Community College District Support for Senator Richard D. Roth’s SB 895

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

“With the growing preference of healthcare employers to hire Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates, the 70+ nursing schools at California’s community colleges are perfectly positioned to meet this need and provide a practical, low-cost, high-quality solution to the acute shortage of nurses in California.  This landmark legislation enables our colleges to meet the huge demand for nurses while addressing mounting health disparities in California, especially in underserved areas,” said Francisco C. Rodriguez, Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District.

“In California, estimates show that we face a shortage of about 36,000 licensed nurses and that need is expected to grow substantially by 2030. This tremendous gap continues to widen, as current nursing baccalaureate degree programs have demand greater than their enrollment capacity. The California Community College Trustees (CCCT) Board recognizes that our colleges have a unique opportunity to solve significant workforce needs and support students who may not otherwise seek baccalaureate degrees because of cost or access from their own community,” said Andra Hoffman, CCCT President, Trustee, Los Angeles Community College District

RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

“SB 895, authored by Senator Richard Roth and sponsored by the Community College League of California, is historic landmark legislation that allows for the utilization of existing expensive pre-clinical and clinical infrastructure already in place at the community colleges for the training of Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADN) students to be also used for the training of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students in a limited capacity, operating within existing ADN class size and capping the BSN cohort at 25% of the ADN class or  35 students, whichever is greater. . The shortage of nurses, especially at the BSN level is caused by the limited capacity of the public universities, by a rapidly aging population, and by an aging nursing workforce. Recognizing the magnitude and gravity of the problem, SB 895 will allow for the selected California Community Colleges to join forces with the California State Universities in a creative and collaborative manner to address this formidable and critical challenge,” said Wolde-Ab Isaac, Chancellor, Riverside Community College District.

STATE CENTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

"The San Joaquin Valley faces a significant nursing shortage in a population that is medically underserved and has growing healthcare needs.  Addressing the nursing crisis head-on by providing affordable, quality education locally is a crucial step towards providing our diverse student body with greater access to advanced healthcare training. By enabling our community colleges, which already play a crucial role in training the majority of the state's RNs, this bill will allow us to meet unfilled demand and significantly enhance our capacity to meet local and statewide healthcare needs. We look forward to joining other states who have already adopted this progressive measure,” said Carole Goldsmith, Chancellor, State Center Community College District, Fresno.

CERRITOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

“On behalf of the Cerritos Community College District, we are proud to support SB 895 and extend our gratitude to Senator Roth for proposing a solution that would help to meet the nursing professionals’ needs to fill the workforce demands and better meet the needs of our local community,” said Jose Fierro, President/Superintendent, Cerritos Community College District.

FOOTHILL DE-ANZA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

"California is expected to face a shortage of more than 44,000 registered nurses by 2030, but the state’s bachelor's degree programs currently only have space for about 25% of the qualified applicants. Senator Roth has shown tremendous foresight in harnessing the power of the community college system to expand opportunities for students to gain access to a high quality, low-cost educational pathway to a career that provides a family-sustaining wage and fills a critical workforce need,” said Lee Lambert, Chancellor, Foothill De-Anza Community College District

MIRA COSTA COLLEGE

"In the spirit of advancing healthcare education and addressing the critical shortage of nursing professionals in our state, I wholeheartedly urge our community and stakeholders to support SB 895 (Roth). This landmark legislation authorizes a pilot program allowing our community colleges to offer Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing, a pivotal step toward expanding the nursing workforce. With California's projected need for over 36,000 licensed nurses by 2030, and specifically 3,500 in the San Diego region alone, the urgency cannot be overstated. By enabling community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in nursing, we can significantly increase the number of qualified nursing professionals ready to serve our communities. This legislation represents a forward-thinking approach to healthcare education, directly addressing the needs of our communities and ensuring that we are prepared to meet the health challenges of tomorrow,” said Sunita "Sunny" Cooke, Superintendent/President, MiraCosta College.