Board backs shared advocacy addendum as governor—s budget boosts technology, credit-for-prior-learning and Rising Scholars

The Board of Governors on Jan. 14 approved an addendum to the system—s shared advocacy request as staff briefed members on Governor Gavin Newsom—s January budget proposal and how it lines up with the colleges— priorities.

The chancellor's office told the board the administration—s plan would pour one-time and ongoing money into the Career Education Master Plan, with the single largest piece targeted to a common cloud data platform and a statewide technology transformation platform. Deputy Chancellor David O—Brien and Executive Vice Chancellor Chris Ferguson said the package includes roughly $330 million (one-time) to advance the common cloud and systemwide platform and additional ongoing funds to maintain them.

"These technology investments will give our colleges unified data and tools to define program pathways and better serve students," Ferguson said.

The budget also proposes investments the chancellor—s office framed as directly aligned with board priorities: approximately $50 million one-time (plus $7 million ongoing) for credit-for-prior-learning programs, another $50 million one-time for a career passport application, and $30 million ongoing for Rising Scholars, the system program supporting students who are incarcerated or justice-involved. The proposal would also restore roughly $243 million in prior deferrals and provide cost-of-living adjustments for categorical programs and a half-percent enrollment growth adjustment to the Student-Centered Funding Formula.

On the advocacy front, staff asked the board to add three items to the system—s legislative and budget requests: a $60 million increase for the California Apprenticeship Initiative to expand existing grants, authorization for the chancellor—s office to recover staff costs for resource-intensive external data requests, and a renewal of state-issued lease revenue bonds to finance up to 35 affordable student-housing projects.

Board members pressed staff on specifics: how many apprenticeships the money would fund, the timeline for technology implementation, and the legal authority for charging fees for large data projects. O—Brien said the apprenticeship expansion would not on its own reach the governor—s 500,000-registered-apprentice goal but would triple the size of the program the chancellor—s office currently manages and that the office would follow up with finer fiscal estimates. On data requests, O—Brien said the proposed fee authority would be modeled on other state agencies— existing practice of charging for work that goes beyond routine requests.

The board voted to approve the addendum; roll-call votes were recorded and the motions carried on voice and roll call.

What—s next: Staff said they will continue to work with the Legislature and the administration through the spring budget process to advocate for retaining these investments in the May revise and final budget.

Vote at a glance: The roll-call vote for the shared advocacy addendum was unanimous among the members present; the chancellor's office recorded full "Aye" votes and the motion carried.

Sources: Board meeting remarks by Executive Vice Chancellor Chris Ferguson and Vice Chancellor David O—Brien; board roll-call recorded in meeting minutes.