May 24, 2012

Poll shows Brown tax measure holding support but a big lift remains
SI&A Cabinet Report (K-12 education trade periodical)

A new survey suggests Gov. Jerry Brown’s apparent strategy for winning support for his November tax measure may be having the desired effect on voters – although the poll author warns the election is still a long way off.

A majority of likely voters – 56 percent – still say they would vote yes on the Brown tax initiative while an overwhelming number – 72 percent – say they oppose the automatic spending cuts that would be employed if the tax measure fails, according to a new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California.

“It is really clear from the polling that people do not want to see more cuts to K-12 schools,” said Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of PPIC. “And the area in which they are most likely to support a tax increase is for K-12.

Brown signs law authorizing $3.5 billion in school deferrals
SI&A Cabinet Report (K-12 education trade periodical)

A week after it was publicly unveiled – and a day after two Republican lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment outlawing the practice – Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Wednesday that would protect the state’s cash flow next year by deferring $3.5 billion in payments to schools during the 2012-13 fiscal year.

The bill, AB 103, would authorize the payment delays to schools, as well as the deferral of hundreds of millions more due to local governments and the state university system. Officials said all of the deferrals likely would occur even if voters approve the governor’s tax measure in November.

Brown's revised budget holds bigger ax over schools
The Healdsburg Patch (community news website)

Gov. Jerry Brown continues to lay his hopes for state fiscal soundness on a November tax initiative, but if it doesn’t pass, schools will face additional cuts that could chop three weeks off the next school year.

Earlier this month, Brown revised the 2012-13 budget he first released in January. Called the May revise, his new figures reflect tax revenues that have fallen far short of earlier predictions.

“It’s a difficult budget,” Brown acknowledged in a press conference.

Special-interest spending floods California races in new political landscape
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

As federal super PACs continue to pour money into the presidential and congressional contests, state-level independent committees are spending big to influence the outcome in California's legislative races.
Independent expenditure committees, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts, are active in more than a third of state races on the June 5 ballot, spending more than $7 million to support and oppose candidates.

Closing the bubble in foster care
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Julio is not looking forward to his 19^th birthday.  On that day in December, he’ll lose his apartment, his living expenses and the support of the state’s foster care system.  One month later, in January 2013, the young Modesto man will be eligible to reapply for foster services under AB 12, the California Fostering Connections to Success Act of 2010.

Four weeks may not seem like a long time, but for Julio – who doesn’t want his last name used – it couldn’t come at a worse time.  Next December, he’ll be taking finals at Modesto Junior College, on the way to earning a four-year degree at Cal State Stanislaus, and says the pending disruption in his life is scary.

COS trustees say Carrizosa's salary will be $225,000 per year
The Visalia Times-Delta (local daily newspaper)

While chief executive pay at public colleges and universities has risen in recent years despite sweeping cuts, trustees argue the pay is needed to retain and attract the most qualified applicants.

Last week, the College of the Sequoias Board of Trustees approved the $225,000 annual salary of Stan Carrizosa who will take over the position as the superintendent-president of the college on July 1.

Carrizosa is making $55,000 more than his predecessor, Brent Calvin.

Romney's higher ed platform
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- The presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney pledged Wednesday that, if elected, he would reshape or do away with two major Obama administration higher education policy initiatives: the overhaul of the federal student loan program and tighter regulations on for-profit colleges.

In his education plan, the former Massachusetts governor also proposed consolidating some federal financial aid programs and changing eligibility rules for Pell Grants to ensure the program’s financial future.

HP hopes 27,000 job cuts revitalize company
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

Despite massive workforce reductions in the past that have failed to revitalize the company, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) executives said the 27,000 job cuts announced Wednesday -- the biggest in its history -- will put the storied but struggling technology giant on the right path.

"It's absolutely essential to let us run a more streamlined organization," CEO Meg Whitman said in an interview with this newspaper. And while previous layoffs have tended to focus on certain areas, such as recently acquired companies, the cutting this time "is quite different" because it affects virtually every department.

Siemens lands $73 million sale of light-rail cars
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Sacramento's Siemens manufacturing plant will build 18 of its S70 light-rail vehicles for TriMet in Portland, Ore., under a $73 million contract being announced today.
All manufacturing will be done at Siemens' facility on French Road in south Sacramento. That plant is powered in part by 2 megawatts of solar energy.

May 23, 2012

Budget shortfall could mean shorter school year
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Sacramento -- California's public schools could see as much as a month of classroom time slashed from the calendar if voters reject a plan to raise taxes in November.

Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed giving school districts the option of cutting up to 15 days from the school year if voters reject his proposed income and sales tax initiative. The significantly shortened year would help offset a multibillion-dollar automatic midyear cut that would be implemented upon rejection of the taxes.

Report: Ending corporate tax breaks would help trim budget deficit
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

As lawmakers begin to haggle over the state budget, the California Tax Reform Assn. said Wednesday that they need to eliminate $6 billion in tax breaks for large corporations.

The association's report said taxing oil production, altering property tax assessments on corporate buildings and other changes would help the state close an estimated $15.7-billion budget gap.

Republicans have blocked efforts to raise taxes, which Democrats say has exacerbated the state’s budget crisis.

Revised budget is unbalanced, unfair
The Pasadena City College Courier - opinion (Pasadena City College student newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised plan to balance California’s budget by cutting more money from those who are still struggling will cause more harm than good.

Brown pleaded with voters at a Capitol news conference on May 14. “Please raise taxes temporarily,” he said. But that’s become a lot to ask for now; we should be wary of paying more taxes in order to make up for years of government over-spending and mistakes. The latest being a $7 billion miscalculation that saw an estimated $9 billion budget deficit in January balloon to $16 billion just last week.

Budget mess continues after revised deficit numbers
The Los Angeles Valley Star (Los Angeles Valley College student newspaper)

California schools may once again feel the pinch since revised estimates project the state deficit is almost twice as high as originally thought. Despite numerous spending cuts intended to help balance the state budget, the deficit has swelled to nearly $16 billion, up from the $9-billion estimate released in January.

Michelle Rhee's StudentsFirst moves $2 million into PAC
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

StudentsFirst, the education advocacy group formed by former Washington D.C. public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, has poured $2 million into a campaign committee created to influence state legislative races ahead of the June 5 primary.

Jerry Brown struggles on three fronts on state budget
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

As the state budget's deficit widens, Gov. Jerry Brown is being thrust into a three-front political battle.
He must not only persuade voters to pass his sales and income tax package, but, implicitly, persuade them to reject a rival tax measure just for schools.

State questions billions of redevelopment bills from O.C. cities
The Orange County Register (daily newspaper)
A primal tug-of-war over billions of dollars in future property taxes is on.

The state is yanking hard in one direction; local cities and counties are yanking hard in the other direction. Who will get the dough that used to go to redevelopment agencies?

Every city and county that used to have a redevelopment agency has submitted a list of “enforceable obligations” to the state — i.e., bills that must be paid on promises that were made, even though redevelopment agencies were dissolved. The state is going to have the final word on what’s real and what’s not.

May 22, 2012

California pay commission to consider 5 percent cut for state elected officials
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

One week after Gov. Jerry Brown proposed slicing state workers' pay by 5 percent, the Democratic governor and legislators find themselves targeted for a "share the pain" salary cut.

Members of California's Citizens Compensation Commission said Monday that a pay-cut proposal for statewide officeholders will be on the table when the panel meets May 31.

Long Beach City College nursing program graduate looks toward future
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

For Long Beach City College graduate Lynn Zabala, nursing is about more than tending to the sick. It's also about compassion and caring.

"I think a lot of nurses can lose sight of the emotional side of nursing," she said. "I want to help bring that back."

Saddleback College graduates more than 1,200
The Orange County Register (daily newspaper)

MISSION VIEJO – Saddleback College recognized 1,273 graduates and 1,011 certificate of achievement recipients on Friday at its annual commencement ceremony. The event featured the traditional processional and reading of graduates' names, along with commencement speaker and California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott. The student speaker was Janis Alexa Smith, who graduated magna cum laude and plans to transfer to California State Fullerton in the fall.

Future of Van de Kamps facility to be discussed Wednesday
Highland Park - Mount Washington Patch (community news website)

With the site of the former Van de Kamps bakery in Glassell Park scheduled to be discussed during Wednesday's meeting of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Directors, some local activists are hoping the board can be persuaded to pursue their vision of turning the historic facility into a community college campus.

Gloomy outlook seen if tax hike measure fails
The Pasadena City College Courier (Pasadena City College student newspaper)

California community colleges will face dire consequences if  the governor’s tax initiative is rejected by voters in November, Community College Chancellor Jack Scott said Tuesday.

Scott predicted colleges could face a further  $600 million funding shortfall in addition to $809 million in cuts since the 2008-09 year.

The Community College League of California addressed Gov. Jerry Brown’s ballot proposal in an online conference call Tuesday morning.

Revise could deal a crippling blow to education
The Clarion (Citrus College student newspaper)

California community colleges are bracing themselves for yet another round of cuts after Gov. Jerry Brown released his revised state budget proposal May 14.

The governor’s May revise showed the state deficit expanding to $15.7 billion—a 57 percent increase to the projected $9.2 billion shortfall in January.    

In the budget, the governor paints two vastly differing scenarios for state education funding.  

The amount of support would be contingent on the success of his new compromise tax proposal expected to go on the state ballot Nov. 6—estimated to pump $8.5 billion into the state coffers. 

A very Santa Monica solution
Washington Monthly - College Guide blog (national politics news site)

Back in March Santa Monica College, a community college in California, decided to raise money by charging students different tuition rates for different classes. Students who wanted to take higher-demand courses would have to pay more money. The school would have created about 50 special high-demand courses. Students taking those courses would pay about four times normal tuition.

Assembly school finance guru sides with Brown on Prop. 98
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

The state's fiscal analyst has explained one way lawmakers could avoid Gov. Jerry Brown's deepest cuts, but the Legislature's top education finance aide said today that solution is unconstitutional.
Rick Simpson, the Assembly's education finance guru, said he believes Brown accurately calculated how much the state owes K-12 schools and community colleges at $53.7 billion in 2012-13. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office contends that Brown overestimated that amount by $1.7 billion.

Brown's budget plan is no panacea to California's root problems
The San Jose Mercury News - Thomas D. Elias column (daily newspaper)

From the moment Gov. Jerry Brown announced his latest budget revision proposal, complaints poured in both from his political enemies and some interests that have usually supported him.

Republicans griped that Brown's plan depends on a November tax increase initiative to prevent several billion dollars more in cuts atop the more than $8 billion he proposes. In-home care workers complained that cuts to their program would eventually cost the state far more than any immediate savings, as illnesses among invalid senior citizens would go undetected until they've become cataclysmic.

Brown makes pitch to business leaders for tax hikes
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Jerry Brown hopes that if he can convince business leaders to support his tax-hike initiative, otherwise skeptical voters might just go along with it.

But, he acknowledged Tuesday, it won't be easy for business groups to go against their philosophy of resisting taxes, so he called on them to "think of something larger than just your small place, wherever you are" to help the state get out from underneath a $15.7 billion deficit.

LAUSD board OKs college-prep plan
The Los Angeles Daily News (local daily newspaper)

With just three months to go before a mandatory college-prep curriculum takes effect, the Los Angeles Unified board gave lukewarm support Tuesday to a policy that outlines how the program will be implemented.

The resolution written by East San Fernando Valley board member Nury Martinez orders Superintendent John Deasy to design and implement an instructional plan for rolling out the so-called A-G curriculum, a slate of 15 college-prep classes that every student will have to pass to graduate.

Incredible complexity of school finance hits home
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

When Gov. Jerry Brown called the state budget "a pretzel palace of incredible complexity" last week, he was stating, in his inimitable way, the obvious.

During Brown's governorship three decades ago, the budget was a relatively simple and understandable document. Revenue was relatively easy to calculate and spending obligations were clearly delineated. But today's budget is complex almost beyond comprehension, and Brown wants to make it more so.

Mortgage settlement could go in state's budget hole
The San Francisco Chronicle - Net Worth column (daily newspaper)

California Attorney General Kamala Harris is not happy about Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to use $411 million in revenue coming to the state as part of the national mortgage settlement to help shrink the general fund deficit.

In his revised 2012-13 budget released last week, Brown proposed using most of the money for housing-related expenditures coming from the general fund, such as debt payments on more than $3 billion in voter-approved bonds used to build affordable housing, homeless shelters and related projects.

CSU pulls $200,000 bid request for executive pay consultant
California Watch (investigative journal)

After recently posting a bid for an executive compensation consultant for the first time in eight years, California State University officials decided late last week to cancel the request for proposals – citing budget concerns.

In bid documents posted in March for a three-year contract, the university estimated it would pay $200,000 for one survey of presidential pay, one survey of faculty pay and one larger, executive-level total compensation study – work that has been done in the past by human resources consultant Mercer. The smaller reports would be done once per year, and the larger study would be done less frequently. Mercer's contract is up in June.

Brown's revised budget allocates UC less than expected
The Highlander (University of California, Riverside student newspaper)

Gov. Brown’s revised budget, which seeks to address the state’s $16 billion deficit, will temporarily withhold $38 million from the state’s initial $90 million commitment to the UC while boosting K-12 funding by 16 percent. Public education was largely exempt from the numerous cuts enacted in nearly every other government sector, which included a five percent state employee payroll freeze and nearly $550 million in trial court system cuts.

California Senate votes to allow self-driving cars
Reuters (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO -- California took a step toward becoming the second state in the nation to allow self-driven cars on its roads on Monday, as the state Senate unanimously agreed to allow autonomously driven vehicles such as those pioneered by Google (GOOG).

Google's self-driving cars have already crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and driven along the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway, according to the company, which has taken California lawmakers on test drives.

"I had the pleasure of going out for a drive on the autonomous vehicle," California state Senator Alan Lowenthal said before the unopposed vote. "I have to say that there are some still issues with it, but it's a better driver than I am."

May 21, 2012

Santa Monica part II
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

The fight over two-tiered pricing at California’s community colleges isn’t over.

Leaders at Santa Monica College in March unveiled a controversial plan to create a self-supporting private foundation to help meet student demand by offering courses at four times the cost of overbooked state-financed courses. But they shelved that idea in April, after a fierce backlash and the pepper-spraying of protesting students.

Even if the controversy had died down, two-tiered tuition is probably illegal in California. Jack Scott, chancellor of the state’s community college system, said he believed Santa Monica’s tuition plan would violate state law. California’s attorney general later concurred.

CSU admission numbers increase for fall, but may drop next year
The Long Beach Press-Telegram (local daily newspaper)

LONG BEACH — The number of students admitted this fall at Cal State University is up, especially among freshmen.

However, CSU officials that those numbers could be drastically reduced next year in the wake of state budget cuts.

"The CSU is caught between a huge demand to attend our universities and a state that simply is not providing adequate funding for these students," Eric Forbes, CSU assistant vice chancellor of student academic support said in a statement. "We are facing a tipping point in terms of the promise of access that is at the heart of the CSU mission."

To cut California's budget gap cut one sentence from state whistleblower law
Forbes (national business magazine)

Facing a firestorm of comment and criticism over revelations that California faces a $16 billion budget gap, California Governor Jerry Brown appealed to the public last week for ideas to cut the state’s debt.  Here’s a painless way to find billions in cash: Create a program to encourage whistleblowers to report major cases of tax fraud.

California certainly knows the benefits that come from collaborating with whistleblowers and their counsel. Since its legislature adopted the California False Claims Act in 1987, the state has recovered over a billion dollars as a result of cases initiated by whistleblowers, including some brought by my firm.

CA Senate passes bill that limits salaries at CSU
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

The Senate Monday approved a bill to limit pay for California State University employees making more than $200,000 a year.

Senate Bill 952, by Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, prohibits CSU workers making more than $200,000 from receiving a raise until June 30, 2014. Annual raises for those workers would be limited to 10 percent from 2014 to 2018

Taxes needed to patch budget for the short term
The San Francisco Examiner - editorial (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown’s May budget revision, which he announced last week, is worse than originally projected. What once was estimated to be a $9 billion deficit has ballooned to almost twice that amount.

Thanks to the overreach of Proposition 13, California’s legislators have been powerless to raise taxes for almost 40 years. The only way  the state can significantly raise taxes is through a referendum on the state ballot, which is typically subject to the reflexive hostility of voters. Brown has been barnstorming around the state, offering cuts in state programs, but demanding that California residents approve tax increases in return.

Forum: Community colleges forced to slash classes
The North County Times - Dr. Francisco Rodriguez & Constance Carroll op-ed (local daily newspaper)

Acceptance letters have been sent, parents and friends consulted, and by now, most high school seniors have made the tough decision on where they will be attending college this fall. It's a time of celebration and anticipation ---- a single decision that will shape the futures of thousands of Californians. The disappointing reality for many students is that dreams of a college education at a University of California or California State University campus may be difficult to realize ---- because of intense competition for fewer seats as well as skyrocketing tuition costs.

These local students, who would once have attended a CSU or UC out of high school, are increasingly turning to one of the nine community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties, where they can complete the first half of an undergraduate education at a fraction of the cost. This year, however, thousands of high school graduates bound for one of our colleges will be in for a shock. In response to state budget crisis and Sacramento's crippling cuts to higher education, our local community colleges have been forced to slash thousands of classes, and most have had to decimate their summer sessions, which used to provide another resource for students trying to complete their degree or workforce training and transfer in two years.

Torlakson says 188 California school districts in 'financial jeopardy"
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

School districts with 2.6 million of the state's 6 million K-12 students are in "financial jeopardy," state schools Supt. Tom Torlakson declared Monday, including 12 so troubled that they are virtually insolvent.
Although the 188 districts rated either negatively - unable to meet their obligations - or "qualified" are just a fraction of the state's 1,037 districts, county offices of education and other "local educational agencies," they included some of the state's largest, including huge Los Angeles Unified, and therefore a major chunk of the student population.

Governor seeks to cut programs Dems pledge to save
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Sacramento --

Gov. Jerry Brown's latest budget proposal attempts to close a formidable $15.7 billion deficit, but the real debate at the Capitol in the next few weeks probably will be over how to cut just a fraction of the big amount.

That's because about $2 billion in the governor's budget represents permanent reductions in spending on state welfare, child care and other programs that Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly have pledged to protect.

Tax the rich' is the opposite of reform
The Los Angeles Times - George Skelton column (national daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown defends his soak-the-rich tax proposal as just. And besides, he says, it's popular with the non-rich.

Never mind that it's the opposite of reform, that it would make California's roller-coaster tax system even more volatile.

CalPERS looks at job-creating infrastructure
Calpensions (government pensions publication)

The nation’s largest public pension fund, CalPERS, is holding a meeting in San Diego this week to discuss investments in California infrastructure, this one focusing on energy.

Previous closed-door meetings with a wide range of interests (held in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles since March) have looked at transportation, water and infrastructure investing in general.

In a happy convergence, pension funds are moving into infrastructure to reduce inflation and market risk, while deficit-ridden governments are deep in bond debt and looking for new ways to rebuild and expand crumbling public works.

Silicon Valley foreign worker search speeds up after lull
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

Technology firms have tripled their recruitment of foreign workers this spring after a hiring lull of several years -- a development that is reigniting the debate over immigration rules affecting those workers.

American companies sought more than 32,500 temporary H-1B visas, available for skilled workers, since the annual recruiting period began in April. That is about triple the number sought by the same time last year.

"The demand for the visas is going up," said Emily Lam of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a business advocate.

Highest-paid public-college presidents, 2011 fiscal year
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

About these data

These data show the compensation received in the 2010-11 fiscal year by 199 chief executives at 190 public universities and systems in the United States. Fiscal years typically end June 30.

Utah's experiment with 4-day workweek has lessons for California
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

As Gov. Jerry Brown and labor unions negotiate to put state workers on a four-day, 38-hour workweek to cut payroll costs, they could learn a lot by looking east – to Utah.
The Beehive State's workforce went to a "four-tens" week in 2008. Then-Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican, launched the program aiming to save $3 million annually in state operating costs by shutting down on Fridays.

College readiness is more than academics
The Huffington Post - The Blog (national online news source)

Donald was a smart boy with potential. He graduated from high school with honors and had ambitions to succeed, but sadly he never made it to college. Donald's problem was not one of academic deficiency. He didn't get into trouble. He didn't mess with drugs or break the law. Simply put, Donald had no support at home. His mother was an alcoholic who referred to Donald as her "problem child" because he reminded her of his father. Even from the beginning, his fate was tainted.

May 20, 2012

Pell Grants plug pulled for thousands of students
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

A mother of four who was laid off in 2008, Danielle Torno had planned on turning her life around next year with the help of a Cal State East Bay business degree.

Instead, the 36-year-old San Jose resident will be searching for another solution because of a little-noticed congressional decision to reduce or eliminate Pell Grants for hundreds of thousands of the poorest college students.

The changes take effect July 1, and students like Torno will bear the brunt of the reforms, which are expected to save $11 billion over 10 years.

Graduating collegians cope with student debt in a weak economy
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

College graduation is typically a time to tally accomplishments and to look ahead. But for many graduates, it is also a time to tally student loans and figure out how to repay them.

About two-thirds of college graduates have some student loans to pay off, and their average debt is about $25,000 to $28,700, according to estimates by education experts and organizations. (About 10% of those with loans owe more than $50,000 or so.)

Median compensation for public college heads grew 3% in 2010-11
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

Three chief executives of public colleges earned more than $1 million in total compensation during the 2010-11 academic year, according to a survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The median total compensation of the 199 public college presidents surveyed was $421,395, up 2.9 percent from 2009-10, the survey found, while the median base pay, $383,800, increased 1.3 percent.

Region's community college chiefs warn of 'dismantling' cuts if tax vote fails
East County Magazine (local periodical)

Local campuses face $27 million hit without passage of November initiative

May 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- The heads of the region’s six community college districts issued a tsunami warning of sorts Wednesday, saying a new wave of funding cuts will further cripple the colleges if voters reject the governor’s November tax initiative.

At a news conference at San Diego City College, a coalition of community college district chiefs, trustees and students joined in calling for public support of Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal for temporary tax increases, saying its loss in the November election would trigger $300 million in cuts to the state’s community colleges on topof the $502 million loss that the system has already taken for the current academic year.

Bills seek to assist ex-felons seeking jobs
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Jeff Rutland was released from San Quentin State Prison nearly two years ago, ready to leave behind a 25-year criminal career.

But the 48-year-old former crack cocaine addict quickly realized that his past was not ready to leave him. Almost without fail, he would notice a chill descend on job interviews whenever he had to explain to potential employers why he hadn't filled out the section of his application that asked about felony convictions.

"It's very discouraging because a lot of these jobs I know I'm qualified for," said Rutland, who sought in vain to land a manufacturing job. "As soon as I check the box, the demeanor changes."

Prompted by stories like Rutland's, California lawmakers are considering three bills ahead of a June 1 deadline that would make it easier for ex-convicts to get jobs.

A totally Californian poet laureate
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Wearing jeans, green sneakers, a hipster straw bowler and a Buddhist symbol around his neck, the new poet laureate of California opened his weekly poetry workshop at UC Riverside with stretching and breathing exercises.

"Let's detox our cluttered academic brain. That's what the poet does," said Juan Felipe Herrera, 63. "People call it daydreaming, detoxing our minds and taking care of that clutter. It's being able to let in call letters from the poetry universe."

May 19, 2012

Legislative analyst: Budget cuts to public schools need not be as severe as Jerry Brown's proposal
KPCC 89.3 (Southern California public radio)

California may be able to soften its budget blow to public schools and other state programs Gov. Jerry Brown proposed this week. The state’s legislative analyst offered a plan Friday that would free up $2 billion — and would reduce an automatic $4 billion dollar cut to public schools if voters reject the governor’s initiative to raise taxes in November.

Rio Hondo board trustee elected to a state board
The Whittier Daily News (local daily newspaper)

Rio Hondo board trustee elected to a state board

WHITTIER - Rio Hondo College board member Angela Acosta-Salazar was elected to serve as a trustee of the Community College League of California, a nonprofit, public benefit corporation whose voluntary membership includes 72 community college districts in California.

Her three-year term as a California Community College Trustee begins June 15.

Our View: State's brain drain sends students away
The Whittier Daily News - editorial (daily newspaper)

CALIFORNIA'S universities' curriculum cutbacks and tuition hikes are having an effect that any freshman economics student could have predicted: More and more high school graduates are choosing to leave the state for college.

The trend was detailed this month by The Sacramento Bee, which reviewed federal data and pieced together some disturbing facts: The number of Californians going to college out of state rose 90 percent from 2000 to 2010. Almost three times as many Californians moved to other states for college in 2010 than came here from other states.

