Introduction: Senate Bill 850

PAULA KIRYA
Staff Writer

For many jobs, employers are no longer considering applicants who have not excelled beyond an associate degree. In order to continue economic prosperity, California needed to provide one million more bachelor’s degrees to its graduates. Bill SB-850, passed on Sept. 29 by Gov. Jerry Brown, is the proposed solution to this endeavor because it would allow community colleges to provide bachelor’s degrees in fields that require skilled workers. This four-year degree program will be established by no later than the 2017-2018 school year, ending around 2022 – 2023 unless extended.