Existing law creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program to provide community college students equal access to academic advice assistance and to encourage community college districts to provide opportunities by compensating part-time faculty who hold office hours related to their teaching load. The governing board of each community college district that establishes such a program is required to negotiate, or meet and confer, to establish a program to provide part-time faculty office hours.

This bill would require each community college district to report, on or before August 15 of each year, the total part-time faculty office hours paid divided by the total part-time faculty office hours taught during the prior fiscal year and post this information on its Internet Web site.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

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.

Existing law creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program to provide community college students equal access to academic advice assistance and to encourage community college districts to provide opportunities by compensating part-time faculty who hold office hours related to their teaching load. The governing board of each community college district that establishes such a program is required to negotiate, or meet and confer, to establish a program to provide part-time faculty office hours.

This bill would require each community college district to report report, on or before August 15 of each year, the total part-time faculty office hours paid divided by the total part-time faculty office hours taught during the prior fiscal year and post this information on its Internet Web site.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

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.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

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.

Existing law, the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, provides that the purpose of the act is to increase California community college student access and success by providing effective core matriculation services of orientation, assessment and placement, counseling, and other education planning services, services and academic interventions. The act specifies the responsibilities of students and institutions in entering into the matriculation process. The act requires participating community college districts to, with the advice of the chancellor, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and other programs designed to facilitate students completion of educational goals and courses of study.

This bill would require the metrics for that research to include the percentage of part-time faculty that are required to hold office hours per full-time equivalent students. annual ratio of paid part-time faculty office hours per part-time faculty full-time equivalent, and would specify that this metric is not intended to affect the allocation of Student Success and Support Program funding.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

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.

Existing law, the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, provides that the purpose of the act is to increase California community college student access and success by providing effective core matriculation services of orientation, assessment and placement, counseling, and other education planning services, and academic interventions. The act specifies the responsibilities of students and institutions in entering into the matriculation process. The act requires participating community college districts to, with the advice of the chancellor, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and other programs designed to facilitate students completion of educational goals and courses of study.

This bill would require the metrics for that research to include the percentage of part-time faculty that are required to hold office hours per full-time equivalent students.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

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.

GOVERNOR'S VETO

GV Bill Id:AB 2069

Author:(Medina)

As Enrolled Ver:August 26, 2016

2/3 vote

Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.

SUMMARY: Expands the metrics to be annually reported by each community college district (CCD) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of matriculation services at the California Community Colleges (CCC) to include the ratio of paid part-time (P/T) faculty hours.

The Senate amendments delete Section One of the Assembly version of this bill, and instead:

1. Require on or before August 15 of each year, each CCD to report the total P/T faculty offices hours paid divided by the total P/T faculty hours taught during the prior fiscal year.
2. Require the information gathered (as specified in number one above) to be prominently posted to its Internet Web site.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires that each CCD, with the assistance of the CCC Chancellor, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP), as specified, and of any other programs or services designed to facilitate students' completion of their educational goals and course of study. Specifies the metrics for said research shall include, but be not limited to the following:
   1. Prior educational experience, including transcripts when appropriate, as determined by the chancellor;
   2. Educational goals and courses of study;
   3. Criteria for exemption from orientation, assessment, or required counseling or advisement, if applicable;
   4. Need for financial assistance;
   5. Disaggregated data by ethnicity, gender, disability, age, and socioeconomic status, to the extent this information is available;
   6. Academic performance, such as the completion of specified unit thresholds, success in basic skills courses, grade point average, course completion outcomes, transfer readiness, and degree and certificate completion; and,
   7. Any additional information that the chancellor finds appropriate (Education Code (EC) Section 78214).
2. Requires the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to develop a formula for allocating funding for the SSSP in order to implement services, as specified (EC 78216).
3. Defines "faculty" as those employees of a CCD who are employed in academic positions that are not designated as supervisory or management, as specified. Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, librarians, counselors, community college health services professionals, handicapped student programs and services professionals, and extended opportunity programs and services professionals (EC Section 87003).
4. Defines any person who is employed to teach for not more than 67% of the hours per week considered a full-time assignment to be a temporary (P/T) employee (EC Sections 87482.5 and 87882).
5. Requires the CCC BOG to adopt regulations regarding the percent of credit instruction taught by full-time (F/T) faculty and authorizes CCDs with less than 75% F/T instructors to apply a portion of their "program improvement" funds toward reaching the 75% goal (commonly referred as "75/25") (EC Section 87482.6).

