Month March 2013

* Add your voice to a call for changes to SB 520

We are deeply concerned by Senator Darrell Steinberg’s attempt to force the UCs, CSUs, and Community Colleges to accept credit for online courses from any source. Please help us convince him to pull or amend his bill by signing the petition.

* OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE ABOUT SB 520

March 15, 2013 - Academic senate leaders sent out this statement from the statewide senate officials. Senate Bill 520 raises grave concerns. We were not consulted in the writing of this legislation, which purports to address course access problems experienced by students in public higher education. Next week, we plan to meet with Senator Steinberg’s staff in order to discuss this bill.

* SENATOR STEINBERG’S PROPOSED ONLINE CLASSES BILL

Yesterday’s New York Times (and a number of other news sources) had an article about proposed legislation from Senator Steinberg that would require California’s public higher education systems to accept transfer credits from select online course providers for 50 of…

* CUCFA’s Letter to the UC President Search Committees

On March 8th, the Council of UC Faculty Associations sent the following letter to the Regents' Special Committee to Consider the Selection of a President and the Academic Senate Committee that advises said committee.

* SCFA Request for Information concerning UCSC/Coursera/Faculty Contracts 3/5/2013

March 5, 2013 - The SCFA learned last week that the University signed a contract with Coursera without including them in the discussion. The SCFA, as the bargaining agent for UCSC faculty, should be consulted whenever there is the potential for a change in the relationship between the University and faculty, that could therefore be subject to collective bargaining. The SCFA is not taking a position at this point on the desirability or undesirability of working with Coursera. Their concern, at this stage, is the maximal protection of faculty rights and authority, whether faculty participate or not in Coursera-hosted on-line courses. A Request for Information has been made to the university.

* UCSC Signs Contract with Coursera

March 5, 2013 The SCFA learned last week that the University signed a contract with Coursera without including them in the discussion.  The SCFA, as the bargaining agent for UCSC faculty, should be consulted whenever there is the potential for…