Higher Education major

Major Features of the California Master Plan for Higher Education

The original Master Plan was approved in principle by The Regents and the State Board of Education (which at that time governed the California State University and California Community Colleges) and submitted to the Legislature. A special session of the 1960 Legislature passed the Donahoe Higher Education Act (Title 3, Division 5, Part 40, of the Education Code beginning at Section 66000), which included many of the Master Plan recommendations as well as additional legislation necessary to implement the plan. However, many of the key aspects of the Master Plan were never enacted into law.

The major features of the Master Plan as adopted in 1960 and amended in subsequent legislative reviews are as follows:

1. Differentiation of functions among the public postsecondary education segments:

* UC is designated the State's primary academic research institution and is to provide undergraduate, graduate and professional education. UC is given exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education for doctoral degrees (with the two exceptions-see CSU below) and for instruction in law, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine (the original plan included architecture).

* CSU's primary mission is undergraduate education and graduate education through the master's degree including professional and teacher education. Faculty research is authorized consistent with the primary function of instruction. SB 724 (2006) authorized CSU to award a specific Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership. Other doctorates can be awarded jointly with UC or an independent institution.