Partnership to boost community college transfers

Leaders of California's public higher education systems are joining forces to increase the number of community college students who transfer to four-year institutions.

The state's community colleges enroll roughly 2.7 million students. Each year approximately 14,000 transfer to UC and another 55,000 to California State University campuses. California ranks 39th in the nation in the percentage of four-year degrees awarded to high school graduates.

"Expanding the opportunity for a four-year education is a critical need for California," said UC President Mark Yudof.

Yudof has joined with CSU Chancellor Charles Reed and California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott to create a joint task force to launch more aggressive efforts to improve the transfer opportunities.

Christopher Edley, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, will coordinate the UC effort.