Woodland to leave Marysville’s nest

As Woodland Community College prepares to become a fully accredited institution it has begun to form its own Curriculum Committee and Academic Senate, separate from those at Marysville’s campus.

When WCC develops a completely autonomous Curriculum Committee, members will decide the content of course catalogues, courses, programs, graduation requirements, course descriptions, certification and transfer requirements. The Curriculum Committee will be under the auspices of the new WCC Academic Senate, composed of faculty who will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees concerning academic and professional matters that affect the college.

This year instead of having one representative for WCC on the Committee, there are six: Cynthia Kellogg, Dena Martin, Barbara Rhode, Jesse Ortiz, Greg Gassman and Beatriz Vasquez.

Greg Gassman, the head of the Social Science/Behavior Science sub-committee for WCC, looks forward to eventually being able to create courses specific to the needs of WCC students. Michel’s advice to WCC’s future Curriculum Committee is to work together with YCCD. “Curriculum is a work in progress,” Michel said. “Woodland is a work in progress.”

In addition to a new Curriculum Committee, WCC will also need to form its own Academic Senate. By participating in YCCD’s senate meetings, representatives of WCC are learning about the structure of the senate and issues that develop each semester.

Before WCC officially develops its own Academic Senate, the faculty will have to agree on the structure, constitution, membership and by-laws. Until WCC becomes separately accredited, WCC’s “shadow senate” will be able to hold meetings and present their decisions to the District Senate for final approval.

Galamba said that friction will lessen between campuses after the accreditation . “We will have more authority to offer classes that serve the needs of the Woodland community than we have now. Right now, we can only offer new courses if the curriculum committee in Marysville agrees.”

Currently, the Academic Senate holds meetings in Marysville at noon, for one hour every Thursday. The Curriculum Committee also meets at noon in Marysville, on the first and third Tuesdays.

“We have a wonderful group of energetic and highly competent new faculty,” Galamba said. “The new faculty will soon have the responsibility of building the new independent campus. They will be standing on the shoulders of some very good people who have taken us this far. I’m sure they will do well.”