BILL NUMBER: AB 2302 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 20, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 17, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 1, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 28, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fong
( Principal coauthor: Assembly Member
John A Perez )
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bradford, Carter, Chesbro, Davis, De
Leon, Furutani, Huber, Ma, Portantino, Ruskin, Torlakson, V. Manuel
Perez, and Yamada)
(Coauthors: Senators Alquist, Correa, and Padilla)
FEBRUARY 19, 2010
An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 66739.5 of, and
to add Sections 66721.4 and 66721.8 to, add Sections
66721.4, 66721.8, and 66739.6 to the Education Code, relating
to postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2302, as amended, Fong. Postsecondary education: student
transfer.
(1) Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, establishes
the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. These
segments include the California State University, administered by
the Trustees of the California State University, the University of
California, administered by the Regents of the University of
California, and the California Community Colleges, administered by
the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. A
provision of the act applies to the University of California only to
the extent that the regents, by resolution, make that provision
applicable.
Existing provisions of the act require the governing bodies of the
3 public postsecondary segments, with appropriate consultation with
the academic senates of the respective segments, to develop,
maintain, and disseminate a common core curriculum in general
education courses for the purposes of transfer. This provision
requires that a person who has successfully completed the transfer
core curriculum is to be deemed to have completed all lower division
general education requirements for the University of California and
the California State University.
Existing law requires the governing board of each community
college district to direct the appropriate officials at their
respective campuses to provide students with a copy of the current
transfer core curriculum and to distribute and publish copies of the
transfer core curriculum in a specified manner and in specified
locations.
This bill would require the California State University and the
Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to work
together to establish the most effective methods to inform students,
college advisers, and the general public about specified transfer
pathways. The bill would require the final methods to be completed
prior to the beginning of the fall term of the 2011-12 academic year
and included as part of a specified report.
The bill would authorize community college districts to use the
methods established by the California State University and the Office
of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to inform
community college students of the California State University majors
that are considered to be similar to community college majors or
areas of emphasis required to obtain an associate degree for
transfer.
(2) Existing law requests the University of California, among
other things, to address deficiencies in the articulation of major
preparation courses between the community colleges and University of
California campuses, to identify commonalities and differences in
similar majors across University of California campuses, to
articulate courses and course sequences at each campus of the
California Community Colleges for specified major degree programs for
purposes of student transfer, and to conduct a specified review of
transcripts of transfer students.
This bill would request the University of California to continue
those efforts with a goal of working in collaboration with the
California Community Colleges to design community college transfer
degrees that provide students adequate preparation for entry into a
major. The bill would also request the University of California to
consider and implement other specified actions to increase transfer
between the university and the California Community Colleges. The
bill would require the University of California to provide an interim
report on the university's review, and a final report on the
university's implementation, of specified transfer pathways to the
relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by specified
dates.
(3) Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California State
University to establish transfer student admissions requirements to
give highest priority to certain transfer students, to specify lower
division transfer curriculum for specified major degree programs, and
to articulate courses at each campus of the California Community
Colleges for specified major degree programs for purposes of student
transfer. Existing law requires each campus of the California State
University to identify nonelective course requirements beyond
systemwide lower division transfer curriculum requirements for each
major for purposes of student transfer, in accordance with prescribed
requirements.
This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2011,
and would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2012.
This bill would require the Office of the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges , in a manner that is consistent
with the general common course numbering system used by community
college districts, to establish a process to facilitate the
identification of courses that satisfy lower division preparation
requirements throughout the California Community College system,
which would be required to be included as part of a specified report.
(4) This bill would provide that it would not become operative
unless SB 1440 of the 2010-11 Regular Session is chaptered.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 66721.4 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
66721.4. (a) The California State University and the Office of
the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall work
together to establish the most effective methods to inform students,
college advisers, and the general public about the associate degree
for transfer and specific details that help students navigate this
transfer pathway, as successfully as possible, pursuant to Article 3
(commencing with Section 66745). The methods established by the
California State University and the Office of the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges shall include, but not be limited to,
Internet notification. The final methods determined by the two
segments shall be completed prior to the beginning of the fall term
of the 2011-12 academic year and included as part of the report
required by subdivision (a) of Section 66749.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that community college
students are be informed of the
California State University majors that are considered to be similar
to community college majors or areas of emphasis required to obtain
an associate degree for transfer pursuant to Article 3 (commencing
with Section 66745).
