This study was designed to determine the level of support among Saddleback College (California) students and faculty for maintaining the current exclusivity of the Mathematics Department in certifying student competence in mathematics as required for the associate degree. The study also identified current practices used by California community colleges to determine student competence in mathematics for the associate degree. The level of College support was measured using an opinion survey of full-time faculty members and the students enrolled in courses during the fall 1986 semester that satisfied the associate degree general education requirement in communication skills and critical thinking. Current practices employed by the 105 California community colleges were identified through a review of the catalog of each college and direct contact with the mathematics department chair of each of the 10 colleges for which the catalog supplied insufficient information. It was concluded that a high level of support existed for the exclusivity of the Mathematics Department in certification of student mathematics competence. (Author/PK)