The state has stopped providing program improvement funds and the BOG has since required CCDs to provide a portion of their growth funds to hiring more F/T faculty.

1. Expresses that the Legislature finds and declares that community college P/T faculty are required to fulfill the same teaching responsibilities as F/T faculty although students have little or no access to P/T faculty outside of the classroom; that the Legislature intends that students have the same opportunity for academic assistance and guidance without regard to whether a course at a CCC is taught by a F/T or P/T faculty member; and, that the Legislature intends that CCC P/T faculty teaching a minimum number of courses be compensated for providing academic counseling and assistance to students outside of the classroom (EC Section 87880).
2. Creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program for the purpose of providing community college students equal access to academic advice and assistance; and, authorizes the governing board of a CCD to provide compensation for office hours to P/T faculty (EC Sections 87881 and 87883).

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

COMMENTS: Background. Part-time faculty have been expected to provide the same high quality instruction as their F/T colleagues, but they often times are not able to provide regular student office hours and are not necessarily compensated for professional responsibilities linked to student success.

Student success and support. Senate Bill 1456 (Lowenthal), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2012, was enacted to implement some of the Student Success Task Force recommendations. Among other things, SB 1456 revised and recast the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Success Act of 2012 in order to target funding to services such as orientation, assessment, and counseling and advising to assist students with the development of education plans. It also required that students define goals, required that students declare a course of study and mandated student participation in assessment, orientation and education planning.

At a regulatory level, the BOG has approved regulations that provide enrollment priority to students who have participated in assessment, orientation and who have developed an education plan. A revision of Title 5 regulations is in progress to implement provisions of SB 1456 to require students to complete core services as well as to declare a course of study. Additionally, in 2012 the Board of Governors adopted enrollment priorities and, in Spring 2013, districts are required to notify students that accumulating 100 degree applicable units or being on academic or progress probation for two consecutive terms will result in the loss of enrollment priority. Finally, as of Fall 2014, students who complete orientation, assessment, and have a student education plan, will receive a higher enrollment priority.

The Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 also specifies that hiring of F/T faculty, including counselors, and providing for P/T faculty support, are "essential educational priorities that contribute to student success."

Importance of faculty office hours. Various studies have shown that office hours play a vital component of higher education; providing invaluable means for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom and/or lecture hall. Office hours have been shown to provide students with confidence and motivation. Many students describe office hour visits just as important as attending a class. Additionally, office hours have been linked to student retention.

Need for the measure. According to the author, "the Legislature has previously acknowledged the importance of this [office hours for P/T faculty] issue." Funds for the program were cut during the recession and have not been restored. The author contends that, P/T faculty have office hours as negotiated by their contracts, but if contracts do not include office hours, which many do not, then office hours are not offered.

GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2069 without my signature.

This bill requires each community college district to publicly post the total number of part-time faculty office hours paid divided by the total number of part-time faculty office hours that are taught.

The state recognizes the many contributions part-time faculty make in students' lives. The 2016-17 budget increased payment for part-time faculty office hours by almost $3.7 million, bringing the total state investment to $7.2 million. In 2015-16, we created more opportunities for part-time faculty to become full-time faculty by providing $62.3 million for the hiring of new full-time faculty.

Although the bill's language is simple, gathering and reporting this information still has a real cost-about 10 percent of the entire allocation of funding for part-time office hours.

We would do better to spend the money on more office hours.

Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0005105

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 2069

Author:(Medina)

As Amended Ver:August 2, 2016

Majority vote

Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.

SUMMARY: Expands the metrics to be annually reported by each community college district (CCD) in order to evaluate the effectiveness of matriculation services at the California Community Colleges (CCC) to include the ratio of paid part-time (P/T) faculty hours.

