GOVERNOR SIGNS SB 1440 TO EASE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFERS INTO STATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

East County News Service 

October 4, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Leaders at the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District today praised Governor Schwarzenegger for signing SB 1440, the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (STAR).

“The legislation recognizes the need to streamline the transfer process and provides an improved, more efficient pathway between California Community Colleges and California State Universities,” Chancellor Cindy Miles said.

She expressed appreciation in our region’s bipartisan Legislative representatives, as well as the Governor, for supporting the bill. “SB 1440 sends a strong and encouraging message to our students, letting them know that if they obtain a community college associate degree for transfer, they will be guaranteed admission with junior standing to the California State University system, including priority admission to their local CSU campus. This commitment is historic.”

All six community college districts in San Diego and Imperial Counties strongly supported the legislation and worked hard for its passage. Each year tens of thousands of the area’s community college students transfer to San Diego State University or California State University, San Marcos.

Officials project that SB 1440, which Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law last week, will save the state about $160 million annually by freeing up capacity to serve more students in both the community college and California State University systems.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board president Bill Garrett, whose board has been active in student success initiatives, said removing educational and financial barriers to student success is crucial. “It is very important that the law simplifies the transfer process so students will not be required to take excess class units to make up for courses that did not transfer from their community college,” he said. “Many of our 30,000 students balance full or part-time jobs with a full class load. Saving time and money with a more clearly defined pathway will be very beneficial.”
 

According to Grossmont College student Marc Valenzuela, “This bill is a great move forward for students. Most of us end up taking an average of 80 units when only 60 are needed to transfer. Inconsistent course requirements are one of the main causes, and can be really discouraging to students. What’s most exciting though is the guaranteed transfer to a CSU with junior status, which I think will push more students to succeed.”

The bill passed the Assembly 73--0 and the Senate 34-0.  All San Diego County representatives voted for the measure, with the exception of Senators Dennis Hollingsworth and Martin Garrick,who were not present when the votes were cast.