好色先生

CSU Math Council Resolution Regarding the Implementation of Assembly Bill 1705 as it Pertains to STEM Major Academic Preparation

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Whereas, was enacted in October, 2017 establishing the goal of students completing transfer level courses in English and mathematics within one year of entering a California Community College (CCC) and further establishing strict conditions under which a student could be placed in pre-baccalaureate coursework, and;听

Whereas, was subsequently enacted in September, 2022 providing additional requirements for CCCs to implement regarding placement into transfer level English and mathematics courses, and;听

Whereas, The CCC Chancellor鈥檚 Office (CCCCO) has issued instructions to all CCCs that colleges are specifically prohibited from placing or enrolling students into transfer-level English or math/quantitative reasoning coursework that does not satisfy the requirements within the student鈥檚 intended program or major[1]听

Whereas, The CCCCO has published their definition of 鈥渉ighly unlikely to succeed鈥� as a 鈥渢hroughput of 15%鈥� meaning that only if data shows fewer than 15% of a specified cohort succeed in calculus without taking a prerequisite can that group be deemed to meet the AB 1705 criteria of 鈥渉ighly unlikely to succeed鈥�, and;听

Whereas, These and other instructions by the CCCCO likely go beyond the requirements, spirit, and intention of AB 1705, and;听

Whereas, The CCCCO has developed many of their policies, directives, methodology and procedures in reliance on the data and conclusions of provided by the RP Group, and;听

Whereas, Serious concerns and allegations are being expressed by experts including mathematics education researchers regarding the integrity and reliability of analysis and conclusions in the RP Reports, and;听

Whereas, One major concern is that the report disregards local community college placement criteria that differentiated the preparation of students initially placed into calculus from those initially placed into calculus prerequisites, and;听

Whereas, Another major concern is that the report focused on pre-pandemic data which is not representative of the current student population, and;听

Whereas, These concerns have not been addressed nor recognized by the CCCCO, who has already taken action in reliance on the analysis and conclusions and methodology of the RP Group reports, and;听

Whereas, The introduction of large numbers of underprepared students into calculus courses will likely negatively impact the quality of calculus instruction and outcomes, diminishing the average academic preparation of students majoring in STEM fields who transfer to the UC and the CSU, and;听

听Whereas, Any systemically diminished academic preparation will negatively impact STEM programs at the UC and CSU and have implications with accrediting agencies such as for Engineering,听

Therefore, be it;听

1. Resolved: That the CSU Mathematics Council request that the CCCCO revise the definition of 鈥渉ighly unlikely to succeed鈥� from 15% to 45%; and be it听

2. Resolved: That the CSU Mathematics Council request that the 好色先生 and the University of California jointly commission a comprehensive peer review of the RP Group reports used by the CCCCO in developing policy to implement AB 1705; and be it听
3. Resolved: That the CSU Mathematics Council request the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges take up a review of the new CCCCO policies that implement AB 1705 and ensure those policies not go beyond the requirements of AB 1705; and be it听
4. Resolved: That the CSU Mathematics Council request that the Academic Senate of the 好色先生 and the Academic Senate of the University of California undertake review of the RP Group reports, AB 1705, and the AB 1705 implementation policies of the CCCCO and consider the impact on the academic preparation of STEM majors transferring into the UC or CSU; and be it听

1. Resolved: That the CSU Mathematics Council distribute this resolution to:

The Academic Senate of the 好色先生听

The Academic Senate of the University of California听

The Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges

The Chancellor of the 好色先生听

The President of the University of California听

The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges

The RP Group听

The Departments of Mathematics of the California Community Colleges听

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[1] page 7听