May 18, 2012

Facebook windfall good for California
KGO-TV Channel 7 (San Francisco-area ABC affiliate)

MENLO PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- Rock stars and wealthy investors are not the only beneficiaries of the Facebook IPO. The state of California had a good day as well, since this stock sale helps state government.

While the state budget stands to gain a lot from this Facebook IPO, it will not save the entire $16 billion budget deficit.

When CEO Mark Zuckerberg rang NASDAQ's opening bell, many of his employees became instant millionaires.

Silicon Valley start-up offers students homework help
KGO-TV Channel 7 (San Francisco-area ABC affiliate)

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- More than 250,000 university students around the world are getting help with their homework thanks to a young woman who defied tradition and launched her own high tech company.

Pooja Sankar is expecting a baby in July -- at the same time she's giving birth to a new company, a Silicon Valley start-up called Piazza.

Sankar's path to CEO is unusual. She was raised in a very traditional Indian family. They lived in Canada, but when Sankar was eleven, they moved back home to rural northern India.

How Univision is adapting to a new generation of Latino viewers in the US
KPCC 89.3 (Southern California public radio)

This week was the upfronts presentations in New York, the time of year when the TV networks try to woo ad buyers for the upcoming season.

While most networks are seeing primetime ratings shrink, one network has been able to boast a 7 percent increase in the key primetime slots: Spanish-language Univision, the country’s fifth largest TV network.

May 17, 2012

Steinberg: Democrats seeking alternatives to some budget cuts
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg today repeated a pledge to look for budget solutions that would allow lawmakers to preserve some services targeted with steep cuts under Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget plan.

"I said on Monday, I'm not looking for a public fight here," the Sacramento Democrat said this morning. "We're looking to work collaboratively and yet not be afraid to have our differences or air our differences with the other stakeholders, the other parties, but come to a resolution where we can in fact buy out some of the worst cuts."

Glendale Community College's PDC to provide $750,000 in training for California businesses through Glendale Chamber of Commerce
PR Newswire (national news distribution service)

GLENDALE, Calif., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Professional Development Center of Glendale Community College, one of the largest providers of state-funded training in Southern California, has partnered with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce to provide $750,000 in training for employees of local businesses.

The Glendale Chamber of Commerce was awarded a $750,000 Employment Training Panel (ETP) contract to provide training through the Professional Development Center. It is the Glendale Chamber's second ETP contract in its 100-year history of promoting economic growth and partnerships in Glendale.

Mt. SAC students, faculty rally against college cutbacks, fee hikes
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune (local daily newspaper)

WALNUT - About 75 students and a half-dozen faculty rallied Wednesday against rising student fees and debilitating community college cuts at Mount San Antonio College.

In response to an anticipated jump in fees from $36 to $46 per unit beginning this summer, students shouted "How high are fees? Too high!" and carried homemade signs that read "Tuition is tax - Keep it off our backs" and "Stop the cuts."

About 30 students capped a two-hour campus rally with a march through the state's largest single-campus community college, passing by state Sen. Bob Huff's Walnut office on Amar Road and Grand Avenue while shouting "Tell Bob Huff: No more budget cuts."

A little Brown wizardry needed to fix budget
The Sacramento Bee - George Skelton column (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown is testy. He's defensive. He's very frustrated.

He's only human, after all — not a demigod, not the all-wise, powerful supergov he portrayed himself to be when running for the office.

It's hard to know who believed that portrayal the most: the voters, the Sacramento insiders or the candidate himself.

Regardless, it hasn't panned out the way most people had hoped, and certainly not the way Brown had envisioned.

So on Monday, he was in the governor's press conference room — built by his father, incidentally — trying to explain why the state budget hole had grown 71% deeper since January, expanding from $9.2 billion to $15.7 billion. And exactly what he proposed to do about it.

Brown's tax may not rectify California's budget deficit
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO -- Even if voters approve Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal for higher taxes this fall, his ballot initiative would be only a partial solution to the state's chronic budget deficits.

California could face shortfalls for the foreseeable future depending on how much Democrats are willing to cut social programs and whether the economy rebounds. In many cases, the financial pain on Californians will persist. College students will still face higher tuition fees, public school teachers still face layoffs and parks are still scheduled to close.

Officials at the University of California, for example, are considering plans to raise tuition by 6 percent this fall. If voters reject Brown's tax hike in November, the officials warn of a mid-year, double-digit tuition increase or drastic cuts to campus programs and staffing.

University of California confronts budget shortfall
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The University of California's Board of Regents on Wednesday weighed a possible tuition increase to close a major budget shortfall and named a new chancellor for UC San Diego.

UC officials took no action after discussing ways to tackle a growing budget deficit caused by rising expenses and state budget cuts. During the current fiscal year, the state reduced UC funding by $750 million or roughly 20 percent.

Under one scenario, the 10-campus system would raise tuition by 6 percent, or $731, this fall if the state doesn't increase funding by $125 million for 2012-13. The board would not vote on a tuition increase until July, and the amount could change based on the state budget situation, officials said.

Fool for higher education
Inside Higher Ed - opinion (education trade periodical)

Of late, American higher education has been suffering more than its share of the shocks that flesh is heir to.  As a result, we will likely see soon a retrenchment in government-subsidized student loans.

First, the alarm has gone out following the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest study of student-loan debt. In addition to finding that student debt now exceeds $1 trillion, exceeding credit-card debt, the study found that senior citizens are bearing an ever-greater burden of student loans.

Sacramento-area community college teams eye state titles
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The action will be fast and furious in Southern California for area community college teams and athletes expecting to finish their seasons on top.

Sprinter Diondre Batson and his American River teammates seek to repeat as champions at the state track and field meet in Norwalk. The trials are Friday and finals Saturday at Cerritos College.

Full-scale assault on tenure, dismissal laws
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A nonprofit founded by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur has filed a sweeping, high-stakes lawsuit challenging state teacher protection laws. A victory would overturn a tenure, dismissal, and layoff system that critics blame for the hiring and retention of ineffective teachers. A loss in court could produce bad case law, impeding more targeted efforts to achieve some of the same goals.

California's Prop. 28 would let legislative leaders serve longer stints
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The self-proclaimed "ayatollah" of the Assembly, Speaker Willie Brown, was a prime target in the successful campaign to pass legislative term limits 22 years ago.

Ballot arguments at the time talked of stripping power from "legislative dictators" and ousting the "speaker's cronies." Vote yes, supporters said, and never again could anyone gain a stranglehold on the Assembly or Senate for a decade or more.

May 16, 2012

Iowa governor warns California: We are coming to take your jobs
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

Every year that California has budget trouble -- basically the last 10 -- another state licks its lips and boasts how it will reap the benefits as businesses and residents flee the Golden State. These poachers are usually more conservative southwestern states like Arizona or longtime California rival Texas.

So, um, add Iowa to the list.

That's right, Iowa, land of snow, farms, presidential caucuses and ... snow. In an interview with The Times, the state's Republican governor, Terry Branstad, boasted how he balanced the state's budget without raising taxes and is getting calls from California businesses looking to move.

Community colleges dependent more than ever on new revenues to stay afloat
The Vallejo Times-Herald (local daily newspaper)

Dwindling revenues are taking a toll on California's community colleges, and state leaders are worried that greater losses could occur under the governor's new budget plan if new money isn't found.

Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget plan calls for $8 billion in cuts, and twice that amount in new revenues to close the $16 billion deficit, state leaders said Tuesday.

For community colleges, full or empty coffers are dependent on three main revenue sources, California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott and Community College League of California CEO Scott Lay said Tuesday.

Brown stymied by same budget dysfunction that plagued predecessors
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO — Jerry Brown told voters he was different — that only he, a septuagenarian government veteran with no aspirations to higher office, could fix the cycle of swelling budget deficits that has plagued California for more than a decade.

But the release of Brown's updated budget plan Monday shows that he is being trapped by the same partisanship and dysfunction that hobbled his predecessors when they tried to repair the state's finances.

Brown, in 'management mode,' chides those who oppose tax hikes on wealthy
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO -- A day after releasing a revised budget that relies heavily on revenues from his not-yet-passed tax initiative, Gov. Jerry Brown chided those who oppose boosting taxes on the wealthy.

The governor said he was in "management mode," as in managing Democrats into making $8.3 billion in budget cuts to help wrestle a $15.7 billion deficit to the ground. But he sure sounded as if he was in campaign mode as he tried to sell his tax measure to a crime victims' group Tuesday morning.

The governor said if people were offered a chance to make $1 million a year -- even though they'd have to pay a 3 percent tax on any money made on top of that -- "would anybody say, 'I don't want that deal?' No. No. It's a pretty good deal."

Ready to blaze a trail for tax hike
The Los Angeles Times - Steve Lopez column (national daily newspaper)

In March, when I wrote that the tax increase proposals by Gov. Jerry Brown and civil rights attorney Molly Munger were unimaginative if not doomed, I got an email from Munger.

She did not agree, at least with regard to her initiative.

"Unimaginative?" she wrote, inviting me to meet with her.

This week, I decided to take her up on her offer after watching Brown admit that the financial mess he told us about in January was nothing compared to the mess we're in now. Frankly, I don't know how the January estimates were so far off the mark, with a $9-billion hole turning into a $16-billion hole in less time than it takes to grow tomatoes. Why should we trust the next set of numbers Brown throws at us?

Dan Morain: A mom struggles as budget crisis deepens
The Sacramento Bee - opinion (daily newspaper)

Wherever he sleeps at night, Facebook billionaire Eduardo Saverin could never dream of living like Jonetta Hall.
Saverin, 30, is a billionaire who will become richer when Facebook, the Palo Alto company he helped found, has its initial public stock offering Friday. He has been in the news since last week when Bloomberg reported that he had renounced his U.S. citizenship and is living in Singapore, which does not tax capital gains he stands to receive on his stock.

To Gov. Jerry brown's dismay, pension board phases in state hike
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Against Gov. Jerry Brown's wishes, the California Public Employees' Retirement System board voted today to phase in a higher cost to the state over two years rather than bill the state immediately in full.
In a letter to the board, Brown called that "not a prudent decision."

The disagreement was over the pace at which PERS is lowering its assumptions about future investment returns from 7.75 percent to 7.5 percent, called the discount rate. Such changes are intended to compensate for lower market returns. When the rate of return assumption goes down, governments must contribute more.

Paul Saffo weighs in on Facebook ahead of IPO
KGO Ch. 7 (Bay Area ABC TV affiliate)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Early demand for Facebook stock has convinced the company's investors to sell more of their shares, when Facebook goes public on Friday. According to papers filed Wednesday, an additional 84 million shares -- worth up to $3.2 billion -- will go on the market.

Facebook itself won't benefit because the shares are all held by venture capital investors. It will, however, dilute the standing of founder Mark Zuckerberg, who has voting power over some of those shares. He will retain control of 55.8 percent of the stock.

So what does the future hold for Facebook?

Protesters interrupt UC regents meeting (again) over tuition hikes (again)
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

Student protesters disrupted a University of California Regents meeting in Sacramento on Wednesday.
 
The students, angry over proposed tuition hikes, burst into the room wearing prison uniforms that read “sentenced to debt” while clapping and singing. Regents are weighing a 6 percent tuition increase to deal with proposed budget cuts.

Community colleges campaign for Gov's tax initiative
KSWB Ch. 5 (San Diego Fox TV affiliate)

SAN DIEGO -- Just days after California Gov. Jerry Brown announced his May revised budget, San Diego's community colleges began campaigning for their lifeline, a voter-approved sales tax initiative.

"It makes no sense in California today to continue the practice of using cuts as the only method of balancing the state budget," said Constance Carroll, Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District.

If approved, the .25 percent sales tax increase over four years would boost revenue for the state's community college by more than $300 million.  Failure would take away more than $300 million, a $600 million swing.

Local community colleges facing more cuts
KGTV Ch. 10 (San Diego ABC TV affiliate)

SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- Community colleges across California have already taken a hit of almost $1 billion in the last four years and now, they face more cuts.

Cody Dean is about to complete his second year at Palomar Community College. He will be transferring to UC Berkeley in the fall and wants to be a politician.

"I would not be able to follow my dreams and for a lot of students, it's impossible to follow their dreams without community college," said Dean. Dean is one of 220,000 community college students in San Diego County. Any budget cuts to education could slow him and students all over California down.

Educators outline dire budget options
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

California’s colleges and universities are looking at fewer classes, higher student fees and layoffs unless more money can be injected into the state budget, educational leaders in San Diego and Sacramento said Wednesday.

They reiterated their plea that voters to pass Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax increase on the November ballot, but some questioned whether the public support would be there.

Ballot proposal crucial to college funding
The Courier (Pasadena City College student newspaper)

California community colleges will face dire consequences if  the governor’s tax initiative is rejected by voters in November, Community College Chancellor Jack Scott said Tuesday.

Scott predicted colleges could face a further  $600 million funding shortfall in addition to $809 million in cuts since the 2008-09 year.

The Community College League of California addressed Gov. Jerry Brown’s ballot proposal in an online conference call Tuesday morning.

Essentially, if the tax initiative passes, California community colleges will receive $300 million in additional revenue, whereas if it fails, they will experience $315 million in trigger cuts — a $600 million swing.

“If the ballot [measure] fails it will be a tragedy [for] higher learning,” Scott said in the web conference. “There are no other options for us.”

Fee hikes this summer
The Inquirer (Diablo Valley College student newspaper)

Come summer of 2012, the California Community College per unit fee will increase to the all time high of $46 per unit.

According to Article 9, Section 5 of the California State Constitution, “The Legislature shall provide for a system of common schools by which a free school shall be kept up and supported in each district…”

Transferring made easier
The Coast Report Online (Orange Coast College student newspaper)

Coast Community College District officials hope to step into the modern age by giving students control of their educational plans online.   

The district will purchase the rights to DegreeWorks, a web-based program that not only allows students to track their degree’s progress, but also informs them on the most efficient path to complete their goals.

May 15, 2012

Thankful for the opportunity to serve
The San Bernardino Sun (daily newspaper)

 

 

Former Chancellor Stuart Bundy christened Crafton Hills College the "Emerald on the Hill" and I have ever since thought of our beautiful campus as a jewel. When I was honored with the opportunity to serve as the campus president in 2000, I considered it my dream job. As I retire, after a dozen years in that position and 18 on the campus, I am proud that I have had the chance to help serve both students and our communities, and that the college is in a position of which I am incredibly proud.

The campus continues with its first transformation since 1972. The voters in our district service area were tremendously supportive, passing bond measures in 2002 and 2008 that have moved our colleges into the 21st century.

What a $16B state deficit means for SMC
The Corsair (Santa Monica College student newspaper)

Any hope for a respite to the continuing cash drought at California’s community colleges was dashed last week when Governor Jerry Brown released a May budget revision that paints the state’s fiscal condition in a dismal $16 billion dollar deficit.

That’s up from the $9.2 billion deficit projected earlier this year, and means even deeper cuts to public services–including education–to make up for the shortfall. Additionally, that’s more pressure on voters to approve the Governor’s ballot initiatives in November that would raise taxes to cover costs.

Voter distrust will be a hurdle for Brown tax plan
The Associated Press (international news agency)

Gov. Jerry Brown is pleading with Californians to raise their taxes as part of his solution for solving the state's budget deficit, but it's uncertain whether voters will be in an accepting mood come November.

Polls show voters want more money for schools but don't want to tax themselves to pay for it. They continue to be pessimistic about the economy in a state with one of the highest jobless rates in the nation. And they distrust the Legislature, which oversees the budget.

The backwards May Budget Revise: Taxes before reforms
Fox & Hounds (California business and politics periodical)

Governor Jerry Brown’s press conference on the May budget revise served the dual purpose of revealing the new budget and kicking off his campaign to pass his tax initiative on November’s ballot. The governor wasted no time in tying the success of his budget to his initiative income and sales tax increase plan.

The governor said that things are getting better and, in an odd way, when you look back at California’s sorry budget story the last few years you can see how he makes that argument. However, the campaign to raise taxes without coupling reforms will not lead California out of the fiscal forest, which is the governor’s goal.

Come the revolution
The New York Times - Thomas Friedman column (national daily newspaper)

Andrew Ng is an associate professor of computer science at Stanford, and he has a rather charming way of explaining how the new interactive online education company that he cofounded, Coursera, hopes to revolutionize higher education by allowing students from all over the world to not only hear his lectures, but to do homework assignments, be graded, receive a certificate for completing the course and use that to get a better job or gain admission to a better school.

S&P douses Democratic idea to forego budget reserve
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

As Standard & Poor's urged lawmakers Tuesday to pursue "credible" budget solutions to bridge the state's $16 billion deficit, the ratings agency did not approve of Senate leader Darrell Steinberg's idea to forego a reserve this year.

In the report, S&P suggested it could lower the state's ratings outlook or even impose a downgrade if lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown don't pursue real solutions that bolster the state's cash situation this summer. The state still has a "positive" outlook but an A- credit rating, which rates lowest in the nation.

Fitch on new California budget problems: Don't panic
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

A Wall Street rating agency on Tuesday called California's new, eye-catchingly large $16-billion deficit "unsurprising" and said it expected little progress until after primary elections next month.

Fitch Rating's note suggested little ground for either panic or optimism about the state's prospects after Gov. Jerry Brown announced the deficit had nearly doubled since he released his initial budget proposal in January. The note briefly reviewed Brown's May budget revision, released Monday.

"The increase in California's budget gap projection is unsurprising given the disappointing actual tax collections through the current fiscal year, adverse court and federal actions, and higher spending needs," Fitch said.

Fiscal analyst agrees with Brown forecast, increases Facebook estimate
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown has weathered criticism for making an aggressive bet on revenues in last year's budget act, but the state's top fiscal analyst approves of his latest forecast, which is more conservative.
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said today that its own forecasts "now are fairly similar to the administration's in both 2011-12 and 2012-13, with just a few hundred million dollars of bottom-line differences each year." LAO forecaster Jason Sisney would not specify whether his estimate is higher or lower than the governor's, only that they are "fairly close, and in the revenue forecasting world, fairly close means a great deal."

California high-speed rail project given conditional blessing
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)
The latest plan for building a California bullet train system got a very conditional blessing Tuesday from a "peer review committee" of transportation experts.
Will Kempton, the veteran transportation official who heads the committee, told a Senate hearing that the latest revision is "measurably improved" from previous versions.

May 14, 2012

AM Alert: Brace yourself for Jerry Brown's revised state budget
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Just how bad will it be?
Gov. Jerry Brown is releasing his revised budget in Sacramento at 10 a.m., and with his deficit estimate now at $16 billion, nobody thinks it'll be easy on the eyes. As Kevin Yamamura reported Sunday, "No sector that relies on state funding is likely to escape deeper cuts. Brown has already told state worker unions to expect at least a 5 percent compensation reduction."

Jack Friedlander: SBCC, school districts collaborate to promote academic, career success
Noozhawk (local online newspaper)

During a time when the state of California’s funding for education is at a 40-year low controlling for inflation, school districts, community colleges and universities are under increased pressure to improve students’ academic achievement, college attendance and degree completion rates.

School districts are being asked to increase the number of students who graduate with college- and career-ready skills. Community colleges are being asked to make substantial gains in the completion rates of students receiving certificates, associate degrees and/or transfer to a four-year university within three years of entering the institution.

May Revise likely to offer schools more money despite shortfall increase
SI&A Cabinet Report (K-12 education trade periodical)

Despite the stark news over the weekend that the state budget deficit has ballooned to $16 billion, Capitol insiders say they expect the revised May budget to assume voters will pass the governor’s tax measure in November.

The new spending plan, which Gov. Jerry Brown is scheduled to unveil this morning in Sacramento, also is likely to include a trigger mechanism to make cuts if voters reject the measure.

Analyst: Getting to CSU not so easy
KMJ Radio 580 AM (Fresno-area news talk radio station)

A plan by the state to make it simpler for community college students to transfer to California State University has not been implemented properly, says an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Community college students must often navigate a complex maze of transfer course requirements, which can make accessing and completing a baccalaureate program difficult, says the report released Friday afternoon.

Study finds partial progress on transfer in California
Inside Higher Ed - Quick Takes (education trade periodical)

Legislation enacted in California in 2010 was supposed to assure smooth transfer from community colleges to California State University campuses, both by requiring the community colleges to create more transfer programs and the university system to make students who complete certain requirements automatically eligible for junior status.

Critics struggle to end 'pay to play' in school bonds
California Watch (investigative journal)

Critics of the practice in which financial firms help pass school bonds that they profit from are continuing to push for reforms, but so far have faced resistance and failure.

In California, underwriting companies hired by school districts to sell bonds often make campaign contributions to help convince voters to pass the bond measures. A California Watch investigation found that leading underwriters gave $1.8 million over the last five years to successful bond measures, and in almost every case school districts gave underwriting contracts to those same firms.

Proposed state budget cuts spread worry in Valley
The Fresno Bee (local daily newspaper)

The proposed state budget revision Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled Monday left Valley hospitals, social service agencies and colleges bracing for deeper cuts to programs, services and classes.
Brown's revised budget proposes $8.3 billion in spending cuts for the budget year that begins July 1. The cuts include reductions for courts, colleges and CalWORKS, the state's main welfare program. The governor also proposed cuts in Medi-Cal payments to hospitals, in-home care for the frail and disabled, education funding and state employee pay.

Lawmakers blasts Title IX, Brandi Chastain winces
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — If Brandi Chastain could have cried foul, she would have.

The world-famous U.S. women's soccer player was in Sacramento on Monday with her Brazilian counterpart Sissi to be honored by the California Assembly as it recognized the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

The occasion prompted Assemblyman Chris Norby to reveal that he wasn't a fan of the 1972 federal law chiefly known for mandating gender equity in high school and collegiate sports. The Fullerton Republican said he thought Title IX had come at the expense of male athletes, particularly those who depend on sports scholarships.

"We need to be honest about the effects of what I believe are faulty court interpretations or federal enforcement of Title IX, because it has led to the abolition of many male sports across the board in UCs and Cal States," he said. "And that was never the intention of this, to have numerical equality. It was never the intention to attain equality by reducing opportunities for the men."

May 13, 2012

Brown says more cuts needed in California
The Wall Street Journal (national daily newspaper)

California Gov. Jerry Brown said the state's projected budget deficit widened to $16 billion from about $9 billion, and he warned that the state will need deeper cuts to services such as education if voters don't pass a tax-increase measure he is championing.

The Democratic governor on Monday is set to release his revised 2012-13 budget to lawmakers in the state's Democratic-controlled Legislature.

San Bernardino: Hunger strike cost Cal State student 12 pounds
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

Natalie Dorado was tired at the end of last week. Nine days without solid food had left her fatigued.

But Dorado said she was even more tired of Cal State University policies she believes are unfair and are hurting students.

Dorado, 25, an economics major at Cal State San Bernardino, began a hunger strike May 2 along with about a dozen students on other Cal State campuses. All are members of Students for Quality Education, an organization with chapters on 18 CSU campuses. The group called off the strike Friday afternoon, May 11.

The students had a list of specific demands, from tuition freezes to pay rollbacks for CSU administration.

The details matter in tough times
The San Bernardino Sun - Bruce Baron point of view (local daily newspaper)

Making do with significantly less can challenge even the most innovative and creative managers and staff. The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) has suffered almost $7 million in eliminated state funding over the past three years, and faces another $7 million cut if the governor's tax package does not pass in November. As result, we are continuously seeking more efficient ways of doing the work that must be done so as to maximize the support for the students in our classrooms.

For example, the fiscal services staff at the district office spent two days in December evaluating every step of how purchases are made and bills are paid. The outcome will be an almost paperless accounts payable department. We're going to stop printing 67 percent of our purchase orders (P.O.s). We will email P.O.s to vendors and electronically file the documents, as opposed to printing them, mailing them and filing a paper copy. This means we will eliminate the printing of two of the three copies of each purchase order. The SBCCD creates approximately 4,500 P.O.s per year. This will substantially reduce the district office's consumption of paper and increase productivity and efficiency. We've also asked vendors to use email rather than mail when they send invoices, reducing the amount of time required to handle, sort, and deliver mail internally. These processes should be fully implemented by the summer.

Pink slips loom for nearly 500 LAUSD plumbers, other skilled workers
The Los Angeles Daily Breeze (local daily newspaper)

Critics of the practice in which financial firms help pass school bonds that they profit from are continuing to push for reforms, but so far have faced resistance and failure.

In California, underwriting companies hired by school districts to sell bonds often make campaign contributions to help convince voters to pass the bond measures. A California Watch investigation found that leading underwriters gave $1.8 million over the last five years to successful bond measures, and in almost every case school districts gave underwriting contracts to those same firms.

