Barnes

This is an appeal from a judgment wherein petitioners’ application for a writ of mandate was denied.

A résumé of some of the facts as established by the proceedings is as follows: Mt. San Antonio College, hereinafter sometimes referred to as “Mt. San Antonio,” is a junior college of this state with its administration vested in the respondent board of trustees, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “board.” The petitioners are teachers permanently employed by the college district. Bender holds the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Barnes hold the degree of Master of Arts, each of which degrees was given at San Gabriel College in June of 1959 for work and study theretofore performed at said college. Before undertaking the study and work involved leading up to the granting of such degrees the petitioners secured the board’s approval and the petitioners undertook and completed the work and study involved in securing said degrees in reliance upon the statements of the board and its representatives that petitioners would receive salary increases from respondent for their services at Mt. San Antonio when and if the higher degrees were earned. The board in 1959-1960 accepted and…