Thumbs up: UC’s invite to community college students

Thumbs up to Janet Napolitano, the University of California’s president, for supporting admission for all qualified students from the state’s community colleges. “This would be a major leap for the University of California,” Napolitano said Monday at a Town Hall forum in Los Angeles. Her proposal, which would require approval from the university’s academic senate and perhaps the Board of Regents, would create another avenue for California students to enter the nation’s top public research university. It also could reduce the cost of a higher education by allowing students to complete basic courses at a less expensive community college.

California needs 1.1 million more workers with bachelor’s degrees by 2030 to keep up with the demand for college-educated employees, according to research by the Public Policy Institute of California. Guaranteeing admission to qualified community college students and increasing UC’s four-year graduation rate from 64 percent to 70 percent - another Napolitano goal - could help fill that gap. The California State University system already has a guaranteed admission program for students who earn an associate’s degree through a CSU transfer program. It’s time for UC to catch up.