Chapter 7. The Center For Cooperatives of California Education Code >> Division 9. >> Title 3. >> Part 57. >> Chapter 7.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
  (a) That California consumers enjoy the economic benefits of a substantial cooperative business sector. An estimated one million people participate in a diversity of consumer cooperatives that includes, but is not limited to, housing, child care, food, insurance and health care, student, rural electric, senior citizen, cable, and funeral cooperatives, as well as employee-owned arts and crafts cooperatives and other small business cooperatives. Credit unions, as financial cooperatives, provide services to over 6.2 million members. In addition, over 40,000 California farmers belong to agricultural cooperatives which produce and market over six billion dollars ($6,000,000,000) of food and fiber products annually.
  (b) That land grant universities of this nation, including the University of California, have a long tradition of providing research, educational, and extension programs of direct interest to cooperatives.
  (c) That public understanding of the nature and role of cooperatives is minimal. In general, the public does not understand how the cooperative form of business structure is being utilized for their benefit.
  (d) That public understanding about the benefits of the cooperative form of business could be greatly improved through a coordinated effort by the University of California and other institutions of higher education to focus on the role of cooperatives in the California economy.
  (e) That in the fast changing world economic environment it is important to California that its cooperatives remain a dynamic sector within the state's economy. In order to enhance this sector's development the state is asked to support the establishment of a Center for Cooperatives.
  (f) That the establishment of a Center for Cooperatives would help to meet the growing need for information, knowledge, and the professional skills necessary to increase the competitiveness of California's cooperatives in the state, national, and world trade and economy.

In order to facilitate the development of cooperatives in the business and education sectors, the University of California is requested to establish a Center for Cooperatives. The university is further requested to give careful consideration to locating the center at the University of California, Davis, due to the demonstrated leadership role of that campus in providing research, education, and extension services to cooperatives. It is the intent of the Legislature that the center be interdisciplinary in nature and be administered by the university through the appointment of a director.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the center be operated by the University of California to do the following:
  (a) Assist cooperatives in the state through the provision of the following:
  (1) Board management and staff training.
  (2) Technical assistance regarding startups, ongoing operations, membership development, and new initiatives.
  (3) Advice regarding capitalization, marketing, merchandising, business, economic development, and financial management strategies.
  (b) Serve as a catalyst between the Land Grant University, other higher education programs, and cooperative leaders in the development and support of education, research, and public outreach programs of direct benefit and interest to cooperatives and their members.
  (c) Provide access to market development and changes through industry focused knowledge to the boards, officers, committees, management, and staffs of cooperatives.
  (d) Strengthen the capacity of California's cooperatives to compete effectively and therefore, create employment opportunities for both the rural and urban population in California.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the center support research, education, and extension activities that advance the body of knowledge concerning cooperatives in general and address the needs of California's agricultural and nonagricultural cooperatives such as:
  (a) Support for teaching programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
  (b) Support for research addressing economic, marketing, social, technology development, and other issues relating to cooperatives.
  (c) Dissemination of information on existing programs, services, and publications available to cooperatives through federal, state, university, and public sector sources.
  (d) Development and dissemination of education materials relating to cooperatives.
  (e) Coordination of meetings, conferences, seminars, and related education programs for cooperative leaders, boards of directors, managers, members of cooperatives, and others.
  (f) Encouragement of greater interest in cooperatives by the academic community through student involvement, internships, support of visiting scholars, and other means.
  (g) Support strengthening the economic role of cooperatives in state, national, and international trade.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the President of the University of California, or his or her designee, appoint an advisory board to the center.
  (b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that:
  (1) The advisory board be composed of a majority of individuals who are members of agricultural or nonagricultural cooperatives, with the two sectors being equally represented, as well as, composed of individuals representing institutions of higher education, government, and the general public who are knowledgeable about cooperatives.
  (2) The duties of the advisory board include recommending goals, objectives, and priorities for the center and reviewing center activities.
  (3) To the extent practicable, the advisory board recommend, and the center strive to undertake, a balanced program of activities that are directly beneficial to agricultural and nonagricultural cooperatives, and representative of the diversity of both cooperative sectors.
  (4) The advisory board consider the relative economic impact of cooperatives in California and the service to the public in making its recommendations.
  (5) The members of the advisory board serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with applicable regulations and guidelines of the University of California.

It is the intent of the Legislature, and subject to the availability of funds, that qualified institutions of higher education, organizations, and individuals, as determined by the president, or his or her designee, in consultation with the advisory board, be eligible to participate in a competitive grant program to assist in carrying out Sections 92692 and 92693.

It is further the intent of the Legislature that the Center for Cooperatives be funded by a variety of sources which may include, but not be limited to, the following:
  (1) Funds derived from special fund accounts.
  (2) Public and private funds secured through cooperative research agreements from entities such as the Agricultural Cooperative Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
  (3) Funds currently available to the university which are directed in the interest of cooperatives.
  (4) Legislative appropriations to enhance the awareness and involvement of various minorities in cooperative business enterprises.
  (5) Income from courses, seminars, publications, and contractual services.
  (6) Contributions from cooperatives and other associated business organizations.
  (7) Grants and endowments received from private foundations, government agencies, and other public or private sources.

No provision of this chapter shall apply to the University of California unless the Regents of the University of California, by resolution, makes that provision applicable.