High-speed spending: Bullet train may need $3.5 million a day
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

If California starts building a 130-mile segment of high-speed rail late this year as planned, it will enter into a risky race against a deadline set up under federal law.

The bullet train track through the Central Valley would cost $6 billion and have to be completed by September 2017, or else potentially lose some of its federal funding. It would mean spending as much as $3.5 million every calendar day, holidays and weekends included — the fastest rate of transportation construction known in U.S. history, according to industry and academic experts.

May 12, 2012

California deficit grows to $16 billion, Gov. Jerry Brown says
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO — California's projected budget deficit has ballooned to $16 billion, much larger than the $9.2 billion estimated in January, Gov. Jerry Brown said, and he warned of more painful spending cuts.

"We will have to go much further, and make cuts far greater, than I asked for at the beginning of the year," Brown said in a video posted Saturday on YouTube. He plans to detail his revised spending plan in the Capitol on Monday.

West Hills College Lemoore honors spirit of the Eagle Award recipient
The Handford Sentinel (local daily newspaper)

LEMOORE — Longtime Lemoore resident Les Brown was honored Wednesday at West Hills College Lemoore’s honors brunch with the college’s top award for community members — the Spirit of the Eagle award.

The award recognizes a community member who has contributed to the growth and development of the college by the giving of their time or treasure to support educational endeavors for West Hills College students, said Don Warkentin, WHCL president.

Fewer California high school grads going to state universities
KBAK/KBFX TV News (Bakersfield-area FOX affiliate)

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK - KBFX) -- Fewer California high school graduates are heading off to college at CSU and UC campuses, and critics blame state budget cuts. That’s the finding in a new study, and local students and educators say it’s just what they’re seeing.

“It’s just so expensive to go to California Sate or other colleges or universities,”  Scottie Gee told Eyewitness News. He is now a senior at California State University Bakersfield, but the high cost of tuition forced him to start first his first two years at a community college.

Degrees of debt
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

ADA, Ohio — Kelsey Griffith graduates on Sunday from Ohio Northern University. To start paying off her $120,000 in student debt, she is already working two restaurant jobs and will soon give up her apartment here to live with her parents. Her mother, who co-signed on the loans, is taking out a life insurance policy on her daughter.

The education of Mark Zuckerberg
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

Mark Zuckerberg is ready for his close-up.  His audience this Monday morning, a Who’s Who of Wall Street heavy-hitters, with untold billions to command, shifts in its seats. Papers rustle. BlackBerrys buzz. Cue Mr. Zuckerberg and —

Wait: where the heck is Zuck?

Mr. Zuckerberg, the hoodied man-child of Facebook, is stuck in the men’s room. Apparently, the suits can wait.

May 11, 2012

Reforming the state's transfer process: A progress report on Senate Bill 1440
The California Legislative Analyst's Office

May 10, 2012

Californians' enrollment in UCs, CSUs declines, study finds
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The number of eligible California high school graduates entering the state's public four-year universities has plunged in the last five years, as budget-strapped institutions increasingly adopt practices to reduce enrollment, a new study has found.

At University of California and California State University campuses, enrollment rates dropped by one-fifth, to fewer than 18% of all state high school graduates in 2010, from about 22% in 2007.

Fewer Californians attending state universities, researchers find
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

An alarming number of California high school graduates are deciding not to attend the state's once-vaunted public universities, researchers have found.

From 2007 to 2010, the percentage of graduates attending University of California or California State University campuses fell by 20 percent, according to figures released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California. The trend developed amid deepening budget problems that dramatically lifted university tuitions and forced schools to turn away qualified students.

"UC and CSU are increasingly unable to accommodate the demand by students," said Hans Johnson, the report's author.

Jerry Brown tells unions state payroll costs need to come down
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

State workers' pay is back on the budget chopping block.
Officials representing Gov. Jerry Brown met with state employee union leaders last week and delivered the news: A budget revision he'll release Monday includes a new proposal to cut payroll costs in the upcoming fiscal year.

Hancock president leaving post
The Lompoc Record (local daily newspaper)

Jose Ortiz hadn’t intended to leave his post as president of Hancock College, but the Board of Trustees at Peralta Community Colleges made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

The San Francisco Bay Area college district, which includes Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College and Merritt College, announced Wednesday Ortiz would become its new chancellor July 2, pending finalization of a contract.

CSU presidents' big raises to be paid by foundation
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

A new campus president at California State University can be paid 10 percent more than the outgoing president, but the raise has to come from non-public foundation funds, CSU trustees voted Wednesday.

Appetite for change
The Sacramento News & Review (weekly alternative newspaper)

Finals begin this Monday at Sacramento State, but senior Mildred Garcia has decided to add to the rigor of studying for exams by going on a hunger strike.

“I drink as much water as possible,” the 22-year-old social-work major said. “If I get dizzy, it’s time to drink something with sugar in it.”

Trustees of all-male college try to block admission of women
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Deep Springs College, the tiny but prestigious school and ranch north of Death Valley, plans to admit female students for the first time in its 95-year history. But opponents of co-education sought to block the change Wednesday.

Gov. Brown wants single school accountability system
The SI&A Cabinet Report (education trade periodical)

Last week, the Brown administration and state schools chief Tom Torlakson released the latest plan for getting California schools a federal waiver from the performance mandates required under the No Child Left Behind Act – a proposal that would have California drop out completely from the federal accountability system and instead rely only on the state’s existing Academic Performance Index.

CSULB forecast: SoCal economy is on the mend, slowly
The Long Beach Press-Telegram (local daily newspaper)

The Southern California economy is on the mend with positive annual job growth for the first time since 2007, but the lag in the housing and government sectors continues to slow recovery, local economists said Wednesday.

Experts at Cal State Long Beach's Department of Economics, who are expected to present the findings from their 2012-13 Regional Economic Forecast today during an annual conference, were cautiously optimistic about their predictions, forecasting a slow, steady recovery into 2013 and 2014.

May 9, 2012

Chancellor tees off on costs
The Stockton Record - opinion (local daily newspaper)

'It's far more important for someone to take a chemistry course than for someone to take golf for the third time."

So says California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott.

His comment came on the eve of the system's Board of Governors' consideration this week of a proposal to prohibit students from repeating a course in any subject unless they fail to earn a satisfactory grade.

Gov. Jerry Brown targets state workers for cuts
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown is targeting a new part of the budget to close a widening deficit by seeking to reduce state worker costs in his revised spending plan, according to sources with knowledge of his plans.

Brown, who has been in discussions with labor unions, is expected to release an updated budget proposal on Monday. The sources were not authorized to speak publicly before the governor's announcement.

The possibility of cuts to state employees is a symptom of lagging tax revenue. California has collected $3.5 billion less taxes than expected in the current fiscal year, according to the controller, and the budget gap will be larger than the $9.2 billion estimated in January.

Where do state's billions come from - and go?
The Orange County Register (daily newspaper)

Voters are of two minds on the governor’s proposal to hike sales taxes, which is on the November ballot:

While 54 percent of likely voters said they’d vote for the quarter-cent increase, 52 percent of registered voters said they were against it, our colleague Brian Joseph told us.

California government reformers face gut check on ballot proposal
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

California's political dysfunction is now an accepted fact, and as noted here previously, reform has become something of a cottage industry.

Books have been written about it, several organizations have been formed to make government more functional, countless academic and think-tank seminars have been staged, and voters have adopted two modest reforms that will be tested this year – a "top-two" primary system and independent redistricting.

Folsom Lake College student Cody Jackson a national award winner
The Folsom Telegraph (local daily newspaper)

Folsom Lake College student Cody Jackson has been selected as a 2012 Coca-Cola Silver Scholar, based on scores earned in the All-USA Community College Academic Team competition, for which more than 1,700 applications were received this year.

The program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and is administered by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. As a Coca-Cola Silver Scholar, Jackson will receive a $1,250 scholarship provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and a Silver medallion at a special recognition event. He was also listed in the April 23 issue of USA TODAY featuring the Coca-Cola New Century and Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Scholars.

Lawmakers: State must crack down on diploma mills
The Bay Citizen (local daily newspaper)

California has more diploma mills than any other state in the nation, but it is not doing enough to protect students from the unaccredited colleges and vocational schools that issue worthless degrees, state lawmakers said at hearing yesterday.

California state parks closure may be averted by new legislation
The Huffington Post (international online news source)

SAN FRANCISCO -- With only weeks to go before a full quarter of California state parks are scheduled to shut their gates due to budget cuts, a pair of Golden State legislators have proposed a last ditch plan to keep the spaces open.

State Senators Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) and Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) have introduced a bill aimed at saving dozens of California parks through a combination of redirecting money from elsewhere in the state budget, drawing funds from vehicle registration fees and increasing the cost of entry into the parks.

UC proposing to raise tuition again - 6% in fall
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Pass and go
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Students at California community colleges may no longer be able to repeat courses they have already passed, if a new proposal aimed at physical education and arts classes is adopted.

The primary faculty group at the 112-college system is backing the plan, which system officials presented on Monday to the Board of Governors. California's colleges have been hit hard with almost $1 billion in budget cuts and revenue shortfalls over the last few years, and will turn away 200,000 students this year. System leaders hope to save money by cutting back on course repeating, resulting in the ability to eliminate some sections and redirect the savings toward overenrolled courses

Community colleges may ban repeat students
KPCC 89.3 - Air Talk segment (Southern California public radio)

Ah, the varied splendor of your local community college. Students can sign up for anything from Italian for beginners to vocational nursing to learning the basics of salsa dancing. And if you really like a class, you can sign up again and again, unless a new rule is passed by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

 

Yesterday, the board discussed whether students should be prohibited from repeating a course (unless they failed to get a satisfactory grade). It's said too many students are taking subsidized classes for what are in fact recreational pastimes that should be taken at private clubs.

Facebook, California's number-one frenemy
NBC Los Angeles - Prop Zero blog (NBC affiliate)

Facebook's 27-year-old founder, Mark Zuckerberg, launched his road show this week, signaling the start of Facebook frenzy on Wall Street.

 

Would-be investors crowded a Manhattan hotel room to ask questions about what would be a record event: the expected stock sale later this month that could raise more than $11 billion.

 

That brings us to California, which wants to "friend" Facebook in a big way...financially-speaking.

University of California weighs more tuition hikes
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO -- University of California students could face significantly higher tuition if the state doesn't increase funding and voters reject the governor's tax initiative, school administrators said Tuesday.
Under one scenario, the 10-campus system would raise tuition by 6 percent this fall if the state doesn't increase funding by $125 million for 2012-13, according to a document posted online ahead of next week's UC Board of Regents meeting.

Cal State committee Oks new president pay policy
The Associated Press (international news agency)

LOS ANGELES -- The California State University board of trustees on Wednesday approved a measure to ask campus foundations to pay for raises of up to 10 percent for incoming campus presidents in a move designed to quell public outrage about the salary hikes.
Under the new policy, taxpayers will not fund raises for new presidents. Instead, campus nonprofit groups, such as foundations, will be asked to raise funds specifically to pay for the raises.
State Superintendent Tom Torlakson applauded the move as "a significant step in the right direction."

CSU trustee subcommittee approves freeze on presidents' pay - with a catch
The San Bernardino Sun (local daily newspaper)

The Associated Press (international news agency)

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bill Tuesday to preserve low interest rates for millions of college students' loans, as the two parties engaged in election-year choreography aimed at showing each is the better protector of families in today's rugged economy.

 

The 52-45 vote to begin debating the legislation fell eight votes short of the 60 needed to proceed and stalled work on an effort both parties expect will ultimately produce a compromise, probably soon.

School gives $274k in financial aid to undocumented students
USA Today (national daily newspaper)

Social justice is central to the mission of Dominican University, a small private Catholic college in suburban Chicago. Serving poor immigrants is part of its history.

 

So as the school began to get more applications where Social Security numbers weren't provided, there was never a question of turning qualified undocumented students away, President Donna Carroll says. This year, the school pulled together $274,000 in financial aid for 17 undocumented students. Despite pushback from some donors and alumni, Carroll says her only regret is that she can't help more students.

Report: California's public schools face crushing stress levels
The Oakland Tribune (local daily newspaper)

California's public schools may be facing unprecedented levels of pressure as they try to teach an increasing number of children in poverty with fewer employees and a continual threat of cutbacks, a report by the Mountain View-based research group EdSource found.

Molly Munger says she and Jerry Brown could work together on tax measures
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The high-pressure game of signature gathering outside stores has turned into a mad dash to election offices across California as tax proponents submit their petitions for the November ballot.

California needs huge investment to create jobs
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

California is struggling to emerge from the worst recession since the Great Depression and has more than 2 million unemployed workers, plus countless others who have given up seeking work out of frustration and/or have fled to other states.

Chancellor Yudof defends UC's accessibility to poor
The Fresno Bee (daily newspaper)

Speaking before an audience of Fresno business and education leaders, University of California President Mark Yudof made the case that the state's most prestigious public university system is still accessible to low-income students, and could become more affordable to the middle-class, despite year-over-year tuition hikes.

Despite state cuts, CSU should agree to boost faculty salaries to maintain competitiveness
The Daily Bruin - opinion (UCLA student newspaper)

Amid public education cuts across the board in California, the University of California has found space in its budget to raise faculty wages by 3 percent this year.

But 22-month-long negotiations between the California State University and the California Faculty Association ended Sunday, when the association and the CSU could not agree upon faculty pay increases and benefits.

May 7, 2012

California community colleges look to save money by banning repeat classes
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Mweluke Kyumba was the most dapper student at American River College on Friday afternoon, donning a black vest and tie over his satin blue shirt while other students welcomed the sunny weather with shorts and tees.

Regulation proposal would stop unnecessary repeat enrollment in state-funded courses
The Lake County News (local daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Community Colleges Board of Governors on Monday heard regulatory changes that would make better use of state funds by preventing students from repeatedly enrolling in courses that they have already completed successfully.

 

The changes primarily focus on physical education, performing and visual arts classes that students had been allowed to take up to four times.

 

“Budget cuts have forced us to ration education, and we are currently turning away hundreds of thousands of students from our campuses that want to pursue a degree, transfer to a four-year university or get job training so they can get back into the workforce or advance in their current career,” California Community Colleges Board of Governors President Scott Himelstein said. “It doesn’t make sense for us to allow students to take the same physical education course four times on the taxpayer’s dime while we are closing our doors on those looking for a degree or seeking job skills.”

Community colleges nix repeating courses once passed
The Central Valley Business Times (local business trade periodical)

Pass your course in a California community college and move on, don’t plan to take it again.

That’s a new policy being considered by the Board of Governors to clear classrooms for students needing the courses.

The changes primarily focus on physical education, performing and visual arts classes that students had been allowed to take up to four times.

Comm. colleges belt tightens
KMJ 105.9 FM (Fresno talk radio)

Changes are likely on the way for students in California's community college system.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors will take its first look Monday at a proposal to prohibit students from repeating a course in any subject area unless they fail to earn a satisfactory grade.
   
If ultimately approved, the change would take effect in Fall 2013.

Fletcher gets off panel facing tax hike
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

Sacramento — San Diego Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher voluntarily removed himself from a committee Monday just before its hearing on a controversial proposal to raise $1 billion for college scholarships by increasing taxes on some out-of-state corporations.

The move by Fletcher, an independent running for mayor of San Diego, did not change the outcome because the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee did not take a vote.

Bilingual report: Colleges fight to survive time of change
Latina Lista (ethnic interests newspaper)

ANALYSIS: Mayo de la Rocha has seen the cuts in community colleges in California firsthand. As the chair of the Social Science Department and a professor at Ventura College, he has seen the angst growing among his students, who have to squeeze a dwindling number of classes between their work hours.

“It’s making it really difficult. It’s frustrating, and forcing students to adjust their schedule,” he said. “You’ve got to be organized to take classes, go to work and then come back later. It’s making it hard. We don’t have the amount of classes … we used to have.”

Basic aid funds sustain SOCCCD
The Lariat News (Saddleback College student newspaper)

While many California community college districts are cutting class sessions, eliminating programs, and laying off employees in the wake of state budget cuts, the South Orange County Community College District is shielded from most of the damage due to its basic aid status.

'Success bill' a step closer
The San Matean (San Mateo College student newspaper)

The California State Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill 1456 on April 18 in order to improve the success of California Community College students.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors adopted 22 recommendations proposed by the Student Success Task Force to improve student transfer rates, said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott.

SB 1456 lists several of the recommendations that might take place.

Under pressure, Cal State University board to consider presidential pay freeze
The Long Beach Press-Telegram (daily newspaper)

LONG BEACH — The Cal State University Board of Trustees on Tuesday will consider freezing presidential salaries in a second attempt to curb public outcry over recent pay hikes.

The meeting at the CSU Chancellor's Office in Long Beach is expected to draw student and faculty protesters outraged over what they say are exorbitant presidential salaries in a time of tuition hikes, enrollment freezes and cuts to courses.

Upcoming tax battle could be a nasty feud
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

Let's get ready to rumble.
In this corner is California Gov. Jerry Brown.
In that corner is Molly Munger, a very wealthy civil rights attorney.
Brown and his union allies want voters to raise their own sales taxes, plus income taxes on the most affluent, to narrow a chronic budget gap.

Congress must keep student loan rates low and address problem of college affordability
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The following editorial appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on Friday, May 4:
Democrats are pushing hard to keep student loan rates from doubling to 6.8 percent in July. President Barack Obama has been talking about it almost every day, and this week two California congresswomen - Zoe Lofgren and Anna Eshoo - visited San Jose State and Foothill College to rally support.

Break up UC!
The California Progress Report (online policy journal)

There was no great surprise in last month’s proposal to devolve more control of the University of California’s ten campuses – and thus more autonomy -- to the campuses themselves. And it’s even less surprising that it came from Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, former Provost C. Judson King and other Berkeley officials.

Farm occupiers fail to respond to UC proposal
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Protesters occupying land in Albany used by UC Berkeley for agricultural research missed a weekend deadline to agree to a negotiated departure, but representatives said they would respond Monday.

New college, new model
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Not much is truly unique in higher education. The industry is too big, and most experiments have been tried before. But the new Ameritas College sure sounds different. 

May 6, 2012

More college-bound Californians are heading out of state
McClatchy Newspapers (national newspaper group)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fed up with tuition increases and frustrated by rejection at packed California universities, more high school graduates than ever are leaving the state to attend college.
Enrollment of Californians at Boise State rose tenfold in the past decade. Arizona State doubled its enrollment of freshmen from California. The University of Oregon has quadrupled it, with freshman enrollment from California growing from 280 in 2000 to 1,100 in 2010.

Student-aid offers often harbor devil in details
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

The Glendora Patch (community news website)

Citrus College student Crescencio Calderon wanted to prove that students can make a significant difference when working together for a cause.

That’s exactly what happened when the college’s annual Cesar Chavez Blood Drive drew 540 students who donated enough blood to potentially save lives.

The Ph.D now comes with food stamps
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

"I am not a welfare queen," says Melissa Bruninga-Matteau.

That's how she feels compelled to start a conversation about how she, a white woman with a Ph.D. in medieval history and an adjunct professor, came to rely on food stamps and Medicaid. Ms. Bruninga-Matteau, a 43-year-old single mother who teaches two humanities courses at Yavapai College, in Prescott, Ariz., says the stereotype of the people receiving such aid does not reflect reality. Recipients include growing numbers of people like her, the highly educated, whose advanced degrees have not insulated them from financial hardship.

A serious disconnect
North County Times - editorial (local daily newspaper)

That 95 percent of the California State University faculty who voted on the question of calling a strike supported doing so is a sad sign of public servants fundamentally out of touch with the people they are supposedly serving.

Clearly, the folks who teach on our California State University campuses ---- including San Diego State, Cal State San Marcos and Cal State San Bernardino ---- truly believe they are not appreciated. That 95 percent figure is not in dispute.

For chronically unemployed, more bad news in Calif.
The Associated Press (international news agency)

MERCED, Calif. -- With her anti-poverty budget stretched beyond its limits, Brenda Callahan-Johnson is braced for next Saturday: the day California's chronically unemployed will be cut off from the nation's jobless benefits.

May 5, 2012

At California State, protesters start a fast
The New York Times (international daily newspaper)

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Angry about tuition increases and cuts in courses and enrollment, a dozen students at California State University have taken their protest beyond marches — their usual tactic — and declared a hunger strike.

Controlling college costs important
The Desert Sun - editorial (local daily newspaper)

A college education is the key to success in life.

And a robust higher education system strengthens the economy.

More than 50 years ago, California set a high standard with its master plan for higher education:

The jobless young find their voice
The New York Times (daily newspaper)

THIS may be little consolation to recent graduates who have sent out dozens of résumés with nary a response; who have been turned down for unpaid internships; who have vast amounts of student debt to repay as they continue in jobs as baby sitters and waiters. 

May 4, 2012

California Community Colleges to consider limiting students from repeating classes
KPCC 89.3 FM - Pass/Fail blog (Southern California public radio)

The California Community Colleges governing board will examine a new system-wide policy change Monday that would limit students from being able to repeat certain courses, primarily in arts and physical education, after their successful completion, as part of an effort to better allocate already meager state funds.

More from the decline of California higher education
The Washington Monthly - College Guide blog (national public policy magazine)

The University of California at San Diego has announced that it will no longer be a part of the guaranteed transfer program community college students enjoy with the state’s public four-year schools.

According to an article by Pat Flynn in the San Diego Union-Tribune:

University of California outlines ways to improve handling of campus protests
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The University of California on Friday released a draft report about the system's police protocols and policies related to campus protests. It offers 50 recommendations on how the university should respond to future campus demonstrations, saying that some administrators and police officers need to shift away from a primary focus on maintaining order and that some protesters need to take more responsibility for the ramifications of their actions.

May 2, 2012

City College of S.F. names interim chancellor
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Santa Monica College seeks solutions to budget crisis
The Lookout (Santa Monica community newspaper)

May 1, 2012 -- After postponing a controversial plan to offer self-funded classes, Santa Monica College officials are seeking input on how to best deal with a funding crisis that could result in the end of summer courses at the city college.

The crisis caused by continual State budget cuts has resulted in the loss of more than 13 per cent of the college's funding since 2008. Since then, SMC and the 14 colleges in the region have been forced to cut a total of 168,000 classroom seats and 6,000 teaching assignments during summer sessions, according to a report posted by college officials. (http://www2.smc.edu/updates/)

Why adult education must be kept alive

Los Angeles Times

A little more than a year ago I retired from teaching adult school in Los Angeles. Since then, I'm embarrassed to admit I've forgotten most of the names of my students. But I certainly haven't forgotten the students themselves: the Guatemalan chef who wore a clean white shirt and tie to class every night; the twentysomething Cambodian woman who worked torturous hours in a doughnut shop and still found time to study, despite her obvious exhaustion; the older Korean man who knotted his long hair in a bun like a samurai and who wasn't afraid to sing "New York, New York" in front of the class.

California college leaders press for more funding
The Associated Press (international news agency)

The leaders of California's three higher education systems warned Tuesday that more budget cuts will hurt the state's economic recovery.

California colleges fight budget cuts at Capitol
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

The leaders of all three California higher-education systems gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday to lobby for more spending on colleges and universities.

"If you're not here looking out for yourself, good things don't happen," said California State University Chancellor Charles Reed.

California tax revenue $3 billion less than target, report says
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

The legislative analyst’s office has a new number that is adding to California’s financial headache: $3 billion. That’s the total amount that tax revenue has lagged behind goals set by Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration in the current fiscal year.

The shortfall was detailed in a report released on Tuesday by the nonpartisan office, which provides budget advice to lawmakers.

Ratings agency raises concerns about California budget
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's raised concerns today after California income tax revenues fell short in April and a judge ruled the state controller cannot withhold legislative pay based on budget quality.
In its review, the agency said the two developments "could weaken the state's prospects for further improvement in its fiscal structure," though it noted that this outcome is not inevitable.

Democrats mail 600,000 fliers touting Perez's scholarship
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Ten Assembly Democrats have spent nearly $200,000 in state funds sending more than a half-million fliers to constituents touting the benefits of Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez's "middle-class scholarship" legislation, records show.

The fliers ask residents to sign a postcard supporting Pérez's proposal, which needs a two-thirds supermajority vote in the Legislature for passage, requiring Democrats to solicit at least two other votes in each house.

UCSD transfer program to end as community colleges object
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

The UC San Diego program that guarantees transfer admission to community college students who meet certain requirements will come to an end in 2014, campus officials have decided.

They said explosive growth in the number of applications under the program, coupled with sharp cuts in state funding for the University of California, have threatened to swamp the campus.

A path to success
The Coast Report (Orange Coast College student newspaper)

From teaching in Peru, to becoming a student at Orange Coast College, Luz Natanson said she has learned the importance of education and has a desire to help others.