The Senate amendments delete Section One of the Assembly version of this bill, and instead:

1. Require on or before August 15 of each year, each CCD to report the total P/T faculty offices hours paid divided by the total P/T faculty hours taught during the prior fiscal year.
2. Require the information gathered (as specified in number one above) to be prominently posted to its Internet Web site.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires that each CCD, with the assistance of the CCC Chancellor, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP), as specified, and of any other programs or services designed to facilitate students' completion of their educational goals and course of study. Specifies the metrics for said research shall include, but be not limited to the following:
   1. Prior educational experience, including transcripts when appropriate, as determined by the chancellor;
   2. Educational goals and courses of study;
   3. Criteria for exemption from orientation, assessment, or required counseling or advisement, if applicable;
   4. Need for financial assistance;
   5. Disaggregated data by ethnicity, gender, disability, age, and socioeconomic status, to the extent this information is available;
   6. Academic performance, such as the completion of specified unit thresholds, success in basic skills courses, grade point average, course completion outcomes, transfer readiness, and degree and certificate completion; and,
   7. Any additional information that the chancellor finds appropriate (Education Code (EC) Section 78214).
2. Requires the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to develop a formula for allocating funding for the SSSP in order to implement services, as specified (EC Section 78216).
3. Defines "faculty" as those employees of a CCD who are employed in academic positions that are not designated as supervisory or management, as specified. Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, librarians, counselors, community college health services professionals, handicapped student programs and services professionals, and extended opportunity programs and services professionals (EC Section 87003).
4. Defines any person who is employed to teach for not more than 67% of the hours per week considered a full-time assignment to be a temporary (P/T) employee (EC Sections 87482.5 and 87882).
5. Requires the CCC BOG to adopt regulations regarding the percent of credit instruction taught by full-time (F/T) faculty and authorizes CCDs with less than 75% F/T instructors to apply a portion of their "program improvement" funds toward reaching the 75% goal (commonly referred as "75/25") (EC Section 87482.6).

The state has stopped providing program improvement funds and the BOG has since required CCDs to provide a portion of their growth funds to hiring more F/T faculty.

1. Expresses that the Legislature finds and declares that community college P/T faculty are required to fulfill the same teaching responsibilities as F/T faculty although students have little or no access to P/T faculty outside of the classroom; that the Legislature intends that students have the same opportunity for academic assistance and guidance without regard to whether a course at a CCC is taught by a F/T or P/T faculty member; and, that the Legislature intends that CCC P/T faculty teaching a minimum number of courses be compensated for providing academic counseling and assistance to students outside of the classroom (EC Section 87880).
2. Creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program for the purpose of providing community college students equal access to academic advice and assistance; and, authorizes the governing board of a CCD to provide compensation for office hours to P/T faculty (EC Sections 87881 and 87883).

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

COMMENTS: Background. Part-time faculty have been expected to provide the same high quality instruction as their F/T colleagues, but they often times are not able to provide regular student office hours and are not necessarily compensated for professional responsibilities linked to student success.

Student success and support. SB 1456 (Lowenthal), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2012, was enacted to implement some of the Student Success Task Force recommendations. Among other things, SB 1456 revised and recast the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Success Act of 2012 in order to target funding to services such as orientation, assessment, and counseling and advising to assist students with the development of education plans. It also required that students define goals, required that students declare a course of study and mandated student participation in assessment, orientation and education planning.

At a regulatory level, the BOG has approved regulations that provide enrollment priority to students who have participated in assessment, orientation and who have developed an education plan. A revision of Title 5 regulations is in progress to implement provisions of SB 1456 to require students to complete core services as well as to declare a course of study. Additionally, in 2012 the Board of Governors adopted enrollment priorities and, in Spring 2013, districts are required to notify students that accumulating 100 degree applicable units or being on academic or progress probation for two consecutive terms will result in the loss of enrollment priority. Finally, as of Fall 2014, students who complete orientation, assessment, and have a student education plan, will receive a higher enrollment priority.

The Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 also specifies that hiring of F/T faculty, including counselors, and providing for P/T faculty support, are "essential educational priorities that contribute to student success."

Importance of faculty office hours. Various studies have shown that office hours play a vital component of higher education; providing invaluable means for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom and/or lecture hall. Office hours have been shown to provide students with confidence and motivation. Many students describe office hour visits just as important as attending a class. Additionally, office hours have been linked to student retention.

