Bill Text: CA AB506 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 506

Bill Title: California State University: graduation requirement: ethnic studies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-01 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB506 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB506-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate July 13, 2023

Amended IN Senate July 03, 2023

Amended IN Assembly April 17, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 506

Introduced by Assembly Members Mike Fong and Weber
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Cervantes)

February 07, 2023

An act to add Section 89032.5 to the Education Code, relating to the California State University.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 506, as amended, Mike Fong. California State University: graduation requirement: ethnic studies.

Existing law establishes the California State University and its various campuses under the administration of the Board of Trustees of the California State University. Existing law requires the California State University to provide for courses in ethnic studies at each of its campuses. Existing law, commencing with students graduating in the 2024–25 academic year, requires the California State University to require, as an undergraduate graduation requirement, the completion of, at minimum, one 3-unit course in ethnic studies.

This bill would require the California State University to collaborate with the Academic Senate of the California State University, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the California Community Colleges Ethnic Studies Faculty Council, and the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies to ensure the development of a process, on or before December 31, 2024, for eligible community college ethnic studies courses to meet the requirements of a California State University ethnic studies course provided pursuant to these provisions for students who transfer to the California State University from California Community Colleges. The bill would require the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies to make the final decision on whether a community college course satisfies the California State University requirements for ethnic studies. The bill would provide that a community college course ~~which~~ that has been approved for the California State University ethnic studies requirements as of December 1, 2023, no longer satisfies those requirements on and after August 1, 2025, unless the course is approved under the process developed pursuant to this ~~bill.~~ bill, except that the bill, notwithstanding that provision, would prohibit requiring students who have successfully completed an approved community college ethnic studies course before August 1, 2025, from taking another course to meet the California State University requirements for ethnic studies.

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

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 89032.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

89032.5.

(a) The California State University shall collaborate with the Academic Senate of the California State University, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the California Community Colleges Ethnic Studies Faculty Council, and the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies to ensure the development of a process, on or before December 31, 2024, for eligible community college ethnic studies courses to meet the requirements of an ethnic studies course provided pursuant to Section 89032, for students who transfer to the California State University from the California Community Colleges.

(b) For purposes of the process developed pursuant to subdivision (a), all of the following apply:

(1) Faculty of the California State University shall be duly represented by an equal number of members from each of the four ethnic studies disciplines, as determined by the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies, to develop the process for approving Area F general education requirements for ethnic studies.

(2) The California State University Council on Ethnic Studies shall make the final decision on whether a community college course satisfies the California State University Area F general education requirements for ethnic studies.

(3) The California State University shall collaborate with the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies, the California Community Colleges Ethnic Studies Faculty Council, the Academic Senate of the California State University, and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to facilitate training for ethnic studies Area F reviewers to ensure that the appropriate laws, policies, and procedures governing the curriculum for the California Community Colleges are adhered to during the California State University General Education Breadth ethnic studies Area F review process.

(4) The review process shall be well-structured with appropriate guidelines, timelines, and qualified reviewers in each of the four ethnic studies disciplines, as determined by the California State University Council on Ethnic Studies and the California Community Colleges Ethnic Studies Faculty Council.

(c) (1) For purposes of the California State University General Education Breadth submission cycle for the 2024–25 academic year, the review of proposed community college courses for Area F general education requirements for ethnic studies that is scheduled to take place in December 2023 shall be suspended. The review shall recommence once the new process is developed pursuant to subdivision (a) on or before December 31, 2024.

(2) A community college course ~~which~~ that has been approved for the California State University Area F general education requirements for ethnic studies as of December 1, 2023, shall no longer satisfy the requirements of an ethnic studies course provided pursuant to Section 89032 on and after August 1, 2025, unless the course is approved under the process developed pursuant to subdivision (a).

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), students who have successfully completed an approved community college ethnic studies course before August 1, 2025, shall not be required to take another course to meet the Area F general education requirements for ethnic studies.