BILL ANALYSIS �
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | ACR 159|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 159
Author: Gorell (R), et al.
Amended: 8/21/12 in Assembly
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Read and adopted, 8/21/12
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education: military veterans
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution encourages the California
Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University
(CSU), and the University of California (UC) to consider
and adopt the American Council on Education (ACE) credit
recommendations to give veterans credit for their military
experience.
ANALYSIS : This resolution:
1. Makes numerous declarations and findings, including the
following:
A. Veterans represent a broad spectrum of our
society that include older students with work and
family responsibilities, students whose college
entry has been delayed, first-generation students,
and students with lower and middle socioeconomic
statuses.
CONTINUED
ACR 159
Page
2
B. Veterans have gained valuable skills through
their military training and combat experience; and
that some of this experience is firsthand
experience in much needed professions such as
emergency medicine, engineering, and law
enforcement.
C. More than 2,300 colleges and universities
recognize the American Council on Education (ACE)
endorsed transcripts, and that ACE credit
recommendations are strong indicators of military
experience and knowledge acquired that should be
counted toward college credit.
D. The adoption of ACE credit recommendations will
result in more veterans graduating from a public
postsecondary educational institution, and will
help ensure the success of our veterans at our
public postsecondary educational institutions.
2. Recognizes that the California State Assembly and Senate
value military service.
3. Encourages CCC, CSU, and UC to consider and adopt ACE
credit recommendations.
Comments
In California, an approximate 30,000 troops annually are
leaving military service, and many are pursuing
postsecondary education. Student veteran enrollment has
increased at UC, CSU, and CCC in recent years: CCC enrolls
44,000 students who utilize some form of veteran
tuition/fee benefit, while CSU enrolls 6,540 and UC enrolls
949 students who are using GI benefits. Approximately 90%
of UC and CSU student veterans transferred from a CCC
campus.
ACE works with branches of the Armed Forces to develop
guidelines for campuses to use when evaluating military
transcripts for academic credit. Courses are evaluated by
teams of at least three subject matter specialists (college
and university professors, deans, and other academics).
Through discussion and the application of evaluation
ACR 159
Page
3
procedures and guidelines, team members reach a consensus
on the credit to be recommended, including the category of
credit, the number of semester hours recommended, and the
appropriate subject area. ACE began working with the
military in 1945; currently more than 2,300 colleges and
universities recognize ACE-endorsed transcripts as official
documentation of military experiences and accurate records
of applicable ACE credit recommendations.
UC and CSU have recently adopted the ACE recommendations
for evaluating prior military academic credit, though this
credit is typically granted toward elective requirements.
In spring 2011, the CCC statewide Academic Senate passed a
resolution urging local senates to apply credit for
educational experiences during military service toward the
associate degree in accordance with the recommendations
listed in the ACE Guide.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/28/12)
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The California Community Colleges
Chancellor's Office writes in support of this bill, "ACR
159 encourages the three segments of public higher
education, the California Community Colleges, the
California State University, and the University of
California to consider and adopt the American Council on
Education (ACE) recommendations to give veterans college
credit for academic instruction in a military setting.
This bill will have its greatest effect on the community
college population. Last year, approximately 44,000
student veterans attended a California community college, a
number nearly six times greater than the combined veteran
population at the California State University and
University of California systems.
"Our colleges know that veterans have received academic
instruction in the military as well as specialized training
in health, engineering, and other skills. All of our
colleges provide some college credit for military education
ACR 159
Page
4
and experience, and many already use the ACE
recommendations. By encouraging the three segments to
recognize veteran's military experience and academic
instruction, this issue will gain greater attention and
focus at the college."
PQ:d 8/28/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****