Adding Lifelong Learning and Self-Development Requirement to the Proposed Lower Division General Education Pathway for the California Community College Baccalaureate Degree

Fall
2022
Resolution Number
09.02
 
Contact
Category
Curriculum
Summary
Assigned to: Baccalaureate Degree Workgroup members

Whereas, On October 6, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 927 (Medina, 2021) [1] authorizing the California community colleges to extend the operation of the statewide baccalaureate degree pilot program indefinitely and authorize the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to establish up to 30 baccalaureate degree programs annually;

Whereas, Due to AB 928 (Berman, 2021) and the new proposed California General Education Transfer Curriculum (CalGETC), Area E Lifelong Learning and Self-Development will not be included, but the California State University (CSU) may still require completion of this general education area as an upper-division requirement for all of the CSU campuses; and

Whereas, The Vision for Success Commitment, published by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), states, “. . . the California Community Colleges is continually working to break down barriers to racial justice and equity for the millions of students in our colleges” [2]; and

Whereas, Lifelong learning and self-development help to empower underrepresented groups with the knowledge to challenge racial justice barriers, close gaps in equitable access to societal resources, [3] and promote a higher quality of life for individuals emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually; [4]

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges consider formalizing Lifelong Learning and Self-Development as a general education area for the baccalaureate degree program thus reducing the six flexible units to three units.

M/S/C


[1] AB 927 (Medina, 2021): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB927.
[2] Vision for Success, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Our Commitment section, published by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, can be found at https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Vision-for-Success/diversity-equity-inclusion.
[3] English, L. and Mayo, P. (2021). Lifelong Learning, Global Social Justice and Sustainability. Palgrave Macmillan.
[4] Rojo-Perez, F. and Fernandez-Mayoralas, G. (2021). Handbook of Active Ageing and Quality of Life: From Concepts to Applications. Springer