experience
component on the GCC Disciplines List.
The burden of proof, with regard to the degree and with regard to the
experience, is on the applicant. Clear
and thorough evidence with substantiating documentation must be presented in
order for the committee to make a decision.
A. The Equivalent of a Required Degree
In
order to establish the EQUIVALENT OF A REQUIRED DEGREE, candidates must show
possession of at least the equivalent in level of achievement, breadth, and
depth of understanding for each of the following:
·
The GENERAL
EDUCATION REQUIRED FOR THAT DEGREE
·
The COURSE
WORK REQUIRED FOR THAT DEGREE MAJOR
A candidate who does not provide conclusive evidence in regard
to both of these does not possess the equivalent of the degree in question.
The candidate is expected to provide evidence of equivalent
preparation, and this evidence must be as reliable, objective, and thorough as
a transcript. The candidate must show
possession of the equivalent of not only specialized knowledge of a particular
discipline, but also of the General Education component. No set amount of knowledge can be said to be
equivalent to any degree; equivalency depends on the nature of the knowledge.
Many criteria for determining equivalency seem obvious and
can be handled in a simple manner.
Others are more complicated. One
easy-to-address situation occurs when someone has all the appropriate
courses/thesis for the relevant degree but the degree has another name. A review of the transcript might show that
the coursework is the same and the degree equivalent.
A more difficult case comes when experience or independent
learning is proposed as the equivalent of academic work. The problem lies in obtaining evidence to
establish that a candidate really does have the broad background and depth of
experience to be judged equivalent to the content of the academic work of the
degree in question.
Examples of formal
academic equivalents to the degree might include:
For a discipline
requiring an MA/MS or BA/BS,
· the degree
with a different name with equivalent coursework.
· total
completion of coursework and academic requirements (thesis and/or exams) for
the degree with the actual awarding of the diploma in the near future.
For a discipline
requiring an MA/MS,
· a Masters in
the Teaching of the Discipline, including 18 semester units of
upper division
and/or graduate work in the discipline, and a BA/BS in the discipline.
For a discipline requiring a BA/BS,
· at least 120
semester units including general education and 30 units in
the discipline, at least 18 of which are
upper division or graduate.
For a discipline requiring an AA,
· at least 60
semester units including courses common to a general education
component (toward a Certificate of
Completion, for example).
Examples of non-formal academic equivalents to the degree
might include:
· substantial
work experience IF that experience involved research, organization, or other
work products AND if that experience included the quantity and diversity
necessary to round out the character of the experience as equivalent to degree
work
· substantial
academic experience and accomplishments such as teaching upper division or graduate
level courses together with scholarly publications or books
· substantial
artistic experience and/or accomplishments such as performances, shows,
exhibitions, or compositions which show a command of the major or occupation in
question.
· clear and
verifiable eminence in the field establishing that the candidate is
recognized as eminent outside of the
geographical region AND that
eminence is
based on experience and activities in this field clearly beyond
those that are
usual.
Examples of two equivalencies for the required degree might
be:
· for Dance, any
BA/BS AND four or more years of training with recognized dance educators AND
two or more years of professional performance experience AND two or more years of teaching experience at
the community college level or higher.
· for Foreign
Language where the applicant is a native speaker, any MS/MA AND fluency in the
language AND one of the following: two
or more years experience working
directly with the language (as a translator, interpreter, or publisher, for
example) OR two or more years teaching at the community college level or
higher.
One of the following must be true of the college and
university degrees and credits submitted for employment, placement, or
advancement:
· The institutions
are accredited by one of the regional agencies recognized by the Council on
Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Secretary of Education.
· The degrees
and credits were earned at institutions recognized worldwide
and
are clearly equivalent to corresponding programs in the
· The degrees
and credits have been evaluated by the Academic and Professional International
Evaluations Inc in
B. The Equivalent of Required Experience
In order to establish the EQUIVALENT OF REQUIRED EXPERIENCE,
candidates must show possession of thorough and broad skill and knowledge for
each of the following:
· MASTERY OF THE
SKILLS OF THE VOCATION thorough enough for the specific assignment and broad
enough to serve as a basis for teaching the other courses in the discipline
· EXTENSIVE AND
DIVERSE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT of the vocation.
A
candidate who does not provide conclusive evidence in regard to both of these,
does not possess the equivalent of the experience in question.
