Instructional Materials Selection Procedures
This policy applies to all required or optional instructional materials sold to students except those generated by individual instructors to supplement the courses they teach, such as a photocopied article or a set of homework assignments, and either given to students free or sold at cost.
- The selection of instructional materials is the responsibility of the faculty through the discipline committees.
- Discipline committees select instructional materials democratically.
- The discipline committees are responsible for selecting appropriate instructional materials for all courses requiring such materials.
- The instructional materials selected must be currently in print and/or available in time for the semester for which they are chosen.
- Instructional materials should be adopted for a period of at least 3 years unless the publishing company of the current materials issues a new edition. If a discipline committee wishes to change instructional materials sooner than 3 years, it must have the explicit permission of the Council of Academic Deans. (Software and accompanying instructional materials are exempted from this requirement.)
- Instructional materials must reflect and support the college curriculum; they must also support and enhance academic standards.
- Discipline committees must incorporate instructional materials in course syllabi, course guides, and other supporting materials provided to adjunct faculty.
- Discipline committees should consider the interests of students in the selection of instructional materials, including cost and bookstore service. Discipline committees and faculty should consider the feasibility of placing instructional materials online rather than selling them to students whenever it is appropriate.
- Discipline committees must regularly assess the effectiveness of all instructional materials.
- The Council of Academic Deans has oversight over this process through program review and on a case-by-case basis.
- Discipline committees must regularly provide the Vice Chancellor for Academic Development with a list of all adopted instructional materials. They must also supply the Vice Chancellor with copies of course syllabi and other curricular materials that incorporate the current set of instructional materials.
Adopted by the Academic Deans Council on November 5, 1999 for implementation beginning the fall semester 2000.
