Curriculum and General Education Committee


Taft College is committed to creating a community of learners by enriching the lives of all students we serve through Career Technical Education, transfer programs, foundational programs, and student support services. Taft College provides an equitable learning environment defined by applied knowledge leading to students’ achievement of their educational goals.

In supporting the mission of Taft College, the Curriculum and General Education Committee is charged with overseeing the academic quality and content of the curriculum.  To fulfill this assignment, the committee will initiate specific strategies to promote academic breadth, depth and integrity, and to facilitate innovation in the programs offered to students.

Role of the Curriculum and General Education Committee:

The Curriculum and General Education Committee, a standing committee of the Academic Senate and Taft College, makes recommendations to the West Kern Community College District Board regarding:

  • New credit and non-credit courses and programs
  • Modifications to existing credit and noncredit courses and programs
  • Graduation requirements including general education requirements

The Curriculum and General Education Committee charge also includes these academic and professional matters as identified in Education Code 53200(c):

  • Curriculum, including establishing prerequisites, co-requisites, and advisories and placing courses within disciplines
  • Degree and certificate requirements
  • Perfected education program development
  • Distance Education
  • Standards on student preparation

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Review and evaluate proposals to initiate or change courses and programs;
  2. Assure that curriculum is well developed, clear and complete, and that its supporting documents adequately supplement the proposal;
  3. Make recommendations to assist individuals to strengthen their course or program proposals;
  4. Evaluate the impact of a curriculum proposal on the resources and other curricula of the college;
  5. Initiate activities that promote enhancement of the learning process;
  6. Provide guidelines and criteria for the development of new courses and programs;
  7. Review and revise procedures associated with curriculum development;
  8. Encourage and facilitate innovation in the curriculum;
  9. Assure that assessment is built into the curriculum proposal;
  10. Ensure student learning outcomes align with program and institutional outcomes;
  11. Assure that the curriculum offered is complementary and integrated; and
  12. Vice President of Instruction sends recommendations to the Board of Trustees upon passage of curriculum items.

MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTATION:

The Curriculum and General Education Committee consists of
Co-chairs:

  • Vice President of Instruction-non-voting
  • Vice President of the Academic Senate

The following shall be voting members of the Curriculum committee:

  • Division Chairs (6)
  • Coordinator of Counseling
  • Articulation Officer
  • Director of Admissions and Records
  • Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator
  • Director of Dental Hygiene

The following shall be non-voting members of the Curriculum committee:

  • Vice President of Student Services
  • Associate Students Body Representative
  • Instructional Assistant
  • Learning Outcomes Technician
  • Instructional Technician- Curriculum (Ex-Officio member)

Total: 18

MEMBERSHIP AND MEETING POLICIES:

Quorum is based on 50% + 1 of voting membership.

It is the responsibility of each member of the Curriculum and General Education Committee to attend each meeting and adhere to the College Code of Conduct.

Current Members


Position Name email Phone
Co-Chair Leslie Minor lminor@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-0
Co-Chair Vicki Jacobi vjacobi@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7719
Ex-officio Member Norberto Lopez nlopez@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7981
Member Adam Bledsoe abledsoe@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7781
Member Bill Devine bdevine@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7883
Member Brandy Young byoung@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7944
Member Damon Bell dbell@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-
Member Juana Rangel-Escobedo jescobedo@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7898
Member Kanoe Bandy kbandy@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7779
Member Michelle Oja Moja@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-
Member Mike Mayfield MMayfield@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-7759
Member Natalie Woodall Nwoodall@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-
Member Tina Mendoza tmendoza@taftcollege.edu (661)-763-

Agendas, Minutes, and Documents


Last 3 updates

Date Title
03/22/2024 Mar 22, 2024 Agenda & Minutes