SB 547

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth the missions and functions of the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Provisions of the act are applicable to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make them applicable. Existing law requires the board of governors, the trustees, and the regents, with appropriate consultation with the academic senates of the respective segments, to jointly develop, maintain, and disseminate a common core curriculum in general education courses for the purpose of transfer. Existing law deems any person who completes this transfer core curriculum as having completed all lower division general education requirements for the University of California and the California State University. This bill would require the academic senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges to jointly develop and identify online courses that would be made available to students of each of the 3 segments for enrollment by the fall of 2014. The bill would require the online courses to be in areas defined as high demand transferable lower division courses under the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum and to be deemed to meet the lower division transfer and degree requirements for the 3 segments. The bill would require the board of governors to create an Internet portal through the California Virtual Campus that facilitates enrollment in the online courses. The bill would require funding for implementation of the bill to be provided for in the annual Budget Act, and would state the intent of the Legislature that the University of California's receipt of this funding be contingent upon its compliance with the bill's requirements. The bill would require the academic senates to submit a progress report to the Legislature by January 31, 2014, and would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to submit a summary and analysis of the implementation of the bill's provisions to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by October 31, 2015. Pursuant to existing law, this bill would be applicable to the University of California only upon the adoption of an appropriate resolution by the regents. By placing additional requirements on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, until January 1, 2014, establishes the California Virtual Campus for various purposes, including, among others, to enhance the awareness of, and access to, online courses of study. This bill would extend the provisions establishing the California Virtual Campus until January 1, 2017, and would expand the purposes of the California Virtual Campus to include accomplishing the objectives established by the bill relating to online courses. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.