BILL NUMBER: ACR 34 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 28, 2005
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Liu
MARCH 3, 2005
Relative to public higher education facilities.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 34, as amended, Liu. Public higher education facilities:
space planning and utilization standards.
This measure would declare that current higher space
utilization standards are obsolete and no longer relevant to the
actual space needs of the California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of California. The
measure would make various recommendations with the goal of providing
the state's public higher education institutions with the most
effective plan for physical facilities development. The measure would
recommend that the California Postsecondary Education Commission
(CPEC) propose to the Legislature and the Governor, prior to January
20, 2006, a set of contemporary space allocation policies for the
state's public higher education systems recommend that
the space planning and utilization standards included in a specified
1990 report of the California Postsecondary Education
Commission (CPEC) be recognized as the basis of, and used as
guidelines for, physical facilities development for the California
Community Colleges, the California State University, and the
University of California. The measure would recommend that the
California Community Colleges, the California State University, and
the University of California provide a biennial report to the
Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst, and CPEC on the
utilization of classrooms and teaching laboratories in their
respective segments . The measure would further recommend that
CPEC and the Legislative Analyst's Office jointly
establish and maintain a Space and Usage Policy Advisory
Committee Planning Work Group to
remain apprised of future developments in this area and to inform
legislative deliberations on planning issues for public
higher education facilities.
Fiscal committee: yes.
WHEREAS, The three public segments of California higher education
have about 200,000,000 gross square feet of buildings on their
campuses, representing an investment in these buildings that exceeds
$60,000,000,000; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 151 of the 1970 Regular
Session (Resolution Chapter 248 of the Statutes of 1970) was the
first action by the Legislature to establish space utilization
standards for higher education; it established a standard for
classroom availability between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (compared to
all earlier standards, which were based on room availability between
8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.); and
WHEREAS, The Supplemental Report to the Budget Act of 1973 adopted
utilization standards for teaching laboratories to be available
between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; and
WHEREAS, The Community College Construction Act of 1980 authorized
the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (CCC) to
establish standards for community college facilities. Pursuant to
this authority, the CCC established regulations providing for
community college classrooms and teaching laboratories to be
available for assignment 70 hours per week; and
WHEREAS, The Budget Act of 1987 appropriated funds to the
California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) to
conduct a study of the utilization of higher education instructional
facilities. The CPEC study recommended utilization, varied by time
and day, that would result in 30 hours per week of instructional
classroom utilization. The study recommended varied utilization
standards for the three segments and different types of laboratories.
The Legislature took no action based on the recommendations in this
report; and
WHEREAS, The state's current utilization standards are
the standards approved by the Legislature in 1970 for classrooms of
the California State University and the University of California, and
in 1973 for teaching laboratories, and the standards established in
the California Code of Regulations for the community colleges; and
conduct a study of the space and utilization standards
for higher education facilities. The CPEC report, A Capacity for
Learning: Revising Space and Utilization Standards for California
Public Higher Education, was published in 1990. The space planning
and utilization standards recommended in the 1990 study were based on
a thorough review of space planning standards and practices in other
states, and recommended space and utilization guidelines for the
three segments that vary based on their missions and facilities
needs. The report's recommendations have been used as a model for
space planning in other states and countries. The recommended
utilization standards for classrooms and teaching laboratories
continue to be among the most stringent in the nation. The report
recommended that the space planning guidelines be governed by the
principles of simplicity and flexibility, and that they be applied on
a campus-wide basis, with space standards considered to be
campus-wide averag es and not design criteria
for specific projects. The Legislature has taken no action on the
recommendations in this report; and
WHEREAS, During the 30 years that have elapsed since the research,
development, and adoption of the existing higher education space
utilization standards, the manner in which educational services are
provided has changed dramatically. Essential functions, such as the
need to provide students with support services, as well as the use of
the computer and media-assisted learning, are not recognized in
these standards. Cost-effective building design and usage, and
contemporary educational program needs, are not consistent with these
half-century-old planning mandates; and
WHEREAS, California still relies on antiquated space allocation
formulas and mandates, while the rest of the nation has adopted
permissive guidelines and general operating parameters in space
planning. Virtually all of the research over the past 15 years--and
the actual practices of higher education institutions--show that
flexible space and usage guidelines provide the most cost-efficient
and user-friendly approach for meeting the changing needs of
California's college and university students; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
declares that current space utilization standards are
obsolete and are no longer relevant to the actual space needs of the
California Community Colleges, the California State University, and
the University of California; and be it further
Resolved, That, in order to provide the state's public higher
education institutions with the most effective plan for physical
facilities development, the Legislature recommends all of the
following:
(a) The establishment of a limited set of contemporary space
allocation policies for the state's public higher education systems
based on national research, actual use patterns, and best practices.
(b) That these policies be used as "guidelines," with the
flexibility provided for institutions to plan and operate physical
facilities in ways that are both cost-effective and student-centered.
(c) That the Legislature maintain oversight of higher education
facilities development through the annual budget allocation process,
whereby each project can be evaluated based on these guidelines, the
merits of the proposal, comparisons to peer institutions and
projects, and relative to state priorities.
(d) That, prior to January 20, 2006, the California Postsecondary
Education Commission (CPEC) shall propose to the Legislature and the
Governor a set of contemporary space allocation policies for the
state's public higher education systems.
(e) That the Legislative Analyst's Office and CPEC
jointly establish and maintain a Space and Usage Policy Advisory
Committee declares that, in order to a
ddress the actual space needs of the California Community Colleges,
the California State University, and the University of California in
a consistent manner, the Legislature recommends all of the following:
(a) That the space planning and utilization standards included in
the 1990 CPEC report be recognized as the basis for physical
facilities development for the California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of California.
(b) That the 1990 CPEC space planning and utilization standards be
used as "guidelines," and applied on a campus-wide basis within each
space category, with flexibility provided for institutions to plan
and operate physical facilities in ways that are both cost effective
and student-centered. These guidelines are not project-specific
design standards.
(c) That the Legislature maintain oversight of higher education
facilities development through the annual budget allocation process,
whereby each project can be evaluated based on campus-wide space
needs, as informed by these guidelines, educational program needs to
be served, and the merits of the project, in providing
program-appropriate and flexible facilities for long-term use.
(d) That the California Community Colleges, the California State
University, and the University of California provide a biennial
report to the Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst, and
CPEC on the utilization of classrooms and teaching laboratories in
their respective segments.
(e) That CPEC establish and maintain a
Space Planning Work Group to remain apprised of future
developments in this area and to inform legislative deliberations on
planning issues for public higher education
facilities; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Director of the California Postsecondary
Education Commission, the Legislative Analyst, and to each member of
the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the
Trustees of the California State University, and the Regents of the
University of California.