BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1455
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 5, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Anthony Portantino, Chair
AB 1455 (Hill) - As Amended: April 22, 2009
SUBJECT : Community colleges: baccalaureate degrees: pilot
program.
SUMMARY : Authorizes the San Mateo County Community College
District (SMCCCD) to establish a pilot program to offer
baccalaureate degrees. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the pilot program to meet the following eligibility
requirements:
a) The baccalaureate degree program is accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
b) The baccalaureate degree may be offered in different
fields of study provided:
i) SMCCCD has identified and documented unmet workforce
needs in the subject area of the degree to be offered;
ii) The degree program does not, as determined by
SMCCCD, unnecessarily duplicate similar programs offered
by nearby public educational institutions; and,
iii) SMCCCD has demonstrated that it has the expertise,
resources, and interest to offer a quality baccalaureate
degree in the chosen field of study.
c) Provides that SMCCCD may charge a fee for courses in the
baccalaureate program that is greater than that charged for
courses at the associate degree level but not more than the
fee charged at the California State University (CSU) for
similar programs.
2)Provides that the pilot program shall expire six years after
the initial offering of a baccalaureate degree, unless
otherwise extended by law.
3)Generally finds and declares: the economic downturn and high
unemployment rate is resulting in tens of thousands of
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unemployed or underemployed individuals entering and returning
to college; because of the enrollment caps imposed by the
University of California (UC) and the CSU, thousands of
qualified students have been denied access to pursue a
baccalaureate degree; CCC students who want to transfer to a
four-year university are being denied admission or placed on a
wait list due to over-enrollment at UC and CSU; and because of
these factors the State is making an exception to the
differentiation of function in public higher education
segments established pursuant to the Master Plan for Higher
Education.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes CCC, with the primary mission to offer academic
and vocational instruction at the lower division level for
both younger and older students, including those persons
returning to school and not beyond the second year of college.
2)Establishes the CCC Baccalaureate Partnership Program, formed
for the purpose of offering baccalaureate degree programs on
participating CCC campuses. Authorizes the CCC Chancellor's
Office (CCCCO) to award annually two grants, not to exceed
$50,000 each, to a collaborative consisting of at least one
CCC and at least one baccalaureate degree-granting
institution, formed for the purpose of offering a
baccalaureate degree program at participating CCCs.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed "non-fiscal" by Legislative
Counsel.
COMMENTS : Purpose of this bill : According to the author, this
bill "creates a baccalaureate degree pilot program at San Mateo
Community College District (SMCCD)." The author believes that
SMCCD is in a unique position to participate in the pilot
program established by this bill because of the successful
University Center program at Ca?ada College. The University
Center is a model whereby specific four-year college degree
programs are offered by San Francisco State University (SFSU)
and CSU East Bay on the Ca?ada College campus. In addition, the
author notes that "San Mateo County has no public university
which is why this change could be valuable for local residents
being turned away from SFSU or San Jose State University because
of enrollment caps." The author believes that this bill "will
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allow San Mateo residents access to a baccalaureate degree
program within their county." The author argues that "since the
SMCCD already partners with SFSU and other higher education
institutions this pilot program is a natural progression for
SMCCD."
Does this bill contradict the Master Plan for Higher Education ?
The Master Plan for Higher Education specifies that CCC shall
not offer instruction beyond the second year of college. This
bill represents a precedent-setting expansion of the CCC mission
with an unknown impact on the ability of CCC to complete
existing missions. As reported by the Institute for Higher
Education Leadership & Policy, of the 60% of CCC students
seeking a degree or certificate, only about one-fourth succeed
in transferring to a university and/or earning an associate's
degree or certificate within six years. The committee may wish
to consider whether further study of CCC capacity to offer
bachelor's degrees is necessary before enacting such a program.
Is there a lack of baccalaureate degree offering institutions in
the Bay Area ? The author asserts that this bill is necessary to
allow San Mateo residents access to a baccalaureate degree
program within their county. While there is no CSU or UC within
the county of San Mateo, this is certainly not unique to San
Mateo, and while numerous other counties do not have a UC or CSU
within their county, San Mateo has the benefit of being near
several CSU and UC campuses in the Greater Bay Area. For
example, CSU maintains SFSU, CSU East Bay, San Jose State
University, and the California Maritime Academy, and UC
maintains UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Berkeley.
Is adequate funding available for CCC to provide baccalaureate
degrees ? CCCs have argued during budget debates that they do
not receive adequate funding for their existing responsibilities
and student enrollment levels. The committee may wish to
consider if it would be wise to add either additional
responsibilities or additional students to the CCC system until
the current problems with CCC finance are resolved.
Are there alternative methods to address the problems raised in
this bill ? The committee may wish to examine whether
alternative models are available to address the issues raised by
this bill. For example, as noted by the author, Ca?ada College
partners with SFSU and CSU East Bay to provide bachelor's
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degrees at the University Center located on the Ca?ada College
campus in Child and Adolescent Development, Nursing, and Health
Sciences. The city of Stockton receives baccalaureate-level
instruction provided by CSU Stanislaus at an off-campus site in
Stockton. CSU Fullerton maintains a branch campus in El Toro,
serving approximately 1,140 full-time equivalent students
annually. Partnerships between CCC and CSU campuses have been
established to deliver upper-division instruction at community
sites away from the main CSU campus, and this model could be
expanded in San Mateo.
Are there examples in other states ? According to the American
Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU),
nationwide there has been a steady growth in the number of
community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees. In 2005,
AASCU identified 11 states where at least one two-year-college
offered independent baccalaureate degrees, and three states in
which similar baccalaureate programs were being examined. AASCU
also found that of the 100 to 200 community colleges identified
by Community College Weekly as offering baccalaureate degree
programs, most of these community colleges offered bachelor's
programs in collaboration with four-year universities through
university centers or shared facilities; very few offered
independent baccalaureate degrees. Further, in those states
where independent community college baccalaureate degrees have
been allowed, the programs have been targeted and limited,
embarked upon after workforce need has been documented,
alternatives involving 4-year colleges have been explored and
exhausted, community college capacity has been determined, and a
careful review process has been established.
Suggested amendment : Staff recommends this bill be amended to
delete the current provisions and instead allow the SMCCCD to
partner with CSU and UC in offering baccalaureate degrees on the
SMCCCD campus, similar to the University Center located at
Ca?ada College.
Previous efforts : AB 1280 (Maze), Chapter 515, Statutes of
2005, established the CCC Baccalaureate Partnership Program. AB
1932 (Maze) of 2004, expressed legislative intent to authorize
CCCs to award bachelor's degrees and establish an advisory
committee to examine the issue. AB 1932 was held without
recommendation in the Assembly Higher Education Committee. The
California Performance Review issued by Governor Schwarzenegger
in 2005 recommended that the Governor work with the Legislature
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to create a pilot program allowing approved CCCs to offer
bachelor's degrees. Under the pilot program, individual
community colleges interested in offering a bachelor's degree
would submit a proposal for approval by the Secretary of
Education or his or her successor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Nurses Association
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960