BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2766
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|Author: |Lopez |
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|Version: |February 19, 2016 Hearing Date: |
| | June 8, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Olgalilia Ramirez |
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Subject: Student Aid Commission
SUMMARY
This bill expands the California Student Aid Commission
(Commission) to include two additional student members.
BACKGROUND
Existing law:
1) Establishes the California Student Aid Commission to
administer California's student financial aid programs. The
composition of the Commission includes:
a) Eleven members Governor appointees confirmed
by the Senate:
i) Three representatives from the
general public.
ii) One representative from a California
secondary school.
iii) Two student representatives each of
whom must be enrolled in a California
postsecondary educational institution.
iv) One representative from the University
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of California.
v) One representative from the California
State University.
vi) One representative from the California
Community Colleges.
vii) One representative from a California
independent college or university.
viii) One representative from a public,
proprietary, or nonprofit postsecondary school
located in California.
a) Two representatives appointed by the Senate
Rules Committee.
b) Two representatives appointed by the Speaker
of the Assembly. (Education Code § 69510)
1) Provides that student members appointed to the
Commission:
a) Be enrolled in postsecondary educational
institutions for the duration of the two year terms.
b) May serve for six months beyond graduation.
c) May not be enrolled in the same segment of
higher education. The segments of higher education
are designated as the University of California (UC),
the California State University (CSU), the California
Community Colleges (CCC), independent institutions
(non-profit), and for-profit institutions. (EC §
69511)
2) Provides that the Commission is responsible for
determining the appropriate student organization for each
segment, and each student organization is required to
inform students within their respective segment of pending
Commission student member vacancies and each student
organization is authorized to submit a list of three to
five nominees for membership. A student member appointed
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to the Commission may not be in the same segment of the
outgoing or the other sitting student member. (EC §
69511.5)
ANALYSIS
This bill expands the California Student Aid Commission
(Commission) to include two additional student members.
Specifically it,
1) Provides that Commission shall consist of four student
members, one from each of the following postsecondary
educational institutions:
a) The University of California (UC);
b) The California State University (CSU);
c) The California Community Colleges (CCC); and,
d) California private postsecondary educational
institution.
2) Clarifies that the student member must be enrolled in that
postsecondary educational institution at the time of
appointment and during the duration of the term.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. The Commission is responsible for
administering financial aid programs for students attending
public and private postsecondary institutions. According to
the author, each segment of higher education serves a
distinct student population as such limiting membership on
the commission to two students does not allow for equitable
representation of the other student groups. The Student
Senate for California Community Colleges, the sponsors of
the bill, asserts that, "the demographics of each of our
systems is quite diverse from one another, which leaves a
heavy burden for two individuals to represent over 3.5
million students from four unique, but interconnected
systems, leading to key communities being disenfranchised
in the process."
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2) Appointments of student members. Existing law provides for
two student commissioners from different higher education
segments, nominated by the appropriate student association
and appointed by the governor to serve on the Commission
for two year terms. The higher education segments are
designated as University of California (UC), the California
State University (CSU), the California Community Colleges
(CCC), independent institutions (non-profit), and
for-profit institutions. The two student positions rotate
among these four segments and representatives may not be
enrolled in the same segment of the outgoing or the other
sitting student member. Current law also requires that the
two student representatives on the Commission be enrolled
in his or her respective institution for the duration of
their term.
Rather than rotating the two student positions among the four
segments this bill seeks to establish four fixed seats thereby
ensuring that each student population has a permanent voting
member on the Commission.
3) Related legislation. AB 2154 (Medina) would authorize a
student commissioner to serve for an additional year after
the expiration of their term if a successor has not been
appointed, requires a qualifying institution to waive a
student members' tuition for the duration of their term in
office if that student is not a Cal Grant recipient and
further requires the commission to notify the appropriate
student organization of the opportunity to submit a list of
nominees. AB 2154 is scheduled to be heard by this
Committee on June 8th.
SUPPORT
Associated Students of De Anza College
Associated Students of College of the Redwoods
Associated Students of College of the Siskiyous
Associated Students of El Camino College
Associated Students of Feather River College
Associated Students of Glendale Community College
Associated Students of Lassen College
Associated Students of Las Positas College
Associated Students of Pasadena City College
Associated Students of Shasta College
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Associated Students of Santa Barbara College
Associated Students of Santa Monica College
Associated Student Organization of Mission College
Associated Student Organization of Los Angeles City College
Associated Student Organization of Los Angeles Harbor College
Associated Student Organization of Los Angeles Southwest College
Associated Student Organization of Los Angeles Trade Technical
College
Associated Student Organization of West Los Angeles College
Associated Student Union of Butte College
Associated Student Union of East Los Angeles College
Associated Student Union of Los Angeles Valley College
California Immigrant Policy Center
California Community College Association of Student Trustees
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region I
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region IV
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region V
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region VI
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region VII
Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region VIII
Student Senate of Chabot College
Student Senate of Cabrillo College
Student Senate of Evergreen Valley College
Yuba Community College District
OPPOSITION
None received.
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