City of Santa Maria
Santa Maria, California
Proclamation
WHEREAS, bachelor’s degree attainment in northern Santa Barbara County are well below the state’s average, wherein the region’s two largest cities, Santa Maria and Lompo c, have college attainment rates below 13% (compared to the statewide average of 35%); and
WHEREAS, the nearest baccalaureate-granting universities to the Santa Maria area are University of California, Santa Barbara (70 miles south), and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (35 miles north), both of which maintain international profiles that result in low admission rates for local students; and
WHEREAS, the benefits of bachelor’s degree is well documented, with a recent nationwide study from the College Boa rd reporting that median earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients were 65% higher than those of high school graduates with no degree . Current data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that management jobs in fields such as operations, health servic es, transportation, and communications are in high demand and pay a livable wage in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties; and
WHEREAS, Allan Hancock College, established over a century ago in 1920, is a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution that has been recognized five times since 2011 by the Aspen Institution as a top 150 community college nation ally; and . Allan Hancock College maintains a strong track record of partnering with regional business and industry, municipalities, agencies, and k-12 educational institutions for workforce development, and contributes in excess of $550 million annually to the local economy; and
WHEREAS, Allan Hancock College is applying to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to offer its first bachelor’s degree for local students who may not be able to move or commute out of the region for their education; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Professional Studies will provide practical management education through the college’s Business Department and will prepare graduates for entry - level positions in office management, human resources, and other basic business operations.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ALICE M. PATINO, Mayor of the City of Santa Maria hereby proclaim
“the City of Santa Maria’s Support for Allan Hancock College in its application to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to offer a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Professional Studies”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my han d and have caused the Seal of the City of Santa Maria to be affixed hereto this 5th day of December 2023.
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Alice M. Patino, Mayor