Whereas, The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), county justice centers, and California community colleges are bound by complicated constraints, including laws, contractual agreements, policies, and funding formulas, and policies, procedures, and processes that meet the needs of incarcerated students, faculty, and collegiate support staff serving the incarcerated students and support the needs of the corrections staff under the memorandum of understanding between the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and CDCR need to be established to preserve the best interest of both systems while meeting the goals of educating incarcerated students;
Whereas, The use of CCCApply for all students to enter the California Community Colleges system is required as part of the implementation of the Student Success and Support Program, yet the CCCApply standard application creates challenges for incarcerated individuals aspiring to pursue higher education through a California community college; and
Whereas, Making informed data-based decisions is essential in fulfilling the promise of the Equity in Higher Education Act, which affords all persons, regardless of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or other specified bases, equal rights and opportunities in California postsecondary educational institutions (California Education Code §66251 [1]);
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges engage the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in a dialogue with faculty teaching in carceral institutions regarding modification of the CCCApply standard application to remove all known barriers affecting current incarcerated individuals’ ability to successfully apply for admission to a California community college; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to ensure that the standard application for CCCApply is modified to allow for the collection of data on justice-involved students needed to advocate for equitable allocation of student services and resources.
Acclamation
1. California Education Code §66251: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=66251&lawCode=EDC