BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2132
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 16, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                      AB 2132 (Lara) - As Amended:  May 2, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              Higher 
          EducationVote:6-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Trustees of the California State 
          University (CSU) and urges the Regents of the University of 
          California (UC) to develop and distribute-during 2013-14 for 
          implementation in 2014-15-criteria for the evaluation of tenure 
          that includes service both to the respective campus communities 
          and the communities outside the campuses.

          CSU and UC are to also identify and notify tenure track faculty 
          about opportunities for the types of service satisfying the 
          criteria developed above, and to encourage and reward 
          participation in such service by giving favorable consideration 
          to tenure candidates who can substantiate how their 
          participation enriches their teaching.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)CSU indicates it would need to alter all Review, Tenure, and 
            Promotion documents throughout the system, which will take a 
            great deal of staff and faculty time because there will be 
            necessary adjustments to insert community service as a 
            distinct requirement for all tenure track faculty. 
            Consideration must be given to the type, amount, and relative 
            contribution and importance of community service in relation 
            to teaching and research. This will require faculty throughout 
            the system to engage in process of establishing and working in 
            committees to ensure faculty governance. 

            CSU estimates the equivalent of about 100 full-time positions 
            of faculty release time systemwide for this work, at an 
            estimated one-time cost of $6.6 million. In addition, CSU 








                                                                  AB 2132
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            would incur ongoing cost of around $1 million for a full-time 
            position at each campus to identify and notify faculty 
            regarding volunteer opportunities.

          2)UC anticipates that costs will be absorbable. (See Opposition 
            below.) 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . According to the author's office, "Faculty members 
            often engage in service out of a commitment to students and 
            the identified needs of their communities. However, service 
            has not been consistently conceptualized as an important part 
            of the tenure process. Although faculty service in the higher 
            education segments can be linked to the segmental mission 
            statements, a clear message valuing service is lacking?AB 2132 
            ensure tenure policies encourage and reward faculty service 
            both to the campus and the community."

           2)Opposition  . UC contends that service is already included as a 
            key criterion in its policies for promotion and tenure. UC 
            argues this bill "could set a legislative precedent that 
            undermines the University's long-held responsibility for 
            establishing the determinants of tenure and other academic 
            matters."

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081