College Committees

The faculty, staff, and students of Coastal Alabama Community College participate in the governance of the College through the committees on which they are appointed to serve. Even though full democratic participation is encouraged and expected, the College is not a pure democracy. Ultimate legal responsibility for the administration of the College rests with the College President. Consequently, all College committees are advisory in nature and all actions of the committees are subject to the review and approval of the President. Student members are nominated by the Student Services Office after consultation with the Student Government Association President. These nominees are presented to the President for his approval. During the academic year, each committee will meet on a regular schedule and on a call basis as necessary.

An appointed reporter will keep minutes of the actions of the committee and distribute copies to the members of the committee, the Instructional Office and the President. Two-thirds of a committee should be present when committee recommendations are made. Committee items requiring administrative action will be communicated to the appropriate administrator, and a response will be returned to the committee indicating the action taken on the committee’s recommendation. When committees are required to function during the summer semester and committee members are not under contract to the College or not in school, temporary appointments will be made as required. Ad hoc committees will be formulated and members appointed by the President as deemed necessary.

ADA Committee: This committee serves in an advisory capacity to the President to ensure institutional compliance with the Americans with Disability Act. Additionally, the ADA Committee assists the ADA Coordinator in self-evaluations and in the implementation of a plan of compliance. The ADA Committee is also responsible for preparing, publishing, and distributing policy statements and procedures, and initiating additional activities deemed necessary by the administration to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, unless those pose an undue burden or would result in a fundamental alteration of programs of the institution.

Administrative Council: This Council serves in an advisory capacity to the President and to the Executive Cabinet and assists in communication efforts among employees. The Council regularly discusses and reviews programs, structure, and services at all College locations, including services offered through distance education. The Council makes necessary recommendations to the President and to the Executive Cabinet to enhance the College’s efforts in accomplishing its mission.

Admissions/Academic Standards: The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Instructional Officers in filling the specific admissions and retention functions:

  • To hear appeals from students placed on academic suspension when unusual or extenuating circumstances exist
  • To hear appeals from transfer students seeking admission to the College
  • To recommend admissions policies
  • To recommend institutional quality point-ratio requirements for students
  • To review and make recommendations concerning student withdrawal policies of the College
  • To review and make recommendations pertaining to institutional record keeping procedures

Recommendations originating with faculty or staff members are made to the Admissions/Academic Standards Committee. The committee then decides if the recommendation is justified. The committee may forward the recommendations regarding admissions procedures to the Dean of Student Services and all other matters to the appropriate Instructional Officer. The Instructional Officers or the Dean of Student Services decides whether to concur and then forward to the President. The President is the final institutional authority, and when he approves the recommendation, it becomes institutional policy.

Calendar Committee: This committee develops the institutional calendar according to the guidelines provided by the Alabama Community College System.

College Assembly: This committee serves as a forum for the discussion and dissemination of information regarding college actions and matters.

Courtesy Fund: This committee serves as an advisory committee to the employees of the College who make a voluntary monetary donation through payroll deduction. The Committee establishes the policy and procedures for dispensing pre-determined funds for members in circumstances such as bereavement, marriage, retirement, childbirth, hospitalization and other matters as approved by the members.

Data Security Response and Technology Planning Committee: The purpose of this committee is to organize and maintain data security policies, procedures, and strategies and to ensure that all technology initiatives are congruent with those policies and procedures. The committee will inform the college of what data security is, what are the threats, and what response is needed when there is a data-security breach and how these breaches need to be communicated to any federal, state, or other agency as required. This committee is charged with the responsibility of overseeing and administering all accepted policies and procedures concerning the access and use of the Coastal Alabama network for faculty, staff, students, administration and any other legitimately affiliated entity or person. The committee will make recommendations concerning changes in current policies and procedures and recommend any new applicable policies and procedures to the President.

Developmental Education Leadership Committee: This committee serves in an advisory role regarding developmental English and math courses, including adherence to placement guidelines, professional development, and standardized curriculum.  Members are selected from faculty who teach developmental courses.

Distance Education Policies and Course Review Committee: The committee reviews the online courses and distance education opportunities for students. The committee will make recommendations concerning on-line course improvements for student success. The committee serves as an advisory committee to provide recommendation to the Instructional Officers regarding policies and procedures for non-traditional learning activities including, but not limited to, those involving technological advances.

Diversity Council: This committee is responsible for creating and assisting in the implementation of a plan to foster a campus climate in which there is a proactive commitment to diversity as a basic value of the College. This will include coordinating awareness and training activities. In all of the initiatives, Coastal Alabama must emphasize the development of good character and must model the values of inclusion, mutual respect, and cooperation.

Employee Recruitment and Selection Committee: This committee reviews employee recruitment procedures of the College and makes recommendations to the President regarding the recruitment and selection of faculty and staff members. This committee seeks continually implement progressive methods to maintain faculty and staff diversity

Enrollment Management Committee: This committee provides leadership and direction for all enrollment management functions including, but not limited to, review of recruitment materials, public relations campaigns, customer service functions, enrollment trends, and data analysis.

Environmental Health and Safety: The Environmental Health & Safety Committee assures that appropriate health and safety standards are maintained and are in compliance with appropriate codes and regulations.  The Committee is also charged with periodic review of the College’s Emergency Operations Plan and Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.

