Credit: Julie Leopo/EdSource
Seven bachelor’s degrees proposed by California community colleges have been flagged by the California State University as duplicating programs offered by CSU campuses, according to a report presented Monday to the community college system’s board of governors. That could put those programs at risk of being approved.
Under Assembly Bill 927, the community college system can approve up to 30 bachelor’s degrees annually, across two cycles each year. In the latest cycle, the system received applications for 29 different programs and 14 of them advanced to intersegmental review, a process during which the degrees are reviewed by CSU, the University of California and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities. As part of the review progress, those university systems can flag proposed programs as duplicating programs that they offer.
In the latest cycle, CSU flagged the following seven programs as having duplication concerns:
- Sustainable Architecture at College of the Canyons
- Biomanufacturing at Los Angeles Mission College
- Applied Cybersecurity and Network Operations at Moorpark College
- Stem Cell and Gene Technologies at Pasadena City College
- Performance and Production of Electronic Popular Music at Rio Hondo College
- Public Safety Management at San Diego Miramar College
- Cloud Computing at Santa Monica College
CSU raising concerns about those programs doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t ultimately be approved. Earlier this year, CSU said it had duplication concerns about a degree in applied fire management being offered at Feather River College, but that program was ultimately approved anyway.
In the report provided to the board of governors, the chancellor’s office said it is currently working with CSU “to collect the details regarding the duplication concerns.” If necessary, the chancellor’s office will then convene CSU and the colleges seeking the bachelor’s degree programs “to collaborate and establish a written agreement that addresses the objections.”
A report to the board listed seven other programs that had been approved in May. They were not flagged by CSU as having duplication concerns. Those programs are:
- Dental Hygiene at Cerritos College
- Dental Hygiene at Fresno City College
- Respiratory Care at Hartnell College
- Respiratory Therapy at Los Angeles Valley College
- Dental Hygiene Administration at Taft College,
- Automotive Career Education at Ventura College
- Aviation Maintenance Technology: Avionics at West Los Angeles College,