AB 2068 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California State University: campus presidents: hiring process.

Summary

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, with campuses throughout the state. Existing law requires the trustees to provide by rule for the government of their appointees and employees. This bill would prohibit the president of a campus of the California State University from resigning or vacating their position without notifying in writing the trustees and the Chancellor of the California State University of their intention to resign or vacate. The bill would require the trustees, within 30 days of receiving the written notice, and before any recruitment for the position of campus president by any employee, to establish a 9-member Presidential Search Committee, as provided. The bill would require the Presidential Search Committee, with assistance from the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, to establish the desired qualities of the campus president and develop a job description, establish a scoring and ranking standard, conduct a recruitment effort and an initial screening of candidates, conduct interviews, and determine and recommend the final 3 candidates to the trustees and chancellor, as provided. The bill would require the chancellor, in collaboration with the Presidential Search Committee, to host a recorded public forum for the final 3 candidates. The bill would require the chancellor to share the recorded public forum in a closed session of the trustees and would require the trustees to make an offer of employment and appoint a campus president from the final 3 candidates. The bill would prohibit an offer of employment from being made to a final candidate until the candidate participates in a public forum.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 18, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

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What changed between versions

02/18/26 - Introduced → 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2068 was transformed from a simple declaration of legislative intent into a comprehensive operative statute establishing a binding process for hiring California State University campus presidents. The amended bill adds Section 89500.5 to the Education Code, creating detailed requirements including mandatory written resignation notice, a 9-member Presidential Search Committee with specific composition rules, structured timelines for each phase of the search, and a mandatory recorded public forum before any offer can be made. This is a significant expansion from a non-binding statement of intent to enforceable procedural law.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a non-binding statement of legislative intent (with no operative requirements) to a full statutory framework governing all future CSU campus president searches, applying to any campus where a president resigns or vacates their position.

SCOPE

Added Section 89500.5 to the Education Code, converting the bill from a declaration of legislative intent into a binding statute with operative requirements for all CSU campus president searches.

REQUIREMENT

A campus president must notify in writing both the board and the chancellor before resigning or vacating their position. No recruitment may begin until the Presidential Search Committee is established.

The board must establish a 9-member Presidential Search Committee within 30 days of receiving written notice. Six members are specified (academic senate president, faculty CBA president, classified CBA president, Associated Students president, one campus administrator appointed by chancellor, one alumnus), and those six appoint three additional members (local school superintendent, community college district CEO, and a public representative from the service area).

The chancellor must host a recorded public forum at the campus within 30 days of receiving the final 3 candidates. The forum must be advertised one week in advance, open to the public, and include candidate presentations on qualifications and vision, Q&A from the committee and chancellor, and Q&A from the campus community and public.

DEFINITION

Defined key terms: Board (Trustees of CSU), Campus (a CSU campus where the president has given written notice of resignation), Chancellor, Recruitment (actions by chancellor, board, or CSU employee to seek a candidate), and Trustee.

TIMELINE

Established a 30-day timeline for each phase: establishing desired qualities and job description, establishing scoring and ranking standards, initial screening to top 5 candidates, interviews of top 5, public forum, closed board session, and final appointment. The entire process from notice to appointment is structured with sequential 30-day windows.

ENFORCEMENT

Prohibits any offer of employment to a final candidate until that candidate has participated in a public forum on campus. The board must appoint from the final 3 candidates within 30 days of the closed session where the recording is shared.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors