Bill Text: CA AB2317 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: California State University: Doctor of Audiology degrees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2016-09-09 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 267, Statutes of 2016. [AB2317 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB2317-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2317 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 267
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 15, 2016
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 23, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 29, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 20, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mullin
(Coauthor: Senator Leyva)
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
An act to add Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 66041) to
Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code,
relating to public postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2317, Mullin. California State University: Doctor of Audiology
degrees.
Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets
forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's
public and independent segments of higher education, and their
respective institutions of higher education. Provisions of the act do
not apply to the University of California unless the regents of the
university act, by resolution, to make them applicable.
Among other things, the act provides that the University of
California has exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education to
award the doctoral degree in all fields of learning, except that it
may agree with the California State University to award joint
doctoral degrees in selected fields. With respect to doctoral
degrees, the act limits the California State University to awarding
these degrees jointly with the University of California, as described
above, or, with the approval of the California Postsecondary
Education Commission, jointly with independent institutions of higher
education.
This bill would instead authorize the California State University
to award the Doctor of Audiology degree. The bill would require the
degree to be distinguished from doctoral degree programs at the
University of California. The bill would require that the degree be
focused on preparing audiologists to provide health care services and
be consistent with the standards for accreditation set forth by the
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language
Pathology. The bill would require that each student in the programs
authorized by the bill be charged fees no higher than the rate
charged for students in state-supported programs in audiology at the
University of California.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 66041) is added to
Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code,
to read:
Article 4.6. Doctoral Programs in Audiology
66041. (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
(1) Since its adoption in 1960, the Master Plan for Higher
Education has served to create the largest and most distinguished
higher education system in the nation. A key component of the Master
Plan for Higher Education is the differentiation of mission and
function, whereby doctoral and identified professional programs are
limited to the University of California, with the provision that the
California State University can provide doctoral education in joint
doctoral programs with the University of California and independent
California colleges and universities. The differentiation of function
has allowed California to provide universal access to postsecondary
education while preserving quality.
(2) Because of the need to prepare and educate increased numbers
of audiologists, the State of California is granting the California
State University authority to offer the Doctor of Audiology degree as
an exception to the differentiation of function in graduate
education that assigns sole authority among the California higher
education segments to the University of California for awarding
doctoral degrees independently. This exception to the Master Plan for
Higher Education recognizes the distinctive strengths and respective
missions of the California State University and the University of
California.
(b) Pursuant to subdivision (a), and notwithstanding Section
66010.4, in order to meet specific audiology education needs in
California, the California State University may award the Doctor of
Audiology (Au.D.) degree. The authority to award degrees granted by
this article is limited to the discipline of audiology. The Au.D.
degree offered by the California State University shall be
distinguished from doctoral degree programs at the University of
California.
66041.1. In implementing Section 66041, the California State
University shall comply with all of the following requirements:
(a) Enrollments in these programs shall not diminish enrollment
growth in university undergraduate programs.
(b) The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree offered by the
California State University shall be focused on preparing
audiologists to provide health care services and shall be consistent
with the standards for accreditation set forth by the Council on
Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
(c) Each student in the programs authorized by this article shall
be charged fees no higher than the rate charged for students in
state-supported doctoral degree programs in audiology at the
University of California, including joint Au.D. programs of the
California State University and the University of California.
(d) The California State University shall provide any startup and
operation funding needed for the programs authorized by this article
from within existing budgets for academic programs support, without
diminishing the quality of program support offered to California
State University undergraduate programs. Funding of these programs
shall not result in reduced undergraduate enrollments at the
California State University.
