The bill, SB 440, is currently waiting to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla, SB-440 was passed by State Senate on Sept. 12.

Padilla’s previous bill, SB-1440, provided the power to give students who finish classes towards an Associates Degree the priority in transferring to California State Universities, and guaranteed acceptance into the system.

It was a guarantee into the CSU system, but not necessarily into the school of the student’s choice. It was an incentive for students to finish up their courses at community colleges, therefore enrolling in classes toward their bachelor degree at a state college.

This new law [SB-440] requires community colleges to provide instruction to students toward transferring, furthermore showing them options toward colleges with specific strengths towards their major.

If the student is unable to gain admission into the school of their choice, the CSU system is required to redirect students to another school within the system. In addition, it requires community colleges to create two Associate Degree transfer patterns per area of study.

Padilla seeks to acquire a large workforce for California. This workforce is to be found primarily through the graduates of California State Universities, which will in turn help the economy for California.

Section 1d of SB-440 states that “Today, one in every four jobs requires an associate degree or higher. In the near future, one in every three jobs will require an associate degree or higher.”

The bill attempts to influence students to graduate with at least an associate degree, which in turn will make it easier for them to obtain job opportunities. By increasing the number of graduates with associate degrees, or of higher equivalence, California’s workforce will be able to rely on a larger amount of educated workers.
In a recent press release, Padilla focuses on the fact that 25 percent of community college students who intend to transfer actually go through with their plans. One key element of limitation is class availability. Students take classes that may not apply towards their major, which may leave other students with another semester needed to take those same classes that were filled.

“Community college students deserve a clear and certain pathway to transfer,” Padilla says in the press release, “I want to make sure that students at every community college campus have the opportunity to earn a transfer degree that guarantees admission to a California State University with junior standing.”

This strategy is used to guide students towards their future courses and jobs. Students who take courses under IGETC, need a minimum of 60 units to transfer, but do not necessarily need associate degree courses. The SB-440 influences students to take those 60 units, in addition to taking their associate degree course. That way, when students transfer to the CSU of their choice they would already have taken courses that link towards their associates degree, therefore moving on to their bachelors degree courses and becoming one step ahead of other students.

“It will motivate students to want to apply to college because they know that they’ll have a guaranteed spot at that school” says Skyline Student and Business Major Meriel Rodriguez.

Transferring students need to have a sense of security when it comes to the schools of their choice. Once the schools are laid out on the table for them, it’s just a matter of which school they believe will be the most beneficial. In addition, CSU students also see this helpful for graduation overall.

“I think that it would help students graduate faster,” says California State University of Fullerton Student Samantha Soriano, “it would encourage students to finish faster, deduct the stress of students to figure out what school they are going to go to, and find employment afterwards more easily.”

California State Universities have a variation between high school students, international students, and community college transfer students. When leaving the community college system, the students do not lose sight of the community that they once had, and bring it into their new community that is a CSU. This community will then consist of educated students, transforming into an educated workforce, thus transforming California into a state with brighter futures ahead for all students.

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