State and Legislative Issues

Whereas, California law established the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) as the coordinating and planning agency for statewide postsecondary education, and CPEC performed a variety of useful functions for California higher education, including data collection for all public segments and advising the governor regarding budgetary priorities to preserve access for students, prior to being defunded by the governor and ceasing operations in 2011;

Whereas, California law established the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) as the coordinating and planning agency for statewide postsecondary education, and CPEC performed a variety of useful functions for California higher education, including data collection for all public segments and advising the governor regarding budgetary priorities to preserve access for students, prior to being defunded by the governor and ceasing operations in 2011;

Whereas, The Title 5 language around distance education classes has not been updated since 2008, and significant changes have occurred during that time that warrant a reexamination and updating of the language;

Whereas, The Distance Education and Educational Technology Advisory Committee (DEETAC) has proposed changes to Title 5 §§55200-55210[1] regarding requirements for distance education classes, and those changes were sent to the field for comment; and

Whereas, AB 2621 (Medina, as of April 10, 2018)[1], would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating an exclusively online California community college and report its findings to the Legislature on or before July, 1 2019; and

Whereas, AB 1786 (Cervantes, as of April 10, 2018)[1], would “require a statewide articulation officer at the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, who would be designated by the chancellor under the bill’s provisions by March 31, 2019, to, using common course descriptors and pertinent recommendations of the American Council on Education, determine, by July 1, 2019, for which courses credit should be awarded for prior military experience”;

Whereas, Current California law defines, for the purpose of Cal Grant eligibility, a full-time student enrolled in any segment of higher education in California as being enrolled in “12 or more semester units or the equivalent”;

Whereas, Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of expanded tutoring on student success [1] and, “the value of learning support and tutoring services to student success cannot be overestimated given the various levels of preparation our students bring to the classroom.” [2];

Whereas, The California Community College Chancellor’s Office in the Vision for Success has tasked the California Community College system with aspirational goals of increased student success and completion [3];

Whereas, The 2018-19 Governor’s Budget for the California Community Colleges (CCC) proposes a radical change to the system’s funding formula that would limit apportionment based on enrollment, provide funding in support for low-income students, and implement performance-based funding to incentivize increasing the number of certificates and degrees awarded [1];

Whereas, The proposed California Online Community College District represents an investment in a new enterprise that expands the scope of the work of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) such that a regulatory agency tasked with ensuring the compliance of the colleges with regulation and law would be in competition with the colleges by potentially drawing students away from existing California community college districts and puts limited state educational resources into duplicating efforts already underway;

Whereas, The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office recently distributed a survey [1] to the system about the consolidation of categorical programs to prepare a proposal for the May revision to the Governor’s 2018-19 budget proposal;

Whereas, Categorical programs were established to guarantee support services and open access to students with disabilities and students who are educationally and financially disadvantaged;