California Senate Bill SB850 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 850AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Senator Block  (   Principal coauthor:   Senator   Hill   )  (Coauthors: Senators  Anderson     and Hill   Anderson,   Beall,   Correa,   Lara,   Roth,  Torres,   Vidak,   and Wyland  )  (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member   Chvez   )  JANUARY 9, 2014 An act to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040) to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 850, as amended, Block. Public postsecondary education: community college districts: baccalaureate degree pilot program. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires the board  of governors  to appoint a chief executive officer, to be known as the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts, administered by governing boards, throughout the state, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at the community college campuses maintained by the districts. Existing law requires community colleges to offer instruction through, but not beyond, the 2nd year of college and authorizes community colleges to grant associate degrees in arts and science. This bill would authorize the  Chancellor of the California Community Colleges   board of governors, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California,  to  authorize the establishment of one   establish a  baccalaureate degree pilot program  per campus per district. The bill would provide that the baccalaureate degree pilot program shall consist of a limited number of campuses,   at not more than 20 community college districts,  to be determined by the  Chancellor.   chancellor and approved by the board of governors, which would authorize each participating campus within the district to offer one type of baccalaureate degree, as specified.  The bill would require a baccalaureate degree pilot program to expire 8 years after the establishment of the program. The bill would require a participating  community college  district to meet specified requirements, including, but not limited to, offering baccalaureate degrees in  a limited number of fields of study,   subject areas with unmet workforce needs, as specified,  and submitting a report to the  Legislature   chancellor  at least one year prior to the expiration of the baccalaureate degree pilot program  or one year after the first graduating class, whichever occurs first,  that would evaluate specified factors. This bill would also require the governing board of a participating  community college  district to  perform certain functions   submit certain information for review   by the chancellor and approval by the board of governors, including the proposed governance system of the baccalaureate degree pilot program,  and would  authorize the governing board to charge baccalaureate degree-seeking students a fee for enrollment in specified courses, which would be required to be expended for the purpose of providing a pilot program. The bill would  authorize the governing board of  the   a community college  district to enter into agreements with local businesses and agencies to provide educational services to students participating in a baccalaureate degree pilot program.  The bill would provide that the board of governors shall develop and adopt by regulation a funding model for the support of the baccalaureate degree pilot programs, as specified.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) California needs to produce one million more baccalaureate degrees than the state currently  does   produces  to remain economically competitive in the coming decades. (b) The 21st century workplace increasingly demands a higher level of education in applied fields. (c) There is demand for education beyond the associate degree level in specific academic disciplines that is not currently being met by California's four-year public institutions. (d) Community colleges can help fill the gaps in our higher education system by granting baccalaureate degrees  for   in  a limited number of specific areas in order to meet a growing demand for a skilled workforce. (e) These baccalaureate programs will be limited and will not  in any way  detract from the community colleges' traditional  mission to advance California's economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement, nor will  the   these  programs unnecessarily duplicate similar programs offered by nearby  public  four-year institutions. (f) Community colleges can provide a quality baccalaureate education  with lower costs to their students than a traditional four-year university,   to their students,  enabling place-bound local students  and military veterans  the opportunity to earn the baccalaureate degree needed for new job opportunities and promotion. (g) Twenty-one other states, from Florida to Hawaii, already allow their community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees. California is one of the most innovative states in the nation, and the California Community Colleges will use that same innovative spirit to produce more  health, biotechnology, and other needed professionals.   professionals in health, biotechnology, public safety, and other needed fields.  SEC. 2. Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read: Article 3. Baccalaureate Degree Pilot Program 78040. For  the  purposes of this article, "district" means any community college district identified by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges as participating in the baccalaureate degree pilot program. Each district may establish baccalaureate degree pilot programs pursuant to Section 78041. 78041. Notwithstanding Section 66010.4, the  Chancellor of the California Community Colleges   Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California,  may authorize the establishment of baccalaureate degree pilot programs that meet all of the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 78042. A pilot program established pursuant to this section shall expire eight years after the establishment of the program. For purposes of this section, a pilot program is established when the first class of students begins the program. The baccalaureate degree pilot program shall consist of a  limited number of campuses,   maximum of twenty districts,  to be determined by the Chancellor of the California Community  Colleges.   