The Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates (ICAS) was established by faculty in 1980 as a voluntary organization consisting of representatives of the Academic Senates of the three segments of public higher education in California.
Each of the senates appoint five or six senate leaders as representatives to ICAS. The meetings of ICAS are financed by the segments and deal with a variety of issues of mutual concern such as student preparation for postsecondary education, the California Master Plan for Higher Education, access, transfer, articulation, general education, and educational quality and standards. The recommendations of ICAS are made to the Academic Senates of each of the three segments. ICAS advises not only the senates of public higher education but also education officials and policy makers in California. It does not directly implement higher education policy.
Since 1980 the leading issues handled by ICAS have included the development of a series of Statements on Competencies Expected of Entering Freshmen, and the development and implementation of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). In each of these areas there have been some impressive successes for students and faculties of the segments.