2023 California Code › Education Code - EDC › TITLE 3 - POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION › DIVISION 7 - COMMUNITY COLLEGES › PART 45 - DISTRICTS AND GOVERNING BOARDS › CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions › ARTICLE 3 - Organization of District Boards › Section 72023.5.

72023.5. (a) (1) (A) The governing board of each community college district shall order the inclusion within the membership of the governing board, in addition to the number of members otherwise prescribed, of one or more students. These students shall have the right to attend each and all meetings of the governing board, except that student members shall not have the right, or be afforded the opportunity, to attend executive sessions of the governing board.
(B) A student member shall have the opportunity to cast an advisory vote immediately before votes are cast by the regular members of the governing board.
(2) A student selected to serve on the governing board shall be enrolled in a community college of the district and shall be chosen, and shall be recalled, by the students enrolled in the community colleges of the district in accordance with procedures prescribed by the governing board. If the seat of a student member becomes vacant during the student member’s term, the governing board may authorize the officers of student body associations established pursuant to Section 76060 at each community college in the district to appoint a student to serve the remainder of the term in accordance with procedures established by the governing board. A student member shall be required throughout the term of the student member’s appointment to be enrolled in a community college of the district for at least five semester units, or its equivalent, and shall meet and maintain the minimum standards of scholarship for community college students prescribed by the community college district. The term of a student member shall be one year commencing on June 1 of each year.
(3) A student member appointed pursuant to this section shall be entitled to mileage allowance to the same extent as a regular member, but is not entitled to the compensation prescribed by Section 72024.
(4) A student member shall be seated with the members of the governing board and shall be recognized as a full member of the board at the meetings, including receiving all materials presented to the board members and participating in the questioning of witnesses and the discussion of issues.
(5) A student member shall not be included in determining the vote required to carry any measure before the board.
(6) A student member shall not be liable for any acts of the governing board.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a student member selected to serve on the governing board of a community college district pursuant to subdivision (a) may do any of the following:
(1) Make and second motions at the discretion of the governing board.
(2) Attend closed sessions, other than closed sessions on personnel matters or collective bargaining matters, at the discretion of the governing board.
(3) Receive compensation, at the discretion of the governing board, up to the amount prescribed by Section 72024.
(4) Serve a term of one year commencing on May 15 of each year, at the discretion of the governing board.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that any decision or action, including any contract entered into pursuant thereto, upon the motion or second of a motion of a student member, shall be fully legal and enforceable against the community college district or any party thereto.
(d) The governing board of each community college district shall, by May 15 of each year, adopt rules and regulations implementing this section. These rules and regulations shall be effective until May 15 of the following year.
(e) If a state court finds this section is unlawful, the court may order, as equitable relief, that the administering entity that is the subject of the lawsuit terminate any waiver awarded under this statute or provision, but no money damages, tuition refund or waiver, or other retroactive relief may be awarded. In any action in which the court finds this section is unlawful, the California Community Colleges are immune from the imposition of any award of money damages, tuition refund or waiver, or other retroactive relief.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 103, Sec. 1. (AB 1541) Effective January 1, 2024.)