{"id":283661,"date":"2026-04-24T11:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/283661\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:40:09","slug":"californias-quiet-college-war-is-about-who-gets-a-bachelors-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/283661\/","title":{"rendered":"California’s quiet college war is about who gets a bachelor’s degree"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than a decade ago while teaching at a community college, Connie Renda, a professor of health information management, met a student whose mother and father never expected him to go to college<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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His parents\u2019 education stopped at about the eighth grade. But he graduated with a Bachelor of Science, before working his way up to a high-paying supervisor role at a health care company.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"FILE:<\/p>\n

FILE: Two large columns mark the\u00a0Boccardo Gate, the main entrance to San Jose State University in San Jose, Calif.<\/p>\n

Kirkikis\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

His diploma, though, wasn\u2019t from a four-year university. Instead, he earned it from San Diego Mesa, a community college that cost a fraction of the traditional price of a four-year education.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cHis whole life changed because he could afford a bachelor\u2019s degree. He would have never gone to that level without that,\u201d Renda said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once rare, the student\u2019s education path is now at the center of a growing educational and political fight in California. Across the state, community colleges are rolling out bachelor\u2019s degrees, aimed at students who have long been left out of the traditional four-year pipelines. This includes older working adults and place-bound students who would benefit from a cheaper local path to careers in fields such as health care and public safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But as those programs expand, they are clashing with the state\u2019s higher education hierarchy. The California State University system is warning that the degrees could further erode its already declining enrollment and strain budgets. And even as community colleges see modest growth, CSU officials are shutting down some community college degree proposals and leaving some hanging in the balance.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe [CSUs and UCs] were worried that it would take their jobs \u2026 but the fact is, that\u2019s not true,\u201d\u00a0Renda said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bachelor\u2019s degrees taking shape<\/p>\n

Renda\u2019s former student was part of California\u2019s first cohort of community college bachelor\u2019s degree students in 2014 under a new state pilot program.\u00a0The pilot program<\/a> included 15 colleges, and Renda, San Diego Mesa\u2019s health information technology and management program director, helped launch the initiative.<\/p>\n

What started as an experiment now extends to more than 50 bachelor\u2019s degree programs<\/a> at about 40 community colleges today, reshaping where Californians can earn their degrees. The programs are largely career-focused, including fields such as nursing, fire science and automotive technology.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re specifically designed to go into a particular career and typically a living wage job,\u201d\u00a0Renda said.<\/p>\n

In the early days of the program, Renda said they had to track every student\u2019s progress carefully. But now, as more students are enrolling in her health information management program, the degree expansion effort has hit its stride.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we proved that they were successful programs, we had community support going into the program,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then also at the five-year mark to say these are good, we needed to keep these as important parts of our economy and our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"California<\/p>\n

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 927 into law in 2021. The legislation allows the community college system to create up to 30 bachelor\u2019s programs per year.<\/p>\n

MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The state program eventually expanded in 2021, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 927<\/a> into law. The legislation allows the community college system to create up to 30 bachelor\u2019s programs per year, as long as they fill local workforce gaps and aren\u2019t duplicates of any programs in the\u00a0CSU or UC system.<\/p>\n

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Even as some programs have evolved and public perception has shifted, Renda said they were created for two reasons.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s access and affordability,\u201d she said. \u201c\u2026 It was to provide access to people who never thought they could get a bachelor\u2019s degree, or thought it was out of their reach or just not introduced to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

A quiet turf war\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stephanie Goldman, the executive director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, told SFGATE that some faculty groups were originally skeptical of expanding bachelor\u2019s degrees because the school system already lacked resources and staff capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at our per pupil funding, we are so underfunded,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cAnd so when this was introduced as a concept, we were like, where\u2019s the funding going to come from?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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That perspective, though, shifted during the pandemic. As COVID-19 set in, Goldman said faculty became more focused on supporting students. More resources also began flowing into the programs, with a shared\u00a0mindset of \u201cdoing whatever we can for students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supporters of the community college bachelor\u2019s degrees believe the programs represent an expansion of opportunity. But within the state\u2019s higher education system, the idea has sparked an intense and ongoing conflict, as leaders clash over whether two-year schools should step into four-year university territory.<\/p>\n

The CSU has raised strong objections, arguing that some of the new programs directly overlap with degrees already offered at some of its campuses. In 2023, for example, the board of governors for the state\u2019s community college system approved a wildfire science program at Feather River College despite formal objections<\/a> from CSU officials who believed the program was too similar to one at Cal Poly Humboldt.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"FILE:<\/p>\n