Natanson was recently nominated and accepted to be added into the student success publication for California community colleges for 2012-2013.

 

 

Vickie Hays, coordinator of Calworks on campus, said she decided to nominate Natanson because of the many obstacles she has had to overcome.

Consider the high cost of low tuition at community colleges
The U.S. News & World Report (national daily newspaper)

All Californians will pay the same low tuition for classes at Santa Monica College—if they can get off the wait list. Student protests forced the school's board of trustees to suspend its plan to charge a premium for access to new sections of high-demand classes. The state community college chancellor, Jack Scott, has said that he believes two-tier pricing is not permissible under state law.

May Day protests push for immigration, labor and education reform
The Los Angeles Daily News (local daily newspaper)

Waving American flags, beating drums and chanting slogans, thousands of people took to the streets of Los Angeles on May Day to push for reforms in immigration, labor and education.

Critics blast pay-hike plan for university presidents
KCRA 3 TV (NBC Sacramento affiliate)

The Sacramento Bee - editorial (daily newspaper)

Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in April criticized California's public universities for not requiring a grounding in U.S. history, a false claim.
But now California State University, Sacramento, is heading down a path to make Santorum's claim true. As one among many options for reducing requirements, a committee has floated a trial balloon for creating a single three-unit course to satisfy the American Institutions requirement – collapsing study of the U.S. Constitution, American history, and state and local government into one course.

Forecast calls for 'true recovery' in 2012
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California's economic recovery will remain slow but steady over the next two years, forecasters at the University of the Pacific said today.

UOP's Business Forecasting Center said 2012 is the first true year of recovery in the Central Valley, which suffered some of the worst of the housing crash. "The drag from housing has bottomed out," said economist Jeff Michael, director of the center.

Facebook organ-donation option gives 'an immediate spike' to California registration
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

What began as a freshman-year friendship resulted in Facebook's announcement Tuesday that the world's largest social network will offer help for the global shortage of donor organs, an effort that in its first day signed up tens of thousands of new donors and directed a surge of awareness at a growing problem.

 

Nearly 25 years ago, Sheryl Sandberg and Andrew Cameron met at Harvard. Now the chief operating officer of Facebook and the transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital are teaming up with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to turn the social network with 900 million users into a powerful tool to save lives.

All three heads of higher education lobby governor to budget more for schools
KPCC 89.3 - Pass/Fail blog (Southern California public radio)

The heads of California’s three higher education systems all are lobbying Governor Jerry Brown and state lawmakers to change their budget priorities.

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott joined the UC president and CSU chancellor at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Reforms with promise
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

The Obama administration is right to make community colleges a cornerstone of its plan to close skill gaps and put people back to work. The nation’s 1,200 community colleges enroll 6.7 million students, or nearly half the U.S. undergraduate population. They are key institutions in today’s education-intensive economy.

But there is a gaping hole in the community college pipeline: some 60 percent of incoming community college students must complete one or more remedial courses before working toward degrees, and upwards of 70 percent of students in these "developmental" math courses don’t complete them. As a result, the higher education careers of many students are over before they begin.

Local funding can come to the rescue of California schools
Thoughts on Public education (education trade periodical)

California parents often imagine that their children attend a “local” school. They are mostly wrong. In a very real sense, California no longer has local schools – it has a system of state schools.

California voters know that their state school system is under grave financial stress, and that it is harming kids. According to a recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), most Californians (90 percent) believe that “the state budget situation” is a problem for schools. Two-thirds of voters surveyed said that education quality is a big problem. More than 90 percent were concerned about laying off teachers. Nearly 90 percent were concerned about having fewer days of school instruction.

Regional digest: Osier earns state softball honor
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Ashley Osier of Sierra College is the California Community College State co-Softball Player of the Year.
The sophomore utility player from Rio Linda batted .470 with 38 runsd, 48 RBIs and a state-leading 18 home runs for the Wolverines (35-5). She also is 16-2 as a pitcher.
Sierra outfielder Jenna Mae Thorne also was named to the All-State team after hitting .459 with 20 RBIs, and Wolverines infielder Taylor McGregor made the All-Northern California squad after batting .425 with 42 RBIs.

April 30, 2012

California bill cuts tuition by closing corporate loophole
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO -- Democratic lawmakers are offering a way to help California's middle class families cope with soaring college tuition: close a corporate tax loophole and use the money for scholarships.

But the "Middle-Class Scholarship Act," which receives its first committee hearing this week, already is facing several obstacles. Five out-of-state corporations are lobbying against it, and Republican lawmakers are promising to block Democrats from reaching the two-thirds majority vote they need in the Legislature.

Large percentage of Hartnell classes at risk
The Californian (Salinas daily newspaper)

Ongoing budget cuts are threatening about 30 percent of the classes offered at the beginning of the new school year at Hartnell College, according to documents recently released from the college president's office.

City College trustees name new interim chancellor
The San Francisco Examiner (daily online news website)

City College of San Francisco’s trustees selected an interim chancellor to fill in for retiring chief Don Griffin, the community college announced Monday.

Pamila Fisher will take the helm at City College on Wednesday.

Fisher, who was chancellor of the Yosemite Community College District from 1992 to 2004, has also served as board chair of the American Association of Community Colleges and as president of the California Association of Community Colleges.

Apples and health spending
The Huffington Post - blog (international online news source)

Allow me to point and link you to two pieces in Sunday's NYT. I don't have time to give them the treatment they deserve -- off to CA for the Milken Institute Global Conference where I'll be debating tax reform and the role of budget deficits so more to come on those issues.

Apples and taxes: What the New York Times missed
All Things Digital (Wall Street Journal technology website)

I have never seen the exterior of the offices of Braeburn Capital in Reno, Nevada, and so I have the New York Times to thank for the photograph of its offices that accompanied its Sunday front-page story on how Apple avoids paying certain taxes, among them California state corporate income taxes.

Apple's attack on the knowledge economy
The Huffington Post - blog (international online news source)

The New York Times has just published the latest in Charles Duhigg's important series of pieces on Apple and the iEconomy (see also "How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work" and "The iEconomy," written with various coauthors).

This third article is about Apple's global effort at maximum tax avoidance. The story is mainly about what is, in effect, one rich company's effort to contribute as little as possible to public coffers, but it shows how Apple's way of looking at society is creating a Bizarro world that steadily undermines its own ability to innovate.

State of immigrants
The California Progress Report (online policy journal)

University of Southern California demographer Dowell Myers has spent much of the past ten years trying to show his fellow Californians how much their future depends on immigrants and their children.

At the heart of that message is the simple fact that as the boomer generation retires in the next couple of decades, the majority of the labor force will be first or second generation immigrants. There is no one else to fill the jobs, pay for the Social Security and Medicare of those retirees, no one to buy their homes.

Bullet train's low operating costs are 'elephant in room,' experts say
California Watch (investigative journal)

By hitting the reset button, Gov. Jerry Brown bought some time for the embattled California high-speed rail plan.

In recent months, the CEO of the controversial project resigned. Brown installed Dan Richard, an official with political and transportation industry connections, as new board chairman.

Genetically modified crops' results raise concern
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Washington -- Biotechnology's promise to feed the world did not anticipate "Trojan corn," "super weeds" and the disappearance of monarch butterflies.

April 29, 2012

America needs more college graduates in order to improve economy
The Huffington Post (international online news source)

Anyone with half a brain knows that bolstering the middle class is critical to securing the future of the U.S. It’s a matter of national self-interest.

Setting aside the misery of poverty for a minute, the rich need a skilled middle-class workforce to make their businesses successful or they won’t stay rich for long.

U.S. to tie grad rates to funding
The Middletown Journal (Ohio local newspaper)
Graduating more students from college is a top goal in Ohio — where about half of the people who enter higher education do not finish with a degree.

But a new nationwide plan designed to boost graduation rates by basing more funding on performance could penalize schools such as Sinclair Community College and Cincinnati Tech, because so many of their students do not attend with the idea of graduating.

RCCD student registration priorities may change
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

Hoping to ensure more California community college students can graduate in two years, officials want to change registration priorities.

Ed Bush, Riverside City College vice president of student services, said too many students attend full time for four or five years taking general interest classes that don’t lead anywhere. Those students may accumulate more than 100 units when only 60 are needed for an associate’s degree.

Riverside: RCC Veterans Club offers support
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)
Hoping to ensure more California community college students can graduate in two years, officials want to change registration priorities.

Ed Bush, Riverside City College vice president of student services, said too many students attend full time for four or five years taking general interest classes that don’t lead anywhere. Those students may accumulate more than 100 units when only 60 are needed for an associate’s degree.

Some hard lessons about college costs
CBS News (national news website)

In the political battle over college student loans, where will the SMART MONEY go? Democrats and Republicans both say they want to keep the interest rate on subsidized loans at 3.4 percent, but remain at odds over where the money should come from. Of course, what makes the issue so volatile in the first place is that college costs have been skyrocketing, but why? Our Cover Story is reported now by Rebecca Jarvis:

It's as picture-perfect as a college can get. But this idyllic campus outside of New York City is also a portrait of what college is America has become. Really, really expensive.

Cal State students plan hunger strike
The San Bernardino Sun (daily newspaper)

Cal State San Bernardino student Natalie Dorado and 12 students from other state university campuses plan to go on a hunger strike Wednesday until university officials discuss freezing tuition, reducing administrators' compensation and other demands.

The students will only consume fluids from then until members of the California State University board of trustees meet with the students and seriously consider four demands that Students for Quality Education said they first made March 20, leaders of the student union said.

Report: Apple legally sidesteps billions in taxes
The Associated Press (international news agency)

NEW YORK (AP) - A published report says Apple Inc. uses subsidiaries in Ireland, the Netherlands and other low-tax nations as part of a strategy that enables the technology giant to cut its global tax bill by billions of dollars every year.

The New York Times on Sunday outlined legal methods used by Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple to avoid paying billions of dollars in federal and state taxes.

NEW YORK (AP) - A published report says Apple Inc. uses subsidiaries in Ireland, the Netherlands and other low-tax nations as part of a strategy that enables the technology giant to cut its global tax bill by billions of dollars every year.

The New York Times on Sunday outlined legal methods used by Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple to avoid paying billions of dollars in federal and state taxes.

Facebook billionaire shuns luxury for startup life
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Facebook co-founder and former Mark Zuckerberg roommate Dustin Moskovitz is by many accounts the world's youngest self-made billionaire. But the 27-year-old isn't sipping champagne in the Caribbean.

April 28, 2012

Restoration drama: America's under-appreciated community colleges hold promise
The Economist (national economics magazine)

COMPARED with its world-famous universities, America’s community colleges are virtually anonymous. But over half of the nation’s 20m undergraduates attend them, and the number is growing fast. Poor, minority and first-generation-immigrant students are far more likely to get their tertiary education from community colleges—where two-year courses offer a cheap route to a degree—than from universities. And, increasingly, many policymakers are wondering whether more attention to the colleges might be a low-cost way of resolving the nation’s shortage of skilled workers.

April 27, 2012

Community college students toss questions to Legislators
The Scotts Valley Patch (community news website)

Higher tuition, fewer class offerings, the cost of prisons versus higher education, and the 600-lb. Gorilla—repeal of Prop. 13—were among the subjects broached by students at a town hall-like meeting with state legislators and community college students.

President announces education assistance at Fort Stewart
U.S. Army News (U.S. Army official website)

FORT STEWART, Ga. (April 27, 2012) -- President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to Fort Stewart, Ga., the home of the Third Infantry Division, Friday, to announce and sign an executive order preventing scams used to con veterans out of their federal education benefits.

House passes student loan bill despite veto threat
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

WASHINGTON — Moments after an unusual fiery appeal from Speaker John A. Boehner, the House ignored a veto threat from President Obama and voted 215 to 195 on Friday to prevent a doubling of student loan rates.

April 26, 2012

Weak tax revenue to increase California budget deficit
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

With tax revenue slowing to a trickle as the end of April draws near, the state's top fiscal analyst predicted late Wednesday that California would be "a few billion dollars" shy of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget projections through June 2013.

Calif. poll finds disconnect on school cuts, taxes
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Nearly 80 percent of Californians oppose $5 billion in so-called trigger cuts to state schools this fall, but only a slight majority of voters support the governor's tax plan to stop it, according to a survey of 2,000 voters released Wednesday.

At this point, 54 percent of likely voters said they'd vote for Gov. Jerry Brown's ballot measure to temporarily boost sales tax and income tax on wealthy California residents, the Public Policy Institute of California poll found.

More lay-offs for massive California school district
Reuters (international news agency)

(Reuters) - California's second-largest school district is preparing lay-off notices for roughly 2,600 of its credentialed and non-teaching staff if the state does not provide funds to help close its $122 million deficit.

The board of the 120,000-student San Diego Unified School District voted on Tuesday to send out the preliminary lay-off notices to clerical, food service and other employees. That followed warnings issued for teachers and other credentialed staff.

How to build a tuition trapHow to build a tuition trap
The San Francisco Chronicle - Debra Saunders column (daily newspaper)

This week President Obama has been warning students that, without his intervention, interest rates for a federal student loan program will double to 6.8 percent on July 1.

In the process, he's been misquoting a Republican congresswoman. On Tuesday, he told students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that she had "very little tolerance for people who tell me they graduate with debt because there's no reason for that."

Education slowdown threatens U.S.
The Wall Street Journal (national business newspaper)

Throughout American history, almost every generation has had substantially more education than that of its parents.

That is no longer true.

When baby boomers born in 1955 reached age 30, they had about two years more schooling than their parents, according to Harvard University economists Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz, who have calculated the average years of schooling for native-born Americans back to 1876.

Butte College wins sustainability award
The Chico Enterprise Record (local daily newspaper)

OROVILLE — Butte College is one of three community colleges that have won sustainability awards in a statewide competition.

The local college won its award partly because of its extensive development of solar power.

Besides Butte, Citrus College and Cuyamaca College were named winners in the first Energy and Sustainability Awards competition, sponsored by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

Forty-six nominations were received in three categories: district leadership, facilities and operations and faculty/student initiatives.

Sacramento State evaluates requirements, putting language, history on chopping block
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Sacramento State students may no longer have to take World Civilization or a second semester of writing to graduate. They could pass on the year of foreign language that has been required, as well as take three fewer units of an American history requirement if a committee's current recommendations are approved by the Faculty Senate in the fall.

Veteran's group names 26 for-profits it says exploit its brand to lure students
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

A national advocacy group for student veterans that kicked out 40 chapters at for-profit colleges this month for allegedly providing misleading information to prospective students plans to release on Thursday the names of 26 chapters that remain suspended.

An unlikely advocate: Why I support the Dream Act
The Huffington Post - the blog (international online news source)

At first glance I may appear an unlikely advocate for undocumented students. I am a direct descendant of a Mayflower passenger and Plymouth colony founder (a fact my mother rarely lets me forget). I grew up in Irvine, California, which, during my childhood, was a homogeneous white suburb in Orange County where the biggest conundrum was how to get toddlers to stop peeing in the community pool. I spent my college years at California State University, Fullerton, a school known for diversity, yet I did not connect with any of my fellow students.

You could still qualify!
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 was heralded by many student advocates for taking aim at marketing practices by companies (and colleges) that ostensibly put young adults with little to no credit at greater risk of incurring debt.

But a new study finds that in some respects, the legislation has not been as effective as some proponents might have hoped.

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education
Public Policy Institute of California

April 25, 2012

California Legislature should prioritize lowering tuition costs
The Guardian - op-ed (UC San Diego student newspaper)

Speaker John Perez’s Middle Class Scholarship Act is a major step in relieving the financial burden for many California families.  Under the two bills, which are currently in the California state legislature, both UC and Cal State tuition would be cut by two-thirds for families that make between $80,000 and $150,000 a year.  Additionally, the scholarship provides over $150 million in aid to community colleges.

And what’s even better is that this bill wont be funded on the backs of California’s residents.  Instead, the scholarship gets revenue by closing a tax loophole that enables out-of-state corporations to pick which tax rate they pay.  This measure, which has broad bipartisan support in the California state legislature, would generate over $1 billion in revenue and help middle class families as well as California businesses.

COC's Sakayan makes all USA Community College Academic Team
KHTS 1220 AM (Santa Clarita radio station)

This week it was announced that College of the Canyons student Maral Sakayan is one of just 20 community college students from across the nation included on USA Today’s 2012 All-USA Community College Academic Team.

KHTS News Brought To You By:

Presented by USA Today and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group, the All-USA Community College Academic Team honors the academic achievements of the nation’s top community college students.

Republicans announce House vote to keep student-loan rates steady
The Washington Post (national daily newspaper)

Congressional Republicans on Wednesday announced their opposition to a Democratic proposal to pay for extending low rates for college loans by imposing new payroll taxes on some small businesses.

Instead, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said the House would vote Friday on a proposal to hold the interest rates steady — offsetting the $6 billion cost with a cut in a health prevention fund created under President Obama’s health-care law.

Senate panel rejects bill on school-bus advertising
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday rejected a bill that would have opened the door to advertising on the sides of school buses, prompting outrage from the legislation's author: GOP leader Bob Huff.

The Diamond Bar Republican said his bill, SB 1295, was a creative way to generate millions of dollars for cash-strapped school districts, without raising taxes. He noted seven states already allow advertising on the exterior of school buses and blasted Democrats on the committee for rejecting the measure.

Controller loses in court battle over lawmakers' pay
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

In 2007, President George W. Bush signed a bill that cut in half interest rates on subsidized student loans until 2012. Those low rates will expire on July 1 — going back to 6.8 percent from 3.4 percent — and, to prevent college from becoming even more unaffordable for millions of students, the obvious move is to renew them. But nothing is that easy or sensible anymore in Washington, where House Republicans are far more interested in cutting taxes, largely for the rich, than they are in helping low- and middle-income students get a college education.

April 24, 2012

Lawmakers pushing to tie California minimum wage to consumer price index
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Gasoline was selling for $3.33 a gallon, Jerry Brown was attorney general, and California was bracing for a budget crisis when the state's hourly minimum wage rose to $8 in early 2008.

Fast forward to now, and much has changed: Gas is almost a dollar higher, Brown is governor, and the state is reeling from years of red ink. But the minimum wage hasn't budged a cent.

Subsidize students, not tax cuts
The New York Times - editorial (national daily newspaper)

In 2007, President George W. Bush signed a bill that cut in half interest rates on subsidized student loans until 2012. Those low rates will expire on July 1 — going back to 6.8 percent from 3.4 percent — and, to prevent college from becoming even more unaffordable for millions of students, the obvious move is to renew them. But nothing is that easy or sensible anymore in Washington, where House Republicans are far more interested in cutting taxes, largely for the rich, than they are in helping low- and middle-income students get a college education.

Long Beach City College OKs 55 layoffs to save $5M
The Associated Press (national news agency)

LONG BEACH, Calif.—The Long Beach City College trustees have voted unanimously to lay off 55 employees and slash the hours of 96 others as the school faces a $5 million state funding cut for the next academic year.

Tuesday's vote reflects continued cuts to a college that has lost $10.7 million in state funding over the past three years.

On top of the $5 million cut slated for 2012-13, the college may lose another $4.8 million if voters do not approve tax initiatives on the November ballot.

Community Colleges Not Up to 21st-Century Mission, Their Own Report Says

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Calling the American dream imperiled, the American Association of Community Colleges issued a report on Saturday intended to galvanize college leaders to transform their institutions for the 21st-century needs of students and the economy.

Released here on the opening night of the group's annual conference, the report acknowledges the sector's historic growth and success but also argues that even so, far too many community-college students do not graduate. The study also found employment preparation inadequately connected to the needs of the job market, and a need for two-year colleges to work more closely with high schools and baccalaureate institutions.

"As they currently function, community colleges are not up to the task before them," it says.

April 23, 2012

A college bargain for Californians
The Los Angeles Times - editorial (national daily newspaper)

Among all the painfully underfunded programs in California, which ones should receive extra money if the state were to suddenly bring in an extra billion dollars a year? That's like asking a cash-strapped homeowner who comes into a few thousand dollars which house repair he would tackle after years of deferring the most basic projects. Replace the dying furnace or the balky toilets? How about the dangerously faulty electrical wiring?

SSTF: Counselors could be overrun by new requirements
The Telescope (Palomar College student newspaper)

Palomar counselors said they are worried they could be overrun by new requirements passed down from the state.

Counseling officials said they have already implemented the core requirements of the Student Success Task Force (SSTF) initiative, a state plan aimed at saving California community colleges money by pushing students to plan better and finish faster.

But a lack of academic advisers at Palomar — 13 full-time counselors are available to service more than 30,000 full- and part-time students — left some department leaders wondering if they could keep up with new demand created by the task force plan.

3 California schools compete for national community college prize
The Los Angeles Times - blog (national daily newspaper)

Three California schools made the first cut for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for the second consecutive time and will compete for a share of $1 million in award money, officials announced Monday.

Santa Barbara City College, Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley and San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton are among the Aspen Institute's top 120 schools in the nation, as they were last year, and will compete for the award that will be announced next year.

SBCC decides to stay the course with summer session - for now
The Noozhawk (Santa Barbara online news source)

Santa Barbara City College will have a summer session this year but will consider eliminating it next year, Acting Superintendent/President Jack Friedlander said at a special meeting Monday afternoon.

He had proposed axing the 2012 summer classes to help balance the budget but then learned that 4,000 students were already enrolled, he said.

“I’m proposing we look at that for next summer so we start out with our lessons learned, so people can plan properly,” Friedlander said. “It’s a more orderly way of making that dramatic change.”

Call to action, again
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

ORLANDO -- Community colleges have their work cut out for them. America’s social mobility and economic prosperity depend to a large degree on their success, and the colleges must do a much better job of meeting this challenge – all while facing money problems and preserving their missions.

This message comes from the sector itself, through a new report from a commission convened by the American Association of Community Colleges

California Democrats searching under every fiscal rock
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

With the state budget mired in deficits, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislators, especially his fellow Democrats, are searching under every fiscal rock for money to spend.

That search has spawned an odd syndrome involving what could be three big pots of money – a competition among liberals over how they should be spent if, indeed, they materialize.

Easing the burden of deferrals
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A bill working its way through the state Senate would require the state to share the financial burden it causes the next time it delays money due K-12 districts. Only a portion of the short-term interest charges that many districts face when forced to take out short-term loans would be reimbursed. But SB 1491 at least would recognize that billions of dollars in late payments can create an expensive cash crisis for districts, many of them in low-income areas.

Community colleges consider rationing gym, arts classes
California Watch (investigative journal)

As constrained budgets and course cuts have made it harder for many students to get the classes they need, the California Community Colleges are taking further steps toward rationing course offerings and focusing resources on students who are pursuing degrees, certificates, transfer or career goals.

Two proposed regulatory changes are headed to the Board of Governors in coming months. One would bar students [PDF] from repeating the same physical education or arts class more than once on the state's dime.

California Democrats searching under every fiscal rock
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

With the state budget mired in deficits, Gov. Jerry Brown and legislators, especially his fellow Democrats, are searching under every fiscal rock for money to spend.
That search has spawned an odd syndrome involving what could be three big pots of money – a competition among liberals over how they should be spent if, indeed, they materialize.

State enrollment drops
The San Matean (San Mateo College student newspaper)

The University of California re- leased preliminary admission data April 17, revealing that the system is accepting more out of state students than in state students. The admission rate for California students dropped to 68.5 percent.

The in- creased enrollment of out-of-state students is “a strategy to fill cutbacks from state disinvestments” said Dianne Klein, the spokesperson for the University of California system.The University of California system does not have the funding to support more state students even though they do have the space and capacity to do so. Out of state students pay three times what state students pay.

Voters deserve a do-over on bullet train vote
The Los Angeles Times - George Skelton column (national daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO — The car salesman offers you a sleek new luxury model for $33,000. Go for it, you think. Time for an upgrade. Sold.

Oops, the sales guy says later. Those numbers won't pencil. We'll need $98,000.

Jack Friedlander: Why SBCC incests in the arts
The Noozhawk - opinion (Santa Barbara online news source)

Santa Barbara City College experienced a banner weekend April 13-15 for celebrating the arts. Our newest piece of public art, “Not Yet Full,” is on display adjacent to the SBCC Humanities Building. The sculpture was created by our highly talented faculty member Ed Inks and was commissioned by long-term SBCC art patrons Dr. Vincent and Lies Jaccarino.

Fix UC substitutes wage garnishments for tuition.  Can its plan save the University of California system?
Forbes.com - op-ed (online business news source)

You probably know the radical idea behind Fix UC – free upfront tuition for all University of California (UC) students — even if you don’t know the Fix UC plan’s particulars. Against the backdrop of Occupy Wall Street’s strident demands for college loan relief (deconstructed in my  10 More Questions For Occupy Wall Street), Fix UC founder Chris LoCascio wrote what he termed the UC Student Investment Proposal.

