Madison Bell / Roundup, Kat Mabry/ Roundup Bryan Melara/ Roundup
Applause and cheers echoed through the Campus Center at Los Angeles Mission College as two suited personal security guards escorted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on stage to sign two historic bills Monday.
In ceremonious fashion, approximately 350 audience members consisting of students, faculty, state legislators and supporters gathered to witness the signing of Senate Bill 1440 and Assembly Bill 2302.
SB 1440, amended by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) guarantees students a sure transfer to any California State University after obtaining an associates degree from any California Community College.
The two bills will save community college students, taxpayers and schools approximately $150 million by eliminating students completing unnecessary coursework before transferring.
“I have a little bit of my own experience with community colleges,” said Schwarzenegger during the signing ceremony. “When I came to California I enrolled at Santa Monica Community College.”
SB 1440 gives students a clear path to transferring by setting up direct guidelines for CSU’s to agree upon, according to Schwarzenegger.
“It’s not just an articulation agreement with one community college to another CSU,” said Jack Scott, chancellor of California Community Colleges. “It means a system-wide transfer.”
However, faculty members are skeptical on how legislation plans are getting all CCC’s to agree upon one set standard.
“They’re making this huge assumption that all CCCs will agree on what this degree will look like,” said Elizabeth Atondo, articulation officer.
For now CCCs are waiting on the statewide academic senate to guide them in implementation of the bill, according to Joy McCaslin, vice president of Student Services.
“Statewide, (between) 120 community colleges, one issue is that it calls for a new AA degree that encompasses transfer reform,” said McCaslin. “Should each college decide their own degree, or should there be one statewide degree?”
AB 2302, amended by Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-Cupertino), follows legislation SB 1440. It sets the groundwork for CCCs and CSUs to work together collaboratively to influence the UC system to participate in simplifying admission for transfer students.
“This is about students,” said Scott. “This is about making it easier and more efficient and not having roadblocks that stand in your way when you have that desire to get that bachelor’s degree.”
SB 1440 and AB 2302 make obtaining a bachelor’s degree even more possible by enforcing a widespread transfer curriculum, according to Charles B. Reed, chancellor of CSU.
“We have to make those four-year degrees easier to obtain, and not by lowering the standards, but by terminating the bureaucratic roadblocks that are standing in our students’ way,” said Schwarzenegger at the signing ceremony.
These bills will save students money by establishing a specific amount of units that students will need to take in order to avoid taking unnecessary courses, according to Reed.
“Community college students will take 60 credit hours and transfer and be admitted as juniors in the CSU and take another 60 units and graduate,” said Reed. “That’s 120 credit hours. The average credit hours that students are paying for in the state is over 160.”
However the credit process can potentially cause confusion and prolong the process for students.
“It could’ve been a good thing, but now it will be a bureaucratic nightmare,” said Atondo.
Not all students were familiar with the bills but after some explanation needed they had no opposition on the matter.
“I think it’s great,” said Vanessa Crespin, 29, nursing major. “It’s just the stress to get in all the classes (you need) are so crowded, that you end up taking classes you don’t need just to stay in.”
SB 1440 will go be in effect as of fall 2011, giving students and faculty a year to prepare, according to Kathleen F. Burke-Kelly.
The signing of these bills prove that legislators can work together in a bipartisan manner to get something extraordinary done for students, according to Michele Siqueiros, the executive director for the Campaign for College Opportunity.
“So, indeed the Gov. has terminated the complex maze that transfer has been and we thank you enormously for that,” said Sigueiros.
The difference between someone with a high school diploma and a bachelor degree results in 1.6 billion dollars over a lifetime, according to Reed.
“This bill (SB 1440) will significantly increase the work force for the future,” said Reed.
The bill will give more students more degrees in less time, according to Alex Padder, President for Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC).
“It’ll correct an injustice for our community colleges,” said Fong, who has waited long and worked hard to see this bill pass. “Social justice is what I’m after.”
According to Atondo Pierce has always guaranteed students a spot at a CSU as long as they had 60 units and a 2.0 Grade Point Average.
“At Pierce we were already doing that, but a lot of schools weren’t.” she said. “Pierce has always been great about that.”
Atondo feels more could have been done and she made an attempt to advocate some changes by sending a letter to Padilla’s office in Sacramento as well as physically visiting the office.
“It could’ve been a good thing,” said Atondo. “But there’s just so many ways that it can go south, that it can just not work out. I hope I am wrong.”
For questions regarding SB 1440 e-mail questions or inquirys to sb1440questions@cccco.edu
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs SB 1440 at Los Angeles Mission College early this morning. (UD/ Roundup)