Background
In September 2023, the California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) Board of Governors approved a proposal to change the graduation requirements for associate degrees, which includes an updated general education (GE) pattern. The new 21-unit local GE pattern is based on Cal-GETC, a transfer GE pattern agreed upon by CCCs, CSUs, and UCs as mandated by AB 928 (Berman 2021).
The new local GE pattern adds an Ethnic Studies requirement and splits the current Communication and Analytical Thinking area into two separate areas: Oral Communication and Critical Thinking, and Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning.
Minimum Updated GE Pattern Requirements as Per Title 5
Minimum requirement of seven (7) courses (21 semester units or 28 quarter units).
| Area | Subject | Courses/Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
English Communication, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking
|
1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 1 |
English Communication, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking
|
1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 2 | Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | 1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 3 | Arts and Humanities | 1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 5 | Natural Sciences | 1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 1 course (minimum 3 semester or 4 quarter units) |
The new local GE pattern does not include Living Skills or American Institutions areas, which are in Los Rios' current 21-unit GE pattern. The new 21-unit GE pattern is a minimum requirement and colleges may add additional local requirements if they choose, so the district could decide to add one or more of those requirements to the new GE pattern.
Determining the requirements for an associate degree is a decision faculty must make collectively, at the district level. To this end, we are providing information to all faculty in the district so they can provide informed feedback to their local Academic Senates and the District Academic Senate.
Comparing the Current AA/AS GE Pattern to New Title 5 Requirements
Description of changes from current pattern to new requirements:
- Area I becomes area 3
- Area IIa becomes area 1A
- Area IIb splits into area 1B and area 2
- Area IV becomes area 5
- Area Vb becomes area 4
- New area 61
1 Ethnic Studies (ETHNS) courses only; does not include courses with Multicultural Studies GE designation.
| Area | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|
| I | Humanities | 3 |
| II |
Language and Rationality
|
3 |
| II |
Language and Rationality
|
3 |
| III |
Living Skills
|
1 |
| III |
Living Skills
|
2 |
| IV | Natural Sciences | 3 |
| V |
Social and Behavioral Sciences
|
3 |
| V |
Social and Behavioral Sciences
|
3 |
2 Not required by Title 5.
Additional graduation requirements:
- Math competency
- Reading and writing competency
- Ethnic/multicultural studies
| Area | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
English Communication, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking
|
3 |
| 1 |
English Communication, Oral Communication, and Critical Thinking
|
3 |
| 2 | Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| 5 | Natural Sciences | 3 |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
Proposal
The District Curriculum Coordinating Committee (DCCC) formed a workgroup to analyze how to align our local GE pattern to the required Title 5 requirements, and whether additional local GE requirements are needed for the Los Rios colleges. The DCCC provided the District Academic Senate with a proposal and analysis that could act as a starting point for further faculty discussion across the district, keeping in mind that the benefit of adding local requirements must clearly outweigh the costs of additional units for students.
The DCCC recommends that:
- The district allows students working toward an AA or AS degree to choose between using that new local GE pattern or a transfer GE pattern (Cal-GETC, CSU GE Breadth, or IGETC), which would require updating board policy and regulations. See analysis 1.
- Each college indicates, in its listing of courses approved for the new local GE pattern, which courses are also approved for Cal-GETC. See analysis 2.
- The district adopts the new associate degree GE pattern and collectively selects one of the following four options:
- Keep the associate degree at 21 units with no additional GE requirements.
- Add a 3-unit Living Skills requirement identical to the current area IIIa and IIIb requirements (see P-7241, section 2.3.3.6), bringing the GE requirements to 24 units total. See analysis 3.
- Add a 3-unit American Institutions requirement identical to the current area Va (see P-7241, section 2.3.3.3), bringing the GE requirements to 24 units total. See analysis 4.
- Add both a 3-unit Living Skills requirement identical to the current area IIIa and IIIb, and a 3-unit American Institutions requirement identical to the current area Va, bringing the GE requirements to 27 units total.
Analyses
The DCCC recommends allowing students earning a local AA or AS degree a choice of GE patterns. They considered the following and determined that the benefits to students outweigh any drawbacks.
Pros
- Students using a local AA/AS degree to prepare to transfer would be able to take the correct set of courses, without any additional local requirements.
- Students could meet the requirements for multiple degrees without necessarily completing additional GE patterns.
Cons
- Students would not have to complete any additional local graduation requirements (for example, Living Skills or American Institutions).
- The change would have major implications for IT, Degree Audit, and Financial Aid. The complexity involved would take collaboration and resources from these departments to establish new PeopleSoft configurations and business practices to minimize the impact on staff and students.
The DCCC recommends that each college clearly indicates, in its listing of courses approved for the new local GE pattern, which courses are also approved for Cal-GETC because the names and numbers used for the areas within those GE patterns are nearly identical. They considered the following.
