If the number of academic employees is to be reduced, the district president shall decide which programs and/or support services are most necessary to maintain the educational mission of the district. The district president shall then decide the number of full-time academic employees to be laid off in each lay-off unit. If a reduction is determined to be necessary, the order of reduction normally will be based on seniority within the applicable layoff unit. In instances where it is in the best interest of the quality or effectiveness of the programs and services of the college, and after consultation with appropriate administrators responsible for and/or related to the lay-off unit regarding qualifications and/or performance of involved faculty, the district president may determine individuals to be laid off without following the order of seniority. Subsequent steps in the procedure for reduction in force are specified in Appendix B of the District V/Everett Community College federation of teachers labor agreement.