BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 813
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Date of Hearing: June 21, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
SB 813 (Committee on Veterans Affairs) - As Amended: May 3,
2011
SENATE VOTE : 39-0
SUBJECT : Public postsecondary education: veterans' enrollment.
SUMMARY : Extends from two years to four years the time a
former member of the Armed Forces can receive priority
registration enrollment at the California State University (CSU)
and the California Community Colleges (CCC) upon leaving active
duty. Specifically, this bill :
1)Extends from two years to four years the time a former member
of the Armed Forces, who is a California resident, can receive
priority registration enrollment for classes at CSU campuses
and CCC campuses upon leaving active duty, if the campus
administers a priority enrollment system.
2)Requests the University of California (UC) comply with these
provisions.
3)Requires reimbursement to CCC districts if the Commission on
State Mandates determines that this act contains costs
mandated by the state (pursuant to Part 7 of Division 4 of
Title 2 of the Government Code).
EXISTING LAW requires CCC and CSU, and requests UC, to give
priority for registration for enrollment to any member or former
member of the Armed Services for any academic term attended at
one of these institutions within two years of leaving active
duty, if the institution already administers a priority
enrollment system (Education Code � 66025.8, established by SB
272, Runner, Chapter 356, Statutes of 2007).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, this bill will result in a potentially significant
reimbursable mandate on CCC and minor and absorbable costs to
CSU.
COMMENTS : Background . In recent years, demand for CSU and CCC
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courses has increased as their budgets have been reduced.
According to CCC Chancellor Jack Scott, approximately 140,000
students have effectively been denied access, over 95% of all
classes are at capacity, and an estimated 10,000-15,000 students
are on wait lists for courses. The 2011-12 Budget Act cut UC's
and CSU's state funding by $500 million each and CCC's budget by
$400 million, and the three segments could face additional
reductions. Thus, competition for class offerings at CSU and
CCC, in particular, will continue to increase as fewer courses
are offered as a result of budget cuts.
Course access . Priority registration enrollment allows
specified students access to classes ahead of the general
student population. Thus, students who have priority
registration enrollment status have a significant advantage over
other students, particularly at CCC. Campuses have wide
discretion in how they assign priority, since current law
provides that priority be given to one group of students-current
and former members of the Armed Forces for two years upon
leaving active duty.
Purpose of this bill . According to the Senate Committee on
Veterans Affairs, even though existing law permits an honorably
discharged veteran a two-year timeframe to exercise priority
enrollment, the two-year timeframe does not coincide with the
various enrollment and admission processes that are currently
being utilized at the public postsecondary education
institutions. For example, a veteran separates from service in
February, gets home, looks for employment following their
discharge from service but subsequently wishes to attend
college, and applies to a university or college. However, given
the state of public higher education funding, many campuses have
closed enrollment sooner and are offering fewer courses than in
recent history. Therefore this veteran may have lost almost all
of the two years of priority enrollment.
Recent efforts on CCC priority registration enrollment : As CCC
classes become more impacted, two efforts are considering how
priority registration enrollment should be used to improve both
student success and the efficient use of state funds.
1)In its January 2011 report, "Prioritizing Course Enrollment at
the Community Colleges," LAO recommends that priority
registration enrollment reflect the goals of the state's
Master Plan for Higher Education. For example, highest
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priority should be given to students who are fully
matriculated (have participated in assessment, orientation and
counseling programs and completed an educational plan) and are
making satisfactory progress toward their educational goals.
Next highest priority should be granted to new students who
have completed matriculation requirements and other key steps,
such as apply for financial aid. Nonmatriculated new and
continuing students, students attending for personal
enrichment, and students who are not making satisfactory
progress toward their educational goal would not be allowed to
register until open enrollment.
2)As a result of SB 1143 (Liu, Chapter 409, Statutes of 2010),
the CCC Chancellor's Office has convened a Student Success
Task Force that is studying numerous factors, including
priority enrollment, as a means to improve the rate at which
CCC students meet their stated educational goals.
Related legislation : AB 649 (Harkey), which this Committee
approved but was subsequently held in the Senate Education
Committee, would expand priority enrollment for veterans from
two to five years. AB 194 (Beall), which this Committee
approved on March 15, 2011, would grant priority enrollment to
foster youth.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Community Colleges Board of Governors
Community College League of California
University of California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960