Examples of documents in support of relevant experience
might include:
· substantial
evidence of work products that show a command of the major.
·
employer
statements or other evidence validating related work experience.
· in the case of
self-employment, continuity of experience evidenced by
presenting copies of relevant tax forms
(schedule C or partnership forms)
over the number
of requested years.
III Equivalency
Committee
Applications
for equivalency shall go through the Regular Procedure or, in rare cases, the
Emergency Procedure and the committee composition for both are described
here. The Emergency Procedure is used if
the first day of class is within one month from the equivalency application
date.
A. Procedure
1. Questions of
equivalency will first be referred to the Equivalency Committee of the
Division. If a unanimous decision cannot
be reached, then the matter is referred to the Equivalency Committee of the GCC
Academic Senate. If the Equivalency
Committee of the Senate cannot reach a unanimous decision, the equivalency is
not granted.
2. If, however,
the Equivalency Committee of the Division does grant the equivalency, it shall
be reviewed by the 1st Vice President of the GCC Academic Senate. If
the 1st Vice President of the GCC Academic Senate does not agree
with the Equivalence Committee of the Division, then the matter is referred to
the Equivalency Committee of the GCC Academic Senate for final resolution. If a
unanimous decision cannot be reached by the Equivalency Committee of the
Senate, the equivalency is not granted.
3. In the case
when the Equivalency Committee of the Division disagrees with the decision of
the Equivalency Committee of the Senate not to grant the equivalency, it may be
appealed to the full Senate.
4. Emergency
Equivalency Procedure
If
the first day of teaching for a semester or an intersession is within four
weeks away and an equivalency must be determined, the Chair of the appropriate
division may meet with the Vice President of the Academic Senate, or his/her
designee, and examine the application for equivalency. If a unanimous decision
cannot be reached, the equivalency is not granted.
B.
Committee Membership
All faculty members serving on any equivalency committee
shall be tenured faculty.
1. The
Equivalency Committee of the Division
shall consist of three members:
· The Division
Chair of the division housing the discipline in question (in future references,
this division shall be called the “appropriate” division), or his/her designee,
and
· Two other
faculty members selected by the Division Chair from among:
· a current or a
past senator from the Chair’s division or
· an instructor
from either the discipline or a closely-related discipline or
· a senator on
the hiring committee or
· any other
senator
· One of the
three members must serve as the Guild representative.
· Besides the three
members, the Division should specify two alternates from among the above
choices to assure coverage.
Individuals seeking an equivalency may not serve on
committees deliberating on that equivalency.
If a division chair is applying for the equivalency, the Academic Senate
Executive will provide a chair for the equivalency committee. Unanimous
decisions of the committee are indicated on the Minimum Qualifications
Worksheet.
Because decisions on equivalency must often be made quickly,
the members of the committee must be prepared to review the materials and make
the decision within five working days after the completed application is
received by the Division Chair. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached by
the Equivalency Committee of the Division, then the equivalency is not granted
unless the division chair chooses to refer the matter to the Equivalency
Committee of the Academic Senate.
2. The
Equivalency Committee of the GCC Academic
Senate shall consist of three members:
· The 1st
Vice President of the Senate who is spokesperson for the GCC Disciplines List,
Or his/her designee and
· Two senators
or past senators, one of whom is from the appropriate division.
· Whenever
possible, one of the three members should be from the discipline under consideration.
· One of the
three must serve as the representative of the Guild.
This committee shall meet whenever necessary as described in
the following sections, indicating its unanimous decision on the Minimum
Qualifications Worksheet.
Because decisions on equivalency must often be made quickly,
the members of the committee must be prepared to review the materials and make
the decision within five working days after the completed application is
received by the 1st Vice President of the GCC Academic Senate. If a
unanimous decision cannot be reached, the equivalency is not granted.
IV Procedure
for Applying for Equivalency in a New Discipline
Decisions regarding equivalencies
to the minimum qualifications for a discipline will be made prior to the
hiring of the instructor in that discipline.
A determination of equivalency does NOT guarantee a teaching
assignment.
A.
Full-time – New Hires
Applicants
for full-time or contract employment will indicate one of the following with a
check mark on the application form for academic employment: possesses
Credential, or possesses Minimum Qualifications, or possesses an
Equivalency. If “Equivalency” is checked, the
Form for Evaluating Equivalencies is
completed and attached to the application by the applicant, together with
official transcripts, if applicable, or other supporting documentation. The
Office of Human Resources then attaches a Minimum
Qualifications Worksheet to any application claiming possession of
equivalent qualifications.
