FROM THE ARCHIVESTrustee tactic ticks off teachers
by Mark Covault & Danielle Larimer
Issue date: 5/9/05 Section: News
|
Three thousand district courses will be ratified by March 1980, through a course reorganization project called the Program and Course Articulation Process (PCAP), by approval of the Ventura County Board of Trustees. This process has been judged by faculty as not a threat to college autonomy, but also as a power play by the Board to gain more control over the District.
The PCAP is designed to organize courses district-wide, as to class description, class hours, units, and teacher load, Dr. William Lawson, assistant superintendent, said. Reorganization will be the work of various District work groups composed of two teacher representatives and a manager from each department. The process will involve council and cabinet discussions, and will eventually go to the superintendent and the Board for final approval, he explained.
"We have to standardize teacher loads," Lawson said. "We can't have one instructor at Moorpark or Oxnard working a different load than an instructor does at Ventura for the same course. They're under the same contract and should be treated equally."
Contrary to Lawson's beliefs, many instructors share different views entirely. "Not one grievance concerning teacher loads has been filed this year," Terrence O'Niel, history instructor, said. "That blows that theory to hell, doesn't it?"
Teaching loads were not the only concerns of PCAP. The administration also stated that articulation of college courses is essential for those students transferring within the District. "We do have some problems articulating with colleges of other Districts, but within our own, there really isn't any problem," Nicholas Ochoa, counselor, said. "It would help, but it's really not as big of a problem as everyone thinks."
"Autonomy is essential within a college," Dr. Richard Glenn, president, said. "There isn't going to be any attempt whatsoever to curtail Ventura College's uniqueness."
Despite this input by the faculty, the administration insists that this project will continue, and that every course in the District will be articulated. Many instructors with specialized courses fear that if this project is implemented, college autonomy will be destroyed, Harry Korn, vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, said.