Sen. Alex Padilla’s 2010 Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, Senate Bill 1440, was amended by lawmakers to improve the process of transferring from California community colleges to California State University campuses.
The 3-year-old STAR Act was implemented so that CCCs could offer “associate transfer degrees” aligned with approved transfer model curricula. The curricula were supposed to be developed in collaboration with both CCCs and CSUs to ensure students had taken all courses required to transfer. The act guarantees students admission to a CSU as a junior, along with priority consideration upon completion of an approved associate degree program.
“This needed to happen when I was in community college,” San Diego State graduate student Dorian Davis, who transferred in 2003, said. “I was in school for two extra semesters because counselors said I needed two more classes; the classes didn’t even transfer.”
Since the 2010 law, SDSU has taken action. It now offers a variety of majors that comply with approved transfer model curricula in order to accommodate transfer students with associate degrees. SDSU has adjusted several pre-major requirements so that transfer students could be eligible for approved majors.
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I was in school for two extra semesters because counselors said I needed two more classes; the classes didn’t even transfer.
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But even before 2010, SDSU attempted to make the transition from CCCs to CSUs as smooth as possible for transfer students Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Sandra Cook said. “Do I think that we needed a better pathway? I don’t think San Diego State did because we have very good relationships with our local community colleges,” Dr. Cook said. “Our transfer student graduation rates have gone up.”
Legislators’ main areas of concern include inconsistent course requirements, non-transferable units, denied admissions, the invisibility of “associate transfer degrees” and slow progression of SB 1440.
“I don’t think everyone has a clear idea of what they should do at community college,” SDSU transfer from Grossmont College Samantha Segura said. “I know a lot of people have trouble with deciding which classes to take.”
The new bill, SB 1440, aims to tackle these concerns as well as accelerate the development of approved associate degrees, which are aligned with transfer model curriculum within given deadlines. Ultimately, the amendment calls for the production of “associate transfer degree” programs in every major offered at each CCC. The rates at which lawmakers are hoping to achieve this goal have been questionable.
As for the near future, lawmakers foresee that the associate degrees provided by SB 1440 will give transfer students an advantage in enrollment. Students who have obtained an associate degree with an approved transfer model curriculum will be given an advantage when compared to other transfer students.
“We have always given admission priority to our local students” said Dr. Cook. “Now with the SB 1440 majors, we give priority first to the locals who have it and then the non locals. In the future, you’re going to see a proliferation of these degrees.”
