Legislation to Increase Transparency and Restore Local Service Area Guarantee to be Voted on Tomorrow
In his efforts to address the flawed changes San Diego State University (SDSU) made to its admissions policy causing 1,740 qualified, local students to be rejected, Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) joined with students, educators and community leaders to advocate for passage of AB 2402 and AB 2401. This package of legislation calls for increased transparency when California State University (CSU) campuses make changes to their admissions policies that affect local student populations, and would also formally recognize and reinstate local admissions priority for CSU campuses to students in the region that meet the admissions requirements. The bills will be heard tomorrow in the Senate Education Committee.
“These students played by the rules and fulfilled the requirements for admission, yet they have been disenfranchised by their local public university. It is deplorable that SDSU’s administration changed its admission policy at the last minute, without public input and no regard for the students whose college careers have now stalled before they’ve even begun,” said Assemblymember Block. “To stand up for these students and prevent this situation from reoccurring in the future, I have proposed legislation that will provide greater transparency measures when admissions policy changes are made that affect local students, and ensure that qualified students who are place-bound are able to pursue higher education at their local CSU campus.”
Last year, SDSU implemented its admissions changes without notifying the surrounding community that would have been affected. Because students had planned their academic curriculum for the original admissions criteria, many students found that the eligibility requirements they worked for years to meet were, just weeks before applications opened, no longer acceptable.
The decision was made so late in the application cycle that this lack of notification leaves countless students in a potential state of limbo, as they complete their requirements for guaranteed admission even though that “guarantee” has now been eliminated.
“CSU should not change admission rules on young students while they are in the process of submitting their applications. AB 2401 and AB 2402 are critical -- they will ensure CSU keeps its promise to our local students and their families,” said San Diego Unified School District Board of Education President Richard Barrera.
Limiting the higher education opportunities for local students does not only negatively affect their academic careers, this action will also have an impact on San Diego’s local economy and the region’s ability to create a strong, capable workforce ready to take on the jobs of tomorrow.
AB 2402 would require CSU campuses to notify the public of any change in their admissions policy for students within a campus’ local service area. The procedural transparency required, before changes to admissions criteria are approved, dictates that the CSU must provide notice of proposed changes in admissions on the Web site of the affected campus and in three local print newspapers.
The CSU would also be required to meet with local stakeholders, hold three public hearings that solicit public comment and post the public comments with the university’s response on its Web site. Additionally, any change in admission criteria approved by the trustees may only become effective one year after the decision is finalized.
AB 2401 would formally recognize the long-standing CSU “local service area” policy. AB 2401 establishes that priority admission be given to qualified students within a campus’ local service area. This bill establishes guidelines for CSU admission practices, including the formal codification of local service areas and specifies that local students receive priority admission.
Contact: Mike Naple (916) 202-0003
