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AB-2693 • 2026

California State University: California Maritime Academy.

California State University: California Maritime Academy.

Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Alvarez
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Read second time and amended.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not specify the exact changes in the information required for submitting a doctoral degree program.

California State University: California Maritime Academy

This bill adds 'Cal Poly Maritime' and 'Cal Poly Maritime Academy' to the list of official campus names that belong to the state, allows CSU campuses to offer doctoral degrees without certain restrictions, and removes consultation requirements with UC.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds 'Cal Poly Maritime' and 'Cal Poly Maritime Academy' to the list of abbreviations of campus names of the California State University that are the property of the state.
  • Allows CSU campuses to offer doctoral degrees statewide without limiting them to professional or applied doctoral degrees that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees.
  • Revises the information a CSU campus seeking to offer a doctoral degree program is required to submit for review by the chancellor’s office and approval by the trustees.
  • Removes requirements related to consulting with the president's office of the University of California on issues of duplication.
  • Eliminates limits on how many doctoral degree programs a CSU campus can offer.

Who It Names or Affects

  • California State University (CSU) and its campuses
  • University of California (UC)

Terms To Know

Doctoral degrees
Advanced academic degrees for specialized study or research, often requiring a dissertation.
Consultation requirements
Rules that require one organization to talk with another before making certain decisions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how many new doctoral programs CSU campuses can start.
  • It is unclear what impact this will have on the number of students who can enroll in these programs.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  2. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21).

  3. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

  4. 2026-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  5. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2693, as amended, Alvarez.
California State University:
doctoral programs.
California Maritime Academy.
Existing law establishes the California State University and its various campuses under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University. Existing law provides that the name “California State University” and the names of various campuses of the California State University, and abbreviations of those names, including “Cal Maritime,” are the property of the state, and prohibits the use of any of these names without the permission of the trustees. Under existing law, a violation of this provision is punishable as a misdemeanor.
This bill would add “Cal Poly Maritime” and “Cal Poly Maritime Academy” to the list of abbreviations of campus
names of the California State University that are the property of the state. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the California State University (CSU), under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California (UC), under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law provides for the missions and functions of these segments and vests the UC with the sole authority in public higher education to award doctoral degrees in all fields of learning, except that the CSU may award doctoral degrees jointly, with, among others, independent institutions of higher education if the proposed doctoral program is approved by the California Postsecondary Education Commission.
This bill would authorize the CSU to jointly award doctoral degrees with independent institutions of higher education without
the approval of the California Postsecondary Education Commission.
Existing law authorizes the CSU, in consultation with the office of the President of the University of California, to award professional or applied doctoral degrees statewide that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees and that meet certain requirements. Existing law requires a CSU campus seeking authorization to offer a professional or applied doctoral degree program to submit to the office of the Chancellor of the California State University certain nonduplication documentation, enrollment projections, an administrative plan, and statewide workforce data. Existing law requires the chancellor to notify, in writing, and to send relevant materials on the proposed doctoral program to, the president’s office and the President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities to allow for consultation on issues of duplication. Existing law prohibits the trustees from approving for
implementation a proposed doctoral program if the president’s office provided written objections on the basis of duplication within 120 days of notice and receipt of materials for the proposed doctoral program unless and until a letter indicating resolution of the objections and a mutual agreement, signed by the chancellor and the president, is submitted to certain legislative committees. Existing law limits the total number of professional or applied doctoral degree programs offered by a CSU campus to 25% of the total number of undergraduate, graduate through the master’s degree, and professional and teacher education programs offered by the CSU campus.
This bill would authorize the CSU to award doctoral degrees statewide without limiting it to professional or applied doctoral degrees that do not duplicate UC doctoral degrees. The bill would revise the information a CSU campus seeking to offer a doctoral degree program is required to submit for review by the
chancellor’s office and approval by the trustees. The bill would repeal the requirements related to consulting with the president’s office and submitting information to the president’s office and the President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities to allow for consultation on issues of duplication. The bill would remove the president’s office’s authority to object to a proposed doctoral program on the basis of duplication. The bill would also repeal the limit on the total number of doctoral degree programs that may be offered by a CSU campus. The bill would also make conforming changes.

Current Bill Text

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