The Eroding Master Plan

UC president Clark Kerr hands Master Plan to Gov. Pat Brown

We have noted in earlier posts that the legislature has permitted some "pilot" programs at community colleges in which bachelors degrees are offered, in contradiction to the old 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education.

The Master Plan, of course, is one of the legacies of Governor Pat Brown, Jerry Brown's dad.

These new pilot programs were given a "sunset" date. In theory, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) would do a study and evaluation. Presumably, the legislature could then decide about a further extension.

A bill - SB 1406 - now on Governor Brown's extends the "sunset" date by three years. In effect, the ad hoc approach to modifying the Master Plan would continue. Governor (Jerry) Brown never seemed interested in having a more formal and comprehensive approach to examining the Master Plan and its division of responsibilities between the three segments: UC, CSU, and community colleges. Whether his successor - likely to be Gavin Newsom - will have such an interest is unknown.

Information on SB 1404 can be found at:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1406