(c) A community college district may use the methods established
by the California State University and the Office of the Chancellor
of the California Community Colleges, pursuant to subdivision (a), or
a community college district may use other methods to inform
community college students of the California State University majors
that are considered to be similar to community college majors or
areas of emphasis required to obtain an associate degree for transfer
pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 66745).
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges not mandate community
college districts to perform any new state reimbursable activity or
program for purposes of implementing this section.
SEC. 2. Section 66721.8 is added to the Education Code, to read:
66721.8. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that a
transparent process for transfer that is designed to assist students
in identifying and taking the community college courses that will
prepare them for success in specific University of California majors
is a state priority.
(b) The Legislature recognizes that, pursuant to Section 66721.7,
the University of California has been working with the California
Community Colleges to examine and seek improvements to the transfer
process. It is the intent of the Legislature that, as part of this
ongoing effort, the creation of various viable pathways to transfer,
including the development of an associate degree for transfer granted
by community college districts, be considered by the University of
California as it endeavors to enhance the transfer process.
(c) The University of California is requested to continue its
examination of articulation of lower division major prerequisites in
high-demand transfer majors with a goal of working in collaboration
with the California Community Colleges to design community college
transfer degrees that provide students adequate preparation for entry
into a major. The University of California is also requested to
consider offering guaranteed eligibility for admission into a
University of California campus that accepts a designated community
college transfer degree for admission into a designated University of
California major. Further, the University of California is requested
to implement pathways to qualify community college transfer courses
for a designated University of California major by designating a
series of community college courses that provide sufficient lower
division preparation for a designated University of California major
and that will be accepted by the University of California.
(d) The University of California is requested to provide an
interim progress report on its review of the various transfer
pathways discussed in this section to the relevant policy and fiscal
committees of the Legislature on or before June 30, 2011, and to
provide a final report to those committees, with specific
findings regarding the University of California's implementation of
those transfer pathways, by no later than December
31, 2011.
SEC. 3. Section 66739.5 of the Education Code
is amended to read:
66739.5. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) The California Master Plan and supporting statutes place
utmost importance on the effective transfer of community college
students to the University of California (UC) and the California
State University (CSU) as a means of providing access to the
baccalaureate degree.
(2) In 2002, CSU enrolled 55,000 transfer students from community
colleges.
(3) Two out of three students who earn CSU baccalaureate degrees
begin in a community college.
(4) Effective use of state and student time and resources would be
maximized by students accruing fewer unrequired units in earning
their degrees.
(5) Additional access to community colleges and CSU will be
created by higher graduation rates and fewer nonessential units
taken.
(6) The state budget situation makes it urgent to streamline the
path of the transfer student to the baccalaureate degree.
(b) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to ensure that
community college students who wish to earn the baccalaureate degree
at CSU are provided with a clear and effective path to this degree.
(c) This section shall not be construed to limit in any way the
ability of students to gain admission through alternative paths to
transfer, such as the Intersegmental General Education Transfer
Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General
Education-Breadth Requirements.
(d) On or before February 1, 2005, the Chancellor of CSU shall
establish transfer student admissions requirements that give highest
priority to transfer students who are qualified in accordance with
subdivision (f) and paragraph (3) of subdivision (g).
(e) (1) CSU campuses admitting students qualified in accordance
with subdivision (f) and paragraph (3) of subdivision (g) will make
it possible for these students to complete their baccalaureate degree
in the minimum number of remaining units required for that degree
major.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the "minimum number of
remaining units" is the minimum number of units required for a degree
major after subtracting the number of fully degree-transferable
units earned at the community college.