Need for the measure. According to the author, "the Legislature has previously acknowledged the importance of this [office hours for P/T faculty] issue." Funds for the program were cut during the recession and have not been restored. The author contends that, P/T faculty have office hours as negotiated by their contracts, but if contracts do not include office hours, which many do not, then office hours are not offered.

Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0004311

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 2069

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 6/15/16

AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Huff, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning, Pan, Vidak

ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 6/1/16 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST: This bill requires each community college district to report the total part-time faculty office hours paid divided by the total part-time faculty office hours taught and to post this information on its Internet Web site.

ANALYSIS: Existing law establishes the Community College Part-time Faculty Office Hours Program, contingent upon annual Budget Act funding, for the purpose of providing community college students with access to academic advice and assistance and to encourage districts to provide opportunities to compensate those who old office hours related to their teaching load. The governing board of each district that establishes such a program is required to negotiate with the exclusive bargaining representative (or, if none exists, with the faculty) to establish the program. Participating districts are required to inform the Chancellor’s office of the total costs of part-time faculty office hours compensation paid and the Chancellors office is required to apportion up to 50% of these costs, to be distributed proportionally based upon each districts’ total cost and the total amount provided in the annual Budget Act. (Education Code § 87880-87885)

This bill:

1. Requires that each community college district report, by August 15 of each year, the total part-time faculty office hours paid divided by the total part-time faculty hours taught during the prior fiscal year.
2. Requires that each community college district prominently post this information on its Internet Web site.

Comments

Part-time Faculty Office Hours. In 1997, the Legislature created the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program to improve student access to instructors by establishing a fund to reimburse districts 50% of their costs if they negotiated some level of office hour compensation for their part-time faculty members. Funding for this program is currently disbursed on a reimbursement basis to participating community college districts pursuant to Education Code Section 87885.

The Program had been funded at a level of about $2 million per year until 2001-02, when it reached its peak of funding at $7.1 million. During the recession (2009-2015) this funding was reduced to about $3.5 million per year. Both the Senate and the Assembly have proposed restoral of funding for the Program in the annual Budget Act for the last two years. Both houses have again included an increase to the Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program in their 2016-17 Budget bills and it appears likely that total funding for the Program will be restored to the 2008-09 pre-recession level of $7.1 million.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/1/16)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/1/16)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 6/1/16

AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Dahle, Beth Gaines, Harper

Prepared by:

8/3/16 19:26:05

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Carol Liu, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular

Bill No:

Subject:

SUMMARY

This bill expands the metrics to be reported in order to evaluate the effectiveness of matriculation services at the California Community Colleges (CCC) to include the annual ratio of paid part-time faculty hours per part-time faculty full-time equivalent.

BACKGROUND

Existing law establishes the Seymour Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 to, among other things, increase California community college student access and success by providing effective core matriculation services, including orientation, assessment and placement, counseling, and other education planning services, and academic interventions. Colleges and districts receiving funding under the Act agree to abide by its provisions. (Education Code § 78210-78219)

Existing law requires districts that participate in the Act to establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Success and Support Program under the Act. Existing law establishes a number of metrics for this research including, prior educational experience, educational goals and courses of study, criteria for exemption from matriculation services, need for financial assistance, academic performance, and data disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, disability, age and socioeconomic status, to the extent that information is available.

Existing law establishes the Community College Part-time Faculty Office Hours Program, contingent upon annual Budget Act funding, for the purpose of providing community college students with access to academic advice and assistance and to encourage districts to provide opportunities to compensate those who old office hours related to their teaching load. The governing board of each district that establishes such a program is required to negotiate with the exclusive bargaining representative (or, if none exists, with the faculty) to establish the program. Participating districts are required to inform the Chancellor’s office of the total costs of part-time faculty office hours compensation paid and the Chancellors office is required to apportion up to 50% of these costs, to be distributed proportionally based upon each districts’ total cost and the total amount provided in the annual Budget Act. (EC § 87880-87885)

