According to the California Secretary of State’s Office, petition signatures will begin to be collected for a new initiative in the California State University graduation requirements, increasing the number of required units for ethnic studies from three to six for undergraduates and zero to three for graduate students. Photo courtesy of San Diego State University

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on May 30. 

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative can be circulated for signatures.

The Secretary of State then provides a calendar of deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials.

The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows: Increases ethnic studies requirements for graduation from the California state university. Initiative statute. 

Under current law, undergraduate students at the California State University (CSU) must complete one three-unit ethnic studies course to graduate.

This measure would change California State University’s graduation requirements to require, beginning in the 2030-2031 academic year: undergraduate students to complete two ethnic studies courses (one three-unit lower division course and one three-unit upper division course); and graduate students to complete one three-unit ethnic studies course.

The measure prohibits the Legislature from reducing the number of required courses for graduation or altering the required course curriculum.

An estimated summary by the Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments states “Increased state costs in the tens of millions of dollars annually during initial implementation of the measure, with the bulk of costs phasing out over time.” 

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1979 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 25-0003. 

The proponent of the measure, Emeka Ogbatue, must collect signatures of 546,651 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 general election) for the measure to become eligible for the ballot.

The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than Nov. 26, 2025.

The address for the proponent is 420 N McKinley St., Unit No. 111-307, Corona. The proponent can also be contacted at [email protected].