San Diego Mesa College, one of the three colleges within the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD), initiated a health information management baccalaureate program this fall. So far, the program is going well, the college’s president, Dr. Pamela Luster, said in a phone interview.
“So far, so good,” Luster commented. Students participating in the program have particularly busy schedules, she said, since many are balancing the program with full-time employment in the field.
The health information management program is one of 10 existing baccalaureate degree programs that the California community college system is piloting. In fall 2017, five more schools will add their own four-year degree programs, bringing the total number of bachelor’s degrees offered in the California community college system to 15.
A new bill, SB 769, would double the number of programs that the community college system can offer from 15 to 30 and end the current program sunset, slated for 2023. State Sen. Jerry Hill introduced SB 769 in the California State Senate last Friday. California’s community colleges fought a long battle to see the current pilot program initiated, and hope that the new bill will help incrementally advance their cause.
“This is a very modest next step, and an important one,” said Dr. Constance Carroll, SDCCD chancellor.
The new bill still has to be signed by the governor, and could be subject to change before it passes his desk, but Carroll said that she is optimistic about its future. SB 769 also contains crucial pieces of policy that would help the existing pilot program succeed.
Advocates of the program say that they want to eliminate the end date of 2023, since this raises questions about the ongoing viability of the program, which in turn has reportedly deterred some students from applying. Adding more schools to the program would also give the state legislature and the Legislative Analyst’s Office a larger sample size to consider when evaluating the overall success of the program, advocates argue.
