DCCI recommends to the Chancellor and
- Reviews curricular proposals for compliance, while safeguarding the primacy of each College Curriculum Committee and the College faculty in the design and modification of courses and programs;
- Collaborates with faculty and administration to ensure the technical and legal accuracy of new and substantially revised courses and programs, and program inactivation approved by each College's Curriculum Committee;
- Reviews and develops Board policies, administrative procedures, and standard operating practices in the instructional area prior to submission through Cabinet and the District Consultation Council to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees; and
- Serves as a body to provide operational and procedural advice to Cabinet and the District Consultation Council for issues that impact instruction Districtwide.
DCCI reviews curriculum submitted by the College Curriculum Committees. DCCI is responsible for ensuring the technical and legal accuracy of all components of new and substantially revised courses and programs, and program inactivation. In addition, the DCCI may choose to review and provide guidance on questions regarding the interpretation of curricular regulations. To fulfill these charges, members of this group are assigned responsibility for remaining current on regulations and laws related to curriculum.
In addition to the general operating agreements for District groups included previously in this Handbook, DCCI follows these additional operating agreements:
- Membership in DCCI for the following academic year will be chosen in the spring to ensure the members are prepared to meet as early as needed in the fall and there is sufficient time for members’ schedules to be adjusted, if needed, to accommodate the DCCI meeting schedule.
- The Colleges’ Curriculum Committees forward new and substantially revised courses, degrees, certificates and proficiency awards, and program inactivations to DCCI for review no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to each meeting during the regular academic year. Each College will submit one packet via the DCCI email address or notification that there is no curriculum submission for the agenda. Submissions or revisions made after the deadline will be deferred to the following DCCI meeting.
- Substantially revised courses and programs and program inactivations are presented to DCCI in conventional legislative format, with each College’s current catalog as the foundational document. If there is a proposed revision to a course or program that is not yet published in the College catalog, a designee from that College will bring the current course outline.
- When DCCI determines that element(s) of a new or substantially revised course or program do not comply with regulation or law, the DCCI, via the Colleges’ representatives, shall advise the College Curriculum Committee of the variance, citing specific authority. The College Curriculum Committee shall duly consider the advice of the DCCI.
- Should the College Curriculum Committee’s determination vary from the advice of DCCI, documentation articulating the varying interpretations of technical/legal point(s) in dispute are forwarded to Chancellor’s Cabinet.
- New and substantially revised courses and programs and program inactivations will be placed on the Board Agenda only after approval by the originating College Curriculum Committee and review by DCCI.
Substantial Revision - an action to change an active program or course that will initiate a new control number. This will require College Curriculum Committee and Board approvals, and California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) chaptering and/or approval:
Substantial Revision to a Course:
- Course TOP Code (CB03)
- Course Credit Status (CB04)
- Units of Credit – Maximum (CB06)
- Units of Credit – Minimum (CB07)
- Course Basic Skills Status (CB08)
- Course SAM Priority Code (CB09)
- Course Prior to Transfer Level (CB21)
- Noncredit Eligibility Category (CB22) – Total Hours of Instruction (min)/variable Hours (max)
Nonsubstantial Revision - an action to change an active program or course that will not initiate a new control number and requires College Curriculum Committee approval and CCCCO chaptering and/or approval only (DCCI and/or Board review/approval not required):
Program Modification:
- Title change
- TOP Code change within the same TOP code discipline
- Certificate or degree unit change
- Certificate or diploma hour change
- Addition/removal courses from an existing approval program
- TOP code change to a different TOP code discipline.
- Addition/creation of a new program (degree, certificate) or major/area of emphasis.
- Proficiency Awards (require Board review and approval but not CCCCO submission).
- Deletion of any program
Nonsubstantial Revision of a Course:
- Deactivated courses
- Course Department and Number (CB01) (discipline name or abbreviation plus alphanumeric designation)
- Course Title (CB02)
- Course Transfer Status (CB05)
- Course Cooperative Work Experience Education Status (CB10)
- Course Classification Status (CB11)
- Course Special Class Status (CB13)
- Funding Agency Category (CB23)
- Course Program Status (CB24)
Other action which will not issue a new control number:
- Correction – an action to correct a value previously reported in error.
- Active to Inactive – an action to make an active program or course inactive.
- Inactive to Active – an action to reactivate an active program or course which was previously made inactive.
The Board Agenda template for new and substantially revised courses and programs will include the notation “Reviewed by Chancellor’s Cabinet.”
Members understand that they attend meetings to represent constituent groups at a College or the District Administrative Center. In this role, members formulate recommendations to the Chancellor through consultation and are responsible to serve as a conduit for information and the catalyst for discussion on topics raised at the District group and within the constituent group. These topics include, but are not limited to, the specific areas outlined in state law and regulation and the latest edition of the Program and Course Approval Handbook (PCAH).
