The California Community Colleges Board of Governors on Monday approved changes that will establish system-wide enrollment priorities designed to ensure classes are available for students seeking job training, degree attainment or transfer and to reward students who make progress toward their educational goals.

New students who have completed college orientation, assessment and developed education plans as well as continuing students in good academic standing who have not exceeded 100 units (not including units in basic English, math or English as a Second Language) will now have priority over students who do not meet these criteria.  

Among these students, active-duty military and veterans and current and former foster youth will continue to have first call on courses, followed by students in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and Disabled Students Programs and Services.

The regulations, unanimously approved at the board of governors meeting at San Diego City College, will be implemented in the fall of 2014.  

Colleges will begin to inform current students of the new policy in the spring 2013 term so those on probation will have an opportunity to seek help to improve their academic standing and those nearing the unit cap can carefully plan their remaining courses.

“In the past, community colleges have been able to serve everyone and students could accrue a large number of units or do poorly in all of their courses and still receive priority registration” said Chancellor Jack Scott. “Now that colleges have had to cut back on the courses they can offer, those students were taking up seats in classrooms and crowding out newer students focused on job training, degree attainment or transfer. Our Student Success Task Force identified this as a major barrier and recommended these changes.”

The 72 districts that make up the California Community Colleges do maintain discretion to adopt policies exempting certain categories of students from the 100-unit limit, such as those in high-unit majors or programs.

Districts will be required to adopt an appeals policy and process for students who lose priority due to circumstances beyond their control such as accidents or illness.

Districts also will have discretion in dealing with students who have been declared academically ineligible or on probation if they have shown signs of improvement.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation. It is composed of 72 districts and 112 colleges serving 2.4 million students per year.