AB 1858: California Community Colleges and California State University: Joint Associate Degree Pilot Program.

Existing law sets forth the missions and functions of Californias public and independent segments of higher education, and details the ways in which their respective institutions are to be differentiated. Existing law requires the California Community Colleges, as a primary mission, to offer academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level, and authorizes these institutions to grant the associate in arts and the associate in science degree. Existing law specifies that the California State University shall offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the masters degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education.

This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the Chancellor of the California State University to jointly establish a pilot program to offer an associate degree in general education studies that is jointly conferred by a community college and a California State University campus to former California State University students who are no longer enrolled at a California State University campus but have successfully completed coursework equivalent to the requirements for an associate degree and not previously earned an associate degree. The bill would require the Long Beach Community College District and California State University, Long Beach, to participate in the pilot program and would authorize the chancellors to include 3 additional community college districts and California State University campuses in the pilot program. The bill would require the chancellors, on or before January 1, 2032, to jointly submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program, as provided. By requiring the Long Beach Community College District to participate in the pilot program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on June 30, 2032, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2033.

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 the statutory provisions noted above.