BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 645
Page 1
Date of Hearing: January 10, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 645 (Davis) - As Amended: January 4, 2012
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education.
SUMMARY : Mandates the California State University (CSU) and
requests the University of California (UC) to require students
entering the university during or after the 2013-14 academic
year, regardless of major, to complete two courses in ethnic
studies prior to graduation.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Purpose of this bill . According to background
information provided by the author, this bill seeks to address
"the lack of cultural and ethnic sensitivity on college campuses
throughout the state." The author argues this can be
"exemplified by the Compton Cookout party held at UC San Diego,
the racist bake sale at UC Berkeley, and the fried chicken day
in the cafeteria for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at UC Irvine."
According to the author, this insensitivity largely stems from
ignorance to the ethnic and cultural complexities and dynamics
that are taught in ethnic studies courses. The author further
argues that "in a twenty-first century global economy, to not
have ethnic studies courses required, impedes students' ability
to effectively interact with people in the global market."
Background : In response to incidences of hate crimes, prejudice
and bigotry on California's public college and university
campuses in 2010, this Committee conducted an oversight hearing,
on June 22, 2010, to address the adequacy of campus responses to
the occurrences, and potential improvements in system and campus
policies governing hate, violence, and bigotry. At that hearing
the Committee heard testimony from affected community members,
public college and university representatives, and various
organizations on the variety of educational tools and campus
policies that can be used to minimize violence and hate speech.
Existing CSU requirements . Current law provides the CSU Board of
Trustees (BOT) authority to adopt rules and regulations
governing CSU, so long as those rules and regulations are not
inconsistent with California laws. Through regulation, CSU BOT
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authorizes campuses to establish and maintain degree
requirements that meet industry needs, accreditation
requirements, and overall academic goals. The CSU BOT has,
however, established degree guidelines and general education
requirements for CSU graduates. The CSU General Education
Breadth (GE-Breadth) coursework requirements are designed to
ensure students have developed specific knowledge and skills.
Under the GE-Breadth "Area D" requirement students must complete
a minimum of 12 semester units of coursework designed to examine
issues in their contemporary as well as historical settings and
in a variety of cultural contexts. Ethnic Studies exists as a
sub-area within the "Area D" requirement.
Ethnic studies and cultural/global awareness . This bill does not
contain a definition for "ethnic studies." Traditionally ethnic
studies departments focus on race and ethnicity with a goal
toward better understanding the social, political, and cultural
factors that contribute to racism and racial diversity. The CSU
Chancellor's Office notes that while ethnic studies are very
important courses, there are many educational experiences that
provide outcomes of increased understanding of diverse
ethnicities and cultures. For example, CSU points to study
abroad programs, internships, language courses, service-learning
courses, and the numerous culturally focused courses in a
variety of disciplines. It is unclear if the author intends for
these additional types of courses and programs to be included
under the term "ethnic studies." Committee staff understands the
author intends to add a definition for "ethnic studies" to the
bill at a later date.
Impact on transfer requirements . In recent years the Legislature
has pushed the public postsecondary education segments to
increase the number of degree holders and to reduce the amount
of time it takes students to obtain a degree. Recently enacted
legislation, SB 1440 (Padilla, Chapter 428, Statutes of 2010),
furthers this effort by requiring California Community Colleges
(CCC) and CSU to develop undergraduate degrees with 120 unit
requirements, with no more than 60 units being taken at the CSU.
While this bill places the ethnic studies coursework requirement
on CSU graduates, it does not specify whether these courses
would be taken as lower-division (at CCC) or as upper-division
(at CSU). It is unclear how the requirement contained in this
bill would impact the SB 1440 model curriculums currently being
established. The CSU Chancellor's Office believes that this bill
would require the systems to redo work that has been completed
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in the last year and, by establishing a new six unit
requirement, would threaten CSU's ability to meet the 120 unit
degree limitation.
Applicability to UC. The California Constitution (Section 9 of
Article IX) establishes UC as a public trust and confers the
full powers of the UC upon the UC Regents. The Constitution
establishes that the UC is subject to legislative control only
to the degree necessary to ensure the security of its funds and
compliance with the terms of its endowments. Judicial decisions
have held that there are three additional areas in which there
may be limited legislative intrusion: authority over the
appropriation of state moneys; exercise of the general police
power to provide for the public health, safety and welfare; and
legislation on matters of general statewide concern not
involving internal university affairs. Recognizing these
limitations, this bill requests, but does not require, UC to
comply with the provisions of the bill.
UC graduation requirements . UC curriculum and degree
requirements are established by the faculty and often differ
among the individual campuses. A preliminary inquiry into ethnic
studies or similar coursework requirements found several UC
campuses with established standards. For example, UC Santa
Cruz, as of Fall 2010, requires students to take one course in
"cross-cultural analysis" and one course in "ethnicity and
race". UC Irvine requires students to take at least one course
focusing on the experiences of minority groups within the United
States. UC Santa Barbara requires at least one course focusing
on "the intellectual, social and cultural experience, and the
history of one of the following: Native Americans, African
Americans, Chicanos/Latinos, Asian Americans, or a course that
provides a comparative and integrative context for understanding
the experiences of oppressed and excluded racial minorities in
the United States."
The Committee may wish to consider the following : How will this
bill affect the traditional role of the CSU BOT and Academic
Senates in establishing degree requirements? Who should define
"ethnic studies" and who should maintain responsibility for
authorizing courses/programs that meet the requirement? Is this
requirement applicable to undergraduate students, graduate
students, or both? For undergraduate students, should the
required courses be taken as lower-division or upper-division
courses? How is this requirement intended to interact with the
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requirements for CCC transfer students under SB 1440? Should
exemptions or alternative methods for meeting the requirement be
authorized for high unit majors, second baccalaureate seekers,
and/or transfer students?
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Asian American Studies Program at California State University,
Fullerton
College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University
Department of Ethnic Studies at California State University,
Sacramento
Department of Pan-African Studies at California State
University, Los Angeles
Department of Recreation, Parks, & Tourism at San Francisco
State University
Opposition
Academic Senate of the California State University
California State University, Office of the Chancellor
University of California, Office of the President
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960