AB 2572

Introduced by Assembly Member Fong
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Alvarez)
An act to amend Section 66010.4 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.
public postsecondary education
California State University: joint degrees.
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 the California State University (CSU) shall offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education. Existing law authorizes the CSU to award undergraduate and graduate degrees jointly with international institutions of higher education. Existing law vests the University of California (UC) with the sole authority in public higher education to award doctoral degrees in all fields of learning, except that the CSU may award doctoral degrees jointly (1) with the UC in selected fields, (2) with
			 independent institutions of higher education if the proposed doctoral program is approved by the California Postsecondary Education Commission, and (3) with international institutions of higher education if, among other things, the doctoral degrees are for professional or applied doctoral degrees that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees, and the CSU complies with a specified review and approval process, as provided.
This bill would authorize the CSU to award doctoral degrees jointly with one or more independent institutions of higher education without approval by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. The bill would also authorize the CSU to award undergraduate and graduate degrees jointly with one or more independent institutions of higher education. The bill would authorize the CSU to jointly award doctoral degrees with accredited international institutions of higher education without (1) limiting it to professional or applied doctoral degrees that do
			 not duplicate UC doctoral degrees, and (2) complying with the specified review and approval process.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 66010.4 of the
Education Code
 is amended to read:
66010.4.
The missions and functions of California’s public and independent segments, and their respective institutions of higher education, shall be differentiated as follows:
(a) (1) The California Community Colleges shall, as a primary mission, offer academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level for both younger and older students, including those persons returning to school. Public community colleges shall offer instruction through but not beyond the second year of college. These institutions may grant the associate in arts and the associate in science degree.
(2) The community colleges’ mission shall include all of the following:
(A) The provision of instruction and additional learning supports to close learning gaps for those who need it, instruction in English as a second language, adult noncredit instruction, and support services that help students succeed at the postsecondary level.
(B) The provision of adult noncredit education curricula in areas defined as being in the state’s interest is an essential and important function of the community colleges.
(C) The provision of community services courses and programs is an authorized function of the community colleges if their provision is compatible with an institution’s ability to meet its obligations in its primary missions.
(D) The provision of student support services to facilitate academic success and achievement.
(3) A primary mission of the California Community Colleges is to advance California’s economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement.
(4) The California Community Colleges may conduct institutional research concerning student learning and retention, and community college programming to facilitate its educational mission.
(5) The provision of instruction and support to close learning gaps authorized by subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall be provided in the form of concurrent support, unless college data and research demonstrates that even with concurrent support a student is highly unlikely to succeed in the course.
(b) (1) The California State University shall offer undergraduate and
						graduate instruction through the master’s degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education, including teacher education. Notwithstanding any other law, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees may be awarded jointly with one or more independent institutions of higher education and accredited international institutions of higher education. Presently established two-year programs in agriculture are authorized, but other two-year programs shall be permitted only when mutually agreed upon by the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
(2) A doctoral degree may be awarded jointly with the University of California, as provided in subdivision (c) and pursuant to Section 66904.
(3) Research, scholarship, and creative activity in support of its undergraduate and graduate instructional mission is authorized in the California State University and shall be supported by the state.
(4) The primary mission of the California State University is undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree.
(c) The University of California may provide undergraduate and graduate instruction in the liberal arts and sciences and in the professions, including the teaching professions. It shall have exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over instruction in the profession of law and over graduate instruction in the professions of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. It has the sole authority in public higher education to award the doctoral degree in all fields of learning, except
						that it may agree with the California State University to award joint doctoral degrees in selected fields. The University of California shall be the primary state-supported academic agency for research.
(d) The independent institutions of higher education shall provide undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in accordance with their respective missions.