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Expands the metrics to be reported in order to evaluate the effectiveness of matriculation services at the California Community Colleges (CCC) to include the annual ratio of paid part-time faculty office hours per part-time faculty full-time equivalent.
2. Declares the Legislature’s intent that these requirements should not affect the allocation of Student Success and Support Program funding.
3. Identifies potentially reimbursable state mandated costs.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. The author states, "Given the importance of office hours on student performance, and the significant proportion of classes taught by part-time faculty, this metric should be included in the Student Success Scorecard. The measure will further support the goals of the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act by including the collection of metrics essential for student success."
2. Part-time Faculty Office Hours. In 1997, the Legislature created the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program to improve student access to instructors by establishing a fund to reimburse districts 50% of their costs if they negotiated some level of office hour compensation for their part-time faculty members. Funding for this program is currently disbursed on a reimbursement basis to participating community college districts pursuant to Section 87885.

The program had been funded at a level of about $ 2 million per year until 2001-02, when it reached its peak of funding at $7.1 million. During the recession (2009- 2015) this funding was reduced to about $3.5 million per year. Both the Senate and the Assembly have proposed restoral of funding for the program in the annual Budget Act for the last two years. Both houses have again included an increase to the part-time faculty office hour’s program in their 2016-17 budget bills and it appears likely that total funding for the program will be restored to the 2008-09 pre-recession level of $7.1 million.

1. Data Collection Challenges. According to the CCC, paid part-time faculty office hours are not a state requirement and vary by district according to their individual local bargaining contracts. Consequently statewide data are inconsistent. The Chancellor’s Office is only able to track information from districts which specifically participate in the state’s Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program. The Chancellor’s Office reports that, for the current fiscal year, they have received claims from 30 of the 72 districts, and they expect to receive a few more claims before the June deadline for reporting this information.

The Chancellor’s office also noted that districts that do not participate in the program are not precluded from paying for office hours with other funds. However, the current methodology for data collection does not provide a level of detail that would allow the Chancellors office to determine which districts pay for office hours using other sources of funding.

Since the use of paid part-time faculty hours varies by district, making this information consistent and accurate enough to be useful would involve a costly process. According to the Chancellor’s, colleges which offer paid office hours would need to determine how to accurately track and collect this data from all their part-time faculty in a standardized way, and then have it reported to their local Management Information System (MIS.) Recent feedback from local Chief Technology Officers indicates an estimated average cost of $8000-$12,000 at each of the 72 districts to re-vamp their MIS to include this data collection element.

1. Linking reporting requirements/objective. Notwithstanding the importance of student access to faculty, the matriculation program reporting requirements focus upon an evaluation of the effective use of Student Success and Support Program funds to provide matriculation services by requiring reporting on related student outcomes. This bill would incorporate reporting on an element related to faculty and that is a subject of collective bargaining. In addition, as noted in staff comment #3, collection and reporting of this information through a data reporting system is complex and costly, and arguably would require funding that might be better used to actually provide for part-time faculty office hours.

According to the author, the intent of this bill is to create transparency for students and faculty as to a district’s policy around part-time faculty office hours. Staff recommends the bill be amended to delete this specific reporting requirement from this section of the Education Code. Staff further recommends the bill be amended to require that each community college district prominently post on its Web site whether or not part-time instructors at the campus offer office hours.

SUPPORT

California Federation of Teachers

Faculty Association of California Community Colleges

Student Senate for California Community Colleges

OPPOSITION

None received.

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 2069

Author:(Medina)

