As the University of California and California State University are facing potential cuts of 16.4 percent and 18 percent respectively, their continued ability to meet the conditions set forth in the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education – which requires that they maintain a 40:60 lower to upper division ratio to allow room for incoming transfer juniors – is uncertain. "If there is no room for (transfers) at the university because of budget cuts, then it doesn’t really matter how much you streamline that process," said Hans Johnson, director of research at the Public Policy Institute of California. "You’ll have students who are qualified and ready to transfer, but there is no room for them." Limiting access, said CSU spokesperson Erik Fallis, will in the long-run result in fewer highly-skilled and educated workers to fill "high growth, high-demand positions."

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by Nina Brown, The Daily Californian.

Posted: January 31st, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The Daily Californian: Given California’s voter attitudes towards higher education and this June’s special election with the tax extension, is there concern, even preparation, for the fact that the cut may actually be larger than $500 million? Alfredo Mireles: There’s definitely concern. And I’d say it’s more than concern. It’s like incredible fear that the cut will be larger. I don’t think we’re that far along yet. It’d be easier to be able to plan for a year or five years, but the way the California state government works, we kind of have to go one day at a time to see where we’re at.

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by Jordan Bach-Lombardo and Aaida Samad, The Daily Californian.

Posted: January 31st, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The report found that 72 percent of deans opined that allied health training programs are their school’s most sought-after programs, and 97 percent reported that those graduates are usually successful in finding employment in their field. Yet only 6 percent of deans said their colleges were able to accept all qualified applicants for allied health programs in 2009 and 2010… Meanwhile, an earlier report called "Help Wanted," also funded by the California Wellness Foundation, points to growing demand. The 2009 report said the state will need roughly 988,000 allied health workers by 2030, yet the state’s education system is only on track to train 634,000 allied health workers… but the funding to increase allied health programs does not exist. In fact, community college officials estimate that Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed $400 million budget cut would result in as many as 350,000 students losing access to the system.

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by Erica Perez, California Watch.

Posted: January 31st, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

"You can’t make major cuts without reducing staff," Scott says. "You can’t save much money by not sweeping the floor as often." The colleges turned away 140,000 students during the last school year. It’s estimated twice that many are being shut out of classes this year. Brown’s funding cuts would deny courses for 350,000 more… College leaders worry about the fate of Brown’s proposed tax extension. "If it passes, we can quickly breathe a sigh of relief," says Daniel LaVista, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. "If it fails, Armageddon looks us in the eye. "I’m not one who rises to melodrama, but I can tell you this would be a different organization." Community colleges have always been the bedrock of quality public education in California, an indispensable building block of economic growth. But that bedrock has been eroding.

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by George Skelton, The Los Angeles Times.

Posted: January 31st, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

Believe it or not, 15 out of the 19 people running the University of California have been CEOs or lawyers. For a panel which, according to the board’s bylaws, is supposed to be "broadly reflective of the economic, cultural and social diversity of the state," it is starkly disconcerting that so few of the UC Board of Regents are from professions outside of business and law… it has yet to cut executive salaries and lower student fees in the midst of the budget crisis. Using corporate lexicon adds to the ever-widening chasm between students and administrators, and lessens transparency in an already bureaucratic system. Students shouldn

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by Avni Nijhawan, The Daily Bruin.

Posted: January 31st, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

Over the last couple months, $4 million in salary increases and bonuses for University of California executives have been granted by UC system President Mark Yudof, despite having a $1 billion budget gap on the horizon. UC also has a lawsuit pending, in which the system is demanding tens of millions more in retirement for high-paid executives — all while Yudof made sweeping changes to his workers’ retirement benefits last month, including tripling seniors’ healthcare costs and increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65…

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by Claire Harlin, sdnews.com.

Posted: January 26th, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

Still, overwhelming majorities (75 percent adults, 73 percent likely voters) are at least somewhat concerned about the spending reductions in the governor’s plan. Mr. Brown’s proposed special election on a tax and fee package to prevent further budget cuts is a good idea, according to 67 percent of adults. Majorities agree, regardless of party affiliation (73 percent Democrats, 64 percent independents, 55 percent Republicans)… Solid majorities of adults oppose spending cuts in K-12 education (75 percent), higher education (63 percent), and health and human services (60 percent) to help reduce the state budget deficit. But 70 percent support cuts in prisons and corrections. Californians say they are willing to increase taxes to spare K-12 education (71 percent), higher education (59 percent), and health and human services (57 percent) from budget cuts.

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by Staff, Central Valley Business Times.

Posted: January 26th, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The PPIC poll found the same somewhat contradictory attitudes on spending and taxes that it and other polls have found in the past. While very strong majorities oppose spending cuts in K-12 and higher education and health and welfare services and say they’re willing to pay higher taxes to keep them intact, equally strong majorities oppose raising taxes on income, sales and vehicles. Instead, they favor raising taxes on business — which Brown is not proposing. When asked specifically about Brown’s plan to extend 2009 tax increases on sales, income and vehicles, however, 54 percent said they supported the plan.

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by Dan Walters, The Sacramento Bee.

Posted: January 26th, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The University of California faces a more than $200 million deeper reduction than the $500 million proposed in Gov. Jerry Brown

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by Greg Lucas, California Watch.

Posted: January 25th, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The California State University system’s Committee on University and Faculty Personnel voted Tuesday to recommend an annual salary of $350,000 for incoming Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. If the full board of trustees approves the salary today, he will be the highest-paid president in the 23-campus system. Armstrong, 51, will assume the post on Feb. 1… CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp said that despite budget cuts across the board, Armstrong’s proposed salary increase compared to Baker’s pay is not extraordinary and has been deemed necessary for the university’s operations — adding that CSU presidents have not received pay raises since 2007. "Our presidents have been underpaid historically," he said, citing studies that say comparable schools pay their presidents salaries averaging nearly $400,000.

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by Julia Hickey, The Tribune.

Posted: January 25th, 2011, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.