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Students may be required to acquire instructional materials required for a credit or noncredit course. Such materials shall be of continuing value to a student outside of the classroom setting and shall not be solely or exclusively available from the District.

Required instructional materials shall not include materials used or designed primarily for administrative purposes, class management, course management, or supervision.

Where instructional materials are available to a student temporarily through a license or access fee, the student shall be provided options at the time of purchase to maintain full access to the instructional materials for varying periods of time ranging from the length of the class up to at least two years. The terms of the license or access fee shall be provided to the student in a clear and understandable manner prior to purchase.

Instructors shall take reasonable steps to minimize the cost and ensure the necessity of instructional materials.

The District will publish these regulations in a place accessible to students.

Definitions

"Required instructional materials" means any materials which a student must procure or possess as a condition of registration, enrollment, or entry into a class or any such material which the instructor determines is necessary to achieve the required objectives of a course.

"Solely or exclusively available from the District" means that the instructional material is not available except through the District or that the District requires that the instructional material be purchased or procured from it. A material shall not be considered to be solely or exclusively available from the District if it is provided to the student at the District's actual cost, and 1) the instructional material is otherwise generally available but is provided solely or exclusively by the District for health and safety reasons, or 2) the instructional material is provided in lieu of other generally available but more expensive material which would otherwise be required.

"Required instructional materials which are of continuing value outside of the classroom setting" are materials that can be taken from the classroom setting and which are not wholly consumed, used up, or rendered valueless as they are applied in achieving the required objectives of a course to be accomplished under the supervision of an instructor during the class.

Establishing Required Materials and Related Fees

In establishing any instructional fees, the District adheres to guidelines published by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).

Disciplines or departments identify the need for required and/or non-mandatory fees. Materials and supplies must be included in the officially approved course outline of record.

Before materials fees may be required for a course, a request must be submitted through the Department Chair to the Dean. The Dean reviews and validates each request and sends a consolidated list from the school to the Instructional Services Department by November 1, each year. The requested fees are then forwarded to the Chancellor and Board of Trustees for approval prior to implementation. The Instructional Services Department sends the approved list to the Business Services Office.

All required fees associated with specific courses are included as part of the course description in the schedule of classes. Instructional materials fees are primarily collected along with enrollment fees at the time of registration.

Students will be directed by their instructors or the appropriate department personnel as to where they can obtain the instructional materials.

The District Educational Services division is responsible for gathering data related to student fees and for disseminating that information to the appropriate college personnel. The District Educational Services division responds to inquiries from the CCCCO related to instructional materials fees.

Reference:

Approved by the Chancellor:

Supersedes: