Higher Education Reconciliation Act.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. This bill would require the California State University, and request the University of California, on or before July 1, 2026, and, within 18 months of an appropriation by the Legislature, require the California Community Colleges, to develop and implement, a systemwide and campus-level reconciliation master plan for use on each of their respective campuses to respond to and address cultural and political conflicts that arise on campus, as provided. The bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and request the University of California, to use the recommendations contained in the report submitted by their respective stakeholder workgroups, convened as described below, as a basis for the development of the reconciliation master plan, as provided. This bill would require the Chancellor of the California State University, and request the President of the University of California, on or before July 1, 2025, and within 6 months of an appropriation by the Legislature, require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, to convene stakeholder workgroups in their respective segments that include representatives from specified stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students. The bill would require each stakeholder workgroup to submit to the Legislature and the board president or chancellor of its respective system 9 months after the first meeting of the stakeholder workgroup a report that includes recommendations related to responding to cultural and political conflicts that arise, with the goal of promoting reconciliation on each of its respective campuses. In preparing this report, the bill would require each stakeholder workgroup, at a minimum, to evaluate and report on existing systemwide and campus policies, procedures, and processes regarding cultural and political conflicts. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.