Executive Cabinet: The Executive Cabinet evaluates the College’s programs and services, is responsible for providing advice and counsel to the President and develops and approves all policies within the framework of the Board of Trustees policies.  This Cabinet also evaluates the overall operation of the College and its goals and objectives and makes necessary recommendations to the President to enhance the College’s efforts in accomplishing its mission. 

Faculty Advisory Committee: This committee serves in an advisory capacity to the President. This committee will be comprised of faculty who will provide input and discuss ideas with the president regarding instructional matters.   

General Education Competencies: The purpose of this committee is to provide continuous review and evaluation of the College's general education competencies and to oversee the following processes for student learning outcomes: development, assessment, analysis, and implementation of improvement plans. 

Global Engagement Committee: The purpose of this committee to cultivate a variety of opportunities for students and faculty to develop cultural, academic, professional, and interpersonal knowledge about the global community. Through carefully designed study abroad experiences, seminars, campus events, and curriculum internationalization, students can build critical intercultural sensitivity skills by engaging with unfamiliar worldviews and perspectives. Studying and living abroad and learning about other cultures promotes a tolerance for ambiguous circumstances and the problem-solving skills necessary to function adaptively amid uncertainty. 

Honors and Awards Council: This committee is responsible for coordinating the Honors and Awards programs for Coastal Alabama. 

Instructional Affairs: This committee reviews and/or approves curriculum matters and academics and serves as the investigatory body for grade appeals. This committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Instructional Officers concerning curriculum, including, but not limited to, the following:  evaluation and/or review of course offerings, course descriptions, programs of study, degree plans, academic maps, and other curricular elements pertaining to the course catalog.

Professional Development: This committee helps to support the College’s mission to educate the whole person in a learning-centered environment by providing faculty, adjunct faculty, and staff with a variety of professional development opportunities with the goal to enrich the experience and success of students and employees.

Registration Committee: This committee reviews registration procedures and policies continually make improvements in the registration process.  The committee is also responsible for designing the incoming student orientation experience on all campuses. This experience is designed to give each student a head start in obtaining information about the programs and services at the College. During these sessions, students will have the opportunity to meet other new students who will be starting classes the same semester.

Retention Committee: This committee serves as an advisory committee to inform the office of the Dean of Student Services and the Instructional Officers regarding the research and best practices for student retention and advising.  This committee will stay active in local, state, and regional conferences to remain up to date on trends that affect retention and completion rates. 

SACSCOC Oversight: This committee reviews and updates the College’s philosophy and objectives and oversees the evaluative process to ensure that the College is in compliance with all SACSCOC accreditation standards. In addition to ensuring the College’s institutional effectiveness, this committee develops strategies to improve the accreditation process. Also, this committee is responsible for ensuring a conducive and high quality learning environment for students. Assessment of the results of the objectives and goals provides the College with information that is incorporated as part of the College’s continuous planning cycle, thereby, creating a more efficient and comprehensive educational environment.

Scholarship: This committee acts in an advisory capacity to the Dean of Student Services and the President in the formulation of procedures and responsibilities for the College’s scholarship program. The Scholarship Committee also creates the procedure with which scholarships are awarded College-wide

Sick Leave Bank: This committee approves the loan of sick leave days for its participating members after their accumulated sick leave days have been exhausted. The bank shall be operated, managed, and governed by the Sick Leave Bank Committee. The committee elects the chair. The Sick Leave Bank Committee provides governance of the Sick Leave Bank according to State guidelines.

Strategic Planning Committee: This committee is the long range planning entity for the College. It is responsible for developing and planning the College’s ongoing one-year, three-year, and five-year strategic plan of operation. Also, the specific role of the committee is to review and update the College philosophy and objectives, to continually evaluate the College’s progress toward meeting its objectives, and to assess and recommend research studies and evaluation methods to measure the achievement of the College’s overall institutional effectiveness.

Student Affairs Council: This committee serves as an advisory body to the Dean of Student Services in the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures relating to all student affairs. It is responsible for the maintenance of high standards of quality and may make recommendations to appropriate administrative personnel in pursuance of these standards. In the area of student activities, the Student Affairs Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the SGA, reviews and approves plans for student-sponsored activities, and otherwise evaluates and recommends ways to enrich and improve student life at the College. This committee also assists in the review and revision of the Student Handbook in cooperation with the Dean of Student Services. The committee shall also promote, advise, regulate, evaluate, and make recommendations to the President concerning any activities of the Coastal Alabama Intercollegiate Athletic Program. The committee serves in an advisory capacity in the operation of the food services; it acts as a connecting link between the students and the coordinator of food services to ensure a concerted effort to provide the best service possible.

Student Conduct Appeals Committee: This committee serves as an appeals committee for all student conduct decisions. The Code of Student Conduct provides students the right to appeal the decision of the Administrative Formal Hearing.  If an appeal is granted, this committee will:

  • Hear and take final action in all cases which an appeal is granted in Student Conduct cases. 
  • Hear and take final action in all cases in which an appeal is granted in Academic Misconduct cases. 
  • This committee is made up of College faculty, staff, and students (senators).The decision is final. Notification of outcome must be provided to both the complainant and respondent and the Dean of Student Services.

Student Conduct Officers Committee: This committee is comprised of all appointed Hearing Officers, with the purpose of ensuring that our Student Code of Conduct is adhered to in a consistent and fair manner.