BILL NUMBER: SR 47	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Leno

                        MAY 19, 2014

   Relative to the City College of San Francisco.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
             HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST



   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco, founded in 1935, is a
long-running and established entity in the San Francisco Bay area;
and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco is the largest
community college district with a student enrollment of approximately
80,000 students in 2012; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco gives individuals who
lack English language skills the ability to learn English to gain
employment and participate and contribute to the economy; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco is the first stop for
many recent immigrants to take naturalization courses to integrate
into the broader society; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco provides a pathway to
career and participation in the California dream for thousands of
people each year; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco is a valuable tool in
maintaining the middle class in the City and County of San Francisco
by being one of the few resources low-income students can utilize to
climb the economic ladder; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco is an important
resource that provides opportunities for low-income students to gain
job skills and adults to obtain their graduate equivalency diplomas;
and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco offers over 50
educational programs and more than 100 work training courses and
specializes in training the future workforce of the City and County
of San Francisco in the hospitality, culinary, automotive, and
construction industries; and
   WHEREAS, California's Student Success Score Card, a performance
measurement system created by the Board of Governors of the
California Community Colleges to track student success at all
community colleges in California, shows that the City College of San
Francisco has a higher percentage of students who transfer to a
four-year university or earn a vocational certificate than the
statewide average; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco is a major job creator
in the City and County of San Francisco, employing about 1,500
faculty members; and
   WHEREAS, The San Francisco Budget and Legislative Analyst has
found that the City College of San Francisco generates well over $300
million in economic activity every year; and
   WHEREAS, In July, 2012, the Accrediting Commission for Community
and Junior Colleges sanctioned the City College of San Francisco with
a 'show cause' order, which required the college to remedy issues
identified by the commission; and
   WHEREAS, On July 31, 2014, the Accrediting Commission for
Community and Junior Colleges will determine the accreditation status
of the City College of San Francisco; and
   WHEREAS, Since the 'show cause' order issue in 2012, the City
College of San Francisco has made substantial progress in remedying
the issues identified by the commission; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco has hired a permanent
chancellor, chief financial officer, chief counsel, and chief
instructional officer, and filled other leadership positions; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco has met nearly 85
percent of the 350 objectives laid out by the Accrediting Commission
for Community and Junior Colleges to maintain its accreditation but
is not likely to meet them all by July 31, 2014, when the fate of its
accreditation will be determined; and
   WHEREAS, The City College of San Francisco has asked for an
extension of time to allow them to fully address the issues
identified by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior
Colleges but the commissioners have declined the request stating that
federal law prevented them from granting an extension; and
   WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education recently stated
that the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
has the flexibility to give the City College of San Francisco
additional time to remedy all outstanding issues without jeopardizing
the commission's standing with the department; now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate
urges the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
to consider the progress the City College of San Francisco has made
and, as necessary, provide the college with additional time to
continue solving problems and keep its accreditation intact; and be
it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.