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Purpose and Philosophy

Eastfield College and DCCCD Purpose

Philosophy of the DCCCD

Since 1972, the District has been known as the Dallas County Community College District. The name shows that the District has outgrown the term "junior college." The name also reflects the District's philosophy. The colleges truly are community institutions, meeting the varied educational needs of the growing Dallas County region. The primary goal of the District and its colleges is to help students of all ages achieve effective living and responsible citizenship in a fast-changing region, state, nation and world. Each college is therefore committed to providing a broad range of educational programs for the people it serves.

The needs, abilities and goals of each student are considered important. The focus is on creating an educational program for the individual rather than squeezing or stretching the individual to fit an “educational mold”. The colleges meet the varied educational needs of their students through five categories of programs:

• For the student working toward a bachelor's or higher degree, the colleges offer a wide range of first-year and second-year courses which transfer to senior colleges and universities.
• For the student seeking a meaningful job, the colleges offer one-year and two-year programs in technical and occupational fields.
• For the employed person wishing to improve job skills or a move into a new job, the colleges offer credit and non-credit adult educational courses.
• For the person who simply wants to make life a little more interesting, the colleges offer community service programs, cultural, civic and other topics.
• For the person pursuing any of these goals who is not academically prepared, the colleges offer developmental courses designed to bring students' skills to a level that will make success in college courses possible.

Institutional Responsibilities

In addition to specific responsibilities imposed by the Education Code or other law, the College has the general responsibility to serve the public and, within the College's role and mission, to:

1. Transmit culture through general education.
2. Extend knowledge.
3. Teach and train students for professions.
4. Provide for scientific, engineering, medical, and other academic research.
5. Protect intellectual exploration and academic freedom.
6. Strive for intellectual excellence.
7. Provide educational opportunity for all who can benefit from postsecondary education and training.
8. Provide continuing education opportunities.

Eastfield College Expanded Mission & Goals

Philosophy of Open Discussion

In a world of rapid change the Board believes that:

1. A college best serves its community not as a stronghold of rigid tradition, but as an open intellectual forum where varying viewpoints may be freely expressed and fairly debated.
2. A free society functions efficiently only if its citizens have a right to discuss, debate, and agree or disagree constructively.
3. An educated citizenry, fully aware of all the evidence, is best able to preserve the valuable heritage of American democratic institutions.
4. The community college has an obligation to its community and its students to promote healthy discussion as an educative force.

Academic Freedom

The District, like all other institutions of higher learning, serves the common good, which depends upon an uninhibited search for truth and its open expression. The points enumerated below constitute the District's position on academic freedom:

1. Faculty members are appointed to impart to their students and to their communities the truth as they see it in their respective disciplines
2. Subject to legal constraints, the following are among the responsibilities that reside primarily with the faculty: planning and revising curricula, selecting textbooks and other instructional materials and activities, choosing instructional methodologies, evaluating learners, assigning grades, and maintain- ing classroom discipline.
3. It is essential that faculty members be free to pursue scholarly inquiry and to voice and publish their conclusions without fear of institutional censorship or discipline.
4. Faculty members are citizens and, therefore, possess the rights of citizens. These rights include, among others, the right as private citizens to speak freely outside the classroom on matters of public concern and to participate in lawful political activities.
5. Prior restraint or sanctions will not be imposed upon faculty members in the exercise of their rights as citizens or duties as teachers. Nor will faculty members fear reprisal for exercising their civic rights and academic freedom.

Academic Responsibility

The academic freedom of faculty members is accompanied by equally compelling obligations and responsibilities to their profession, their students, their District, and their community. Faculty members must defend the rights of academic freedom while accepting willingly the responsibilities enumerated below:

1. Faculty members will be judicious in the introduction of material in the classroom without forfeiting the instructional benefits of controversy.
2. No faculty member will attempt to force on students a personal viewpoint intolerant of the rights of others to hold or express diverse opinions.
3. Faculty members must recognize their responsibility to maintain competence and adapt to change in their disciplines through continued professional development and to demonstrate their competence through consistently adequate preparation and performance.
4. Faculty members must recognize that the public will judge the District and their profession by their public conduct. Therefore, faculty members will make clear that the views they express are their own and should avoid creating the impression that they speak or act on behalf of the District or of the profession.

Profile of Eastfield's Student Body

Non-Discrimination Policy

It is against the policy of the District to discriminate against, or exclude from participation in any benefits or activities either on the staff or in the student body, any person on the grounds of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age or handicap.

Equal Educational and Employment Opportunity Policy

The DCCCD is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunity regardless of sex, marital or parental status, race, color, religion, age, national origin or disability. The District provides equal opportunity in accordance with federal and state laws.

Return to Faculty Handbook