SACRAMENTO — To increase access to the California State University (CSU) system, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed last  Wednesday SB 1440 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) and AB 2302 by Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-Cupertino).

These two measures will tremendously streamline the transfer process, providing a clear pathway to transfer for tens of thousands of community college students each year.  This simplified process will save students significant time and resources as they transfer from a community college to a CSU campus and will create greater efficiencies for both the CSU and the community colleges. 

Senate Bill 1440 guarantees admission to a CSU campus for any community college student who completes the newly established associate degree for transfer.  This associate degree will be in every community college and will be limited to 60 units. 

In turn, the CSU will admit each holder of this transfer degree with junior standing and require no more than 60 additional units for graduation.  It further provides students who earn this degree with priority consideration for admission into a similar major and to their local CSU. 

Assembly bill 2302 requires that the California Community Colleges work collaboratively with the CSU to inform students and the general public about this new opportunity and encourages the University of California to examine what it would take to join in this new transfer reform effort. The bill calls for the UC to examine the development of a transfer pathway for students which would result in a transfer associate degree and system admission, and it provides a framework for student notification of the new transfer pathway created in SB 1440.

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Preceding provided by Grossmont College President Sunita V. Cooke in “The President’s News Burst” for October 2010.