Junior Colleges Bill Hailed as Boon to County
A bill before the Legislature to reform the state’s 108 community colleges would benefit the eight Orange County campuses, the interim chancellor of the state community college system says.
“It means more work for everyone, but it’s work that’s worthwhile,” John Randall said at a news conference on Monday at Rancho Santiago College in Santa Ana. “It’s going to pay off. And I think most schools feel that way.”
The omnibus bill, AB 1725, is designed to strengthen the state community college system by revising the way the colleges are funded, by providing $50 million to hire more full-time faculty members and by strengthening personnel requirements. The bill also would take the chancellor’s office out of the Civil Service system and establish a separate agency to govern the community colleges.
“Every college I’ve talked to is excited about it,” Randall said about the bill. “It has passed the Assembly and it has passed the Senate. However, it was well known that it would not be signed in its present form. Right now, we are working on amendments for that bill so it will be satisfactory to the governor and Legislature.”
The bill is now being amended in a conference committee.
One question to be resolved, Randall said, is how the money for hiring more full-time teachers will be managed.
Dr. Robert Jensen, president of Rancho Santiago College, said the new budget and personnel requirements will have the greatest impact.
“Essentially, it will put us on the same type of footing as the California State University system,” Jensen said.
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