FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 6, 2005
Contact: Shirley Melikian Armbruster
(559) 278-5292 or (559) 593-1815

Statement from President John D. Welty

Agreement among CSU, UC and the California Legislature
on educational doctorates

It is heartening that an agreement has been reached between university and state leaders that will enable Fresno State, and some other California State University campuses, to offer independent doctorates in education. An agreement was announced yesterday (July 5) between the California State University and the University of California, in partnership with the state Legislature. This agreement, when approved by the California Legislature and the governor, will expand the educational opportunities for California students.  It also, once again, underscores the quality of CSU’s academic programs.

This agreement is extremely important to Central California residents who lack adequate access to doctoral-level education.  This has been keenly felt in the field of education, as schools in this region seek highly trained and skilled leaders to meet the challenges of today’s classrooms. I’m also pleased that our colleagues in community colleges will have easier access to doctoral level instruction at CSU campuses. We will continue our work to advance doctorates in audiology, physical therapy and other fields in a cooperative effort with the University of California, as called for in the agreement.

Fresno State’s faculty has long championed the expansion of the doctorate in education and in the 1980s pioneered a joint doctorate at our campus, in conjunction with UC Davis, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara. Fresno’s joint doctorate program enrolled its first students in 1991 and awarded its first degrees in 1994. Now that Fresno State will be authorized to offer its own independent doctorate we will rapidly expand the doctorate degree at Fresno State, adding more students and faculty.  The expansion of our program will be in place by the fall semester of 2007.

The good news is that California students who aspire to teach and lead our schools now will have greater access to doctoral degrees at California State University. That’s key to our tradition of excellence in education at Fresno State and to the future of Central California.

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Learn more about Fresno State's existing joint doctoral program in educational leadership at the Kremen School of Education and Human Development.

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