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Welcome to the SBVC Curriculum Committee!

Curriculum Committee Administrator: Leticia Hector, Vice President of Instruction
Curriculum Committee Faculty Chair: Melita Caldwell-Betties, Water Supply Technology Faculty
Curriculum Analyst: Kay Dee Yarbrough

Committee Charge

The Curriculum Committee is a standing subcommittee of the Academic Senate. Under AB 1725 and Title 5 regulations, curriculum is an academic and professional matter under the purview of the Academic Senate. The Committee is authorized to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding all matters related to the curriculum of the college.

Responsibilities

Regulatory and Compliance
Ensure that all curriculum actions comply with Title 5, the California Education Code, the Program and Course Approval Handbook (PCAH), C-ID descriptor requirements, and ACCJC accreditation standards. These are not optional benchmarks; they are the legal and regulatory floor for everything the committee approves.

  • Conduct the required six-year review of course requisites, and two-year review for Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, to ensure prerequisites and corequisites remain justified and equitable.
  • Maintain the accuracy, consistency, and currency of all Courses Outlines of Record, which are the official institutional record of what is taught and how.
  • Approve curriculum on a schedule that meets catalog and class schedule production deadlines so that approved courses reach students without delay.
  • Submit all approved curriculum to the Board of Trustees for final approval as required by law.

Strategic
Beyond compliance, the Curriculum Committee shapes the academic direction of the college. This means ensuring that what Valley College offers is aligned with where the college is headed and who it serves.

  • Align curriculum development with institutional priorities, the Educational Master Plan, and the college mission.
  • Support the development of Certificates of Achievement, Associate Degrees, Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs), Baccalaureate degrees, and noncredit curriculum that expand equitable pathways for students.
  • Ensure that curriculum decisions actively support equitable student success outcomes, with attention to access, completion, and transfer.
  • Provide annual curriculum development training to faculty so that the people doing the work have the knowledge and tools to do it well.
  • Maintain the Curriculum Committee Handbook as a living reference that reflects current policy, procedure, and practice.
Tasks

The Curriculum Committee operates through a two-stage review structure that ensures proposals are technically sound before they reach the full committee for deliberation and formal action.

  • Stage 1: Technical Review Committee. The Technical Review Committee conducts the initial review of all proposals submitted through CurrIQunet META before they advance to the full committee. Acting in an advisory capacity, it is responsible for:
    • Verifying technical accuracy and regulatory compliance with Title 5, the PCAH, and other applicable requirements
    • Reviewing articulation and transfer implications, including C-ID descriptor and Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) alignment
    • Identifying and flagging corrections needed before a proposal moves forward

A proposal that does not clear Technical Review is returned to the originator with specific feedback before it proceeds.

  • Stage 2: Full Curriculum Committee. Proposals recommended by Technical Review are brought to the full committee for discussion and formal vote. The full committee is responsible for:
    • Approving new courses and programs
    • Approving modifications, deletions, and deactivations of existing courses and programs
    • Conducting periodic review of Courses Outlines of Record
    • Reviewing and approving degree and certificate requirements
    • Approving prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and limitations on enrollment
    • Assessing curriculum as needed to ensure continued quality, relevance, and equity

All curriculum approved by the full committee is forwarded to the District Office for review, and placed on the Board of Trustees agenda for final local approval and, when required, submitted to the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.