As Amended Ver:May 27, 2016

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Requires the metrics for the collection of data to measure the effectiveness of the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) to the annual ratio of paid part-time (P/T) faculty office hours per P/T faculty full-time (F/T) equivalent; and, specifies the Legislature intends that said data collection shall not affect the allocation of SSSP funding.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires that all community college districts (CCD), with the assistance of the California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the SSSP, as specified, and of any other programs or services designed to facilitate students' completion of their educational goals and course of study. Specifies the metrics for said research shall include, but be not limited to the following:
   1. Prior educational experience, including transcripts when appropriate, as determined by the chancellor;
   2. Educational goals and courses of study;
   3. Criteria for exemption from orientation, assessment, or required counseling or advisement, if applicable;
   4. Need for financial assistance;
   5. Disaggregated data by ethnicity, gender, disability, age, and socioeconomic status, to the extent this information is available;
   6. Academic performance, such as the completion of specified unit thresholds, success in basic skills courses, grade point average, course completion outcomes, transfer readiness, and degree and certificate completion; and,
   7. Any additional information that the chancellor finds appropriate (Education Code (EC) Section 78214).
2. Requires the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to develop a formula for allocating funding for the SSSP in order to implement services, as specified (EC 78216).
3. Defines "faculty" as those employees of a CCD who are employed in academic positions that are not designated as supervisory or management, as specified. Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, librarians, counselors, community college health services professionals, handicapped student programs and services professionals, and extended opportunity programs and services professionals (EC Section 87003).
4. Defines any person who is employed to teach for not more than 67% of the hours per week considered a full-time assignment to be a temporary (P/T) employee (EC Sections 87482.5 and 87882).
5. Requires the CCC BOG to adopt regulations regarding the percent of credit instruction taught by full-time faculty and authorizes CCDs with less than 75% F/T instructors to apply a portion of their "program improvement" funds toward reaching the 75% goal (commonly referred as "75/25") (EC Section 87482.6).

The state has stopped providing program improvement funds and the BOG has since required CCDs to provide a portion of their growth funds to hiring more F/T faculty.

1. Expresses that the Legislature finds and declares that community college P/T faculty are required to fulfill the same teaching responsibilities as F/T faculty although students have little or no access to P/T faculty outside of the classroom; that the Legislature intends that students have the same opportunity for academic assistance and guidance without regard to whether a course at a CCC is taught by a F/T or P/T faculty member; and, that the Legislature intends that CCC P/T faculty teaching a minimum number of courses be compensated for providing academic counseling and assistance to students outside of the classroom (EC Section 87880).
2. Creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program for the purpose of providing community college students equal access to academic advice and assistance; and, authorizes the governing board of a CCD to provide compensation for office hours to P/T faculty (EC Sections 87881 and 87883).

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, to the extent districts do not currently collect data on P/T faculty holding officer hours, they would have to establish a system, and potentially make information technology modifications, to do so. If costs averaged only $5,000 - $10,000 per district, one-time statewide reimbursable costs would be $360,000 to $720,000 (General Fund-Prop. 98).

COMMENTS: Background. Part-time faculty have been expected to provide the same high quality instruction as their F/T colleagues, but they often times are not able to provide regular student office hours and are not necessarily compensated for professional responsibilities linked to student success.

Student success and support. Senate Bill 1456 (Lowenthal), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2012, was enacted to implement some of the Student Success Task Force recommendations. Among other things, SB 1456 revised and recast the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Success Act of 2012 in order to target funding to services such as orientation, assessment, and counseling and advising to assist students with the development of education plans. It also required that students define goals, required that students declare a course of study and mandated student participation in assessment, orientation and education planning.

At a regulatory level, the BOG has approved regulations that provide enrollment priority to students who have participated in assessment, orientation and who have developed an education plan. A revision of Title 5 regulations is in progress to implement provisions of SB 1456 to require students to complete core services as well as to declare a course of study. Additionally, in 2012 the Board of Governors adopted enrollment priorities and, in Spring 2013, districts are required to notify students that accumulating 100 degree applicable units or being on academic or progress probation for two consecutive terms will result in the loss of enrollment priority. Finally, as of Fall 2014, students who complete orientation, assessment, and have a student education plan, will receive a higher enrollment priority.

The Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 also specifies that hiring of F/T faculty, including counselors, and providing for P/T faculty support, are "essential educational priorities that contribute to student success."

Importance of faculty office hours. Various studies have shown that office hours play a vital component of higher education; providing invaluable means for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom and/or lecture hall. Office hours have been shown to provide students with confidence and motivation. Many students describe office hour visits just as important as attending a class. Additionally, office hours have been linked to student retention.

Need for the measure. According to the author, "the Legislature has previously acknowledged the importance of this [office hours for P/T faculty] issue." Funds for the program were cut during the recession and have not been restored. The author contends that, P/T faculty have office hours as negotiated by their contracts, but if contracts do not include office hours, which many do not, then office hours are not offered. While the Student Success Scorecard collects and reports various metrics that affect student success, it does not collect information on office hours offered by P/T faculty.