FILE: A view of the campus of California Poly Humboldt in Arcata, Calif.<\/p>\n

MattGush\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Feather River College in the town of Quincy in Plumas County, though, is approximately 280 miles away from CSU Humboldt. And the distance between similar programs, Goldman said, is often overlooked in these disputes, particularly in the state\u2019s more rural areas.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe would argue that it\u2019s important to take into consideration geographic limitations,\u201d she said. \u201cSo just because two colleges are in Northern California does not mean that they are necessarily anywhere near each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cal State Academic Senate<\/a>, a faculty-led governing body over the system\u2019s academics, has also voiced concerns that the bachelor\u2019s degrees could pull students from the CSU system<\/a>, where funding is already stretched. Though the CSU\u2019s enrollment numbers as a whole have slowly begun to rebound since the pandemic, campuses like Cal State East Bay and San Francisco State have struggled to keep up<\/a> their enrollment numbers.<\/p>\n

Conversely, the state\u2019s community college system is seeing an upward enrollment trend. Many of the state\u2019s 116 community colleges are seeing increases of 5% to 10%,\u00a0CalMatters reported<\/a>, a trend that may be tied to broader economic conditions as people return to school.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the economy is doing well, our enrollments are down, and when the economy is in a tough stretch or in a recession, we see our enrollments go up,\u201d Chris Ferguson, an executive vice chancellor with the California Community Colleges Chancellor\u2019s Office, told the news outlet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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CSU leaders have also argued that community college bachelor\u2019s degrees are contradictory to the system\u2019s core mission outlined in California\u2019s Master Plan for Higher Education<\/a>. Adopted in 1960, the master plan defines the three respective missions<\/a> of the state\u2019s higher education system: the UC centers on academic research, the CSU emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the liberal arts and sciences, and community colleges provide lower-division coursework transferable to four-year institutions, along with vocational training and certification programs.<\/p>\n

Outlining objections<\/p>\n

Newsom has been one of the most cautious players in the battle over community college bachelor\u2019s degrees, vetoing several bills<\/a> that would\u2019ve expanded the programs. In multiple cases,\u00a0Newsom sided with the UC and CSU when they believed the expansion would lead to more competition, including when he vetoed Senate Bill 895.<\/p>\n

\"FILE:<\/p>\n

FILE: Students walk on the campus of\u00a0Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n

As outlined in the\u00a0state\u2019s education code<\/a>, the CSU is part of the group that reviews all community college bachelor\u2019s program proposals. The system has objected to at least 16 proposals in recent years, the Los Angeles Times reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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When the CSU objects to a program<\/a>, it can delay a program or put it in limbo but not end it outright.\u00a0Earlier this year<\/a>, for example, community college officials, who have the final decision-making authority, overrode the\u00a0CSU. The CSU had objected to three new programs<\/a>, but they were approved anyway in February, as\u00a0EdSource reported<\/a>: a cyberdefense degree at Moorpark College, a physical therapy assistant degree at San Diego Mesa College, and a transborder environmental design degree at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.<\/p>\n

Greg Smith, chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, told the news outlet that the approvals were possible largely because of a report from WestEd<\/a>, a third party that evaluated all of the blocked community college programs. The report found that many of the programs the CSU denied were not offered by colleges nearby and had different career outcomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wendy Brill-Wynkoop, a professor at College of the Canyons, told SFGATE that the process of getting programs approved is already thorough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a long process, typically about a year just to get through the application process before the chancellor\u2019s office can approve a college to have one,\u201d Brill-Wynkoop said. \u201cI think what we found in terms of developing the programs is that we run up against resistance from our CSU and UC partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

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CSU spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith told SFGATE that CSU reviewers look at the program details of the community college bachelor\u2019s proposals. She said this includes assessing the curriculum, learning outcomes and credentials, against existing CSU degrees. Though many \u201cduplication concerns\u201d persist, Bentley-Smith said more than 80% of the community college proposals are \u201csupported\u201d or \u201cresolved.\u201d (According to a bill<\/a> currently before the Legislature, CSU officials would only be able to object to proposals if there were a similar program in close proximity.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whom these programs serve<\/p>\n

Experts said because the community colleges are focused on programs with niche workforce areas and are enrolling a different population of students, the programs aren\u2019t pulling students away from universities. Instead, they\u2019re reaching people universities never reached.<\/p>\n

\"FILE:<\/p>\n

FILE: A view of the new campus buildings at San Diego Mesa Community College in San Diego.<\/p>\n

Getty Images<\/p>\n

Goldman said many students are older working adults who are already established in their careers or balancing jobs and other responsibilities, making it difficult for them to relocate or retrain through traditional four-year schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you\u2019ve got a 28-year-old living in a rural part of the state that took two years of general ed, it may not be practical or feasible for them to transfer to a four-year university program that\u2019s in San Diego or the Bay Area,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019ve got a family. A lot of times they already have jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

For students like Rick Campbell, 60, who is studying health information management at San Diego Mesa, the path back to the classroom isn\u2019t linear; it\u2019s shaped by life experiences. Campbell suffered a heart attack just before the pandemic and eventually lost his job of 20 years at a managed care company, putting a pause on his progress toward an associate degree.<\/p>\n

