At the present time CSUN administrators are extremely worried that the state will retract some of this money in the coming months. As a result of these fears, some departments on the CSUN campus are offering far fewer courses for the spring of 2011 than they have in recent semesters, and the classes that are available have grown in size — a situation that often detracts from the overall learning environment. Midyear takebacks will also impede the university’s mission to provide all of California’s citizens with affordable access to higher learning, for if the state fails to supply us with all of the money that was restored to our budget, it will be nearly impossible for CSUN to admit all of the students who are qualified to enroll.

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by Kristyan Kouri, Daily News.

Posted: December 10th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

You may find yourself asking: What happened to the golden age of California, a time when our state’s higher education system held promise for every student, and the middle class flourished? Aside from the intractable budget problems that plague our capital, our higher education priorities have become inexcusably twisted, offering a more predictable future for an inmate behind bars than for a high school senior… Over the past 10 years, the state Health and Human Services Agency has seen its budget grow by 41 percent and corrections has grown by 72 percent, but higher education’s share – California State University and the University of California – has grown by a meager 0.8 percent. That is not even keeping up with inflation.

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by Charles B. Reed, Sign On San Diego.

Posted: December 9th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

In 2010-11, state General Fund support for the University of California is now lower than it was in 1965, and is only 57% of the 1986 peak… The decline in support has forced campuses to lay off 2,600 employees and eliminate some 1,400 positions. UCLA has dropped its writing requirements from two courses to one, and there is talk of eliminating even that. "That’s very worrisome," said Christopher Santos, external vice president for the UCLA student association, which has been active in protesting the cuts and using student funds to make up shortfalls. "Whatever profession you end up in, it’s super important to write well." At the University of California’s ten campuses, course offerings are down — by 10 percent at UCLA between 2008 and 2009, and 8 percent at Berkeley.

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by Diana Jean Schemo, Remapping Debate.

Posted: December 7th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

The University of California should admit more out-of-state students and offer online classes and three-year degrees as a way to raise money, a UC commission said Monday. A report from the UC Commission on the Future said that if the university doesn’t take such measures, it could be faced with a $3 billion budget shortfall over the next decade. That in turn could force the university to continue raising tuition, cut enrollment, reduce financial aid and lay off staff, the panel said… The panel’s report was quickly criticized by faculty members who view online classes and three-year degrees as quick money-makers that may fill university coffers, but ultimately come at the cost of a quality college education. "These efforts to push people through in three years and moving to online education reflects a privatized model where you bring people in based on how much profit they’ll create," said Stanton Glantz, vice president of the Council of UC Faculty Associations. "The priorities of the institution will reflect the market interests instead of the public interest."

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by Justin Berton, The San Francisco Chronicle.

Posted: December 7th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

In its report released Monday, the UC Commission on the Future outlined possible solutions to a growing budget deficit that has threatened the university’s academic quality. Many of the recommended actions are already under way, and the advisory panel held off suggesting more drastic changes, such as cutting enrollment, financial aid and jobs… None of the recommendations were earth-shattering, said Steve Boilard, the higher-education chief for the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office. And some, such as a proposed increase in graduate students, would raise costs rather than reduce them, he said. "It is notable how many of their recommendations say, ‘Continue to do something we’re already doing,’" Boilard said. "That doesn’t feel too radical."

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by Matt Krupnick, The Contra Costa Times.

Posted: December 6th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

With the University of California facing an increasingly precarious financial situation, the university’s Commission on the Future unveiled its final recommendations for maintaining the UC’s fiscal viability on Monday… Additional proposals recommend reaffirming the UC’s commitment to the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education and easing transfer students transition to a UC campus while others suggest reducing a student’s time to degree and further developing online education. The last two recommendations in particular have come under fire, with the Berkeley Faculty Association saying the reduced time to degree could wrest academic decision-making away from UC faculty and decrying the online project as a "boondoggle."

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by Jordan Bach-Lombardo, The Daily Californian.

Posted: December 6th, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

More than 11,000 UC employees, all considered part-timers, are covered by the contract and earn an average of $16,000 a year, according to the union. UC officials say their total compensation is much higher when tuition rebates and other benefits are figured in. Daraka Larimore-Hall, the local’s northern vice president, said he understood that some people were unhappy with the wage increases compared to what he said were lavish salaries for UC administrators. But he said the contract was the best that could be reached during the state

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by Larry Gordon, The Los Angeles Times.

Posted: December 3rd, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

Pahal also mentioned that ASI will be "highly involved" in the 2011 March in March rally at the State Capital. "We will be joining other ASI’s from all the CSU campuses and unite to take our fight for higher education straight to the steps of the State Capital. Last year, this event brought thousands of students to the Capital and really made an impact. That doesn’t change this year, we are going to increases our efforts here at CSU Stanislaus by taking as many students on campus with us to the rally."

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by Wesley Riddle, The Signal.

Posted: December 1st, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

"Subprime Opportunity: The Unfulfilled Promise of For-Profit Colleges and Universities" argues that while for-profit schools thrive, their students are more likely to drop out and be saddled with more debt than at public schools or private nonprofit colleges and universities. The report looks at a wide range of college data plucked from existing studies. It comes as the U.S. Department of Education is scrutinizing for-profit colleges, which enroll 20 percent of the nation’s black students and 24 percent of federal Pell Grant recipients. In 2008, for-profits took in $20 billion from students’ federal loans. The report questions whether those taxpayer dollars are well spent, and whether for-profits are taking advantage of low-income people.

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by Nanette Asimov, The San Francisco Chronicle.

Posted: December 1st, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.

"The worst is yet to come," said SF State Academic Senate Chair Shawn Whalen. "What we faced with the (2009) furloughs will pale in comparison to what might happen next year." If talks within the state legislature fail to secure funding for higher education, additional student fee increases and faculty layoffs would be likely. This is despite a 300 percent increase in CSU student fees dating back to 2001. Whalen said he "would not be surprised if many if not all CSU’s would initiate faculty layoff."

Read full article [here].
by Chase S. Kmec, The Golden Gate X Press.

Posted: December 1st, 2010, by: admin. Categories: . Awaiting Comments.