The author states, "One item not collected by community colleges is provision of office hours by part-time faculty. Given the importance of office hours on student performance, and the significant proportion of classes taught by part-time faculty, this metric should be included in the Student Success Scorecard. The measure will further support the goals of the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act by including the collection of metrics essential for student success."

This measure will include P/T faculty offered office hours as a reporting requirement for the Student Success Scorecard.

Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0003266

Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2069

Author:(Medina) – As Introduced Ver:February 17, 2016

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes

SUMMARY:

This bill expands the data required to be collected to measure the effectiveness of the California Community Colleges' (CCCs') Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) to include the percentage of part-time (P/T) faculty required to hold office hours per full-time equivalent student (FTES).

FISCAL EFFECT:

To the extent districts do not currently collect data on P/T faculty holding officer hours, they would have to establish a system, and potentially make information technology modifications, to do so. If costs averaged only $5,000 - $10,000 per district, one-time statewide reimbursable costs would be $360,000 to $720,000. [GF-Prop 98]

COMMENTS:

1. Background. SB 1456 (Lowenthal), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2013, enacted the SSSP, which in part emphasized services such as orientation, assessment, and counseling and advising to assist students with the development of education plans, required that students define goals and declare a course of study. This act also stipulated that hiring of full-time faculty, including counselors, and providing for P/T faculty support, are "essential educational priorities that contribute to student success."
2. Purpose. According to the author, "the Legislature has previously acknowledged the importance of this [office hours for P/T faculty] issue." Funds for the program were cut during the recession and have not been restored. The author contends that P/T faculty have office hours as negotiated by their contracts, but if contracts do not include office hours, which many do not, then office hours are not offered. While the Student Success Scorecard collects and reports various metrics that affect student success, it does not collect information on office hours offered by P/T faculty.

This bill is co-sponsored by the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

1. Comment. It is unclear how the new reporting metric, to be expressed as a percentage/FTES would provide a meaningful, or even understandable, additional measurement of student success. As advocates for increases in P/T faculty office hours—itself a laudable goal—the sponsors may wish to look at a comparison of P/T to F/T faculty office hours in relation to

relative workloads for these respective groups, and also consider a survey to sample actual faculty office hour utilization by students and its perceived efficacy.

Analysis Prepared by: Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 12, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Jose Medina, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2069 (

Author:Medina) – As Introduced Ver:February 17, 2016

SUBJECT: Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012

SUMMARY: Requires the metrics for the collection of data to measure the effectiveness of the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) to include the percentage of part-time (P/T) faculty that are required to hold office hours per full-time equivalent students.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires that all community college districts (CCD), with the assistance of the California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor, establish and maintain institutional research to evaluate the effectiveness of the SSSP, as specified, and of any other programs or services designed to facilitate students' completion of their educational goals and course of study. Specifies the metrics for said research shall include, but be not limited to the following:
   1. Prior educational experience, including transcripts when appropriate, as determined by the chancellor;
   2. Educational goals and courses of study;
   3. Criteria for exemption from orientation, assessment, or required counseling or advisement, if applicable;
   4. Need for financial assistance;
   5. Disaggregated data by ethnicity, gender, disability, age, and socioeconomic status, to the extent this information is available;
   6. Academic performance, such as the completion of specified unit thresholds, success in basic skills courses, grade point average, course completion outcomes, transfer readiness, and degree and certificate completion; and,
   7. Any additional information that the chancellor finds appropriate (Education Code (EC) Section 78214).
2. Requires the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to develop a formula for allocating funding for the SSSP in order to implement services, as specified (EC 78216).
3. Defines “faculty” as those employees of a CCD who are employed in academic positions that are not designated as supervisory or management, as specified. Faculty include, but are not limited to, instructors, librarians, counselors, community college health services professionals, handicapped student programs and services professionals, and extended opportunity programs and services professionals (EC Section 87003).
4. Defines any person who is employed to teach for not more than 67 percent of the hours per week considered a full-time assignment to be a temporary (P/T) employee (EC Sections 87482.5 and 87882).
5. Requires the CCC BOG to adopt regulations regarding the percent of credit instruction taught by full-time (F/T) faculty and authorizes CCDs with less than 75 percent F/T instructors to apply a portion of their "program improvement" funds toward reaching the 75 percent goal (commonly referred as "75/25") (EC Section 87482.6).

