BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2092
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 29, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Das Williams, Chair
AB 2092 (Chávez) - As Amended: April 1, 2014
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education: Donahoe Higher Education
Act: 4-year baccalaureate degree.
SUMMARY : Requires the Trustees of the California State
University (CSU), and requests the Regents of the University of
California (UC), to offer to eligible students, as specified, an
agreement guaranteeing that a student who meets certain
conditions, as specified, may complete a baccalaureate degree
within 4 academic years. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the CSU Trustees, and requests the UC Regents, to
offer eligible students an agreement guaranteeing that a
student who meets certain conditions may complete a
baccalaureate degree within 4 academic years.
2)Specifies that an institution may provide for a longer period
of completion for programs such as engineering or teacher
training that may require more than 4 academic years to
complete, but under no circumstances may the time to
baccalaureate degree agreed to under the parameters
established in this measure extend beyond 5 academic years.
3)Delineates that the agreement entered into shall comply with
all of the following:
a) A student who scores in an unspecified percentile or
above on any standardized college readiness assessment
test, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, ACT, or any
other widely administered college readiness examination,
shall be presumed to be eligible to enter into the
agreement; and, a student who scores below the top
unspecified percentile, but above an unspecified percentile
may take another test of the institution's choice, and the
institution shall establish a cut-off score for eligibility
for the program pursuant to that test;
b) The agreement shall be executed by a student and an
authorized representative of the institution before the end
of the student's first semester or quarter of enrollment at
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the institution;
c) The agreement shall outline a general pathway for the
coursework that the student must complete in order to
continue to be qualified for the guarantee and receive his
or her baccalaureate within the agreed-upon time;
d) The student shall not be required to declare a major
field until the spring semester or quarter of the student's
sophomore year;
e) The student shall be required to be a full-time student
and maintain academic standards equivalent to those
required for receipt of Cal Grant awards;
f) A student may also be required to attend orientation
sessions and student success workshops in order to remain
eligible for the guarantee;
g) A student who executes an agreement shall be granted
priority for enrollment for each course that is part of the
general pathway outlined as part of the agreement, as
specified; and,
h) A student who meets all of the requirements of the
agreement and, through no fault of his or her own, is
unable to complete his or her baccalaureate degree within
the guaranteed period shall pay no tuition to take the
additional coursework required to complete that degree.
EXISTING LAW declares that it is the policy of the Legislature
that all resident applicants to California institutions of
public higher education, who are determined to be qualified by
law or by admission standards, as established by the respective
governing boards of the institutions, should be admitted to
either a community college, CSU, or UC campus (Education Code §
66011).
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Purpose of the bill . According to the author, over
the past 10 years it has become increasingly difficult for
students entering into the CSU to graduate in 4 academic years
because they cannot access the courses needed. The author
states, "By requiring each CSU and requesting each UC to develop
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a graduation contract, the school and the student each become
accountable for the student's education and graduation date."
The author argues, "The contract can also be used as a tool of
the colleges to recruit top performing students who are
increasingly tempted to attend private and out-of-state schools
which can guarantee graduation in 4 years."
Background . Graduation rates on college campuses have become an
important national issue. In 2010 President Obama called for
raising the college graduation rate among 25 to 34 year olds to
60% by 2020, a 20% increase in just ten years. Governor Jerry
Brown has set as a goal for each of the State's public
universities a 10% increase in the proportion graduating in four
years.
According to the January 2014 report, "California's Future:
Higher Education, by the Public Policy Institute of California
(PPIC), three of every four bachelor's degrees awarded annually
come from either a CSU or UC. PPIC found that compared to other
states, California's college-bound high school graduates are
more likely to enroll in community colleges than in four-year
colleges or universities. However, according to PPIC, lack of
preparation for college-level work and lack of financial
resources keep many students from advancing in the higher
education system.
PPIC found that only about half of CSU students graduate within
6 years of entering as freshmen and that 4 of every 5 students
earn a degree within 6 years at the UC.
Budgetary constraints . According to the January 2014 PPIC
report, over the past few decades, California's public higher
education institutions have faced disproportionate cuts in state
funding. For every General Fund (GF) dollar for corrections in
2001-02, the state spent $1.89 for UC, CSU, and the community
colleges; by 2011-12, the state spent only $0.82 on UC, CSU, and
the community colleges for every dollar it spent on corrections.
