WHEREAS, The baccalaureate degree that Moorpark College applied for was deemed to be a duplicate so it was rejected based upon having the same classes that are at the California State Universities [1];
WHEREAS, The California Code, Education Code §78042 has a one sentence clause to allow a California State University or a University of California school to claim duplication and reject any Community College baccalaureate degree program [2];
WHEREAS, Community college students (“students”) in California who transfer have to move or commute an average of 52.3 miles away when they transfer to a California State University (CSU) or have to move or commute 122.8 miles away when they transfer to a University of California (UC) [2], rural area students, veteran students, disabled students, and low-income students etc. may not be able to relocate for a baccalaureate degree [3]; and
WHEREAS, A local job markets are clearly defined in what they need by local economic studies, universities and claims of duplication are for unjustified reasons to deny students a higher education at a cheaper cost [3][4][7][8]; Now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support future bills like SB 850 (Block, 2014) and AB 927 (Choi, 2021) [6] which aim to establish a formal process for identifying duplication programs;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that any objection by a college can only be under four conditions: 1) Local economic labor information says that there will be no demand for graduates of the baccalaureate degree; 2) There are no limitations to transfer opportunities; 3) Students and veterans who enroll in the degree program are not Place-bound due to commitments; and 4) Students will not gain socio-economic upward mobility after completion of the program; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, if no bill is introduced or passed to reform Education Code 78042 in the 2026 session, make Reforming Education Code Section 78042 a legislative priority for the near future.
Citations:
[1]https://edsource.org/2026/community-college-officials-urge-approval-of-…
[2]Marisol, M. (2023, August). Strengthening California’s Transfer Pathway. Public Policy Institute of California. https://www.ppic.org/publication/strengthening-californias-transfer-pat….
[3]https://ahed.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-02/3-five-transfer-barri…
[4]https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Workforce-a…
[5]https://economic-mobility.wested.org/project/research-that-shows-how-ca…;
[6]Baccalaureate Degree Program Process Documentation, California Community Colleges
[7]Education pays, 2022 : Career Outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
[8]https://www.wested.org/blog/driving-economic-mobility-through-career-te…
[9]https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/arccnetwork/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/exa…