The state has stopped providing program improvement funds and the BOG has since required CCDs to provide a portion of their growth funds to hiring more F/T faculty.

1. Expresses that the Legislature finds and declares that community college P/T faculty are required to fulfill the same teaching responsibilities as F/T faculty although students have little or no access to P/T faculty outside of the classroom; that the Legislature intends that students have the same opportunity for academic assistance and guidance without regard to whether a course at a CCC is taught by a F/T or P/T faculty member; and, that the Legislature intends that CCC P/T faculty teaching a minimum number of courses be compensated for providing academic counseling and assistance to students outside of the classroom (EC Section 87880).
2. Creates the Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours Program for the purpose of providing community college students equal access to academic advice and assistance; and, authorizes the governing board of a CCD to provide compensation for office hours to P/T faculty (EC Sections 87881 and 87883).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Background. Part-time faculty have been expected to provide the same high quality instruction as their F/T colleagues, but they often times are not able to provide regular student office hours and are not necessarily compensated for professional responsibilities linked to student success.

Student success and support. Senate Bill 1456 (Lowenthal), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2013, was enacted to implement some of the Student Success Task Force recommendations. Among other things, SB 1456 revised and recast the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Success Act of 2012 in order to target funding to services such as orientation, assessment, and counseling and advising to assist students with the development of education plans. It also required that students define goals, required that students declare a course of study and mandated student participation in assessment, orientation and education planning.

At a regulatory level, the BOG has approved regulations that provide enrollment priority to students who have participated in assessment, orientation and who have developed an education plan. A revision of Title 5 regulations is in progress to implement provisions of SB 1456 to require students to complete core services as well as to declare a course of study. Additionally, in 2012 the Board of Governors adopted enrollment priorities and, in Spring 2013, districts are required to notify students that accumulating 100 degree applicable units or being on academic or progress probation for two consecutive terms will result in the loss of enrollment priority. Finally, as of Fall 2014, students who complete orientation, assessment, and have a student education plan, will receive a higher enrollment priority.

The Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 also specifies that hiring of F/T faculty, including counselors, and providing for P/T faculty support, are "essential educational priorities that contribute to student success."

Importance of faculty office hours. Various studies have shown that office hours play a vital component of higher education; providing invaluable means for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom and/or lecture hall. Office hours have been shown to provide students with confidence and motivation. Many students describe office hour visits just as important as attending a class. Additionally, office hours have been linked to student retention.

Need for the measure. According to the author, "the Legislature has previously acknowledged the importance of this [office hours for P/T faculty] issue." Funds for the program were cut during the recession and have not been restored. The author contends that, P/T faculty have office hours as negotiated by their contracts, but if contracts do not include office hours, which many do not, then office hours are not offered. While the Student Success Scorecard collects and reports various metrics that affect student success, it does not collect information on office hours offered by P/T faculty.

The author states, "One item not collected by community colleges is provision of office hours by part-time faculty. Given the importance of office hours on student performance, and the significant proportion of classes taught by part-time faculty, this metric should be included in the Student Success Scorecard. The measure will further support the goals of the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act by including the collection of metrics essential for student success."

This measure will include P/T faculty offered office hours as a reporting requirement for the Student Success Scorecard.

Policy concern. The CCC Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) has expressed a concern that as drafted, it is likely the CCDs may not be able to fully implement this measure. The CCCCO contends that because the majority of CCDs do not provide their P/T faculty with office hours, this measure may not be feasible. Lastly, the CCCCO believes that of the few CCDs that do provide limited office hours to their P/T faculty, this measure is unclear as to how the office hours would be reported and presented in the Scorecard.

Moving forward, the author may wish to continue to work with the CCCCO in an attempt to address their concerns.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Federation of Teachers

Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (co-sponsor)

Student Senate for California Community Colleges (co-sponsor)

13 Individuals

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960