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Bureau advisory committee hears system rollout, licensing and student relief updates
Summary
At its May 26 advisory meeting, the Bureau for Private and Postsecondary Education established a quorum, approved minutes, and received reports on the Connect IT migration, licensing and enforcement statistics, inspection activity, student assistance and STRF payouts, and the bureau's pending sunset legislation (AB 2771).
The Bureau for Private and Postsecondary Education advisory committee met May 26, 2026, by WebEx. Chair Tess Kraker opened the session, noted compliance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act and recognized outgoing bureau chief Debbie Cochran, who left April 30 to lead the California Education Interagency Council.
Committee members established a quorum and approved the Feb. 4, 2026, minutes by roll-call vote. The committee then heard a series of staff presentations covering information-technology modernization, licensing, enforcement and compliance, complaints and investigations, and student assistance programs.
Department of Consumer Affairs deputy director Lucia Salidar reported that DCA restarted its enforcement academy training and formed a 15-member DEI subcommittee. She also flagged an agency reorganization effective July 1 that will split the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency into two entities; the Department of Consumer Affairs will remain among eight departments under the new Business and Consumer Services Agency.
Jason Pichoni, chief information officer, said the bureau's Connect system completed alpha and beta testing with institutional representatives and plans a soft launch over the coming months. Manila Vongi and Nicole Drau reported licensing activity in the third quarter: 13 new full approvals this quarter (35 year-to-date), six full renewals (53 YTD), and a reduction of pending full renewals to 28'the lowest level in three years. Licensing staff also processed 190 exemption verifications and 123 change requests YTD.
Renee Walters of the discipline unit summarized enforcement activity: four enforcement actions in the quarter (including a default revocation and multiple stipulated settlements) and 89 citations issued in Q3 (234 YTD). Eric Cassida described compliance work: 114 inspections in Q3 and a projected fiscal-year total of roughly 462 inspections, an approximate 8% increase.
Yan Chow, chief of the Office of Student Assistance and Relief (OSAR), described staff growth, closure-related outreach, and work to help students obtain records and complete Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) applications. STRF manager Janelle Quail reported 44 claims received in Q3 and 148 claims processed during the quarter, with 32 approvals totaling $369,431.54 and 35 claims paid through the State Controller totaling $585,265.18. STRF and OSAR continue outreach to Corinthian-affiliated students and reported hundreds of follow-up contacts; 107 such students could not be reached.
Regulatory staff updated the committee on final regulations to set administrative fines for unapproved activity (Title 5 sections 75020 and 75030, effective July 1, 2026) and a proposed housekeeping update to cite Business and Professions Code section 480.2. Ryan Tatcher provided a sunset-review status report: the bureau's sunset bill (AB 2771) has moved through policy committees and was in Assembly Appropriations at the time of the meeting; fee-related provisions remain under discussion.
The committee did not take additional formal action. Chair Kraker said the next advisory meeting is scheduled for Aug. 19, 2026.
Meeting documents and regulatory text referenced in presentations are available on the bureau's website.