He decided to go back to school and earned his associate degree a year ago. Now, he is part of Renda\u2019s health information management program, pursuing his bachelor\u2019s degree at San Diego Mesa while working part time at the college\u2019s bookstore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping if I do land a job that I\u2019m happy with, I will be able to build up more income. I would like to move back to Texas, where my family is,\u201d Campbell told SFGATE. \u201c\u2026 I was playing around trying to find my place until this program happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

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According to the\u00a0community college system\u2019s website<\/a>, approximately 58% of the students are 24 years old or younger, and 42% of students are older. And in the 2022-2023 school year (the most recent data available), approximately 62% of the state\u2019s community college students were categorized as economically disadvantaged.<\/p>\n

Many of these programs are also designed to address workforce shortages, particularly in fields like nursing. In parts of California known as \u201chealth care deserts,\u201d such as the Central Valley, it can be difficult to recruit workers, especially those from outside the area, which leaves critical positions unfilled. Experts argue that bachelor\u2019s programs like the nursing program can help fill this gap.<\/p>\n

The same access gap extends beyond health care into education more broadly, where students in \u201ceducation deserts\u201d are often forced to travel long distances for a four-year degree or enroll in private schools nearby or online at for-profit colleges, pathways that can come with significantly higher debt.<\/p>\n

According to a 2022 study published by ScienceDirect<\/a>, researchers found that students at for-profit schools take out up to $4,000 more in debt and are 7 to 8 percentages points more likely to default on their loans.<\/p>\n

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The cost of college<\/p>\n

For many students seeking bachelor\u2019s degrees, the challenge is not just balancing responsibilities; it\u2019s also about how much they can afford. Mark Salisbury, the co-founder and CEO of\u00a0TuitionFit, a college tuition\u00a0tool, told SFGATE that the bachelor\u2019s programs give students, especially adults returning to school, a more realistic path to better-paying jobs and upward mobility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re trying to make it possible for more adults to complete the degree and then increase their salaries and improve their economic mobility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

According to a study<\/a> from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the average worker with a bachelor\u2019s degree earns about $1.2 million more in their lifetime than someone with just a high school diploma.<\/p>\n

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Renda also said the issue is especially pertinent for students in underrepresented and low-income communities, many of whom might not have grown up with clear guidance<\/a> about college pathways.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who come from underrepresented communities and cultures don\u2019t really know, and their families don\u2019t know, that you\u2019re supposed to go to college after high school and spend $50,000 a year to do that,\u201d Renda said. \u201cIt was to provide access to people who never thought they could get a bachelor\u2019s degree or thought it was, you know, out of their reach or just not introduced to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FILE:<\/p>\n

FILE: A couple look out at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles\u00a0on Aug. 7, 2025.<\/p>\n

Genaro Molina\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n

On average, earning a bachelor\u2019s degree through the state\u2019s community college programs is about $10,000, while at a CSU or UC campus, it would cost tens of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n

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Community college officials argue that by keeping bachelor\u2019s degrees in their system, it helps address both the cost barriers and inequities surrounding higher education that shape who is able to pursue a degree in the first place.<\/p>\n

A contested future<\/p>\n

Even as the demand for more bachelor\u2019s degrees grows, experts say public perception of the community college system has not caught up. Whether these programs expand further will depend on funding, legislative approval and collaboration from both the state and university systems. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have nursing bills that have been run the last couple of years but ultimately end up getting vetoed,\u201d Goldman said. \u201c… So whoever becomes the next governor, support from that person is important as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Beyond politics, Salisbury said the battle also has to do with the \u201cwillingness of the public and society\u201d to accept community colleges into a new role.<\/p>\n

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FILE: Students walk around campus at East Los Angeles College on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Dania Maxwell\/LA Times via Getty<\/p>\n

He said there is a \u201cdeeply held belief\u201d that community colleges are less academically rigorous than four-year universities, but he argued that stereotype is often inaccurate. Specifically for these bachelor\u2019s programs, he said the stereotype doesn\u2019t hold up because in niche fields like nursing, the expectations and core standards are comparable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re moving toward a world in which you\u2019ll be able to build a degree from credits offered by hundreds of different entities that are utterly interchangeable,\u201d Salisbury said. \u00a0\u201c\u2026 You can treat it more like you\u2019re going to grocery stores to eventually cook a meal at home. You go and buy whatever stuff you want, tons of different choices for all the different ingredients. And at the end of the day, what matters is if you can make a good dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What matters, he said, is not where students take their courses but whether they succeed once they leave.<\/p>\n

Once Campbell completes his bachelor\u2019s program, he hopes his degree is taken seriously and it opens doors for him that once felt out of reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my concerns is that when people learn about bachelor\u2019s programs at community colleges, they may think that it\u2019s a joke or it\u2019s not a real degree,\u201d Campbell said. \u201c\u2026 They are real degrees, and we do learn a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

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