Local governance urged for UC campuses
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The 10 campuses of the UC system should be given more power to govern themselves and be allowed to set their own tuition, decide how many out-of-state students to enroll, approve construction projects and control some investments under a proposal released Monday by UC Berkeley leaders.

The best 8 jobs for recent college graduates
The Huffington Post (international news source)

There's good news for this year's college graduates: They should fare better in the job market than the class of 2011.

The 1.7 million college seniors about to graduate this year can expect an improved job outlook as businesses will likely ramp up hiring of recent grads, according to a new report by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Finance, engineering and computer science are among the fields that are projected to experience a growth rate of 20 percent or higher and gain 50,000 or more jobs in the next couple of years.

April 22, 2012

Community colleges' crunch time
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia daily newspaper)

The community college is being asked to save America.

But like a small-town fire department straining to contain a big-city blaze, community colleges aren't equipped to handle the huge job thrust on them, many experts say.

Many millennials - a diverse demographic of 18-to-34-year-olds who make up the largest share of community-college students in the Delaware Valley - are looking to the schools to give them a fighting chance in a brutal economy.

What Graduate Students Want to Know About Community Colleges, Part 1

The Chronicle of Higher Education

After reading that headline, some of you may be thinking, "I didn't know graduate students wanted to know anything about community colleges."

A few years ago, that might have been the case. Between 2003, when I started writing for The Chronicle on career issues at two-year colleges, and 2009, I received exactly four invitations to speak to graduate students about community colleges. Two of those invitations came from local universities near my college, and a third from my alma mater.

Education for All? 2-Year Colleges Struggle to Preserve Their Mission

The Chronicle of Higher Education

The open-door policy at community colleges is unique in American higher education. It allows all comers—a retired grandmother, an Army veteran, a laid-off machinist—to learn a skill or get a credential. That broad access—the bedrock of the community-college system—has prepared hundreds of millions of people for transfer to four-year colleges or entry into the work force.

But these days, the sector finds itself in a fight to save that signature trademark.

Training facility unveiled to the community
The Victorville Daily Press (local daily newspaper)

APPLE VALLEY • The Regional Public Safety Training Center stood out like a sparkling gem in the desert sand as Victor Valley College officials showed off their $31.6 million beauty during Saturday's dedication ceremony in Apple Valley.

“This facility is a stellar example of partnerships within the community that pull together to make a difference,” said Executive Vice Chancellor Erik Skinner, with the California Community College’s office, during a mid-morning presentation to regional and local leaders.

Opened in February next to the Walmart Distribution Center, the facility was designed to conduct programs in fire science/firefighting, administration of justice and emergency medical services, and will be available for public safety professionals throughout the state.

Program gives college students a break on out-of-state tuition
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

While her classmates agonize over which college to attend, high school senior Samantha Morgan is passing up offers from Cal State campuses in Long Beach and San Jose. She is heading out of California to avoid overcrowded classes and other state budget problems.

And she can afford it thanks to a little-known program that offers discounts at public colleges and universities to students from 15 states, most of them in the West.

UC squeezing out state students
The Stockton Record - opinion (local daily newspaper)

A record 80,289 freshmen have been accepted for fall admission to the University of California.

They won't all enroll at one of UC's nine campuses, but it is a tribute to the drawing power of one of the nation's premier university systems that so many applied. And it is reassuring that so many students met the university's stringent entrance requirements.

Given the importance of this system - along with the California State University sister system - to California's economic future, the numbers offer hope. Of course, being accepted to UC and actually having the economic wherewithal to attend are different matters.

Stop telling students to study for exams
The Chronicle of Higher Education - opinion (education trade periodical)

Among the problems on college campuses today are that students study for exams and faculty encourage them to do so.

I expect that many faculty members will be appalled by this assertion and regard it as a form of academic heresy. If anything, they would argue, students don't study enough for exams; if they did, the educational system would produce better results. But this simple and familiar phrase—"study for exams"—which is widely regarded as a sign of responsible academic practice, actually encourages student behaviors and dispositions that work against the larger purpose of human intellectual development and learning. Rather than telling students to study for exams, we should be telling them to study for learning and understanding.

Solar investments continue in Inland Empire amid industry's troubles
The San Bernardino Sun (local daily newspaper)

WASHINGTON -- Eager to energize young voters, President Barack Obama is depicting Republicans as obstacles to an affordable college education as he previews an argument he will make on university campuses next week in states crucial to his re-election.

"This is a question of values," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. "We cannot let America become a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of people struggle to get by."

April 21, 2012

Report: Community college attendance up, but graduation rates remain low
U.S. News & World Report (national daily newspaper)

For most of the last century, community colleges were designed to expand students' access to higher education. But in recent years, they've been asked to put unemployed Americans back to work, quickly prepare students for specific technology jobs, and catapult others into four-year institutions, according a report released today by the American Association of Community Colleges.

Video: President wooing young voters with student loans focus
The Associated Press (international news agency)

WASHINGTON -- Eager to energize young voters, President Barack Obama is depicting Republicans as obstacles to an affordable college education as he previews an argument he will make on university campuses next week in states crucial to his re-election.

"This is a question of values," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. "We cannot let America become a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of people struggle to get by."

Reclaiming the American Dream: Community colleges and the nation's future
The American Association of Community Colleges

Report slams community colleges
The Wall Street Journal (national daily newspaper)

In an occasionally scorching report, a commission on the future of community colleges criticized the two-year institutions for "student success rates that are unacceptably low, employment preparation that is inadequately connected to job-market needs and disconnects in transitions between high schools, community college and baccalaureate institutions."

April 20, 2012

Education secretary promotes community colleges
KCRG ABC 9 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa ABC affiliate)

ANKENY, Iowa — U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called for billions of additional dollars for community colleges during a town-hall meeting Thursday at the Des Moines Area Community College campus in suburban Ankeny.

It was the last stop on a two-day tour of Wisconsin and Iowa for Duncan, who used the Ankeny stop to announce proposed changes to a federal Career and Technical Education program.

“We don’t have a jobs crisis, we have a skills crisis,” Duncan said. “We have 2 million open jobs right now that employers can’t fill. The mismatch between the skills that employees have and what employers are looking for, that’s the gap.”

Yuba Community College District receives early childhood education grant
Lake County News (local daily newspaper)

MARYSVILLE, Calif. – The Yuba Community College District (YCCD) has received a $348,000 grant to encourage students to enter the Early Childhood Education (ECE) career pathway.

The grant will run through Feb. 28, 2014, and is designed to strengthen the pipeline from elementary to post-secondary education for all students with an emphasis in the area of ECE through career awareness, additional Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, bringing community college classes to the high school campus, and providing engaging workshops and camp activities for students.

A major focus for this California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office CTE Pathways Initiative and Community Collaborative Project is to continue the pipeline for students onto state colleges and universities and to prepare students interested in careers as credentialed teachers by formalizing feeder programs and outlining for students road maps to achieve those goals.

State begins drive to answer DREAM Act students' questions on financial aid
KPCC 89.3 - Pass/Fail blog (Southern California public radio)

The California Dream Act became law last year, making it possible for undocumented students in the state to apply for financial aid at colleges and universities. Efforts are now being made to prepare students for the law’s implementation in 2014. 

The process of figuring out who will benefit from the California DREAM Act, or how to apply, is anything but easy.

And at a time of shrinking budgets and rising tuition costs, many teachers and students have lingering questions about how the undocumented student population will be able to pay for college at all.

As government support shrinks, community colleges may start looking more like private institutions
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

As less federal, state, and local money flows to community-college coffers, institutions are becoming more dependent than ever on tuition and fees—and gradually assuming some of the characteristics of private colleges. That provocative notion was the focus of a panel discussion here on Sunday afternoon at the annual meeting of the American Association of Community Colleges.

Community colleges across the country have had to cut their operating budgets in recent years, leaving them to make painful choices such as scaling back programs and services or seeking additional dollars through other channels, such as renting out space on their campuses and creating endowments.

April 19, 2012

State Attorney General's Office warns 2-tier pricing for college is illegal
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

California’s Attorney General says a plan by Santa Monica College to charge more for some popular courses is illegal.

Earlier this month, Santa Monica College Board members decided to charge students several times the normal price for some high-demand classes taught over the summer, setting up a two-tier system.

The future of California's community colleges
KQED - Forum with Michael Krasny (Bay Area public radio)

With 2.6 million students, the state's community colleges have mostly accepted everyone with a California high school diploma. But a new state task force says the emphasis should change from broad access to getting more students to move quickly through the system to get a degree. Critics say that approach will exclude many people who need community college, including recent immigrants and seniors.

Cuts to community college system a 'travesty,' says trustee
KPCC 89.3 - Pass/Fail blog (Southern California public radio)

Ray Gen knows what it's like from both sides of the aisle, so to speak.

He's on the governing board of the El Camino Community College District, but he's also a full-time English teacher at El Segundo High School.

"I talked to a former student who graduated just last year, and he said in the fall he could only get two classes" at a community college," Gen said. "I mean, it's going to take him four or five years just to get out of a two-year program. It's just a travesty what's going on."

Gen has sat as a trustee on the board while they have had to make $10 million in cuts this past year. Students show up to complain about the loss of more than 1,100 course sections, the inability to get into classes, delayed graduation, and a lack of student services.

From 'boom town' to bust at the community colleges
KPCC 89.3 - Pass/Fail blog (Southern California public radio)When Sean Donnell began teaching at El Camino College in 1998, it was "boom town." The community college system was growing, teachers were receiving a cost-of-living allowance (now frozen), and students were flocking to enroll.

"We all know what happened," Donnell said. The recession.

"And community colleges in particular get hit very hard because its kind of hard to justify taking money away from a kid going through compulsory K-12 education and its funded through the same money. But out of all the higher education systems in the state, we serve the most, we serve more than UC and CSU combined."

SSTF: Less money, more problems

The San Luis Obispo New Times (local daily newspaper)

Cuesta just can’t catch a break. With the danger of losing its accreditation looming large, the mood was already somber on April 4 as the Board of Trustees met to address ongoing shortfalls in state revenues by slashing another $3 million from the institution’s already anemic budget. The move eliminated 26 positions, laid off 16 people, and reduced course offerings by 75 class sections.

And now, there’s this: A bill that’s being discussed in the California State Senate Education Committee is poised to reshape the entire community college system by instituting mandatory assessment tests for all incoming students, limiting state assistance, and holding students to a strict student success plan aimed at moving them through the system as efficiently as possible.

State challenges local redevelopment budgets
California Watch (investigative journal)

In the flurry surrounding the end of redevelopment, 60 state Department of Finance officials are scouring local redevelopment budgets to determine whether their claims about existing debts and obligations are legal.

Cities and other local entities that are overseeing the shutdown of redevelopment agencies were required to submit a list of their ongoing financial commitments by April 15. Now, the department has a three-day window to raise objections. Of the budgets it has reviewed so far, the department has challenged almost two dozen, including budgets from the cities of Riverside, Orange and San Leandro.

New front in for-profit battle?
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- Two Senate Democrats have found a new way to try to hit for-profit colleges where it hurts, by proposing a ban on the use of revenue from federal financial aid for advertising, marketing and recruitment.

The proposed legislation is unlikely to go anywhere this year, and will draw little support from Republicans. But the approach is novel, and could be part of the longer-term debate on Capitol Hill about the regulation of for-profit institutions.

UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza to resign
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

The UC Davis police chief who led the department during its controversial pepper spraying of campus protesters will resign Thursday, university officials confirmed.

Annette Spicuzza, who was criticized in an independent report on the incident as leading a department that is "very dysfunctional," has led the 54-officer force for nearly seven years. UC Davis officials expect to have an announcement about her successor before the end of the week, spokesman Barry Shiller said Wednesday.

San Marcos: FBI looking into CSUSM election tampering allegations
The North County Times (local daily newspaper)

The FBI is looking into what may be the largest theft of Cal State San Marcos students' computer passwords in the school's 23-year history, authorities said.

It is the latest development in an odd case involving allegations of election tampering by a candidate running to be the school's student body president. University officials said they suspect the user IDs and passwords of some 700 students were stolen to alter results of the election, where votes were cast by computer.

Gavin Newsom to host Current TV show
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Just a few weeks after its ugly breakup with progressive talk show host Keith Olbermann, San Francisco's Current TV has found another liberal spokesman - this one with a full-time political job - to fill its airwaves: California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The network said Tuesday that Newsom will host the weekly hour-long "Gavin Newsom Show" beginning in May. The former San Francisco mayor's show will have "a decidedly California touch as Newsom interviews notables from Silicon Valley, Hollywood and beyond."

Study touts California's clean-tech industry
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California's clean-technology industry is growing and supporting economic recovery in the state, according to a report released today by Next 10, a San Francisco nonprofit that promotes growth of California's clean economy.

Published for the fourth time since 2008 by Next 10 and compiled by Collaborative Economics Inc. in San Mateo, the 2012 California Green Innovation Index measures various economic and environmental factors, including clean-tech venture capital investment levels, clean-tech patent activity, energy productivity and renewable energy-generation levels.

April 18, 2012

Choices have to be made to fix our community colleges
The Sacramento Bee - point of view (daily newspaper)

Don't blame the students or the board members for the recent fracas over proposed tuition increases at Santa Monica College. Whether you sympathize with the decision to triple tuition to pay for high-demand summer courses, or side with the students who protested and got pepper-sprayed, both grievances share the same roots: Budget cuts, years of poor governance and a lack of performance guidelines are crippling the state's largest educational system.

Combining Remedial Coursework With Credit Classes Helps Students Succeed, Report Says

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Developmental education is a dead end for the nearly two million students who enroll in remedial courses every year, says a report released today by Complete College America. The report, “Remediation: Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere,” says that less than one in 10 students enrolled at a community college graduate within three years, and just a little more than a third complete a bachelor’s degree in six years. However, the report says, the one-third to one-half of academically unprepared students could succeed in college-level courses if their remedial coursework were provided more as a “co-requisite” rather than a prerequisite to their full-credit classes.

California fracking bill would protect industry 'trade secrets'
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

A California lawmaker working to pass the Golden State's first hydraulic fracturing rules has watered down his landmark legislation, hoping to overcome industry opposition to a measure that would force energy companies to disclose the mysterious mix of chemicals they inject into the ground to tap oil deposits.

The legislation stalled last year after objections by industry that full disclosure of "fracking" chemicals would reveal proprietary "recipes." After months of meetings with oil companies and environmentalists, Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) is now touting a compromise measure that goes to lengths to protect those trade secrets while increasing public disclosure.

Citrus College recognized as sustainable campus
The Glendora Patch (local online news source)

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors has selected Citrus College as one of three winners of the inaugural Energy and Sustainability Awards competition.
 
The other two winning colleges are Butte College in Oroville and Cuyamaca College in San Diego County.
 
Forty-six nominations were received in three categories: district leadership, facilities and operations, and faculty/student initiatives. Representatives from the three winning colleges will be presented with these awards at the May 8 Board of Governors meeting in Sacramento.

New chief to oversee private vocational schools
The Bay Citizen (Bay Area newspaper)

Laura Metune on Wednesday became the new chief of the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, the beleaguered state agency charged with overseeing the state’s vocational and for-profit colleges. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Metune to the $110,580-a-year post earlier this month.

Metune's appointment comes after a Bay Citizen investigation revealed the bureau had failed to properly oversee the state's 1,300 technical, vocational and other private postsecondary schools.

California budget analyst says to halt $68B high-speed rail project
Silicon Valley Business journal - blog (local business newspaper)

The nonpartisan state Legislative Analyst's Office said Tuesday California should pull the plug on its proposed 570-mile, $68 billion high-speed rail network connecting the Bay Area and Southern California.

Despite a recently released downsized plan that shaved $30 billion from the price tag, the office said the California High-Speed Rail Authority    California High-Speed Rail Authority Latest from The Business Journals Follow this company still falls far short of the funding it needs to proceed.

Santa Monica College seeks options to program chancellor contends is illegal
The Lookout News (Santa Monica online news source)

April 18, 2012 -- Santa Monica College is still looking for a way to keep classes going after postponing a controversial two-tier tuition program the State Chancellor contends is illegal.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office said this week that the State Attorney General advised it that the program -- which would have offered some high-demand classes for $180 per unit, instead of the standard $46 -- violates the State education code. There was no opinion issued.

Anderson, Vargas team to cap state pay
San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

Sacramento — State employees — even university presidents and top medical doctors — should not bring home more than Gov. Jerry Brown, a Senate Committee agreed Wednesday.

“This is a good first step to reining in the outrageous state salaries that Californians keep hearing about,” said Sen. Joel Anderson, a La Mesa Republican carrying the pay limit bill.

State Attorney General sides against SMC's two-tier courses
The Santa Monica Daily Press (local daily newspaper)

SMC — Protesters against the concept of self-funded classes at Santa Monica College have something to celebrate — the law seems to be on their side.

That's the word coming from officials with the Community College Chancellor's Office, who say that conversations with the Attorney General's Office reassured them that the classes, which require a student to shoulder the full cost of instruction, are not allowed under the state's education code.

Mixed results using iPads for Algebra
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A study conducted in four California school districts found that students studying Algebra I on an iPad did no better overall than students equipped with a traditional textbook.

The results of the 2010-11 study – the largest to date – disappointed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the publisher that commissioned the research and had expected better outcomes from the new technology. But at the same time, a company executive  said the firm remains undeterred in developing its digital textbooks and was heartened by scores in Riverside Unified, the one district in the study where students using iPads markedly outperformed their peers. In a white paper that the company published, putting a positive spin on the research, the Riverside teachers in the study extolled the software, which it said motivated students to take charge of  their learning.

Federal spending on cleantech is 'falling off of a cliff'
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

A report to be released Wednesday by scholars at the Brookings Institution and Oakland's Breakthrough Institute warns that federal spending on clean technologies is drying up, with little sign of additional help coming from Congress.

As a result, more cleantech companies are likely to go bankrupt or be consolidated, the study warns.

LAUSD considers lowering the bar for graduation
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Eight years ago, the Los Angeles Board of Education adopted an ambitious plan to have all students take college-prep classes to raise academic standards in the nation's second-largest school district.

Now, that plan is about to take effect: Beginning this fall, incoming freshmen will have to pass those classes to graduate.

On Tuesday, district officials backtracked, offering details of a proposal to reduce overall graduation requirements and allow students to pass those classes with a D grade.

College Board to bring AP classes to poor California high schools
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

The College Board will subsidize Advanced Placement classes in about 200 California high schools in hopes of bringing more of the college-level courses to poorer communities. In part a response to a new state law asking high schools to offer at least five AP classes, the program will provide teacher training and course supplies. The College Board will identify potential new AP classes based on students’ PSAT scores.

Students receive credit (or at least place out of requirements) for high AP test scores at many colleges. But the test takers tend to be whiter and wealthier than the population at large, leading critics to suggest that AP can place poor or minority students at a greater disadvantage. This project targets schools with a high number of students whose test scores suggest they can succeed in AP courses that aren’t offered.

April 17, 2012

Jerry Brown's up to his old say-anything tricks
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)
Two years ago, when Jerry Brown was trying to reclaim the governorship he had left 28 years earlier, he often said that his age, maturity and lack of political ambition would allow him to succeed where others had failed.

Brown said he would patiently attack the state's political issues, especially the deficit-ridden state budget, and "I will tell the truth in ways (that hadn't occurred) in years past."

SSTF: State plan would shake up path for Palomar students
The Telescope (Palomar College student newspaper)

PUSHED TO SUCCEED – PART 1: FROM THE TOP

A new bill will force students to finish coursework at Palomar or face penalties for lagging behind.

Last year, California legislators hoping to push students through the state’s 100 community colleges passed the Student Success Task Force (SSTF) bill. Drafters said the legislation was crafted to lessen strain on a system that sees many students stay long past the two-year mark.

The exact mark SSTF will make on Palomar’s sprawling 30,000-student district in still unclear.

At Palomar, a Student Success Task Force Committee was put together to revise school policy and make transitioning to the new requirements easier. Despite confusion among some staff and most students about the bill’s measures, college administrators believe they have a firm grasp on possible changes.

UC, UCSD out-of-state admissions spike
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

The University of California has admitted a record number of freshmen to its nine undergraduate campuses for fall of this year, with a particularly striking spike in the number of out-of-state admissions.

The system in general, and UC San Diego in particular, continued the trend of admitting more nonresidents — who are required to pay nearly three times as much in tuition as the approximately $12,000 annual tab for in-state students.

Katehi: UCD will follow task force blueprint
The Davis Enterprise (local newspaper)

Recommendations for change following the Nov. 18 pepper-spraying of Occupy UC Davis protesters will not gather dust, Chancellor Linda Katehi said Tuesday.

“I have heard that on other UC campuses there have been reports that were not followed very carefully, and we need to avoid that. Our efforts will be transparent and collaborative,” she said during her annual state-of-the-campus address before the UCD Academic Senate.

Mom of bullied student helps develop an anti-bullying course at Cal State Fullerton
Orange County Weekly - School Daze blog (local newspaper)

It's been nearly three years since Karyl Ketchum battled district administrators in court after football players at Corona Del Mar High threatened to shoot and rape her then-17-year-old daughter, the lead actress in the school's production of "Rent." Ketchum enlisted the help of the ACLU to file a lawsuit suit "over a sexist and homophobic atmosphere that officials permitted to flourish at the school"--and won. As part of the settlement agreement, Newport-Mesa Unified School District was ordered to provide mandatory training for staff and students on sexism and homophobia and the procedures for handling complaints.

'Me.edu': Debating the coming personalization of higher ed
The Chronicle of Higher Education - Wired Campus blog (education trade periodical)

Scottsdale, Ariz. — We’re used to personalization on the consumer Web, from book recommendations on Amazon to the news feed on Facebook.

But what will it mean for learning as colleges, too, increasingly mine data to shape the student experience? What does educational personalization look like? How finely should technologists try to parse it—down to individual learning styles? How will personalization conflict with existing regulations? And what are the risks?

Debating those questions was the focus of a panel this morning at an education innovation conference hosted by Arizona State University. Some 700 people—companies, investors, educators—are convening here over the next two days, many of them hoping to ride the surge of investment in education technology.

Congress: Lawmakers weigh overhaul of job-training program
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (daily newspaper)

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of boards that oversee job training around the country should be stocked with business owners and given increased flexibility to spend federal dollars on programs tailored to local needs, a top Inland workforce official told Congress on Tuesday.

The remarks from Sandy Harmsen, San Bernardino County’s workforce development director, came as the House considered legislation to update the federal Workforce Investment Act. The Clinton-era program funds workforce investment boards that oversee job training efforts and services for unemployed workers at roughly 3,000 “one-stop” centers around the county.

Non-partisan analysts want California lawmakers to put brakes on high-speed rail
89.3 KPCC (Southern California public radio)

There are some new bumps in the road, or in the rails, for the plan to bring bullet trains to California.

Just last week California’s High-Speed Rail Authority approved a revised business plan that cut the costs of the project by $30 billion. But the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office still isn’t sold on the idea.

The new cost estimate is $68 billion, but so far the high-speed rail board has secured just $9 billion, using bond funds approved by the voters. They've received another $3.5 billion in federal grants.

Mixed results in accountability report for Hartnell, MPC
The Monterey County Herald (local daily newspaper)

In some areas, the two Monterey County community colleges do better than others in the state. In other areas, they lag behind. And the performance results of Hartnell and Monterey Peninsula colleges are just as different as the communities they serve.

Submitted to the governor at the end of March by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, the 2012 accountability report for community colleges paints a complex picture of Hartnell and MPC. Both institutions show a high rate of completion in vocational courses but MPC lags behind Hartnell when it comes to its English learners population.

For-profit isn't a model for community colleges
The Los Angeles Times - opinion (national daily newspaper)

Mark Schneider and Lu Michelle Yin, proponents of for-profit higher education, go on the offensive in their April 11 Times Op-Ed article and criticize public community colleges for our graduation rates, which do need to improve. I have no quarrel with that fundamental truth.

However, I do take issue with those who advocate for for-profit colleges, which have been publicly exposed for their own inadequate graduation rates. I hate to use the old cliche about glass houses, but Schneider and Yin are clearly throwing stones, particularly at those of us in the California community college system.

Jerry Brown says state budget deficit will probably top $10 billion
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that the state budget deficit could increase by $1 billion or more above the $9.2 billion his administration estimated in January.

Brown said that because of court challenges, weaker-than-expected tax receipts and other factors, the state’s deficit would probably grow when he releases revised budget numbers next month.

"Whether it's $1 billion or a couple billion, we'll let you know in a couple weeks,” Brown said after speaking to the California Medical Assn. in Sacramento.

