Bill Text: CA AB2633 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 2633

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: California State University: joint degrees: international institutions of higher education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 729, Statutes of 2024. [AB2633 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2633-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2633

Introduced by Assembly Member Alvarez

February 14, 2024

An act to amend Section ~~66010~~ 66010.4 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2633, as amended, Alvarez. ~~Postsecondary education: segments.~~ California State University: joint degrees: international institutions of higher education.

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 shall offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education and may award a doctoral degree jointly with the University of California, or with one or more independent institutions of higher education if the proposed doctoral program is approved by the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC).
Existing law establishes CPEC as the statewide postsecondary education coordinating and planning agency, and provides for its functions and responsibilities. Existing law also provides for the composition of CPEC’s membership. The annual state Budget Acts from the 2011–12 fiscal year to the 2023–24 fiscal year, inclusive, have provided no funding for CPEC.
This bill would remove the requirement that the California State University obtain approval from CPEC for purposes of awarding a doctoral degree jointly with independent institutions of higher education. The bill, notwithstanding any other law, would authorize the California State University to award undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees jointly with international institutions of higher education.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in the state. The missions and functions of these segments are set forth in the Donahoe Higher Education Act.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in a provision that, for purposes of the Donahoe Higher Education Act, designates the segments of public postsecondary education as the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California, as specified, and defines independent institutions of higher education for these purposes.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO

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 so long as 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 and graduate degrees may be awarded jointly with 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. ~~The~~

(2) The doctoral degree may be awarded jointly with the University of California, as provided in subdivision (c) and pursuant to Section 66904. The doctoral degree may also be awarded jointly with one or more independent institutions of higher ~~education, provided that the proposed doctoral program is approved by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. Research,~~ education. Notwithstanding any other law, the doctoral degree may be awarded jointly with international institutions of higher education.

(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. ~~The~~

(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.

SECTION 1.Section 66010 of the Education Code is amended to read:
66010.
(a)Public higher education consists of all of the following: (1) the California Community Colleges; (2) the California State University, and each campus, branch, and function thereof; and (3) each campus, branch, and function of the University of California.
(b)As used in this part, “independent institutions of higher education” are those nonpublic higher education institutions that grant undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that are formed as nonprofit corporations in this state and are accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
(c)This part is not intended to regulate, subsidize, or intrude upon private education, including, but not limited to, independent educational institutions and religious schools, nor to vary existing state law or state constitutional provisions relating to private education.