Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Assembly Higher Education Committee
- Abstract:
- The Assembly Higher Education Committee Records consist of 31 cubic feet of records detailing the activity of the committee in evaluating legislation and policy related to California higher education institutions. The records cover the years, 1987-2004, with the bulk dating from 1991-1994.
- Extent:
- 31 cubic feet
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Assembly Higher Education Committee Records consist of 31 cubic feet of records detailing the activity of the committee in evaluating legislation and policy related to California higher education institutions. The records cover the years, 1987-2004, with the bulk dating from 1991-1994. They contain bill files, hearing files, subject files, private post-secondary educational files, and correspondence files. As stated above, the Assembly Higher Education Committee was originally a subcommittee of the Assembly Education Committee. Although it was instituted as an independent body in 1991, the files include records dating as early as 1987. It is anticipated that the Archives will receive further records from the Assembly Higher Committee. Researchers should ask a reference archivist about recently received, unprocessed records.
The majority of the files concern higher educational institutions and policies. The Master Plan for California Higher Education (the Donahoe Act) and diversity in higher education are major subjects in the files. There are also a significant number of records pertaining to the existence of so-called "diploma mills" in California and the need for legislative oversight on private post-secondary educational institutions. Other noteworthy subjects reflected in the record group are: California Community College faculty standards and compensation, student financial aid policy, standardized testing, research laboratories oversight, education finance/budgets, restructuring initiatives, scholarship grants, work-study programs, educational technology, K-12 teacher training, and University of California/California State University Governance. The files also contain special joint committee reports on racial/ethnic tensions on California campuses, sexual violence against women, diversity, and minority representation among students and faculty in California educational institutions.
- Biographical / historical:
-
House Resolution No. 7 created the Assembly Higher Education Committee on January 18, 1991 out of a former sub-committee of the Assembly Education Committee. The new committee was formed in order to consider legislation affecting public and private higher education institutions. Primary jurisdictions of the Committee are university, state university and community college systems, private, postsecondary education and student financial aid programs. The Assembly Higher Education Committee's name and focus have remained constant since its creation.
In the years since its inception the committee's size has fluctuated. Tom Hayden (Dem.) chaired the committee of twelve in its first legislative session, 1991-1992. Marguerite Archie-Hudson (Dem.) succeeded Hayden and served as the Chair for an eleven-member committee from 1993-1994. Ted Lempert (Dem.) replaced Archie-Hudson and served as Chair of the committee from 1995-2000. During his tenure the committee's size fluctuated between twelve and fifteen members. In 2001-2002 Elaine Alquist (Dem.) served as Chair to a committee of twelve. Finally, Carol Liu (Dem.) succeeded Alquist and chaired a committee of eleven during the 2003-2004 session
The Assembly Higher Education Committee considered many bills of significant public interest because of their focus on educational policies like minority representation, student admissions, affirmative action, faculty tenure, financial aid, transfer policies, faculty issues, and university administration. Concerned with achieving equity in educational policy, the committee conducted several major studies of diversity and student/faculty representation within California's higher education institutions. Another focus of recurring interest has been the issue of "diploma mills" and legislative oversight for private and post-secondary vocational schools in California.
- Acquisition information:
- The State Archives received these records in accordance with California Government Code 9080(b) which requires legislative committees to transfer their records to the State Archives when they are no longer needed by the committee.
- Physical location:
- California State Archives
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
-
1020 "O" StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 653-2246