State Attorney General sides against SMC's two-tier courses
The Santa Monica Daily Press (local daily newspaper)

SMC — Protesters against the concept of self-funded classes at Santa Monica College have something to celebrate — the law seems to be on their side.

That's the word coming from officials with the Community College Chancellor's Office, who say that conversations with the Attorney General's Office reassured them that the classes, which require a student to shoulder the full cost of instruction, are not allowed under the state's education code.

Why are community colleges being treated worst when they're needed most?
The New Republic (national news periodical)

By the time the police arrived with the pepper spray, sending throngs of college students choking to the ground, it was clear that Santa Monica College’s plan to raise tuition had gone badly awry.

Days earlier, the trustees of the 31,000-student community college had announced a novel strategy for dealing with the state of California’s latest round of punishing budget cuts. It would open up new sections of perpetually over-subscribed courses like English and Math—but only to students willing to pay four times the standard price. The college’s mostly-minority, low- and middle-income students saw this as an affront to the institution’s bedrock tradition of affordable higher education. They protested, the cops arrived, the pepper spray was deployed, cell-phone videos of screams and chaos were instantly broadcast, the media descended, and in short order the leadership caved and cancelled the plan.

Tidewater college president named
The Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia local newspaper)

RICHMOND --

Edna Baehre-Kolovani, head of Napa Valley College in California, has been named president of Tidewater Community College, effective July 1.

She succeeds Deborah M. DiCroce, who retired last winter after serving as president for 14 years.

Baehre-Kolovani has been superintendent/president of Napa Valley College since 2010.

She has held leadership positions at Jamestown and Genesee community colleges in New York, as well as Highland and Elgin community colleges in Illinois. She was president of Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania for 13 years, beginning in 1997.

Tidewater serves the South Hampton Roads region with campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Steinberg brings back school accountability reform
SI&A Cabinet Report (education trade periodical)

Senate leader Darrell Steinberg is set this week to revive his effort to overhaul the state’s school accountability system with new legislation that will deemphasize the role standardized testing plays in judging success.

SB 1458, scheduled to be heard Wednesday by the state Senate Education Committee, also would authorize the state superintendent and the California State Board of Education to develop a new program for evaluating school quality – a proposal of specific interest to Gov. Jerry Brown.

Proposal would raise teacher credentialing fee
California Watch (investigative journal)

The fee to become a credentialed teacher would increase 27 percent under budget recommendations by Gov. Jerry Brown and the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.

The state Commission on Teacher Credentialing faces a $5 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year. Credential applications and tests – the commission's primary source of revenue – have fallen substantially in recent years. California credentialed 6.5 percent fewer new teachers in 2010-11 than it did a year prior. The number of teaching credentials issued since since 2004-05 has shrunk by one-third.

April 16, 2012

From Master Plan to no plan: California's education failure
NBC 4 Los Angeles - Prop Zero blog (Southern California NBC affiliate)

California has gone from having a Master Plan for Higher Education to having no plan for higher education.

In 1959, the Legislature mandated the preparation of “a Master Plan for the development, expansion, and integration of the facilities, curriculum, and standards of higher education, in junior colleges [now Community Colleges], state colleges [now CSU], UC and other institutions of higher education in the state, to meet [its] needs during the next ten years and thereafter…”

Community college failings: Don't shoot the messenger
The Los Angeles Times - opinion (national daily newspaper)

Facts are stubborn things, and though throwing a hissy-fit in response to my Op-Ed article (“Community colleges' learning disability”) may give commenter "sportschic1900" some emotional satisfaction, it doesn't change the facts.

The reader wrote:

This article is so simplistic in its scope that it's scary. First of all, the "only 30% of students earn degrees at community colleges" is an old scare tactic that people use to try to make it look like these are institutions of failure. This doesn't take into account that many people go to CCs hoping to transfer to a 4-year college or just to take a few classes here and there. Not everyone goes in with the intent of earning a degree.

Second, when you are an institution of higher learning that has zero admission standards beyond being 18 years of age, you cannot expect everyone going in to be a Rhodes scholar. The CCs accept everyone. Yes, many need remedial classes or ESL classes. And yes, unfortunately many students become disenchanted with the system along the way and drop out. But that probably means they shouldn't have gone to college in the first place.

Third, what's with the push on private, for-profit schools? How much money is the American Institutes for Research and American Enterprise Institute getting from these schools to spout this [bleep]? Have either writers ever stepped foot into a community college classroom? Or any kind of classroom? When your credentials are from something other than a conservative think tank, call me.

Cuyamaca garners community college honor
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Cuyamaca College is one of three community colleges in the state, along with Citrus (Glendora) and Butte (Oroville), to win the inaugural Energy and Sustainability Awards competition from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

Cuyamaca was recognized in the area of faculty/student initiatives; the school won for promoting sustainable landscaping at the Rancho San Diego campus.

Jill Biden earned $82,022 as a community-college professor in 2011
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and a longtime English professor, earned $82,022 in 2011 for teaching at Northern Virginia Community College. Her salary information came from the couple's most recent tax return.

Ms. Biden began teaching English at the college in the spring of 2009 as an adjunct faculty member. In the fall of 2009, Ms. Biden was hired to fill a full-time faculty position that had a two-year appointment, and then she became a full-time associate professor in the fall of 2011, said George Gabriel, vice president of the college's Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment. Mr. Gabriel said the college followed the normal search process, which included Ms. Biden having to apply for both full-time positions.

California women earn 84 cents for every man's dollar: Latinas make 57 cents
L.A. Weekly - The Informer blog (local newspaper)

The National Partnership for Women & Families today said women in California get paid 84 cents for every dollar men make here, on average.

Sad and true but ... California's gender wage gap is way better than the national average, which is 77 cents on the dollar -- more than $10,000 a year worth.

In fact, the Golden State ... 

... ranks number two in the union in terms of the smallest wage gap. (Vermont had the smallest gap. See a PDF list of states here).

Electric cars can be no better for global warming, in some cities
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Apparently, location, location, location is the latest twist on electric vehicles and the environment: Whether an electric car such as the Nissan Leaf protects the atmosphere from greenhouse gases depends on where it's charged, according to a new study.  Such a car is no better than a standard gasoline-powered subcompact such as a Hyundai Elantra in cities such as Denver and Wichita, but far exceeds even the best hybrids in Southern California.

That’s the findings of a study of electricity generation, greenhouse gas emissions and electric vehicles by the Union of Concerned Scientists.  The variations in how beneficial an electric vehicle is for reducing pollution that causes global warming result from regional differences in how electricity is generated.

Huffington Post, Politico win Pulitzer Prizes
The Wall Street Journal (national daily newspaper)

The Huffington Post became the first for-profit online news organization to win a Pulitzer Prize for reporting, while another online news outlet, Politico, won for editorial cartooning.

The Pulitzers, journalism's top honor, were announced on Monday by Columbia University, which administers the competition.

The Pulitzer for public service was given to the Philadelphia Inquirer for its reporting on violence in the city's schools.

Tax rival airs second ad distancing initiative from Sacramento
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Molly Munger, the wealthy tax proponent whose initiative has frustrated Gov. Jerry Brown, has launched a second ad portraying her measure as an outsider effort.
With upbeat music and a young girl as narrator, the 30-second "Our Children, Our Future" ad attacks Brown's plan without ever referencing it. Munger's initiative would hike income taxes on all but the poorest residents along a sliding scale to raise $10 billion annually.

Brown takes a page from the opposition playbook
The Los Angeles Times - George Skelton column (national daily newspaper)

"Talk to me in a month," says Democratic guru Gale Kaufman, who recommended that Brown emulate the longtime GOP strategy of mailing ballot-measure petitions directly to voters for their signatures.

More than 1 million California voters — mainly reliable Democrats — received a Brown blurb at home last week, preceded by a robocall from the governor announcing it was in the mail.

Senator talks about California higher education at CSULB
The Daily 49er (CSU, Long Beach student newspaper)

State Sen. Alan Lowenthal discussed concerns and suggestions about the current educational crisis with California’s community, state college and university systems with students, faculty and staff during a town hall meeting on Thursday at The Nugget Pub & Grill.

The meeting was called “Policy on Tap.”

“It is always great when you can have a legislator come in,” political science graduate student Donnie Bessom said. “Because we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Solar rooftops sought in poor communities
California Watch (investigative journal)

San Diego is home to more than 2,600 solar residential rooftops – more than any other California city – but in the neighboring lower-income community of National City, there are only about a dozen.

A bill [PDF] before the California Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce this month seeks to equalize renewable energy installation in the state by promoting small-scale solar rooftops in the disadvantaged communities.

California schools harness sunshine to cut energy costs
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

To plug in to solar energy, you need photovoltaic cells, controllers, inverters, combiner boxes and plenty of copper wiring.

Oh yes — and a compass.

Workers at Valencia High School found that out when they installed solar power arrays facing the wrong way.

The 4,815-panel project is just one of an increasing number of solar arrays springing up on campuses across the state as financially strapped school systems try to save billions in electricity costs. But tapping into the sun can be trickier than it looks, schools are discovering.

MLB remembers Jackie Robinson on special day
The Associated Press (international news service)

LaTroy Hawkins has heard the stories from his 87-year-old grandfather, about his days of picking cotton in Mississippi, about the times when there were no black players in big-league baseball.

And about what it meant when Jackie Robinson broke the game's color barrier.

"Without Jackie, I wouldn't be in front of you," the Los Angeles Angels' pitcher told several dozen kids at a Bronx ball field Sunday. "Jackie's role in my life has been tremendous."

April 15, 2012

Colleges are pressured to open up student data
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

College campuses are hothouses of data, including course schedules, degree requirements, and grades. But much of the information remains spread out across software systems or locked on university servers. Now a crowd of start-ups has emerged with hopes of prying out those rich data sets to build an app economy for universities—a world of new personalized services that could transform the student experience.

The idea of opening data to consumers has already spread to such industries as health care and energy.

Romney offers policy details at closed-door fundraiser
MSNBC - First Read blog (national television news agency)

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Mitt Romney went well beyond his standard stump speech at a closed-door fundraiser on Sunday evening, and offered some of the most specific details to date about the policies he would pursue if elected.

In a speech to donors in the backyard of a private home here, the former Massachusetts governor and presumptive GOP presidential nominee outlined his plans to potentially eliminate or consolidate federal agencies, win back Latino voters and reform the nation's tax code.

What effect would proposed tax increases really have?
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

Over the coming months of gestation about taxation, California voters will be inundated with claims, counterclaims and other forms of propaganda.

We still don't know how many major tax proposals will be on the November ballot. It'll be at least one, but whether it's the one that Jerry Brown, other Democratic politicians and labor unions want, or the one that civil rights attorney Molly Munger and the PTA want, is still unknown.

Most likely, it'll be both.

Response to tuition plan vexes Santa Monica College leaders
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Nearing midnight and with the sting of pepper spray in the air, Santa Monica College trustees wondered how their plan to offer a selection of higher cost classes this summer had come to be so misunderstood.

For many on the eight-member panel, which includes a humanities professor, an ACLU board member and a college counselor, the plan was conceived as a progressive response to drastic state funding cuts and was intended to increase access and allow more students to graduate and transfer.

The 2-tier-tuition controversy
The Chronicle of Higher Education - Innovations blog (education trade periodical)

Santa Monica Community College created a furor when it recently proposed charging higher prices for certain popular classes as a way of addressing overcrowding. The proposal, which was reported on the front page of the New York Times and on National Public Radio, raised complaints because community colleges are supposed to be affordable open-access institutions that promote equal educational opportunity. The plan would have added new sections of oversubscribed courses at quadruple the regular per-credit price.

Free college won't solve our education crisis
FOX News Latino (national news agency)

I recently was invited to be a guest speaker for my high school’s journalism class. As I spoke with these aspiring reporters, I found that I was getting more questions about the college experience than the principles of new media. Go figure.

For many students (and parents), the anxiety of having to pay for college has surpassed the pressure of getting accepted into college.

This anxiety has manifested into numerous protests here in California as students rally against skyrocketing higher education costs that threaten to put college degrees out of reach for many middle-class young adults. In the last decade, California families have seen the cost of college nearly double as courses now run well over $10,000 a year.

CSU faculty members set to vote on strike
KGO-TV Channel 7 (San Francisco ABC affiliate)

Faculty members at all 23 CSU campuses begin voting Monday on whether to go on strike.

The vote comes a week after mediation between the university and the California Faculty Association ended without an agreement.

The main issues include pay and class size.

Opening up a path to four-year degrees

The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

PHILADELPHIA — At the end of his first year at the Community College of Philadelphia, Christopher Thomas decided that his goal — to go back to school and get a degree — was no longer worth it. He was in debt from thousands of dollars in student loans. After class, he rode a bus an hour and a half to a suburban restaurant where he worked as a waiter. When the shift ended at midnight, it took him three buses to get home. He couldn’t afford a computer, so in the middle of the night, he walked to his aunt’s house and used hers to finish his class work.

American college students seek 4-year degrees overseas
The Chicago Tribune (national daily newspaper)

Veterans' disability claims buried under paperwork
The Bay Citizen (local daily newspaper)

Even after Ian Rodriguez left the Marine Corps in 2006, he still felt like he was in Iraq.

The burly veteran, who played defensive end on the College of San Mateo football team before joining the military, would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night at home in San Bruno and grab his girlfriend, putting both hands around her neck.

“I had no ill will toward her,” Rodriguez, 28, said in an interview, “but while I was asleep I felt like I was still back there, and I acted it out.” He said he slept with a .40-caliber Glock pistol under his pillow and drank a bottle of whiskey every night to help him forget the war and fall asleep.

April 14, 2012

UC Davis pepper spray mess belongs to chancellor
The Fresno Bee - editorial (daily newspaper)

The independent assessment of events leading up to the Nov. 18 pepper-spraying incident at the University of California, Davis, provides a devastating indictment of the leadership of Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi.
The chancellor showed either extreme naivete or incompetence in weighing a response to protesters camping in the campus quad area. The task force report revealed a deeply flawed structure for decisionmaking, with little or no consideration of alternatives.

The campus Police Department, the report concluded, is "very dysfunctional." Lieutenants, the report stated, don't "follow directives of the Chief." The department needs to adopt best practices in policing for a university campus.

CSU may pull cash grants to half its grad students
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

California State University is withholding financial aid for about 20,000 needy graduate students - money that pays their tuition - pending a decision that could permanently end the cash grants, The Chronicle has learned.

Graduate students across the 23-campus system began receiving financial aid notices this week and were astonished to see that the State University Grant that takes care of tuition for low-income students was missing. In its place was the offer of a federal loan at 6.8 percent interest.

A veteran's death, the nation's shame
The New York Times - op-ed (national daily newspaper)

HERE’S a window into a tragedy within the American military: For every soldier killed on the battlefield this year, about 25 veterans are dying by their own hands.

An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or Afghanistan. Veterans kill themselves at a rate of one every 80 minutes. More than 6,500 veteran suicides are logged every year — more than the total number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined since those wars began.

April 13, 2012

Transforming community colleges
Knoxville News (Tennessee local newspaper)

Community colleges are central to the nation's higher education system, enrolling almost 30 percent of all postsecondary students. But their record of success is spotty.

Nationally, only about a quarter of full-time community college students complete their studies within three years (the official measure of a school's graduation rate).

At more than a third of California's community colleges, graduation rates are 20 percent or less. Of the full-time, degree-seeking students who entered California community colleges in 2007, more than 35,000 had not earned their degrees three years later, and most of them were no longer enrolled in any postsecondary institution.

Where your money goes - Q&A with Jane Wellman
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

IN December, when President Obama was considering what the government should do to promote college affordability, he convened a White House round table with 10 college presidents, the head of a prominent education foundation, and Jane Wellman, whose tiny Delta Project on Postsecondary Education Costs, Productivity and Accountability has produced some of the best-regarded data and reports on the issue.

Do price controls help students?
Inside Higher Ed - point of view (education trade periodical)

Do Price Controls Help Students?

It is easy to criticize Santa Monica Community College’s recent decision to charge more for high-demand classes. Community colleges are, by design, supposed to make sure that everyone has at least one public higher education option within reach financially and geographically.

American higher education is a divided system, in which the “haves” fret over their odds of getting into Swarthmore, while the “have-nots” balance minimum-wage jobs with classes at a nearby public college.  In that light, tuition increases for high-demand courses look like an assault on the last bastion of equity, creating two tiers within the community colleges themselves.  Students who can pay more -- or take on more debt -- will have better options. Those who can’t, won’t.

Community colleges struggle with cuts
The Hanford Sentinel (local daily newspaper)

LEMOORE — As community colleges throughout the state struggle to contend with budget cuts, education officials are still searching for ways to maintain services.

After drawing fire from students and state officials, the board of trustees at Santa Monica College voted last week to abandon an initiative to offer high-demand courses at two fee levels during summer and winter sessions. The plan would have offered core classes at the state-funded amount of $138 ($46 per unit) in addition to a student-subsidized course for $540.

West Hills College Lemoore President Don Warkentin said the two-tiered system would likely have been illegal and also bad for students.

Intel unveils new, $200 tablet for education
Education Week - blog (education trade periodical)

Intel has announced the launch of its 7-inch tablet encased in rugged plastic, created specifically for use in the education market. The tablets, called Intel studybooks, are expected to cost less than $200 each, says Kapil Wadhera, the general manager of Intel's education market platforms group, according to the Wall Street Journal's tech blog Digits. That price is less than half the starting price of a new iPad (which starts at $499).

April 12, 2012

S.F. City College chancellor fighting brain tumor

San Francisco Chronicle

City College of San Francisco Chancellor Don Griffin disclosed Tuesday that he is battling a brain tumor and will retire this month rather than in the fall, as he had announced just weeks ago.

In an e-mail to thousands of students and employees, Griffin said he'll have the tumor removed at UCSF, and that he is "optimistic for a successful surgery in a few weeks and a positive recovery."

April 11, 2012

Shutting Out Hometown Applicants

Insider Higher Education

Student demand keeps on building at California State University, but the overcrowded system doesn’t have the money to increase enrollment. And the only answer for most of the system’s 23 campuses may be to increase selectivity, which can hurt less academically prepared students who live near those universities.

California controller outlines shortfall, says key months ahead
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

As state leaders hope for a surprise uptick in revenue this spring, state Controller John Chiang reported Tuesday that California lagged last month by $233.5 million, or 4.2 percent.

Dan Walters: Politicians should act instead of expecting budget miracle
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

The Capitol is preoccupied with Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to persuade voters to raise taxes and the complicating effects of a rival tax measure sponsored by civil rights attorney Molly Munger.
With deadlines looming, will Brown and his union allies collect enough signatures to place their measure on the June ballot? Will Munger cave in to pressure from Brown, et al., to back off? If both are on the ballot, would it doom both?

Community colleges' learning disability
The Los Angeles Times - op-ed (national daily newspaper)

Community colleges are central to the nation's higher education system, enrolling almost 30% of all postsecondary students. But their record of success is spotty.

Nationally, only about a quarter of full-time community college students complete their studies within three years (the official measure of a school's graduation rate).

SMC panel to look at police policies, not punishment
The Santa Monica Daily Press (local daily newspaper)

SMC — The panel tapped to review Santa Monica College officials' response to student protests that left three students hospitalized is set to meet in coming weeks to begin assessing what officials could have done differently.

Roughly 30 students were pepper sprayed last Tuesday during protests at a Board of Trustees meeting about a proposal to change the way summer classes are funded at SMC.

2-Year college retirement wave?
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

California's community colleges may be just a few years away from "a retirement wave" for faculty members, a transition that could create much better jobs for the part timers on whom campuses depend, according to a survey being presented at the American Educational Research Association's annual meeting, which starts this week.

Michael Hiltzik: Let's bring back the idea of a free UC education
The Los Angeles Times - column (national daily newspaper)

The son of a railroad worker, Earl Warren came from a family keeping a desperate finger hold on a working-class existence at the turn of the last century. Yet when he left high school in Bakersfield in 1908, there was no question where he was headed: to Berkeley and a free education at the University of California.

Budget panel rejects Brown's plan to harbor state facilities money
SI&A Cabinet Report (education trade periodical)

A legislative budget subcommittee moved Tuesday to reject Gov. Jerry Brown’s call to meter out the last remaining state funds for school construction projects despite the risk the move poses to the state’s anemic housing industry.

Current state law requires that if the School Facilities Program runs out of money – which it will do this year – authority is triggered giving school districts the ability to charge housing developers fees to cover the state’s portion of the cost of building a new school.

In the absence of a bond measure to replenish the facilities program and hoping to avoid crippling an already struggling building industry, the Brown administration had proposed that the state minimize its monthly apportionments for approved school projects to string the money out, keep the program viable and stave off imposing the so-called level III developer fees. 

High-speed rail officials to OK new business plan
The Fresno Bee (local daily newspaper)

High-speed rail officials are expected Thursday to approve a business plan that details how they hope to pay for a proposed passenger train line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The California High-Speed Rail Authority board will meet in San Francisco to hear testimony about the 212-page plan -- a revised blueprint of expected costs for construction and operation, as well as anticipated revenue and ridership.
The business plan will be closely scrutinized by California legislators, who are being asked to OK about $2.7 billion in bonds to help pay for the initial construction in the San Joaquin Valley.

Lucas empire strikes back in Calif. studio battle
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO -- George Lucas' empire is striking back in its long-running battle to build a palatial film studio in the pastoral hills north of San Francisco.

Lucasfilm Ltd., the force behind the Star Wars movies, shocked Marin County on Tuesday by announcing that it is abandoning the controversial Grady Ranch project, citing bitter opposition from neighbors and delays in the approval process.

April 10, 2012

California Community Colleges face dilemmas amid tighter budgets
PBS NewsHour - video clip (national news show)

JUDY WOODRUFF: Next, community colleges feel the strain of tight budgets and rising demand. California is one state where the problem has been particularly prominent of late.

NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports.

California colleges may begin gauging size of LGBT community
The Highlander News (University of California, Riverside student newspaper)

California state colleges and universities may soon be asking students about their sexual orientation on application forms as part of an effort to determine whether campuses are thoroughly servings its student populations. The move

has stirred acclamation and concern among many campus communities. The decision to allow gender expression on forms coincides with a state law (AB 620) that seeks to estimate the size of student populations who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). The law proposes that the University of California, California State University and California Community College System offer these questions in order to examine whether sufficient student services, such as counseling, are being offered. “It would be useful to know if we are underserving the population,” said Jesse Bernal, the UC system’s interim diversity coordinator, in a Los Angeles Times article. With the option of voluntarily answering the questions, Bernal believes that it “sends a positive message of inclusiveness to LGBT students and creates an environment that is inclusive and welcoming of diverse populations.”

Colleges struggle to meet engineer demands
NBC Bay Area (NBC San Francisco affiliate)

Amidst the debate over school funding is the added concern over the drop in students pursuing math and science education.

State: College inequity?
The Riverside Press-Enterprise - editorial (local daily newspaper)

Timely access to basic college courses should not depend on students’ willingness to pay extra. California community colleges should avoid the idea of giving an enrollment preference in return for higher student fees. The state’s public two-year colleges should aim for broad access to higher education. An overall fee increase would be a fairer way of funding courses than favoring students with more financial resources.

Cuts to instruction must be minimal at community colleges
The Bakersfield California - opinion (local daily newspaper)

You probably read the Community Voices article published in this space April 10 by the Kern Community College District's chancellor and Bakersfield College's president. Or perhaps you've heard from other sources about upcoming deep cuts in state funding that will lead to deep cuts in what classes Bakersfield College can offer and the reduced number of students we can serve. Last year at about this time, I wrote about upcoming budget cuts to Bakersfield College. Well, that time has arrived. Unlike many other community college districts in California, we've been able to hold off making deep cuts into our core classes because of very conservative fiscal planning by our district that built up a large reserve. That healthy reserve has given BC and our two sister colleges in the Kern Community College District, Cerro Coso Community College and Porterville College, time to prepare for some possible major cuts to our core offerings. How much we will need to cut will depend on how the vote turns out in November on proposed tax increases. Right now, Bakersfield College itself is looking at either a $3.2 million cut or a more drastic $6.4 million cut on top of the cuts that have already been made over the past couple of years.

No love for Gov's comm. college plans
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Two months after the release of the budget trailer bill, the Department of Finance yesterday was unable to provide specific details on Governor Brown’s sweeping proposal to change the way community colleges are funded.

At a hearing before the Senate’s budget subcommittee on education, community college officials also questioned the reasoning behind that proposal and others that were considered and rejected following a yearlong review by the Student Success Task Force on community colleges.

