California Master Plan for Higher Education

E93880

The California Master Plan for Higher Education is a landmark 1960 framework that organized California’s public colleges and universities into distinct tiers to expand access, control costs, and define their respective missions.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf education master plan
higher education policy framework
appliesTo public community colleges in California
public state colleges in California
public universities in California
appliesToJurisdiction State of California
author California Master Plan Survey Team
coordinatedBy California State Board of Education
country United States
defines California Community Colleges system role
California State University system role
University of California system role
establishes UC authority to award doctoral degrees
community colleges focus on associate degrees and certificates
fieldOfWork higher education planning
public policy
followedBy subsequent revisions and reviews in later decades
hasEffect creation of clear transfer routes from community colleges to UC and CSU
rapid expansion of California public higher education capacity in 1960s and 1970s
reduction of program duplication among segments
hasKeyPrinciple broad access with selective admissions at upper tiers
coordination of growth and enrollment across segments
differentiation of function among segments
low or no tuition for residents
inception 1960
influenced development of tiered higher education systems in other U.S. states
structure of public higher education in California
influencedBy Clark Kerr
language English
legalForm policy framework implemented through state legislation
limits CSU authority to primarily bachelor’s and master’s degrees at time of adoption
mainSubject public higher education
organizesIntoTier California Community Colleges
California State University
University of California NERFINISHED
policyOnAdmissions open admission to California Community Colleges for adults capable of benefiting from instruction
top one-eighth of high school graduates eligible for UC
top one-third of high school graduates eligible for CSU
policyOnFees allowed collection of modest fees for non-instructional costs
policyOnTuition no tuition for California residents at public institutions at time of adoption
purpose control costs of public higher education
define distinct missions for public higher education segments
expand access to higher education
regulates transfer pathways from community colleges to four-year institutions
segmentMission California Community Colleges as open-access, lower-division and vocational education provider
California State University as comprehensive teaching-focused institution
University of California as primary academic research institution
significantEvent adoption in 1960

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
The Gold and the Blue ("Master Plan for Higher Education in California")
about
Clark Kerr
knownFor

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