To All Members of the Campus Community:
We are happy to share some exciting news that will help reshape the state’s higher education system and have a profound impact on our mission to make transformative education available to every family in California.
Yesterday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 656, a groundbreaking bill that grants the California State University system the authority to offer independent professional and applied doctoral degrees. This historic legislation is a monumental stride toward a more inclusive and equitable higher education landscape and greatly empowers our campus to serve current and future students.
AB 656 brings to scale a long-overdue transformation of the California Master Plan for Higher Education, originally established in 1960, which limited the privilege of offering doctoral degrees to the University of California system. The passage of SB 684 last year marked a significant step in this direction as it allowed CSU institutions to offer independent Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) programs.
What this means for us
Sacramento State expanded into doctoral programs after the 2005 passage of SB 724, also known as the Scott Bill. Beginning with our prestigious Ed.D program in 2007, which is ranked second in the country, we now offer three doctorates and one joint doctorate program that advance our campus imperatives as an Anchor University. We have shown that we can build flourishing doctoral programs. Now, with AB 656 in place, we can deepen our commitment to providing high-value education that meets the evolving needs of our community and state.
As California’s Capital University, we are uniquely positioned to prepare students for leadership, service, and success. Offering a wider range of doctoral degree options will allow us to grow in stature and influence ̶ and attract even more talented and diverse students, faculty, and staff to our campus.
Some of the exciting changes ahead with AB 656:
- A more extensive range of doctoral degree options will become accessible to all students, particularly those underrepresented in STEM fields.
- The California State University system, the state’s most successful driver of social and economic mobility through higher education, will play a pivotal role in this endeavor.
- Sacramento State will be able to tailor our doctoral degree expansion to the departments most ready to take on that growth and whose degrees will be most sought in the workforce.
- We will look forward to a future where more professionals, leaders, and change-makers in California are “Made at Sac State.”
To be clear, this new law doesn't supersede our existing joint doctoral programs with our UC partners. Those collaborations will remain intact. Moreover, departments and colleges may still choose to pursue additional joint doctoral programs if they wish. The primary advancement of AB 656 is that it provides our faculty with greater academic freedom – and gives our students access to new and life-changing career pathways.
Thank you to Gov. Newsom and the California Legislature for taking this bold step toward a more equitable higher education system in our state. In particular, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for Sacramento Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, who sponsored AB 656.
We also want to extend our deep appreciation to our faculty and staff. Your belief in the potential of our students and what our University can mean to them has made this change possible. Thank you for all you do, and thank you for being part of the Hornet Family.
Dr. Luke Wood
President
Dr. Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Mariappan "Jawa" Jawaharlal
Interim Associate Vice President, Research, Innovation, and Economic Development
Dr. Chevelle Newsome
Dean, Graduate Studies