Colleges and authorized by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.  78042. (a)  The   A  district shall seek  authorization   approval  to offer baccalaureate degree programs through the appropriate accreditation body. (b)  The   When seeking   authorization from the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, a  district shall maintain the primary mission of the California Community Colleges specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 66010.4. The district, as part of the baccalaureate degree pilot program, shall have the additional mission to provide high-quality undergraduate education at an affordable price for students and the state. (c)  The   A  district shall  not  offer  more than  one  type of  baccalaureate degree per campus  in a limited number of fields of study subject to the following requirements, as determined by the governing board of the district:   , as determined by the governing board of the district and approved by the Governing Board of the California Community Colleges, and subject to the following limitations:  (1)  The   A  district shall identify and document unmet workforce needs in the subject areas of the baccalaureate degrees to be offered and offer  a  baccalaureate  degrees  degree at a campus  in  those   a  subject  areas possessing   area with  unmet workforce needs in the local  community.   community or region of the district.  (2)  The   A  baccalaureate degree pilot program shall not  unnecessarily  duplicate similar programs offered by  nearby  public postsecondary educational  institutions.   institutions, unless approved by the Chancellor of the California State University.  (3)  The   A    district shall have the expertise, resources, and student interest to offer a quality baccalaureate degree in the chosen field of study. (d)  The   A  district shall maintain separate records for students who are enrolled in courses classified in the upper division and lower division of a baccalaureate program. A student shall be reported as a community college student for enrollment in a lower division course and as a baccalaureate degree program student for enrollment in an upper division course.  (e) The governing board of the district shall do all of the following:   (e) A governing board of a district seeking authorization to offer a baccalaureate degree pilot program shall submit all of the following for review by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and approval by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges:  (1)  Determine the appropriate   The proposed  governance system for the baccalaureate degree pilot program. (2)  Make decisions regarding the   The  baccalaureate degree pilot program's curriculum, faculty, and facilities. (3)  Establish the level of matriculation, tuition, and other appropriate costs   The level of matriculation  for students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program.  (f) (1) The governing board of the district may charge baccalaureate degree-seeking students a fee, of an amount to be determined by the governing board, that covers the additional costs imposed by providing a baccalaureate degree pilot program, for enrollment in courses that are not transfer core curriculum courses, as defined in Section 66720.   (f) (1) The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall develop and adopt by regulation a funding model for the support of the baccalaureate degree pilot programs that is based on a calculation of the number of full-time equivalent students enrolled in the pilot programs.   (2) All fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the designated fund of the district in accordance with the California Community Colleges Budget and Accounting Manual, and shall be expended for the purpose of providing a baccalaureate degree pilot program.   (2) Funding for each full-time equivalent student shall be at an agreed upon marginal cost calculation that shall not exceed the California State Universities marginal cost calculation.   (3) Each student in the baccalaureate degree pilot programs authorized by this article shall not be charged fees higher than the mandatory systemwide fees charged for baccalaureate degree programs at the California State University.   (4) Fees for upper division coursework in the baccalaureate degree pilot programs shall be set and approved by the Legislature in a manner consistent with the setting of fees for lower division coursework at the California community colleges.  (g) The governing board of  the   a  district may enter into agreements with local businesses and agencies to provide educational services to students participating in  the   a  baccalaureate degree pilot program. (h) The district shall submit a report to the Legislature   A district that received authorization to offer a baccalaureate degree pilot program shall submit a report to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges  at least one year prior to the expiration of the baccalaureate degree pilot program pursuant to Section  78041.   78041 or one year after the first graduating class of the baccalaureate degree pilot program   , whichever occurs first.  The report shall examine the success of the baccalaureate degree pilot program by evaluating all of the following factors: (1) The percentage of students who complete a baccalaureate degree, calculated by dividing the number of students who graduate from the baccalaureate degree pilot program by the number of students who enrolled in the program. (2) The extent to which the baccalaureate degree pilot program is self-supporting, such that the student fees charged pursuant to subdivision (f) cover the costs of the program. (3) Whether there is a problem with finding and paying instructors for the baccalaureate degree pilot program. (4) Whether there was a decline in enrollment  in the   at  California State University  and the   or  University of California  as a   campuses in the regions served by the district as a direct  result of the baccalaureate degree pilot program. (5) The number of students who received jobs in the area in the field of study of their baccalaureate degree.  (6) The amount of student fees charged pursuant to subdivision (f) compared to the amount of student fees charged for courses at the California State University and the University of California.   (i) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (h) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.