Students for California's Future: News

February 8th - 14th, 2010

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Potential oil tax to benefit California higher education draws mixed reactions - California higher education officials have watched with mixed feelings as a potential oil severance tax -- which may in the end provide funding for state colleges -- has made its way through the Legislature. Contra Costa Times

Stand up for California's Children and America's Future - I am a native Californian. I was brought up by generations who had survived the Great Depression and World War II. They were people of modest means who dreamed of a better future for their children and grandchildren, and they knew that education was the key to that future. I attended public schools in California and then was privileged to attend the University of California at Davis and the University of California at Santa Barbara. I have had a wonderful life and my education was the key. San Francisco Chronicle

Guest Post: A Missed Opportunity to Stimulate Change in Higher Education - In its first days, the Obama administration made two bold moves affecting higher education. One was declaring that the nation would regain world leadership in college attainment by 2020. The other was pushing through the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka the stimulus), which to date, has pumped an estimated $6.5 billion into the nation’s public colleges and universities. As administration officials look back on their first year, they need to consider the possibility that the stimulus may end up doing little to advance the president’s goal and may even frustrate progress toward it. New America Foundation

Florez calls for college fee caps - Another Valley lawmaker wants to limit fee hikes at state colleges and universities, where steep increases have fueled protests. Fresno Bee

UC supporters swell to nearly 300,000 strong; large rallies planned - Working to combat a steep slide in state support for higher education, advocates for the University of California are planning large rallies in Sacramento this spring to persuade lawmakers that public higher education should be a funding priority. UCLA Today

Students sharpen attack on UC costs with satire - It's been a seriously dramatic year at the University of California, where hundreds of students seized buildings, demonstrated and shut down regents meetings last fall to protest rising tuition and the perceived privatization of the public school. San Francisco Chronicle

Less prison spending means more CSU funds - The governor recently proposed an amendment to the California Constitution that would cap spending on prisons and raise higher education funds. This proposal is in addition to a budget that will return millions of dollars to the California State University system. The Orion

Funds freed; San Marcos, SDSU can add classes - A rare bit of good budgetary news has administrators at San Diego State and Cal State San Marcos preparing to spend millions of dollars in federal stimulus money on additional classes. Union-Tribune

Bills shed light on CSU spending - How universities spend money has become a major topic of concern for students, faculty, staff, and taxpayers within the state of California due to the recent budget crisis. Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) is attempting to bring a greater sense of transparency and accountability to California's public institutions of higher education with Senate Bill 330 and Senate Bill 650. Golden Gate XPress

Fewer classes, high enrollment burdens college - Many City College students have been struggling to enroll in impacted classes and teachers are overworked due to a large number of Spring 2010 course cuts. City College cut 379 classes this semester and 330 during fall 2009, according to Terrance Hall, dean of instruction at City College. The cuts were implemented to grapple with the school’s $18 million to $20 million budget shortfall. The fall and spring cuts amount to about 6 percent of total classes offered. The Guardsman

Our View: CCC system may offer 4-year degrees - Marty Block, San Diego State University professor, dean, and director turned Assemblyman is proposing a bill that would allow some California Community Colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing and other “high demand” subjects. “For the first time, in more than a decade, [SDSU] has said they will not admit all CSU qualified freshmen,” Block said, “So somebody has to provide them with that educational access.” Daily 49er

District prepares for worst - Following the release of the governor’s mid-year budget proposal, district administrators remain wary and are preparing for any potential losses. As the final budget has not yet been passed, nothing is certain. “There’s been a variety of proposals for cuts, but everything is very much up in the air,” Contra Costa College Vice President Carol Maga said. “The governor would like to keep as much funding as possible for the community colleges.” Accent Advocate