Pros
- Students using a local AA/AS degree to prepare to transfer would know which courses would also satisfy GE requirements at a transfer institution.
Cons
- None known.
The DCCC recommends adding a local Living Skills requirement to the new GE pattern. They considered the following and determined that the benefits to students outweigh the costs for students.
Pros of Adding the Requirement
- The new GE pattern mirrors the existing pattern for the most part but does not include Living Skills, which is part of the existing pattern. So, this is not adding a new requirement, but simply keeping an existing one in place.
- Courses in this area allow students to learn additional skills that benefit them throughout their lives.
- Community college students benefit from human career development (HCD) courses that assist them in learning to plan and study and/or selecting a degree or career path.
- Community college students from underserved communities may not have had access to courses in nutrition and physical education.
- Courses that fall in pathways often fall in this category.
- The work experience courses in the current area IIIb list support the colleges' and district's equity goals as these courses help provide living wages for historically disproportionately impacted students and support long-term career goals for these students. This support applies to students working toward both certificates and transfer. Earning a living wage and building work experience will enable transfer students to sustain their educational goals.
- Having access to the full spectrum of career development courses on a GE pattern is at its core an equity issue. Students choose a guided pathway upon enrollment but may not have the support to build social capital. Without the strong support of the courses in IIIb, these students will lack the support needed to move forward in their careers. These effects may be even more exacerbated for veterans and ESL students.
Cons of Adding the Requirement
- It adds three more units to the GE pattern.
- It is not required by Title 5.
- It adds a requirement that is not part of Cal-GETC.
The DCCC has not recommended adding an American Institutions requirement to the new GE pattern. They considered the following and determined that the benefits to students do not outweigh the costs for students.
Pros of Adding the Requirement
- The new GE pattern mirrors the existing pattern for the most part but does not include American Institutions, which is part of the existing pattern. So, this is not adding a new requirement, but simply keeping an existing one in place.
- It prepares students for transfer to a CSU, which has an American Institutions graduation requirement.
- It endorses that the Los Rios colleges expect our students to demonstrate competency in "the operation of representative government under the Constitution of the United States, and the principles of state and local government established under the Constitution of [California]", "appreciation and understanding of the basic institutions, ideals, knowledge, and skill necessary for ... citizenship", and "critical thinking, problem-solving, and literacy skills regarding American historical, political, governmental, economic, social, and intellectual issues as they relate to both domestic and foreign affairs."
- It prevents the creation of a two-tiered system, where students who graduate from CSUs are expected to demonstrate an understanding of how institutions within our representative system of government work and how they can influence them to serve their interests and their communities, while graduates of Los Rios Community Colleges are not.
- It enables students to participate in our system of self-governance effectively. People can only choose effectively when they understand the choices, the impact, and the context in which those choices are embedded.
Cons of Adding the Requirement
- It is not required by Title 5.
- It would add three units to the GE requirements, bringing the total number of units up to 27 if the three-unit Living Skills requirement is also approved.
- Political Science and U.S. History courses are already included in the new GE pattern, in the Social and Behavioral Sciences area.
- Students preparing to transfer to a CSU are expected to use a transfer GE pattern, like Cal-GETC, so this would not apply to them. It would apply primarily to CTE students.
- American Institutions will continue to be a CSU graduation requirement.
- American Institutions will be on the Cal-GETC certification. It is currently on IGETC for CSU and CSU GE certifications.
- American Institutions courses are included in the CSU GE, IGETC, and Cal-GETC transfer GE patterns.
- The majority of our students transfer to a CSU and therefore will still be advised to take American Institutions courses.
- With AB 928, students will be guided to an ADT. And, when students are being advised it is usually for multiple schools, making sure they take into account American Institutions CSU graduation requirements.
Next Steps
To make progress toward compliance with the new Title 5 requirements, we will be working within the following timeline:
| Timeframe | Activities |
|---|---|
| January through February 2024 | Information sharing with faculty, discussions, and faculty survey |
| February through March 2024 | Local senate discussions and decision-making |
| April through May 2024 | DAS discussion and decision-making |
| Summer 2024 | Drafting updated policy and regulation language |
| Summer 2024 | Socrates updates |
| Fall 2024 | Chancellor's Cabinet and Board approval |
| After Board approval | GE subcommittee review and approval; information entered into Socrates |
| After Board approval | Program map updates |
| After Board approval | Updates to Degree Audit and other downstream processes |
Determining the associate degree requirements is a decision faculty must make at a district level. To this end, you are encouraged to consider each of the options listed above through the lens of what is best for our students.
You will have an opportunity for further discussion and input in the following formats:
- Local Academic Senate meetings
- A faculty survey