FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 5, 2023
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Interim City Manager Alex Posada
SUBJECT: Proclamation in Support of Allan Hancock College Offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Professional Studies
The Mayor and City Council will present a Proclamation declaring its unequivocal 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.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, the nearest baccalaureate-granting universities to the Santa Maria area are the University of California, Santa Barbara (70 miles south), and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (35 miles north) . These universi ties maintain international profiles, creating competitive application processes that result in low admission rates for local students.
Additionally, the number of people obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Northern Santa Barbara County falls below the state ’s average . While the statewide average college attainment rate is 35 percent, Northern Santa Barbara County’s two largest cities, Santa Maria and Lompoc, fall below 13 percent for college attainment rates.
DISCUSSION:
Recruiting degreed candidates to fi ll jobs in the Santa Maria area can be difficult due to the high cost of living in the area. Creating a pool of locally degreed individuals would partially resolve the need to recruit outside of the area to fill local jobs.
According to a recent study performed by the US Census Bureau in collaboration with Harvard University, 60 percent of people under the age of 26 stay within ten miles of where they grew up. Providing an accessible, in -person pathway to a baccalaureate degree supports current residents who would like to advance their education.
Impact to the Community
The benefits of a bachelor’s degree are well documented, with a recent nationwide study from the College Board reporting that median earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients were 65 percent higher than those of high school graduates with no degree.