Bill to Aid Community Colleges Signed
Gov. George Deukmejian on Monday signed a $7.2-million bill aimed at putting the California community college system on a firmer track toward improving the quality of education provided to 1.2 million students.
The measure, by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, was regarded by many members of the education establishment as a major reform of the often criticized two-year college system.
Included in the appropriation is $5 million for investment in development and improvement of faculty and $1 million for more aggressive recruitment of women and minorities. The sum is in addition to the current $2.2-billion budget for community colleges.
The new law also contemplates appropriating $140 million over the next few years to implement the full reform program. The governor’s office noted that the measure included reforms proposed by the Commission for the Review of the Master Plan for Higher Education.
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