State and Legislative Issues

Whereas, AB 2400 (Anderson, March 2010) seeks to authorize selected districts to offer baccalaureate degrees in specific areas; and

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges formulates its positions based upon research and careful consideration of the pros and cons of an issue;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges study the issues of California community colleges potentially offering baccalaureate degrees and, based upon that analysis, develop a white paper for the body’s consideration no later than Spring 2011.

Whereas, Categorical programs support students who are underserved, are disadvantaged economically, educationally and by language, and often are the first generation to attend college;

Whereas, Many programs such as Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS), and CalWORKs have been extraordinarily successful as widely acknowledged by state educators and legislators;

Whereas, Categorical monies were intended to be reserved to fund categorical programs in ways mandated by Title 5; and

Whereas, The Governor’s January 2010 budget and subsequent proposals by the Legislative Analyst’s Office and other legislative processes contain recommendations that could negatively impact community college programs and educational efforts;

Whereas, As of March 27, 2010 these recommendations include:

Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has passed resolutions that acknowledge the primacy of Early Childhood/Child Development faculty in developing the Early Childhood Education/Child Development major (19.04 S06), and that “support the Early Childhood/Child Development Curriculum Alignment Project by endorsing . . .

Whereas, The Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) funding supports a majority of our student populations and a higher degree of diversity by serving students who are typically underserved, from lower socioeconomic populations, and students of color;

Whereas, A memo dated January 22, 2010 with the subject “Avocational, Recreational, and Personal Development Courses … Some Suggestions” was distributed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and sought to offer guidance to colleges seeking to comply with language in the 2009-2010 Budget Act, directing that community colleges, to “the greatest extent possible, shall implement any necessary workload reductions in areas other than basic skills, workforce training, and transfer”;

Whereas, The California Education Code and Title5 gives the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges primacy over determining minimum qualifications for faculty hiring and give local academic senates primacy over the equivalency process; and

Whereas, There are legislative attempts to restrict or eliminate the primacy of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to establish minimum qualifications and its member senates to establish equivalencies;

Whereas, Need-based financial aid is awarded to students on the basis of financial necessity rather than academic merit;

Whereas, Historically, the vast majority of students have attended public or private nonprofit colleges, and thus need-based financial aid from taxpayer dollars was thought to be an investment in individuals for the good of society and not for the benefit of private investors;

Whereas, California Education Code §78300(c) states,

Governing boards shall not expend General Fund moneys to establish and maintain community service classes. Governing boards may charge students enrolled in community service classes a fee not to exceed the cost of maintaining community service classes… and shall maintain uniform accounting procedures to ensure that General Fund moneys are not used for community services classes;

Whereas, The recommendations (as of September 30, 2011) of the California Community College Task Force on Student Success (established in response to Senate Bill 1143, Liu, 2010) do not apply specifically to enabling the success of English as a Second Language (ESL) students, with ESL only tangentially mentioned in the context of basic skills;