Postsecondary education: Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions.

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher education, as defined, as 4 segments of postsecondary education in the state. This bill would establish the Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions to recognize campuses of these segments that excel at providing academic resources to Black and African American students. The bill would establish a governing board composed of certain members to approve or deny initial and renewal applications to receive this designation. The bill would designate the California State University Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence as the managing entity and would require it to act as a neutral administrative body tasked with, among other duties, developing the application processes and processing and presenting applications to the governing board, as specified. The bill would make an initial and renewal award for this designation valid for 5 years.