BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2732
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Jose Medina, Chair
AB 2732
(Chang) - As Introduced February 19, 2016
SUBJECT: Public postsecondary education: mandatory orientation
for students
SUMMARY: Requires the California State University (CSU)
Trustees and requests the University of California (UC) Regents,
to provide, as part of established campus orientations,
educational and preventive information about cyberbullying to
students at all campuses of their respective segments.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Stipulates the policy of the State of California, as
specified, that all persons, regardless of their sex, should
enjoy freedom from discrimination of any kind in the
postsecondary educational institution of the state; and, that
students shall be provided notification of the prohibition
against sexual harassment as a form of sexual discrimination
and to provided notification of available remedies (Education
Code (EC) Section 66281.5).
2)Requires the governing board of each community college
district and the CSU Trustees, and request the UC Regents to,
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in collaboration with campus-based and community-based victim
advocacy organizations, provide, as part of established campus
orientations, educational and preventive information about
sexual violence to students at all campuses of their
respective segments; and, specifies that for a campus with an
existing on-campus orientation program, this information shall
be provided, in addition to the sexual harassment information
required to be provided, as specified, during the regular
orientation for incoming students (EC Section 67385.7).
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS: Background. According to a February 2015 report, by
the National Center for Biotechnology Information, entitled,
"Cyberbullying, depression, and problem alcohol use in female
college students: a multisite study," found that cyberbullying
and its effects have been studied largely in middle and high
school students, but less is known about cyberbullying in
college students. The study performed a cross-sectional study
investigating the relationship between involvement in
cyberbullying and depression or problem alcohol use among
college females. The study found that college-age females are
just as likely to suffer the negative effects of cyberbullying
as younger adolescents.
Additionally, based on information provided by the author, with
college confession pages and apps that allow anonymous posting,
cyberbullying is gaining momentum without people even realizing
it because it has been glorified; in certain contexts, it is
used as entertainment. Furthermore, cyberbullying has been
linked to a markedly increased risk for depression and alcohol
use in college students.
Need for the measure. According to the author, cyberbullying
has been linked to suicide, alcoholism, and depression in
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college students. The author states, "Students are already
undergoing a tremendous transition as they have just entered
into adulthood, and many are way from home for the first time."
The author argues that college-aged students should receive
training on cyberbullying while they attend a UC or CSU.
This measure will equip students with preventative information
should they find themselves in a harmful cyberbullying
situation. Additionally, this measure provides that students
are aware of their options by including educational information
about cyberbullying during campus orientation.
Current practices of the UC and CSU. The UC and CSU continue to
provide in-depth orientation for students in sexual harassment
and assault, but presently, Committee staff understands that
most of the campuses do not currently provide information
regarding cyberbullying during their orientation for students.
Efforts in other states. The State of New Jersey has passed
legislation that adds cyberbullying to the definition of
harassment, intimidation or bullying and providing notice to
students at their postsecondary institutions of higher learning.
Additionally, there is federal movement to provide more guidance
to college-aged students regarding cyberbullying and its
negative effects.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
AB 2732
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None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960