In
the case of an application for a full-time position based on equivalency,
either the Equivalency Committee of the Division or the Equivalency Committee
of the Senate will make a decision as explained in Part III above, and the
decision will be submitted to the Office of Human Resources, which will then
notify the candidate.
B.
Full-time – Returning Faculty
Part-time
– New or Returning Faculty
All
returning faculty (full-time or part-time) must complete and submit the
following to the Office of Human Resources:
·
the
Supplemental Application Form for Evaluating Equivalencies
·
official
transcripts, if applicable, or other supporting documentation
All new part-time faculty must complete and submit the
following to the Office of Human Resources:
·
the GCC Academic
Application
·
the
Supplemental Application Form for Evaluating Equivalencies
·
official
transcripts, if applicable, or other supporting documentation
The Office of Human Resources then attaches a
Minimum Qualifications Worksheet to the
submitted documentation and this packet is sent to the appropriate Division
Chair. The equivalency decision is made
following the procedures in Section III.
V The
Appeal Procedure and the Re-Application Procedure
If
an applicant for equivalency disagrees with the decision, the applicant may
appeal by submitting the new written documentation or clarifications to the
committee that rendered the decision (either the Equivalency Committee of the
Division or the Equivalency Committee of the Senate) or, in the case of an
Emergency Procedure, to the Equivalency Committee of the Division. This appeal must be submitted within five
working days after the applicant has received notification of the
committee’s decision. The applicant may
make an oral statement explaining this new material to the committee. Then the committee will deliberate again
without the applicant present and the committee’s decision shall be final. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached,
the equivalency is not granted and the appeal process ends.
If
an applicant had been denied an equivalency in the past but has since completed
coursework and/or possesses new supporting documentation, the applicant may
re-apply for the equivalency. This is
not an appeal; this is a re-application because of the time elapsed since the
last equivalency decision. Any and all
records involved in past considerations of equivalency for that particular
applicant, along with the new supporting documentation, shall then be reviewed
by the same equivalency committee that first considered the matter (either the
Equivalency Committee of the Division or the Equivalency Committee of the
Senate). To ensure consistency, the
committee should also consult past records of any equivalency proceedings in
the pertinent discipline; these records are in each division chair’s office
(see section VI). The re-application
process is subject to the appeal procedure described in the preceding
paragraph.
In
all equivalency procedures, Human Resources shall inform the applicant of the
decision. Inquiries regarding either
committee’s decisions may be directed to the appropriate division chair, who
has records of committee decisions.
VI Equivalency Records
All
records involved in equivalency proceedings, regardless of whether the
equivalency was granted or not, shall be confidential. At the conclusion of the equivalency
procedures by either equivalency committee, all original documents shall be
sent to the Office of Human Resources, while the chair of the committee making
the final decision (Division Chair or the 1st Vice President of the
Academic Senate) retains copies both for the division equivalency records and
for the records of the 1st Vice President of the Academic Senate.
VII Review and Revision
This
equivalency policy and its procedures are subject to review and revision every
three years, or more frequently if requested by either the Board of Trustees or
the GCC Academic Senate. Changes in this
policy require the joint agreement of the Academic Senate and the Governing
Board.
Adopted: 2/24/03
Revised: 2/29/04; 4/12/05
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WORKSHEET
Applicant’s
Name ____________________________
Social Security Number ___________________
This
form is being completed by (check one):
q
The
Equivalency Committee of the Division q
The
Equivalency Committee of the Academic Senate
q
Chair and
Senate VP/Designee in an Emergency Procedure
The
decision of the committee is that the applicant (check one):
q
possesses the
Minimum Qualifications in the Discipline of ____________________________.
q
does NOT
possess the Minimum Qualifications in the Discipline of
_____________________ for the following
reasons:
1._______________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________
This decision is made
in accordance with the GCC Policy on the Equivalence to Minimum Qualifications
and is signed by the members of either the Equivalency Committee of the
Academic Senate or the Equivalency Committee of the Division or the Chair and
Senate Representative using the Emergency Procedure, as specified in the
policy.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Original to: Human Resources
Copies to: Division Chair
1st Vice
President, Academic Senate |