San Jose State won't guarantee admissions to 'locals'
The San Francisco Bay Citizen (local daily newspaper)

Officials at San Jose State University today unveiled a new policy in which the school will no longer guarantee admission to local students who meet California State University requirements.

At a morning news conference on campus, university president Mohammad Qayoumi said steep state budget cuts are the reason for the school's new approach, in which local applicants not admitted to their preferred majors will be eligible for -- but no longer guaranteed -- admission as undeclared students.

UCLA sends mistaken congrats to 894 applicants and then apologizes
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Congratulations, you’re in! Oops, nevermind. That was a mistake.

In an email about financial aid awards, UCLA told 894 high school seniors last weekend that they were admitted to the highly competitive campus. Those students actually remain on the waiting list for the Westwood school.

UCLA is apologizing for the error. Officials, however, are not yet moving anyone into the admitted category.

“We realize this is a particularly anxious and stressful time for students and their families as they try to make decisions about college admissions. We sincerely apologize for this mistake that may have led some of them to think they were admitted when they remain on the waiting lists,” said campus spokesman Ricardo Vazquez.

Feinstein: Economy is improving
The Orange County Register (local daily newspaper)

Speaking in Sacramento on Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said the economy is improving but more work needs to be done to encourage manufacturing across the country while California specifically needs to be more friendly to business.

California’s senior senator spoke for nearly 40 minutes to a group of Sacramento-area elected officials, espousing on the economy, housing markets and the national budget. She opened by saying there’s “a lot of reasons to be optimistic” about the national economy, specifically lower unemployment rates nationwide and in California, although she did acknowledge that the gains have not been huge.

One of her biggest concerns about the economy, she said, is that the United States is losing manufacturing jobs to other counties.

California on top with $2 billion in wind power investment
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

On Thursday, the Annual Market Report from the American Wind Energy Assn. (AWEA) will show that California was first in the nation in new wind power installations in 2011 with more than $2 billion in investments.

The AWEA report will highlight data on industry jobs, manufacturing, and installed wind capacity across the U.S.

What works now: Five solutions to improve student success in California's community colleges
The Campaign for College Opportunity

Colleges struggle to meet engineer demands
KNBC Ch. 4 (Los Angeles NBC affiliate)

A growing demand for engineers has California colleges and universities looking for ways to produce enough graduates.

Financial cuts have taken a toll on engineering programs. At a hearing Monday in Sacramento, state lawmakers focused on an overall decline in course offerings that has caused an estimated 140,000 students to be turned away.

"I think it's a tragedy for the state of California because we have fewer educated personnel and we need educated personnel," said Jack Scott, chancellor of the California Community College system.

Budget roadmap to reduce cuts
The Daily Titan (CSU, Fullerton student newspaper)

Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) proposed a new budget roadmap for California that would eliminate the need for education cuts and give at least $3.4 billion to K-12 schools, community colleges and the CSU system.

In a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders, Huff and other Republicans emphasized the importance of assisting schools and students instead of neglecting them.

Newly formed group fights for education
The Daily Titan (CSU, Fullerton student newspaper)

The landscape of college education has changed in recent years, riddled with the recession and budget cuts across all public sectors. Cal State Fullerton is a prime example as one of the largest campuses in the CSU. The change has been a national topic of debate for public education funding.

In five years, the cost to attend Cal State Fullerton as an undergraduate, as well as other public universities in California, has increased from $2,772 to $5,472.

The other debt crisis
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Christine Wilda’s story sounds like that of most state university students these days. In the past few years, her state has significantly cut appropriations to its colleges and universities, passing greater costs on to the individual. Now she’s facing the prospect of increased debt.

Wilda isn’t a college student, though. She’s the interim vice president for administration and finance, treasurer and controller for the University of Massachusetts System. And the problem she’s facing is higher education’s other debt crisis.

California legislators' rushed bills compromise public disclosure
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO -- Among the many bills rushed through when lawmakers passed the state budget last year was one protecting teachers if the state had to resort to automatic spending cuts in the middle of the school year.

The bill prohibited school administrators from furloughing teachers unless their union agreed, and banned them from laying off teachers during the fiscal year, making it virtually impossible for districts to save significant amounts of money. Although it had the potential for severe consequences, the bill was made public just one hour before the vote was taken and passed at 11 p.m.

Dead-of-night votes on rushed legislation such as the teacher-protection bill are common during budget season and toward the end of the legislative session, forcing lawmakers to vote on major issues with little or no time to read the substance of the legislation. Many Democrats, who control both houses of the Legislature, defend the practice as a necessary evil, but others say the process needs to be changed.

Congressional panel launches probe of California's high-speed rail project
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A congressional committee has launched a wide-ranging examination of the California high-speed rail project, including possible conflicts of interest and how the agency overseeing it plans to spend billions of dollars in federal assistance.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista), notified the California High-Speed Authority about the review Monday and ordered the agency to preserve its documents and records of past communications.

What works now: A collection of five solutions to improve student success in California's community colleges
The Campaign for College Opportunity - report

April 9, 2012

State borrowing from schools is adding up
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

For the past decade governors and state lawmakers desperate to close deficits have adopted budgets that use a little-noticed accounting gimmick called a “deferral” to borrow money from K-12 schools and pay it back in the next fiscal year.

The problem is the state then immediately taps districts for yet another loan, perpetuating a borrowing cycle that persists today.

The cumulative outstanding debt: $9.4 billion to K-12 schools statewide and $600 million to San Diego County districts.

National ed standards may break California's budget bank
Fox & Hounds Daily - opinion (California politics and business website)

In stereotypical Sacramento backroom fashion, Governor Jerry Brown and the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) cut a deal on a November initiative to raise taxes. The governor claims that the tax hikes are necessary to close a $9 billion deficit and put a patch on the state education budget.  What he and his union allies don’t mention is that in the coming years significant chunks of the revenues from these higher taxes will have to pay for President Barack Obama’s new national education standards and tests.

Woodland College solar project generating power and saving money
The Woodland Daily Democrat (local daily newspaper)

The Yuba Community College District - including Woodland College - is a step closer to completing its multi-campus solar project.

Full commissioning for the college's solar panels was taking place Monday and Tuesday, meaning that construction on the project is 98 percent complete with all panels and electric main equipment having been installed and tested.

Similarly, Woodland College is roughly 90 percent complete with the construction of its solar panels, according to Adrian Lopez, college spokesman.

Yuba Community College's multi-campus solar project coming to fruition
The Lake County News (local newspaper)

Early last summer the Yuba Community College District (YCCD) embarked on a historic journey by successfully financing a multi-campus Solar Photovoltaic Electric Generating Project.

The multi-campus sites include Yuba College in Marysville, Woodland Community College (WCC), the Yuba College-Sutter County Campus, and the WCC-Colusa County Outreach Facility (CCOF).

At 2.8 megawatts, the YCCD Solar Program is one of the largest community college solar projects in the state of California, and allows YCCD to continue with its mission of being a steward of sustainability in the community by creating and using alternative forms of energy to sustain and promote a healthy environment.

California Community Colleges chancellor adopts new streaming platform
Campus Technology (technical trade periodical)

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office in Sacramento has adopted a streaming platform to beam Board of Governors meetings, press conferences, and other events over the Internet to more than 112 community colleges in California.

Video will be captured in a conference room equipped with robotic cameras, computer systems, and Vitec's Optibase MGW X100 video streaming platform in the Sacramento Chancellors' office. That system will be remotely controlled by education media distribution network provider 3C Media Solutions from its San Marcos, CA facility 400 miles from the Chancellors' office. The video feeds are then sent to Palomar College, also in San Marcos, where they are recorded and streamed over the Internet to all 112 community colleges in 72 districts throughout California.

Does SMC pepper-spraying echo Davis melee?
The Santa Monica Patch (community news website)

Shortly after a Santa Monica College campus police officer fired pepper spray at a crowd of about 50 students last week, reporters and newscasters—from New York Times to CBS Los Angeles—started likening the incident to the pepper-spraying of University of California, Davis students in November 2011.

But there were many differences. In Davis, police donned riot gear over their uniforms; protestors in Santa Monica were reportedly far more rambunctious.

CA college two-tier tuition plan dropped after chancellor request to call it off
The Examiner (community news website)

An update to the Santa Monica College two-tier tuition plan that has been reported here, most recently yesterday. Following a strong plea from California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott to drop the controversial plan to increase tuition on high demand courses beginning this summer, the SMC board called an emergency meeting to address the issue.

Riverside County considers $15 million pledge to UC Riverside med school to help it win accreditation
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California Public Radio)

Riverside County supervisors Tuesday will consider pledging $15 million to the UC Riverside medical school. The financial aid should help the school attain accreditation and stay on track for opening in 2013.

The medical school was supposed to welcome its first students by this fall, but those plans were dashed after state lawmakers withdrew a $10 million commitment last year.

Restaurants add 560,000 jobs in two years
Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade periodical)

The restaurant industry's job recovery is running well ahead of the overall economy, according to the National Restaurant Association    National Restaurant Association Latest from The Business Journals U.S. restaurants add 560,000 jobs in last two yearsFirst Watch restaurant closes doors in downtown PhoenixRestaurants add 560,000 jobs in two years Follow this company , which says restaurant employment has risen 3.2 percent in the last 12 months, more than twice the 1.5 percent increase in total U.S. employment.

The Washington, D.C-based trade group says eating and drinking establishments have added more than 560,000 jobs since March 2010, with more than 200,000 of those jobs added in the last six months.

Fake college presidents go cray cray on the Twitters
The Washington Post - blog (national daily newspaper)

I wrote an article earlier this month (before leaving for a week-long vacation) about college students and recent alumni who have created Twitter accounts parodying their university presidents. For the most part, these fake accounts are used to transform suit-and-tie-wearing leaders into foul-mouthed partiers — but they also satirically comment on problems within the university.

New Fresno City College president named
The Fresno Bee (local daily newspaper)

Fresno City College's newest president is a longtime faculty member who has spent nearly a year running the college on an interim basis.
On Tuesday evening, State Center Community College District trustees voted unanimously to name Tony Cantu as the college's 10th president.
Chancellor Deborah G. Blue said Cantu, 61, who started out as an adjunct faculty member and has worked for the college for more than a quarter-century, proved he could handle the presidency during his interim appointment.

Jarvis group launches 'Don't Sign the Petition' anti-tax campaign
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

Less than a week after Gov. Jerry Brown started using robotic telephone calls and mailers to gather signatures for his ballot initiative to raise taxes, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association plans to launch its anti-tax campaign today on the conservative "John and Ken" talk radio show.

Tuition model quietly spreading
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

There may be limits to how far differential tuition can go in higher education.

Many colleges have begun charging more for high-cost courses and academic programs, like engineering and health sciences. While sometimes controversial, differential rates are on the books at more than half of flagship public universities, a recent survey found.

But as Santa Monica College has discovered, creating a two-tiered pricing system for the same popular general education courses is a far tougher pill to swallow.

Tuition plan that went too far
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Reversing course, Santa Monica College’s board tabled plans for two-tier tuition Friday -- after days of student protests and concern from some educators nationwide. The plan, which was first approved by the trustees earlier last week, would have created 50 summer classes in high-demand areas, with students paying about four times the normal tuition, in hopes of easing overcrowding and raising revenues.

Like many community colleges in California and elsewhere, Santa Monica is struggling to keep up with student demand. State-regulated tuition is well below the national average, but thousands of students are turned away from classes each session because of space limitations and reductions in funding.

Brown lobbies schools behind closed doors on budget, tax plan
SI&A Cabinet Report (California daily K-12 education issues publication)

Gov. Jerry Brown and high-ranking members of his staff have been reaching out in recent weeks to the education community in a series of closed-door meetings aimed at articulating several key messages – some say warnings – tied to the budget and the November election.

The first, not surprisingly, is that schools need to rally behind the governor’s tax measure, not a rival plan being sponsored by philanthropist and civil rights attorney Molly Munger – or risk failure of both.

Second, as he has also said before, the governor wants districts to plan their budgets this spring assuming that voters will approve a tax increase. Brown warns against making preemptive teacher layoffs to account for mid-year cuts of $4.8 billion if taxes are not adopted – an action the administration thinks might send the wrong message to voters.

California state government hiring slowed in 2011
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California state government hired 25 percent fewer employees last year, according to new payroll figures, although departments still added thousands of workers while squeezing their budgets during the economic downturn.

April 8, 2012

Two-tier pricing at California community colleges is wrong
The Modesto Bee - editorial  (daily newspaper)

Imagine if you went to the doctor and the receptionist said, "We're a little full right now. You can either wait, or (wink, wink) if you're willing to pay three or four times more for the same service, we can get you in right away." That's not an ideal solution anywhere, but it's a terrible way to determine access for courses at taxpayer-supported public colleges and universities.

Yet that is what some California community colleges are considering. The Santa Monica College board actually approved a two-tier pricing scheme March 6.

Under the Santa Monica model, the first in the nation, when about 50 high-demand, core courses such as English, math and history fill up, the college would offer the same classes at higher prices through an affiliated nonprofit corporation.

College tougher to slide through
The Riverside Press-Enterprise - column (local daily newspaper)

There was a very depressing article in last week’s newspaper about the budget crunch eliminating up to 20 percent of community college class offerings. Community colleges in California were the safety net that allowed students who could not afford or were not able to enroll in four-year universities to still matriculate and go on to get their college degrees. Now that assurance has an asterisk that reads: “You can still go to a community college but there is no guarantee you will be able to get the classes you need to transfer to a 4-year or get your associate’s degree.”

April 7, 2012

California colleges considering asking applicants: Are you gay?
The Christian Science Monitor (national news periodical)

California's college and university system is looking into asking students about their sexual orientation on enrollment forms and applications.

Given the size of California system – which includes 144 campuses under the University of California, California State, and community college umbrella – the idea is being seen as a potential litmus test for whether other states might follow suit.

April 6, 2012

Student Success Task Force Implementation Work Groups Formed

The Chancellor's Office is relying heavily on practitioner work groups to provide input and advice as it implements the Student Success Task Force recommendations. Whenever possible, the Chancellor's Office will partner with existing advisory bodies that have historically provided the system with guidance and leadership within specific policy areas. These work groups will be the primary bodies to assist in the development of specific implementation details such as statutory and regulatory language, but they will not serve as the sole venues for public input and vetting. Once specific proposals have been developed, they will be presented and discussed in other venues, including other advisory groups, Consultation Council, and the Board of Governors. The input received in those additional venues will then be used to improve and refine the proposals.

Work groups are currently active in developing implementation details for the following SSTF proposals:

  *   Score Card, recommendation 7.3
  *   Student Success Initiative, recommendation 8.2
  *   BOG Fee Waiver Requirements, recommendation 3.2
  *   Enrollment Priorities, recommendation 3.1
  *   Common Assessment, recommendation 2.1
  *   Common Core Standards, recommendation 1.1

Key Dates

April 18: Senate Education Committee hears two SSTF bills, SB 1456<http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_1451-1500/sb_1456_bill_20120328_amended_sen_v98.html> and SB 1062<http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_1051-1100/sb_1062_bill_20120213_introduced.html%20>

April 19: Consultation Council meets

May 7-8: Board of Governors meets

Media coverage of the Student Success Task Force recommendations

California college postpones plan to charge much more for some popular courses
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Following a week of student protests and a request from the chancellor of the California community college system to hold off, Santa Monica College has canceled its plan to offer certain popular courses at higher prices this summer.

Santa Monica College trustees postpone two-tier tuition plan
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The Santa Monica College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to postpone implementation of a controversial two-tier tuition plan.

The action came during a hastily called meeting two days after community colleges system Chancellor Jack Scott voiced reservations about the proposal's legality.

Under the plan, which was scheduled as a pilot program this summer, a nonprofit foundation would have offered high-demand core classes such as English, math and history at the full cost of about $180 per unit. Similar state-funded classes would be offered at $46 per unit.

College officials said the plan was a response to decreasing state funds that have forced thousands of classes to be cut.

Calif. college where students were pepper-sprayed votes to delay disputed 2-tiered fee scale
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Trustees at a Southern California community college reversed course Friday on a plan to provide classes using a two-tiered fee scale, voting to cancel a summer pilot program after students were pepper-sprayed at a board meeting this week.

Santa Monica College’s board of trustees called an emergency meeting and voted 6-0 to halt implementation of the self-funded contract education program, which would have provided high-demand core courses at about four times the regular price. As a result, about 50 classes scheduled for this summer are now canceled.

Santa Monica College board votes to postpone 2-tier tuition plan
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California Public Radio)

Following Tuesday’s pepper-spraying incident and a request from the Community Colleges chancellor, Santa Monica College trustees voted unanimously to freeze their controversial two-tier pricing system.

Before asking trustees to reverse their decision to implement a two-tier system for pricing classes over the summer, SMC President Chui Tsang recalled his own experience as an immigrant community college student who spoke very little English.

Calif. college hikes tuition for in-demand classes
National Public Radio (national non-profit news network)

After years of state budget cuts resulting in fewer classes, Santa Monica College has a solution. Starting this summer, certain classes will cost $180 per credit hour compared to the current price of $36 per credit hour. That's raised concerns of a two-tier system: one for those who have financial resources and another for those without.

CSU explores two-tiered pricing plan
California Watch (investigative journal)

All eyes are on Santa Monica College, where a controversial plan to offer a tier of higher-priced courses has been met with pepper-spray-tainted protests and legal questions.

Less noticeably, California State University officials have been mulling their own brand of higher-priced classes. In 2010, officials began exploring whether they could offer more remediation classes and high-demand "bottleneck" classes through Extended Education – a self-supporting program that provides online and face-to-face CSU classes to students without the university admissions process.

California accuses O.C. of illegally shifting $73.5 million
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Orange County officials illegally diverted $73.5 million from local schools and colleges and used the money to balance their budget and cover day-to-day expenses, state officials alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, contends that it was unconstitutional for the county to grab the funds, which should be spent on cash-strapped local schools and state community colleges.

Local university, college officials back Brown tax
The San Diego Union-Tribune (local newspaper)

BALBOA PARK — Californians need to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax increases targeted for the November ballot to secure the future of public higher education in the state, three of San Diego’s top educators said Friday.

The three — Constance Carroll, chancellor of the San Diego Community College District; Elliot Hirshman, president of San Diego State University; and Marye Anne Fox, chancellor of UC San Diego — also urged the public to press legislators to authorize greater financial support.

“Our problem, in a word, is money,” said Carroll, who joined Hirshman and Fox in an appearance before about 100 people at the Catfish Club at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park.

Funding roundup
The Community College Times (education trade periodical)

California

Rio Hondo College (RHC) is using a $33,375 grant to install four electric vehicle charging stations on the campus. The grant was received through the ChargePoint America program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Installation on the fully networked Level II (220v) ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations began in March. They will be open to the college community and the general public. RHC has agreed to two years of anonymous data collection to track usage.

Solano Community College aims to protect funding for Vacaville Center
The Vacaville Reporter (local newspaper)

A push is on to beef up enrollment at Solano Community College's Vacaville Center so the institution does not lose $1 million in annual state payments, officials said Thursday.

The California Community College Chancellor's Office informed SCC that the state has erroneously awarded the college $1 million annually for six years, according to a March 8 letter.

The Vacaville Center can still receive the $1 million, but only if it maintains an enrollment of at least 1,000 full-time equivalent students, wrote Frederick Harris, California Community Colleges assistant vice chancellor.

April 5, 2012

Chancellor asks Santa Monica College to put two-tier plan on hold
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The system chief makes the request after a student protest that led to pepper-spraying. He says the plan to charge more for high-demand classes violates education codes and he's sought a legal opinion.

The head of California's community college system on Wednesday asked Santa Monica College to put on hold a controversial plan to offer higher-priced courses this summer while the legality of the program is determined.

Chancellor Jack Scott said he made the request in a call to college President Chui L. Tsang during which he also expressed concern about a student protest in which several people suffered minor injuries when a campus police officer discharged pepper spray at a Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening.

Officials look into legality of controversial Calif. college plan after protests end with police pepper-spraying students
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- A state agency that oversees California's community colleges asked the attorney general Wednesday to assess the legality of a school's plan to charge students more for popular classes.

The move comes the morning after Santa Monica College police pepper-sprayed demonstrators as students angry over the plan tried to push their way into a meeting of the school's trustees, authorities said.

George Skelton: Bullet trains vs. book learning
The Los Angeles Times - column (national daily newspaper)

The latest incarnation of the transit plan is an improvement, but should high-speed rail take priority over higher education? Either way, the state needs to pump more funds into the treasury.

SACRAMENTO — The bullet train boondoggle is looking more like a bullet bull's-eye. But one big question lingers: Where are the bucks?

And even if the state can find the bucks, should it spend them on building a high-speed rail line, a cool choo-choo? Especially when higher education in California is such a train wreck?

Education — kindergarten through college — should be our No. 1 priority, for both moral and economic reasons. Producing an educated, skilled workforce for the increasingly competitive global economy is even more important than creating temporary track-laying jobs.

The tuition controversy behind Santa Monica's pepper spraying
Time Magazine (national magazine)

Santa Monica College campus is still regrouping from the chaos of Tuesday night when some 100 student protesters tried to force their way into a board of trustees meeting to voice their opposition to tuition increases. "Let us in!" they shouted at campus police blocking the door. Michael Burnett, a chemistry student present that night, says the crowd looked like it was about to push through the security cordon. "One officer was knocked off balance," Burnett says. "He went into an alcove and came back and sprayed an orange spray indiscriminately." "Without warning, one of the officers sprayed pepper spray on the crowd," recalls Jasmine Delgado, 19.

California sues Orange County over $73.5 million in taxes
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

California state officials sued Orange County today to recoup $73.5 million in property taxes, the latest development in a feud stemming from last year's state budget.
Since its 1994 bankruptcy, Orange County received an enhanced share of state car taxes to help regain its financial footing, the Department of Finance contends. But last year, Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers agreed to redirect that share -- $48 million -- to pay counties for new responsibilities they assumed from the state,such as housing low-level prisoners and overseeing parolees.

Educators work to cultivate better-equipped students
The Victor Valley Daily Press (local daily newspaper)

Solving the higher education crisis:

Here are some proposed ways to improve student success at the community college level:

• Free tuition for prepared students — Miami Dade College, which serves more than 170,000 students on eight campuses, made national headlines in 2011 by announcing its American Dream Scholarship, which covers 60 credits at a value of about $6,500 for students who have at least a 3.0 GPA and demonstrate they don’t need remedial courses (Less 15 percent of Victor Valley College students would meet that requirement).

Curriculums changing in effort to get more north state students into college
The Redding Record Searchlight (local daily newspaper)

High school students around the north state can expect changes in curriculums next year, and already some middle schools have modified their programs to increase the number of students who are prepared for any higher-education institution.

"It's really an economic issue ... there isn't a mill down the street they can go work at anymore," said Lianne Richilieu-Boren, head of College Options.

Her organization, a partnership of California higher-education institutions and nonprofits, is helping to manage about $15 million of federal and private grants to schools to raise enrollment in higher education.

Calif., Nevada merge Tahoe's bid for 2022 Olympics
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California and Nevada officials announced Thursday that they are joining forces in their effort to lure the Winter Games back to the Lake Tahoe area in 2022, forming an exploratory committee to start the process.

City College on warning
The Santa Barbara Independent (local daily newspaper)

As Santa Barbara City College tries to move on from the acrimony of the last few years — which resulted in the induction of four new trustees and the deduction of one president/superintendent — accusations of impropriety are clinging to the college like a post-surf wetsuit. On Tuesday, college officials released the cheerful news that the search for a new president has yielded four final candidates, right after revealing sanctions from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

Performance pay for college faculty
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

A group of part-time instructors at City Colleges of Chicago will join senior administrators in having their job performance – and pay raises – tied to student outcomes, thanks to a new union contract with a structure that is unusual, if not unprecedented in higher education.

The union representing 459 adult education instructors, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, last month ratified the contract, which was approved Wednesday by the City Colleges’ governing board. (The majority of faculty are affiliated with other unions.)

Going digital does not equal lower textbook prices
Inside Higher Ed - opinion (education trade periodical)

If textbook affordability is the Holy Grail, then those of us who work in higher education are careening Monty Python-like as we search for it, stirring up unnecessary obstacles for ourselves all along the way.

Consider the dual paths we are taking. First, there’s the all-encompassing push to “go digital,” as if somehow the output format of a book, whether it is electronic or print, is the sole determinant of cost.

That is the wrong way of thinking. Input – the price of content – is much more important to the total cost of course materials than output – the format in which those materials are ultimately consumed by the student.

April 4, 2012

Chancellor: Two-tiered system could privatize community colleges
KXJZ 90.9 FM (Capital Public Radio)

A plan at Santa Monica College to offer more expensive sections of over-enrolled courses led to student protesters being pepper-sprayed Tuesday night. It’s also raising questions about the potential privatization of community colleges.