Additionally, PPIC contends that over the past 10 years, per
student GF allocations per student have fallen by more than 40%
at CSU and by more than 50% at UC. California's public higher
education institutions have responded to funding cuts by
reducing expenses, including administrative and faculty costs,
and increasing tuition and fees. PPIC notes that the revenue
generated by tuition and fee increases has not fully compensated
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for GF cuts. Therefore, enrollment has been restricted even in
the face of strong and growing demand. Hundreds of thousands of
Californians have not been able to enroll in college, and those
who do enroll are facing higher costs.
Four-year degree programs . This measure requires the CSU
Trustees and requests the UC Regents to offer to eligible
students, as specified, an agreement guaranteeing that a student
who meets certain conditions may complete a baccalaureate degree
in 4 years.
1)CSU . According to the CSU's systemwide Degree-Seeking
First-Time Full-Time Freshmen Report, the number of CSU
first-time freshmen systemwide in fall of 2007 was 50,866;
after 4 years, 15.9% graduated, with 45.7% continuing on to
additional year(s) of study. Additionally, first-time
freshmen systemwide in fall of 2008 was 51,409; after 4 years,
16.2% graduated, with 47.5% continuing on to additional
year(s) of study.
Currently, according to the CSU 2014-14 Admission Handbook,
the CSU encourages all students who wish to graduate in four
years to take advantage of CSU's 4-year degree programs. Each
CSU campus has developed a four year program responsive to the
needs of the campus community. The common core component for
all 4-year degree plans is a strong advisement program.
Students are expected to meet with advisors each term to plan
a program of study that will assure appropriate progress
toward meeting degree requirements.
Students participating in the CSU 4-year degree program must:
1) Arrive with English and mathematics skills needed to handle
the demands of university study; 2) Declare a major at the
time of admission (or shortly thereafter) and not change
majors; 3) Enroll in a minimum of 15 semester/quarter units
each term; 4) Fulfill all academic, grade, and coursework
requirements; 5) Meet with an academic advisor on a regular
basis and heed advice given; 6) Follow required administrative
and academic policies and procedures; and 7) Meet the unit
requirement (120-132 semester/180-198 quarter units) for the
baccalaureate degree sought. Campuses must: 1) Ensure
regular academic counseling; 2) Provide required courses; and,
3) Schedule sufficient class offerings.
Presently, it is unclear how many CSU students are taking
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advantage of the CSU 4-year degree program and how many of the
23 campuses are actively promoting their 4-year degree
program. To note, Cal Poly Pomona has an active 4-year
graduation program whereby they have a pledge with their
4-year degree program students. Cal Poly Pomona students must
pledge that they: 1) will remain in the same major they
selected when they entered the institution; 2) will
successfully complete 25% of the required units for their
degree per year to ensure meeting the minimum graduation
requirements appropriate to the major; 3) will maintain a
minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.2; and 4) must
earn a "C" or better or credit/no credit in all course work
taken. Cal Poly Pomona in turn pledges to the 4-year degree
program students that if required course or appropriate
substitutions are not available during the tenure of their
program, the participating students will not be required to
pay tuition fees otherwise required to subsequently register
and enroll in courses necessary for graduation.
2)UC . According to the UC, their first-time freshmen 4-year
graduation rates (systemwide roughly 60% of entering freshmen
graduate in 4 years), are well above the national average.
However, UC Riverside (UCR), has a significantly lower
percentage of their entering freshmen graduating in 4 years.
UCR is presently considering an initiative to create a 4-year
graduation contract with their students. It is unclear as to
when UCR will determine if indeed they will launch this
initiative.
Committee considerations . This measure allows students
participating in the created 4-year completion program to not
have to declare a major field of study until the spring semester
or quarter of the students' sophomore year. If students wait
this long to declare their major field of study, will this truly
allow for them to graduate in 4 years? Staff recommends that
the author amend this provision to instead: specify that each
campus shall determine the latest possible time for a
participating student in the 4-year degree contract program to
declare a major, but that a participating student shall declare
his or her major no later than the fall semester/quarter of his
or her sophomore year.
As aforementioned, it is presently unclear how many of the
campuses are encouraging their students to sign up for their
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4-year graduation program. Instead of codifying the 4-year
graduation program, the committee may wish to consider amending
this measure to require the CSU to increase their efforts in
ensuring entering freshmen are aware of the CSU's 4-year degree
program.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960