BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 447
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 447 (Williams)
As Amended March 21, 2013
Majority vote
HIGHER EDUCATION 12-0 APPROPRIATIONS 14-1
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|Ayes:|Williams, Ch�vez, Bloom, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |Fong, Jones-Sawyer, | |Bradford, |
| |Levine, Waldron, Medina, | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| |Olsen, Quirk-Silva, | |Donnelly, |
| |Weber, Wilk | |Eggman, Gomez, Hall, |
| | | |Holden, Linder, Pan, |
| | | |Quirk, Ammiano |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Allows nonvoting student members of governing boards
of the California Community Colleges (CCC) districts to attend
closed sessions, as specified, to make and second motions, and
to cast an advisory vote that is recorded in the minutes of
board meetings. Specifically, this bill :
1)Allows nonvoting student members of governing boards of the
CCC districts to attend closed sessions of board meetings,
except for those sessions dealing with litigation, personnel
issues, and collective bargaining.
2)Allows nonvoting student members to make and second motions
during board meetings.
3)Allows nonvoting student members of governing boards of the
CCC districts to cast an advisory vote that is recorded in the
minutes of the governing board meeting.
4)States that the advisory vote shall not count in determining
the vote required to carry a measure before the governing
board.
5)Requires districts to be reimbursed for costs if the
Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains
costs mandated by the state.
AB 447
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EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes the establishment of CCC student body organizations
and associated fees (Education Code (EC) Section 76060 et
seq.).
2)Requires the board of trustees of each CCC district to include
at least one nonvoting student member to be chosen by the
students in a manner determined by the board. States that to
be eligible, the student must be enrolled in a community
college of the district for at least five semester units.
States that the term of office for the student trustee is one
year, commencing on May 15 or June 1 of each year. Stipulates
that nonvoting student members of the board are entitled to
mileage reimbursement but specifically prohibits their receipt
of compensation (EC Section 72023.5).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, costs for this bill would be negligible
state-reimbursable costs for districts to record the advisory
votes of student board members and include in meeting minutes.
COMMENTS : Student trustees have been members of local CCC
governing boards since 1977. Local governing boards determine
the privileges and establish procedures to elect student
trustees. Boards, as well as college administrators, establish
the environment and expectations for student trustees. Student
trustees are elected members of the student body who serve on
the local governing board of the CCC. Up to two students are
elected for this position and voice the students' concerns at
the board meetings; the student trustees are responsible for
bringing the decisions of the board back down to the student
body. Additionally, student trustees can serve on district-wide
committees as the student representative.
According to the Community College League of California
(League), the extent to which the student trustee is viewed as
an advocate for and representative of the current student body
varies from board to board, and depends in part on the attitude
of the person holding the position. The League contends that
some student trustees play a similar role to the Associated
Students (AS) organization (which serves as the governing body
representing students and also sponsors social activities and
AB 447
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events, and supports its members throughout the year at each
CCC) and represents current students. Student trustees who
function in this manner are serving more in a similar role as AS
leaders. Yet, other student trustees, as student members of the
board, are serving as all the rest of the trustees (making board
decisions that benefit the community as a whole, and future
students, as well as the current student body).
The League's publication entitled, "Perspectives on the Role of
Student Trustees," was released to assist in clarifying the
expectations of student trustees and the role they play in order
for the student trustees to be fully prepared for board
meetings.
According to the author, this bill seeks to provide all student
trustees of CCC district boards an equal opportunity to
represent their peers. Because each local board has discretion
to grant certain existing privileges to student trustees, not
all student trustees are given equal privileges. This leaves
the lens through which a student trustee is viewed and the
capacity in which they can serve, largely up to the governing
board.
The author states, "Student trustees provide a unique voice and
bring valuable contributions to their boards. As such, it is
not unreasonable for students to expect to participate in the
structures of local control and we should do our best to
accommodate them even though their participation is temporary in
nature." The author contends that when privileges are afforded
to some and not others, the student voice can be diminished. A
student trustee's ability to represent their peers can also be
influenced by the performance of the former student trustee on
the board even though this has no bearing on the current student
trustee's abilities or performance.
This measure ensures that all student trustees have a fair and
equal opportunity to represent students.
Related legislation: AB 1030 (Cooley), provides that if the
seat of a student member of the local board of the CCC district
becomes vacant during his or her term, the governing board may
authorize the officers of the AS organization at each campus in
the CCC district to appoint a student by majority vote of the
officers to serve the remainder of the term.
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AB 844 (Lara), Chapter 619, Statutes of 2011, authorized a
student who is without lawful immigration status or exempt from
paying nonresident tuition, to serve in student government at
the California State University and the campuses of the CCC.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0000222