BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 292
AUTHOR: Padilla
AMENDED: March 23, 2011
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: May 4, 2011
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Kathleen Chavira
SUBJECT : Community College Transfer.
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies that a student who completes the
transfer degree authorized by SB 1440 is granted priority
in accordance with the provisions of existing law which
outline enrollment planning and admission priorities for
undergraduates at the University of California (UC) and the
California State University (CSU).
BACKGROUND
Current law, enacted by SB 1440 (Padilla, Chapter 428,
Statutes of 2010), establishes the STAR program which
requires a California Community College district to grant
an associate degree that deems the student eligible for
transfer into the California State University (CSU),
subject to specified requirements, and requires the CSU to
guarantee admission with junior status to California
Community College (CCC) students meeting those
requirements.
Current law declares the Legislature's intent that, for UC
and CSU undergraduates, enrollment planning and admission
priority, to the extent practicable, follow the following
order:
(1) Continuing undergraduate students in good
standing.
(2) California Community College transfer
students who have
successfully concluded a course of study in an
approved transfer agreement program.
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(3) Other California Community College students
who have met all of
the requirements for transfer.
(4) Other qualified transfer students.
(5) California residents entering at the
freshman or sophomore levels.
Current law also requires the UC and CSU to establish
policies that give preference (to the fullest extent
possible under state and federal law, statutes, and
regulations) in transfer admissions decisions to
historically underrepresented groups or economically
disadvantaged family in transfer admissions decisions.
Current law further declares the Legislature's intent that
within each of these enrollment categories, priority
consideration in admissions practice be granted to these
groups in this order:
(1) Residents of California who are recently
released veterans of the armed forces of the
United States (with those who were enrolled in
good standing at the UC or CSU prior to military
service receive priority over other veterans
recently released from military service).
(2) Transfers from California public community
colleges.
(3) Applicants who have been previously enrolled
at the campus, to which they are applying,
provided they left this institution in good
standing.
(4) Applicants who have a degree or credential
objective that is not generally offered at other
public institutions of higher learning within
California.
(5) Applicants for whom the distance involved in
attending another institution would create
financial or other hardships.
(Education Code � 66202)
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ANALYSIS
This bill :
1) Clarifies that students who complete the requirements
outlined for a transfer degree by SB 1440 (Padilla,
2010) are granted priority in enrollment over all
other community college transfer students consistent
with the current statutorily outlined enrollment
planning and admission priorities in Education Code
� 66202.
2) Clarifies that students admitted under the provisions
established by
SB 1440 are deemed to have met the requirements for an
approved transfer agreement consistent with the
provisions of Education Code � 66202.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . In October 2010 the California
State University and the California Community Colleges
announced a joint task force charged with implementing
SB 1440, the Student Transfer Achievement Act. The
task force is working to ensure coordination between
the CSU system and the California Community Colleges
for a smooth implementation process, and may make
recommendations for further legislation, regulatory
changes or other policy changes. This bill is intended
as a vehicle for any necessary legislative changes
which may emerge as a result of the activities of the
task force in order to facilitate the implementation
of the provisions of
SB 1440.
2) Parallel provisions . The provisions of this bill are
identical to those contained in Section 4 of SB 940
(Committee on Education), also on the agenda for the
committee's consideration today. In a Letter to the
Journal dated August, 2010 regarding SB 1440 (Padilla,
Chapter 428, Statutes of 2010), the author clarified
that SB 1440 did not seek, and should not be
construed, to change the current priority admission
for individuals established in Education Code Section
66202, and committed to codifying this intent in
statute. This bill serves as a means for ensuring
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that the author meets that commitment in the unlikely
event the language is deleted from the bill authored
by the Senate Education Committee.
SUPPORT
California State University
Community College League of California
OPPOSITION
None received.