Founding Documents

Academic Senate Constitution  (Revised and Approved Fall 2016)

Academic Senate By-Laws (Revised and Approved Spring 2023)

Title V Summary

Purpose of the Senate

"Academic Senate" means an organization whose primary function is to make recommendations with respect to academic and professional matters. Local Academic Senates are established by and derive their authority primarily from the California Code of Regulations, Title V. Section 53200 charges the local Academic Senate with making recommendations to the Board of Trustees on policy development and implementation in the following "10+1" Academic and Professional Matters:

1.Curriculum including establishing prerequisites.
2. Degree and certificate requirements.
3. Grading policies.
4. Educational program development.
5. Standards or policies regarding student preparation and success.
6. College governance structures as related to faculty roles.
7. Faculty roles and involvement in accreditation processes.
8. Policies for faculty professional development activities.
9. Processes for program review.
10. Processes for institutional planning and budget development.
11. Other academic and professional matters as mutually agreed upon. 

History of our Local Senate

Until the fall semester of 2001, the faculty at Cuesta College made its professional decisions through a Senate Council, composed of nine at-large elected representatives. Those representatives were advised by a body called "Town Hall", which was composed of divisional representatives. 


In the spring of 2001, Cuesta faculty voted to restructure the Senate so that it would be one body composed of divisional representatives, at-large representative, and elected officers

The Role of "Summit"

The Senate also has a venue for informally discussing issues with the Administration. Twice a month the Senate president and vice president meet with the College president and vice president of Academic Affairs to discuss academic and professional matters.  These meetings are referred to as "Summit."  The faculty can bring issues to the Senate and ask that those concerns be taken to Summit. No final decisions are reached at Summit. All substantive issues are reported back to Senate for action.