Distance Education Committee Charter
| Group Name | Distance Education Committee (DE Committee or DEC) |
| Type of Group | Campus Committee |
| Description/Purpose/Charge | The Distance Education Committee is chaired by the Distance Education Dean and the Distance Education Faculty Coordinator and includes faculty members, deans, administrators, classified staff, and students interested in improving the coordination and effectiveness of distance education at Cypress College. The committee is responsible for making recommendations that define the Distance Education program. All campus community members are welcome, especially faculty members, whether they teach a Distance Education course or not. |
| Reporting Relationships | The Distance Education Committee is a liaison to the Academic Senate. The committee makes regular reports to the Academic Senate, and Planning and Budget Committee as needed, regarding DE matters as per the Bylaws. The DE Committee has two workgroups: A POCR (Peer Online Course Review) Team and a ZTC (Zero Textbook Costs) workgroup. Upon the direction of the Distance Education Committee, the DEC faculty co-chairs shall forward all specific recommendations and concerns to the President of the Academic Senate. The Distance Education Committee may, at its discretion, draft resolutions supporting specific work or recommendations of the committee. |
| Decision-Making Authority | The following are types of decisions the Distance Education Committee has the authority to make autonomously and without seeking approval from a shared governance body. The DE Committee has the authority to select speakers/workshops to make Distance Education and Professional Development presentations as they relate to Distance Ed, Canvas and Integrations. The DE Committee has full decision making on Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) and Canvas Integrations as well as Distance Education focused Professional Development Training The Distance Education Committee has the authority to approve or reject proposals submitted for funding through their allotted budget. |
| Membership Composition | The Distance Education Committee Chair duties and responsibilities will be shared between the Faculty Distance Education Coordinator and the Dean of Distance Education. Co-Chair, Faculty DE Coordinator Co-Chair, Dean of Distance Education Each Division is responsible for selecting one faculty representative to sit on the Distance Education Committee. The Divisions and representatives referenced in the Bylaws include the following: Business/CIS Career Technical Education (CTE) Counseling Visual and Performing Arts Health Sciences Kinesiology Language Arts Library/LLRC Science, Engineering, and Math Social Sciences The Distance Education Support Team members will sit as committee members. The Distance Education Director Distance Education Learning Assistant Distance Education Instructional Designer Resource Members will sit as committee members. A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion representative A Disability Support Services representative A CSEA Classified Staff representative As needed, additional liaisons may be added by consensus vote of the committee |
| Terms of Membership | Division Representatives serve two-year terms. The committee should make every effort to stagger the terms of members to ensure a balance of new and continuing representatives. |
| Membership Process | Each Division is responsible for selecting one faculty representative to sit on the Distance Education Committee. If at any time the seat of a division representative is vacated before the term expires, the division will select their replacement for that term. Division representatives may have substitutes attend meetings when the member is unavailable. Substitutes should identify themselves at the beginning of the meeting. |
| Meeting Dates/Times | Regular meetings of the DEC meeting shall be held once per month during the fall and spring semester unless the regular meeting date falls on a day when classes are not in session. Meetings are typically held on the first Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. in CCCPLX-406 and on Zoom. All meetings shall be open to any interested parties. |
| Meeting Procedures | The Chair, Co-Chairs, and members of the group will adhere to shared governance best practices as follows: The Distance Education Committee Co-Chairs will generate an agenda from items submitted by members of the committee. Others who desire to have items placed on a DEC meeting agenda should first contact their DEC representative. The agenda will be distributed to the committee at least 72 hours prior to the meeting and placed on the appropriate place on the college website SharePoint and campus approved LMS (Learning Management System). Distance Education Committee meeting minutes will be taken by the Distance Education Learning Assistant or their designee. The minutes will be distributed to committee members and posted in the appropriate place on the college website SharePoint and campus approved LMS. This committee is not subject to the Brown Act; however, the DEC adheres to the guidelines. |
| Consensus Process, Decision-Making, and Documentation | Clear agreements and public indications of understanding and support are critical to maintain forward progress for the work of the group. The Distance Education Committee Quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting membership (50% plus 1). Quorum is required to conduct official business of the committee. In the absence of a quorum, the committee may meet to discuss, but it cannot take official action. Actions of the Distance Education Committee shall be in the form of motions or resolutions approved by a majority vote. The Distance Education Committee will follow the “First Read” rule for document revisions, resolutions, and all documents presenting official committee business. While there is no adopted parliamentary rule, meetings will be conducted through collegial consultation, and in accordance with the following Ground Rules: Everyone should show respect for each other and each other’s ideas, and everyone should be candid and comfortable in expressing their opinion. Everyone should feel free to ask questions if something is unclear and keep asking until the issue is understood. Everyone’s comments and ideas shall be solicited, and everyone should share their opinions, but not dominate, allowing others to participate. When time is not an issue, enough lead time shall be allotted for getting information about and constituent feedback on any topic before the committee. |
| Communication and Distribution of Materials | The group will provide timely and accessible documentation (i.e., agendas and minutes) of its activity and outputs that reflect key discussion points and action items. The group will distribute this documentation to their constituency via email and posting it to the group’s Canvas (LMS) Shell and SharePoint which is linked to the Cypress College website. |
| Charter Established/Revised Dates | Charter established on: October 5, 2023 Charter last reviewed on: October 5, 2023 Charter last revised/approved on: March 15, 2024 |
| Website | www.cypresscollege.edu/distance-education-for-faculty/distance-education-committee/ |
| Current Roster | The Distance Education Committee Chair duties and responsibilities will be shared between the Faculty Distance Education Coordinator and the Dean of Distance Education. Co-Chair, Treisa Cassens, Dean of Distance Education Co-Chair, Samantha Simmons, Faculty DE Coordinator Each Division is responsible for selecting one faculty representative to sit on the Distance Education Committee. The Divisions and representatives referenced in the Bylaws include the following: Business/CIS – Ann Sheridan-Solis Career Technical Education (CTE) – Amanda Gargano Counseling – Sarah Coburn & Marisa Lehmeier Visual and Performing Arts – Michael Coronado Health Sciences – Nancy Corales & Jennie Larez Kinesiology – Mark Canner Language Arts – Kendyl Covey Library/LLRC – Annette Young Science, Engineering, and Math – Kirk Domke & Garret Hill Social Sciences – Vincent Romo The Distance Education Support Team Distance Education Director – Elli Constantin Distance Education Learning Assistant – Nando Yiv Distance Education Instructional Designer – Michael Ashton Resource Members: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Angela de Dios Disability Support Services – Steve Auger & Deborah Michelle CSEA Classified Staff – Ayman Gadalla & Michael Ashton |
| Constitution/Bylaws Reference | The Distance Education Committee operates under the Bylaws approved by members of the Distance Education Committee. The meeting bylaws serve as a guide to help in running Distance Education Meetings. The bylaws may be amended by the DEC through its regular majority decision-making, and any member of the DEC may suggest an amendment for committee consideration at any time. Access the Distance Education Committee Bylaws. |
| Brown Act | No |