Governor signs bill to streamline college transfer process?

VISALIA, California (KFSN) -- New legislation designed to make it easier for junior college students to continue their education is presenting challenges for junior college administrators.

Most of the students here at College of the Sequoias know they ultimately want to graduate from a four year school. But making a seamless transfer to a university can take a lot of work, and at times -- causes confusion.

COS student, Guadalupe Chanquit said, "You don't know exactly which classes foregoing to need when you transfer so it's like taking too many classes or maybe not enough"

Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1440 with hopes of making that transfer from a junior college to a four year institution easier. Often students are afraid the courses they take at a junior college won't be accepted by university administrators to apply to their bachelor's degree.

COS student, Elizabeth Gerling said, "A lot of people concerned whether they can transfer their classes, whether they're taking the right classes"

This new bill requires CSUs to accept any student from a junior college who has completed 60 transferrable university units -- 39 of which are general education and 18 that are part of the students major. Sounds easy enough but the new requirements mean redesigning all of COS' majors.

COS President, Dr. Bill Scroggins said, "It will be difficult to come up with the curriculum and have it reviewed by faculty and we don't want to make mistakes"

Scroggins says they will likely not get all the majors reworked to CSU's standards in time for next fall, when the bill is supposed to take effect.

One thing Scroggins says the bill will definitely do is help alleviate overcrowding because they won't have to offer as many classes. Amid record enrollment and budget cuts that's good news.

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arnold schwarzenegger, education, jessica peres

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