(f) The Chancellor of CSU, in consultation with the Academic
Senate of CSU, shall establish the following components necessary for
a clear degree path for transfer students:
(1) On or before June 1, 2005, the Chancellor of CSU, in
consultation with the Academic Senate of CSU and with the faculty
responsible for each high-demand baccalaureate degree major program,
shall specify for each high-demand baccalaureate program major a
systemwide lower division transfer curriculum composed of at least 45
semester course units, or the quarter-unit equivalent, that will be
common across all CSU campuses offering specific major programs.
(2) (A) The systemwide lower division transfer curriculum for each
high-demand baccalaureate degree major program shall be composed of
at least 45 semester units, or the quarter-unit equivalent, and shall
include all of the following:
(i) General education courses.
(ii) Any other lower division courses required for graduation.
(iii) Lower division components of the student's declared major.
(iv) Elective units, as appropriate.
(B) The coursework described in subparagraph (A) shall be
designated by the CSU faculty responsible for the student's major
degree program.
(3) The systemwide lower division transfer curriculum shall be
specified in sufficient manner and detail so that existing and future
community college lower division courses may be articulated,
according to the usual procedures, to the corresponding CSU courses
or course descriptions.
(g) (1) On or before June 1, 2006, the Chancellor of CSU and the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with
the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges, shall
articulate those lower division, baccalaureate-level courses at each
campus of the California Community Colleges that meet for each degree
major the systemwide lower division transfer curriculum requirements
specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f).
(2) To the extent that the goals of efficiency and urgency are
advanced, existing articulation procedures such as the California
Articulation Number (CAN) program shall be employed.
(3) On or before June 1, 2006, each CSU campus shall have
identified any additional specific, nonelective course requirements
beyond the systemwide lower division transfer curriculum requirements
for each major, up to a maximum of 60 semester units or the
quarter-unit equivalent, for the systemwide and campus-specific
requirements combined. To the extent these additional course
requirements are identified, each CSU campus shall provide that
information to all community colleges.
(4) The Chancellor of CSU shall amend CSU's transfer admissions
procedures to encourage prospective community college transfer
students to identify and, to the extent possible, commit to, a
specific CSU transfer destination campus before earning more than 45
semester units, or the quarter-unit equivalent, of lower division,
baccalaureate-level courses, as described in subdivision (f).
(h) As allowed by enrollment demand and available space, each CSU
campus shall develop a transfer admission agreement with each student
who intends to meet the requirements of this section, including the
declaration of a major and identification of a choice of a
destination campus, before earning more than 45 systemwide semester
units, or the quarter-unit equivalent. The transfer admission
agreement shall guarantee admission to the campus and major
identified in that agreement and transfer of all 60 semester units,
or the quarter-unit equivalent, as creditable to the baccalaureate
degree, subject to the student's meeting the following conditions:
(1) Completion of the 60 semester units of college-level
coursework, or the quarter-unit equivalent, specified for the student'
s major degree program.
(2) Declaration of a major.
(3) Satisfactory completion of the systemwide lower division
transfer curriculum requirements for the student's declared major.
(4) Satisfactory completion of any requirements beyond the
systemwide lower division transfer curriculum that are specified by
the CSU destination campus.
(5) Any impaction criteria for that campus or major.
(i) A CSU campus shall guarantee that the transfer students
admitted under this section will be able to complete the
baccalaureate degree in the minimum number of course units required
for that degree.
(j) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2011, and, as
of January 1, 2012, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2012, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 4. Section 66739.5 is added to the
Education Code, to read:
66739.5. (a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California
SEC. 3. Section 66739.6 is added to the Education Code,
to read:
66739.6. In a manner that is consistent with
Section 71027, the Office of the Chancellor of the California
Community Colleges shall establish a process to facilitate the
identification of courses that satisfy lower division preparation
requirements throughout the California Community College system.
(b) A description of the process established by the Office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to comply
with subdivision (a) shall be included as part of the report required
by subdivision (a) of Section 66749.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that community college
districts accept credits from other community college districts
toward an associate degree for transfer.
(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2011.
SEC. 5. SEC. 4. This act shall
become operative only if Senate Bill 1440 of the 2010-11 Regular
Session is chaptered.