Emma Gallegos
July 30, 2026
As Rudy Garcia neared completion of his associate’s degree in cybersecurity at Moorpark College, he was excited to learn of the Ventura County community college’s plans to offer a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and network operations.
The father of four and sole provider for his family knew a bachelor’s degree would help advance his career in IT support. But Moorpark’s plans for the degree stalled for years over objections from the California State University system. While he waited, Garcia considered a similar program at a CSU campus, but decided to wait because of sticker shock.
“When I looked at tuition, it was very expensive. It was a lot more expensive than the community college,” he said. “So I’ll be honest, that’s kind of held me back a little bit.”
The state should be focused on meeting the needs of students, like Garcia, who want to earn a bachelor’s degree but may prefer a community college or don’t live near a traditional four-year university, said Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, professor and chair of the Department of Education at UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies.