Bill Text: CA AB656 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: California State University: doctoral programs.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-2)

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-10 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 663, Statutes of 2023. [AB656 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB656-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 656

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Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Cervantes and Garcia)

February 09, 2023

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An act relating to public postsecondary education. An act to add Article 4.92 (commencing with Section 66046) to Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 656, as amended, McCarty. California State University: doctoral programs.

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law provides for the missions and functions of these segments, and states that the University of California has the sole authority in public higher education to award doctoral degrees in all fields of learning, except that it may agree with the California State University to award joint doctoral degrees in selected fields. However, existing law authorizes the California State University to offer certain doctoral programs in education, audiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and public health without that agreement.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that authorizes the California State University to offer expanded doctoral programs that do not duplicate doctoral programs at the University of California.

This bill would authorize the California State University to award doctoral degrees statewide that do not duplicate University of California doctoral degrees and satisfy certain requirements. The bill would require a California State University campus seeking authorization to offer a doctoral degree pursuant to the bill to submit specified information on the proposed doctoral degree for review by the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and approval by the trustees, as provided. The bill would authorize a proposed doctoral degree that is approved for implementation by the trustees pursuant to the bill to be implemented at the California State University systemwide.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Article 4.92 (commencing with Section 66046) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, immediately following Article 4.9 (commencing with Section 66044), to read:

Article  4.92. Doctoral Programs

66046.

 As used in this article, the following definition apply:

(a) “Chancellor” means the Chancellor of the CSU.

(b) “Chancellor’s office” means the office of the chancellor.

(c) “CSU” means the California State University.

(d) “President” means the President of the UC.

(e) “President’s office” means the office of the president.

(f) “Proposed doctoral program” means a proposed doctoral degree program at the CSU pursuant to this article.

(g) “Trustees” means the Trustees of the CSU.

(h) “UC” means the University of California.

66046.1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) Since its adoption in 1960, the Master Plan for Higher Education has served to create the largest and most distinguished higher education system in the nation. A key component of the Master Plan for Higher Education is the differentiation of mission and function of each public higher education sector to increase access and educational opportunity for Californians. The Master Plan has a provision that allows the CSU to offer doctoral education in joint doctoral programs with the UC and independent California colleges and universities.

(2) More recently, the CSU has received legislative authority to offer independent professional doctoral degrees in areas where there is an identified workforce or accreditation need that may not be fulfilled through existing education opportunities in California.

(3) The State of California is granting the CSU authority to offer doctoral degrees statewide that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees as an exception to the differentiation of function in graduate education that assigns sole authority among the California higher education segments to UC for awarding doctoral degrees independently. This exception to the Master Plan for Higher Education recognizes the distinctive strengths and respective missions of the CSU and the UC.

(b) Consistent with subdivision (a), and notwithstanding Section 66010.4, the CSU, in consultation with the president’s office, may award doctoral degrees statewide that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees. In implementing this article, the CSU shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(1) Enrollment in CSU doctoral degree programs established pursuant to this article shall not diminish enrollment in CSU undergraduate programs.

(2) CSU doctoral degree programs established pursuant to this article shall not duplicate UC doctoral degree programs that are offered or under systemwide review by the president’s office.

(3) The CSU shall establish fees for doctoral degree programs established pursuant to this article that shall be comparable to, but no higher than, those fees charged for UC doctoral degree programs.

(4) The CSU shall provide any startup and operational funding needed for doctoral degree programs established pursuant to this article from within existing budgets for academic program support without diminishing the quality of program support offered for CSU undergraduate programs. Funding of doctoral degree programs established pursuant to this article shall not result in reduced CSU undergraduate enrollment.

66046.2

 A CSU doctoral degree program established pursuant to this article shall comply with all of the following limitations:

(a) A CSU campus seeking authorization to offer a doctoral degree program pursuant to this article shall submit all of the following for review by the chancellor’s office, and approval by the trustees:

(1) Documentation verifying that the proposed doctoral program does not duplicate a UC doctoral degree program that is offered or under systemwide review by the president’s office.

(2) Enrollment projections for the proposed doctoral program.

(3) An administrative plan for the proposed doctoral program, including, but not limited to, the funding plan for the program.

(4) Statewide workforce data relevant to the proposed doctoral program.

(b) The chancellor shall ensure all of the following for a CSU campus seeking to offer a proposed doctoral program:

(1) The chancellor notifies, in writing, and sends relevant materials on the proposed doctoral program to the president’s office and the President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities to allow for consultation on issues of duplication.

(2) The trustees shall not approve for implementation a proposed doctoral program if the president’s office has, within 60 days of being notified and receiving materials for the proposed doctoral program pursuant to paragraph (1), provided written objections on the basis of duplication.

(3) A proposed doctoral program that receives written objections from the president’s office in compliance with paragraph (1) shall not be approved for implementation by the trustees unless and until a letter indicating a resolution of the written objections and a mutual agreement, signed by both the chancellor and the president, in support of the CSU offering the proposed doctoral program is submitted to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Committee on Education.

(c) A proposed doctoral program that is approved for implementation by the trustees pursuant to this article may be implemented at the CSU systemwide.

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that, notwithstanding Section 66010.4 of the Education Code, and in order to meet specific workforce needs in California, authorizes the California State University to offer expanded doctoral programs that do not duplicate doctoral programs at the University of California and ensures that the doctoral programs at the California State University are distinguished from doctoral programs at the University of California.