Public postsecondary education: intersegmental partnerships: STEM education

The programs coordinate the community colleges, CSU, and UC to help diverse students enter advanced STEM education, faculty careers, and the state’s STEM workforce.

What the law does ​

• Establishes the independent Cal-Bridge Program as a statewide partnership of the California Community Colleges, California State University, and University of California, administratively housed at a CSU or UC campus.
• Creates five Cal-Bridge components offering mentorship, financial aid, research, professional development, doctoral support, postdoctoral positions, and community-college STEM preparation.
• Establishes the independent ENLACE Program to support high school and undergraduate STEM students with mentorship, academic support, research opportunities, and guidance on advanced degrees and careers.
• Provides UC-campus summer STEM research experiences for qualified students entering 12th grade.
• Requires Cal-Bridge to report annually to the Office of the President of the University of California, beginning January 1, 2028, on program activities and funding allocations.
• Authorizes appropriated funds for participant aid, research, postdoctoral pay, faculty roles, professional-development activities, and program administration.

Who it affects ​

• STEM students at California Community Colleges, California State University, and the University of California.
• Qualified high school students entering 12th grade.
• STEM faculty, doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars, and prospective postsecondary faculty.

Context ​

UC participation applies only if the Regents of the University of California adopt a resolution making the law applicable.