AB 2973

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law sets forth the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education, and details the ways in which their respective institutions are to be differentiated. Existing law specifies that community colleges shall only offer instruction through, but not beyond, the 2nd year of college, and includes in the mission of the community colleges, among other things, the provision of remedial instruction for those in need of it. This bill would revise the mission of the community colleges to instead include the provision of instruction and additional learning supports to close learning gaps for those in need of it, and would additionally include the provision of student support services to facilitate academic success and achievement. The bill would also change the term "remedial" to "pretransfer" and the term "basic skills" to "foundational skills" and would make nonsubstantive and conforming changes to these and other provisions. Effective for academic terms beginning on or after August 1, 2021, existing law exempts a student enrolled at a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University from paying nonresident tuition or any other fee that exclusively applies to nonresident students if the student resides in California, meets the definition of "covered individual" under federal law, and is eligible for education benefits under 3 specified categories of beneficiaries under the federal GI Bill, as the federal law read on January 5, 2021. This bill would additionally include the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program in the list of specified categories of beneficiaries under the federal GI Bill. To the extent these provisions would create new duties for community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law provides that the name "California State University" and the names of various campuses of the California State University, and abbreviations of those names, are the property of the state, and prohibits the use of any of these names without the permission of the trustees. Under existing law, a violation of this provision is punishable as a misdemeanor. This bill would additionally include "California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt" in the list of names of various campuses of the California State University that are the property of the state. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the Trustees of the California State University to ensure that a change in the criteria for admission to a campus of the university complies with specified community notice and consultation requirements. Existing law requires that these community notice and consultation requirements apply to determinations regarding impaction of majors. This bill would provide that a change in the criteria for admission that requires community notice and consultation includes determinations regarding establishing or modifying admission criteria for impacted majors. The bill would authorize a decision to discontinue additional admission criteria for an impacted program or campus to be implemented without following the community notice and consultation requirements, provided that the decision is published on the campus internet website, distributed to community officials and local high schools, and submitted to the Chancellor of the California State University for approval. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 76004 of the Education Code proposed by AB 102 to be operative only if this bill and AB 102 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 84757 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1187 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1187 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.