Gov. Newsom signs bill requiring ethnic studies for Cal State University students

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring students at the nation's largest four-year public university system to take an ethnic studies course to graduate.

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Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Newsom signs bill requiring ethnic studies for Cal State students
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring students at the nation's largest four-year public university system to take an ethnic studies course to graduate.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KABC) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring students at the nation's largest four-year public university system to take an ethnic studies course to graduate.

The bill signed on Monday states that California State University students graduating in the 2024-2025 school year must have taken one three-unit course with a special focus on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina and Latino Americans.

The change comes amid the national reckoning over racism sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It represents the first change to the CSU general education curriculum in over 40 years.

The measure overrules a much broader requirement passed by CSU's Board of Trustees last month.

CSU's fall semester starts Aug. 24.