College Council is the central governing body at West Valley College. Membership represents college constituency groups in support of planning. College Council plays a central role in defining college action, outcomes, and innovation to serve student and community needs. College Council makes recommendations to the college president on institutional matters including district, college functions, academics, industry, and the community.
Council members serve as representatives to college constituency groups and so have a duty to represent their constituents. Council members may suggest to the college president agenda topics or items for consideration. As a decision-making body, College Council ensures decisions impacting the institution are vetted collegewide and that the diversity of ideas and perspectives among college constituency groups is respected.
The council is a collaborative group of educators which upholds institutional values and whose purpose is to consider a myriad of district and college matters. College Council is inclusive of all college constituency voices ensuring transparency in college communication, planning, and outcomes. It embodies West Valley College’s Mission, Vision, Values and Institutional Equity Planning Task Force.
The purpose of the committee is to ensure integrated planning and to demonstrate participatory governance processes and practices. This is not a Brown Act committee.
College Council provides input and recommendations to the college president, who serves as an ex-officio member. The president makes the final decision.
- Use and promote integrated planning as the approach to all planning at West Valley College.
- College president and three senate leaders provide regular reports. College Council members provide one-paragraph summaries to be included in the regular agenda and meeting summary packet.
- Provide college-wide input on participatory governance issues through review and collegial discussion.
- Members report back to their respective constituency groups and bring forth information to ensure a continuous communication channel.
- Requests, considers, and makes recommendations to the college president on proposals, standing committees, subcommittees, councils, taskforces, and work groups.
- Approves all master plans, accreditation reports, and other institutional effectiveness and planning documents for the college.
- Organizes and tracks the flow of information between and among college decision-making groups.
- Facilitates communication and appropriate involvement of all members of the college community.
- Provides training, as needed, to both College Council members and campus committees.
- Ensures that West Valley College complies with specific Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accreditation standards including:
- 1.2 - The institution establishes meaningful and ambitious goals for institutional improvement, innovation, and equitable student outcomes.
- 1.3 - The institution holds itself accountable for achieving its mission and goals and regularly reviews relevant, meaningfully disaggregated data to evaluate its progress and inform plans for continued improvement and innovation.
- 1.4 - The institution’s mission directs resource allocation, innovation, and continuous quality improvement through ongoing systematic planning and evaluation of programs and services.
- 1.5 - The institution regularly communicates progress toward achieving its mission and goals with internal and external stakeholders in order to promote understanding of institutional strengths, priorities, and areas for continued improvement.
- 4.2 - Roles, responsibilities, and authority for decision-making are clearly defined and communicated throughout the institution. The institution’s structure for decision-making provides opportunities for stakeholder participation and ensures the inclusion of relevant perspectives.
- 4.3 - The institution’s decision-making structures are used consistently and effectively. Institutional decision-making practices support a climate of collaboration and innovation that advances the mission and prioritizes equitable student outcomes.
Draft meeting agendas, meeting summaries and documents will be distributed to committee members electronically one week in advance of the scheduled meeting. Prior year and current year approved meeting agendas, minutes, and documents reviewed and discussed at the meetings will be stored on the College Council webpage.
All recommendations from the College Council are referred to the college president. Decision-making will confer by consensus, when possible. A simple majority vote will be taken as needed. Email approvals, when needed, are allowable. Quorum is fifty percent, plus one.
The college president is responsible for all College Council activities including calling meetings, setting agendas, conducting meetings, and reporting outcomes.