Burning question: Should colleges charge more for popular classes?
The Week (national online news source)

The Great Recession hit California community colleges particularly hard, with spending cuts forcing administrators to cancel hundreds of classes, and the remaining classes growing overcrowded. One school, Santa Monica College, has concocted an innovative way to ease the jam in lecture halls without going deeper in the red: A two-tiered fee system, to be introduced this summer, that will charge the school's 34,000 students extra to enroll in the most popular courses. If the gambit works, other colleges might follow suit. But is this fair?

College president defends pepper spray against 'unlawful' crowd
The Los Angeles Times - blog (national daily newspaper)

Santa Monica College officials said Wednesday a police officer was forced to release pepper spray to maintain safety after a large crowd of students tried to force entry into a meeting of the Board of Trustees.

The incident at Tuesday’s board meeting resulted in three people being transported to hospitals for treatment and released and 15 to 30 people treated at the scene by fire department paramedics. No arrests were made.

Unaffiliated voters grow despite partisanship
The Orange County Register - blog (local daily newspaper)

Despite the high degree of partisanship in Washington and Sacramento, unaffiliated voters in California continue to increase their market share. Decline-to-state voters now account for 21 percent of the state’s electorate, up from the 19 percent of 2008 and double the 10.5 percent of 1995.

Over the last 17 years, both major parties have seen their share decrease. Democrats are now at 44 percent of the state’s voters, down from 48 percent. And Republicans, saddled by a growing Latino electorate that is largely turned off by the GOP, have lost an even bigger chunk as they’ve gone from 37 percent to 30 percent.

There are several factors explaining the growth of the state’s moderate voters at the same time partisanship among elected officials is at a cyclical high.

California college investigates police use of pepper spray on students
CNN (international TV news source)

Santa Monica, California (CNN) -- Santa Monica College officials in California have launched an investigation into a raucous student protest at a board of trustees meeting in which campus police used pepper spray on demonstrators, sending three of them to a hospital, the college president said Wednesday.

The students weren't allowed into the overflowing meeting room Tuesday evening and were demonstrating in a hallway against a summer pilot program creating two tiers of tuition when the pepper spraying incident occurred, said Paul Alvarez Jr., the multimedia editor for the campus newspaper who videotaped the incident.

30 people pepper-sprayed at Santa Monica College course fees protest
MSNBC U.S. News (national NBC news website)

Up to 30 people were pepper-sprayed by police after students tried to storm a Santa Monica College trustee board meeting in protest over proposed higher course fees.

A handful of protesters suffered minor injuries as campus police tried to prevent dozens of students chanting, "Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free," from disrupting the meeting during a public comment period, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Capt. Judah Mitchell of the Santa Monica Fire Department told NBC News that up to 30 people had been sprayed, five of whom sought treatment for the effects of the spray and were transported to nearby hospitals.

Students angry over pricey courses pepper-sprayed

The Associated Press

Campus police pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after Santa Monica College students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said.

Raw video posted on the Internet Tuesday evening showed students chanting "Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free."

Brown pitches tax hike for public safety
The San Diego Union-Tribune (local daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday urged support for his proposed tax increase to assure funding for local governments that have taken on increased public safety duties.

“To make realignment work, which is the most far-reaching change in our criminal justice system in decades, we need the money. In order to get the money, we need some more tax revenue,” Brown told media before addressing the California State Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference in San Diego. “But almost equally as important, we need the guarantee this money is going to be available at the local level for public safety.”

Sheriff's association backs Brown's tax proposal
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown is collecting an endorsement for his tax initiative proposal from the California State Sheriffs' Association.

The law enforcement group held its annual meeting in San Diego on Wednesday.

The association's president and Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin told Brown that his organization voted overwhelmingly to back the initiative because it would provide the money needed to ensure California's public safety.

Report links community college graduation rates, costs
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

A 50 percent improvement in community college graduation rates would create $5.3 billion in taxpayer revenue as well as $30 billion more in lifetime income for the 160,000 new graduates, according to a study by Mark Schneider, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and Lu Michelle Yin, an economist and researcher at the American Institutes for Research. The report praised Valencia College for its "competency-based model," and said community colleges could boost graduation rates by streamlining the degree path, using more online courses and borrowing innovations from for-profit colleges.

How to end remediation
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Depending on whom you ask, a remedial education fix on the table in Connecticut is either appropriately bold or a ham-handed flop in the making.

What’s certain is that the legislative proposal to end separate remedial classes at public colleges – all of them – is the first such policy experiment of its kind. Some colleges around the nation have embedded remedial education in conventional, credit-bearing classes, and done so with successful results in selected courses, generally assisted by grants. But no state has previously sought to completely abolish remedial classes, observers said.

LBCC earns three CCCAA state scholar athletes awards
The Long Beach Post (local daily newspaper)

Long Beach City College athletics is proud to announce that two student athletes and one team will be honored by the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) with scholar athlete awards for the 2010-11 academic year.

Kyle Clark of men’s basketball and Sarah Agopian of women’s water polo were both named to the CCCAA Scholar Athlete Honor Roll while the 2011 LBCC men’s volleyball team was named the Scholar Team for its sport. They will be honored at the Celebration of Scholar Athletes Luncheon during the 15th Annual CCCAA Convention on Wednesday (Apr 4) at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel in San Mateo.

Anne Arundel college chooses next president
The Associated Press (international news agency)

Anne Arundel Community College has chosen its sixth president.

Officials say Dawn Lindsay will replace President Martha A. Smith on Aug. 1. Smith announced last year that she would retire after 18 years on the job.

Lindsay has been president of Glendale Community College in California since 2009, and is a commissioner for the American Association of Community Colleges.

Maddow uses UC Davis course catalog to rebut Santorum claim
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California's public universities do, in fact, teach American history. UC Davis' history department was thrown into the media spotlight when its course calendar was used to debunk Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum's claim Monday that California's public universities do not offer courses in American history.

April 3, 2012

California in 1940 led nation in education attainment
California Watch (investigative news journal)

The National Archives released for the first time yesterday individual records from the 1940 Census – unleashing an online treasure trove of 3.8 million pages eagerly awaited by genealogists and researchers.

The country has changed substantially in 72 years: Its population has ballooned to nearly 309 million from 132 million. Alaska and Hawaii were not yet states. California's entire population, 6.9 million, was less than Los Angeles County's today.

Students pepper-sprayed while protesting pricey courses at college trustees meeting
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Police at a California college pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said.

“Let us in, let us in,” protesters shouted on video posted online Tuesday. “No cuts, no fees, education should be free.”

Chancellor shares concerns for state's community college system
The Lariat (Saddleback College/Irvine Valley College joint student newspaper)

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott held a town hall meeting at Pasadena City College late last month to discuss the current budget crisis and offer feasible public actions to students, administration and faculty in attendance.

His visit came on the heels of what could be a devastating move two days earlier by the California State University system to drastically cut enrollment by limiting transfers from community colleges, beginning in spring 2013.

Our view: Governor needs a tax lesson
The Marysville Appeal-Democrat - editorial (local daily newspaper)

Reflecting the generally poor performance of the state's K-12 education, California's community colleges teach remedial math to 70 percent of their incoming students.

Perhaps Gov. Jerry Brown should enroll in one of those classes at Sacramento City College.

The new website for his tax-increase initiative dubs it a "Millionaires' Tax" — even though the income tax increase would kick in at incomes of $250,000 a year for single filers and $500,000 for couples.

Roseville plans to court universities
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade periodical)

Toward its goal of attracting a university, the city of Roseville has taken a first step in what likely will be a journey of decades.

OK, maybe a second step.

A city task force that formed last year has offered its findings and recommendations on how Roseville should go about attracting a university or universities. The group urges Roseville to continue courting institutions toward a vision of creating a higher education cluster in the city and the South Placer area.

After shootings at Oikos U., a scholar urges a nuanced look at stereotypes and bullying
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

When news broke on Monday that a former student had shot and killed seven people at a religious college in Oakland, Calif., the popular blog Angry Asian Man was quick to note with dismay that the gunman was identified as an Asian man.

"This. Again," stated the blog, which is authored by a Korean-American man, Phil Yu, and offers incisive, often humorous criticism of the portrayal of Asian-Americans in the mainstream media.

L.A. council shines light on solar power
The Los Angeles Daily News (local daily newspaper)

A pilot program that would pay residents and businesses to sell solar-generated power back to the city received City Council approval on Tuesday.

The long-debated feed-in tariff program would generate 10 megawatts of power for the Department of Water and Power - enough to supply about 10,000 households - and take effect in the coming months. The $3 million a year program will help the utility develop a pricing plan for how much residents would be reimbursed for creating solar energy.

Completion matters: The high cost of low community college graduation rates
American Enterprise Institute

An ever-increasing number of individuals are turning to community college for their higher education. However, the majority of students entering community college fail to complete their degrees, and as a result, earn lower wages throughout the course of their lives. If community college retention rates were increased, graduates could become part of a wholly different income bracket, and taxpayers in the nation and the states would likewise experience substantial monetary gains. Cost-cutting and time-saving strategies and resources such as online delivery of classes, competency-based models of higher learning, and for-profit colleges and universities should be employed to increase the number of Americans completing their associate’s degrees.

STEMing the minority gap
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

The gap starts early in elementary school, widens in middle school, and continues, through filters and barriers, on a trajectory of low achievement and missed opportunities. By the end of college, the number of Latinos and African Americans who graduate with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math is a trickle: an estimated 1,688 from the University of California and California State University in 2008.

Failure to change
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Universities teach about the importance of societal and organizational change, but often have trouble changing themselves in any but the most superficial ways.  As a psychology professor interested in both individual and organizational modifiability, I have studied organizations, including universities, and why it is so difficult for them to change.  Meaningful organizational change requires five elements, and unless all five of them are present, the organization — whether a department, school, college, or university — remains static.

Search for common ground
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

NEW YORK -- It sometimes seems that university administrators and faculty members inhabit different worlds.

And that's even true at the one national conference each year devoted to bringing together faculty union leaders with the administrators they face across the negotiating table, the annual meeting organized by the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College of the City University of New York.

Honig returns to help oversee state curriculum panel
SI&A Cabinet Report (California daily K-12 education issues publication)

Bill Honig, former state schools chief, along with Democratic lawmakers Alan Lowenthal and Wilmer Carter, are set to lead a newly-appointed advisory commission that will help define and design the next step in updating curriculum in California classrooms.

The Instructional Quality Commission, appointed by the California State Board of Education, is charged with advising the state on revisions to the existing K-12 curriculum standards needed to bring them into alignment with new common core content standards in math and English language arts.

Chinese students account for about half of all international applicants to U.S. graduate programs
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Interest from China is again driving up applications to American graduate programs, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools. For the seventh consecutive year, Chinese applications experienced double-digit growth. Applications from prospective Chinese students accounted for nearly half of all international applicants to graduate programs.

April 2, 2012

Cuesta braces for layoffs, furloughs and other cuts

SanLuisObispo.com, The Tribune

The Cuesta College Board of Trustees is expected Wednesday to approve a plan that will cut $3 million from the college’s 2012-13 budget, which will trigger 16 layoffs and eliminate 26 positions.
In addition, 44 managers, supervisors and administrative employees will be forced to take 13 furlough days, equivalent to a 5 percent pay cut. The layoffs come as college administrators have reorganized nearly all departments on campus to better streamline job duties to save money.

Crunch time in California
Community College Week (education trade periodical)

There’s an earthquake shaking California’s vaunted community college system, but it has nothing to do with ancient fault lines or massive tectonic plates.

What is rattling the country’s largest system of higher education is an entirely man-made phenomenon, the product of a fractured economy, huge budget cuts and a slow but steady disinvestment by government in public colleges.

Long central to the economy and culture of California, community colleges are in the spotlight as calls for reforming the system grow louder and more urgent, even as funding for the institutions continues to recede.

Small changes add up, threaten future of access to higher education in California
The San Jose Mercury News - editorial (daily newspaper)

California's three-pronged system of higher education, established in 1960 by the Master Plan, was at one time the envy of the world. It was a promise to California's students, even the poorest, that if they did their part, they could attend a top-notch college or university.

Bit by bit, that promise is eroding -- and it's happening in small ways, so that most residents of the Golden State probably don't even notice. Each community college, CSU and UC campus is responding to the state budget crisis in its own way, and each individual response may seem reasonable, if regrettable. Taken together, however, these changes are transforming the state's colleges and universities in ways that threaten California's future.

Student Loan Debt: Senior Citizens Owe 4.2 Percent Of All Student Loan Debt

Huffington Post

It's not just twenty-somethings that are carrying the weight of the student loan debt crisis.

In fact, a sizable chunk of nation's student loan debt is held by senior citizens--many of whom cannot afford to pay off the debt.

Newton: A tale of two tax plans
The Los Angeles Times - op-ed (national daily newspaper)

In a state where Republicans have all but disappeared from decision-making, this is what constitutes a debate today: Two leading liberals are arguing over how best to raise taxes to rescue the state from its economic and social decline.

Nix the taxes
The Victorville Daily Press - editorial (local daily newspaper)What's another 10-letter word for "stagnation"? C-A-L-I-F-O-RN-I-A. Gov. Jerry Brown likes to enthuse about how the "California Dream" still is real. For some, it certainly is.

But the dreaming — or maybe hallucinating — can’t disguise the sobering numbers coming out of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Specifically, California’s unemployment rate for February was 10.9 percent — no change from January. That’s better than the 12 percent and higher levels of 2010. But the U.S. rate overall was much lower, 8.3 percent in February; also unchanged from January.

Court upholds California affirmative action ban
The Associated Press (international news agency)

Affirmative action proponents took a hit Monday as a federal appeals court panel upheld California's ban on using race, ethnicity and gender in admitting students to public colleges and universities.
The ruling marked the second time the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned back a challenge to the state's landmark voter initiative, Proposition 209, which was passed in 1996.

Community colleges need alternatives
The Daily Trojan - opinion (USC student newspaper)

You know that sinking feeling you get when you log onto USC’s Web Registration, scroll to the course you really want to take and realize that there are no open spots?

Though USC students might face this problem from time to time, it’s a common reality for students enrolled in California’s community colleges.

New statistics course aims to accelerate college students' path to success
EdSource Extra (education trade periodical)

Some California colleges are helping struggling math students complete all the math they need in a single yearlong course, instead of requiring them to take the usual sequence of courses that can take years to complete and that many never finish.

First offered during the current academic year, the course is called Statway — short for Statistics Pathway — and is aimed at students who are not ready for college-level math.

State schools chief calls for Cal State salary freeze
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Citing the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis, Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Monday called on California State University to freeze compensation for top executives as it seeks to replace presidents at several campuses.

In a letter addressed to Cal State Chancellor Charles B. Reed and Board of Trustees chairman A. Robert Linscheid, Torlakson, also a trustee, expressed his opposition to the board’s decision last month to award 10% pay hikes to the incoming presidents at the Fullerton and East Bay campuses.

Torlakson did not attend that meeting.

California Democrats duel over taxes, budget
The Wall Street Journal (national daily newspaper)

California Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed ballot measure this fall to raise taxes and restore funding to an array of state programs faces unlikely opposition from a prominent Los Angeles lawyer who supported Mr. Brown's election only 17 months ago.

Attorney Molly Munger has proposed a rival ballot issue that also would raise taxes but earmark most of the new revenues for schools.

Completion at what price
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Technology and cost-cutting won’t fix the capacity crisis at community colleges, which is freezing out hundreds of thousands of students, warned the first report from a new faculty think tank.

The research center is affiliated with the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education, a national group of faculty leaders, which was formed last year with the support of unions, faculty senates and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The center will attempt to inject a stronger voice from the professorate into the national debate over higher education, particularly around the campaign’s seven founding principles.

After grad job slump, big hiring is back at US colleges
Reuters (national news agency)

(Reuters) - Sean Chua expected the hunt for his first job after college to be tough. After all, he watched his brother struggle to find a position when he graduated back in 2008. But his fears were unwarranted. The 21-year-old justice major at American University sent out only seven resumes before getting an offer earlier this month from IBM for an IT consulting job, making him a beneficiary of a turnaround in the labor market for U.S. graduates. "My mom's first position was with IBM so she is particularly proud," says Chua. Hiring is back in a big way on many college campuses, one of several signs a recovery in the U.S. jobs market is gaining traction. After four years during which many students graduated to find no job and had only their loans to show for their studies, most college campuses are teeming with companies eager to hire. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found 2012 hiring is expected to climb 10.2 percent, above a previous estimate of 9.5 percent.

Closing the door, increasing the gap: Who's not going to (community) college
Center for the Future of Higher Education

Snapshot: CSU has lost $1 billion in state funding in 4 years; tuition doubled
KPCC 89.3 (Southern California public radio)

The California State University system has been hit with about $1 billion in state funding cuts since 2007-8. At that time, state funding accounted for about 67 percent of the overall $4.5 billion operating budget, said CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkampf. Fast forward to 2011-12, and the state provides about 50 percent of the nearly $4 billion budget.

The system has tried to compensate for that loss by nearly doubling tuition, bringing it up from the $2,772 per year for a full-time undergraduate in 2007-8 to $5,472 in 2011-12. Along with such tuition increases the system cut programs and instituted other cost-saving measures such as leaving positions unfilled, Uhlenkamp said. That has allowed it to recoop about half, or $500 million of those cuts, he said.

Santorum takes aim at California's college curriculum
The Daily Californian (Cal student newspaper)

Facts eluded presidential candidate Rick Santorum when he took aim at the history curriculums at California’s universities Monday.

“I was just reading something last night from the state of California,” Santorum said at a campaign stop in Wisconsin. “And that the California universities — I think it’s seven or eight of the California system of universities don’t even teach an American history course. It’s not even available to be taught.”

April 1, 2012

Community colleges: No access to classes, no success
The Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

Since state budget cuts have eliminated up to 20 percent of community college classes in recent years, the experience has been like a crowded day at Disneyland, Riverside City College student Kennan Johnson said.

“They just let in as many people as can get in, and you can’t get on any rides,” Johnson said, referring to the inability of many students to get the classes they want or, sometimes, any classes.

To enroll more minority students, colleges work around the courts
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

With its decision to take up racial preferences in admissions at public colleges, the Supreme Court has touched off a national guessing game about how far it might move against affirmative action and how profoundly colleges might change as a result.

The politics of going to college
The New York Times - opinion (national daily newspaper)

An unexpected issue in the 2012 election is whether or not rank-and-file Americans should aspire to a college degree. Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have both made comments about higher education that could come back to haunt them in a general election.

California business survey shows regulation remains top worry
The San Bernardino Sun (community newspaper)

The California Chamber of Commerce's business climate survey revealed Golden State business executives have a less pessimistic view of the state's economy than they did last year, but also agree with the widespread view that state government is not business friendly.

In this year's survey, none of the 699 respondents said the state has an "excellent" business climate - and none did last year either.

March 31, 2012

State budget cuts forcing PC to shrink
The Porterville Recorder - opinion (local daily newspaper)

Kern Community College District is building a two-year budget that will be as much as $17.8 million less than last year. That’s roughly equivalent to eliminating one of our smaller colleges! Impending California budget reductions assure that Kern Community College District institutions — Bakersfield College, Porterville College and Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest —  will all be reduced next year. As a result, you will see Porterville College shrink.

Plan for student success is short on promise, long on punishment
The Sacramento Bee - opinion (daily newspaper)

Who's opposed to student success? Certainly not the faculty members at the California Community Colleges whose careers are devoted to helping students achieve their education and career goals.
When it comes to endorsing a task force report called "Advancing Student Success in California Community Colleges," faculty have a different view. This report was generated by a legislatively mandated task force to study how and why students can move through their educational experience more productively, and recommend avenues to greater pathways to success.

What is your sexual orientation
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

California colleges and universities, which already collect a great deal of demographic data, could soon begin asking students about their sexual orientation.

The impetus comes from a bill authored by Assemblyman Marty Block, D-San Diego, aimed at ensuring gay and transgender students get the services they need.

March 30, 2012

Brown's balancing act on tax hike: Wage populist fight to soak the rich or carefully court business?
The San Jose Mercury (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO -- Now that left-leaning groups have joined forces with Gov. Jerry Brown on a tax-hike initiative, they are quietly urging him to take on their cause with a full-throated populist campaign to sock it to the rich.

But Brown is also being pulled from the right: business leaders who would bristle at what could become a fractious class-warfare battle -- matched in the fall by a presidential race that could see President Barack Obama taking on wealthy Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

Student frustration mounts over two-tier funding
The Santa Monica Patch (online community newspaper)

As California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott looks into the legality of Santa Monica College's proposal to offer a second tier of classes not subsidized by the state, students continue to stage spirited protests, the Corsair reports.

On Thursday morning, campus police broke up an assembly on the steps of the Letters and Science Building, because the students were reportedly blocking a stairwell, according the student-run paper.

Student frustration mounts over two-tier funding
The Santa Monica Patch (online community newspaper)

As California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott looks into the legality of Santa Monica College's proposal to offer a second tier of classes not subsidized by the state, students continue to stage spirited protests, the Corsair reports.

On Thursday morning, campus police broke up an assembly on the steps of the Letters and Science Building, because the students were reportedly blocking a stairwell, according the student-run paper.

California public universities consider asking students about sexual orientation
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Public universities in California are considering how to collect voluntary information from students about their sexual orientation when they apply or enroll, in response to a state law that encourages the institutions to determine whether they offer such students adequate services, the Los Angeles Times reports. Elmhurst College, a private institution in Illinois, was the first to ask students about their sexual orientation when they applied. The practice is controversial: Proponents say it can help a college support students, while opponents worry about students’ privacy.

CSU, UC cuts lead SoCal students to consider black colleges in the South
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

As a noon-time bell tolled on Thursday, dozens of students milled about college recruitment tables along a walkway at El Camino College in Torrance.

Nearly two dozen were here, including perhaps the most well known black institution of higher learning, Howard University, as well as Dillard University, Grambling State University, Xavier College and Talladega College. Each had colorful cloth or vinyl banners boasting school colors and logos.

Job training programs gets high marks
KGO-TV Channel 7 (San Francisco ABC affiliate station)

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A Bay Area success story is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. It's a job traning program for low-income people, and it's showing remarkable results even during tough economic times.

At LEN Business and Language Institute, students are working on English in one corner. Others are learning computer skills, bookkeeping, polishing their resumes or practicing for job interviews.

It's a modern day version of the one-room school house -- adult students with a wide range of backgrounds studying the basics of how to get a job.

March 29, 2012

Senate and Assembly Republicans Propose “Roadmap to Protect Classrooms and Taxpayers”

Republican Caucus California State Senate

Right before spring break, the Republican caucus came out with an alternative budget proposal keeping education "trigger" free so that districts can plan for full year.

Will Protect Education Funding without Governor’s Trigger Cuts or tax Increase

Senate and Assembly Republicans today sent the following letter to Governor Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez regarding budget funding for education and higher education.  The attached documents (roadmap and budget options) accompanied the letter.

Harkin Bill would provide billions to hire teachers, fix up schools
Education Week - blog (education trade periodical)

As the U.S. House of Representatives gets ready to approve a Republican budget for 2013 that would cut taxes and federal spending, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin is offering a countermeasure that would spend more money on things like education and workforce training, and eliminate some corporate tax breaks.

Harkin, an Iowa Democrat and the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, is proposing a sweeping effort to "rebuild America's middle class," which contains several elements that most teachers and school districts will cheer. (Of course, given the political dynamics in Congress these days, no one should get his hopes up.)

2-year college, squeezed, sets 2-tier tuition

The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — For years now, administrators at the community college here have been inundated with woeful tales from students unable to register for the courses they need. Classes they want for essential job training or to fulfill requirements to transfer to four-year universities fill up within hours. Hundreds of students resort to crying and begging to enroll in a class, lining up at the doors of instructors and academic counselors.

CHC receives substantial solar incentive from SCE
The Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror (community newspaper)

Southern California Edison Region Manager for Local Public Affairs and former San Bernardino Community Coll­ege District Trustee Beverly Powell presented the District with a check for $1,830,000 at the District Board of Trustees meeting on March 15.

The multi-million dollar award was a California Solar Initiative Incentive for the Crafton Hills College Solar Farm project.

Powell thanked District Chancellor Bruce Baron and Crafton Hills College President Gloria Harrison for recognizing the value of the Solar Farm project to the community and the district from a sustainability standpoint and making it a priority in the district’s capital improvement program.  

March 28, 2012

In California, Private Colleges Benefit From Public System's Shrinking Capacity

The Chronicle of Higher Education

When California State University announced last week that it would limit transfer enrollment next spring and wait-list all applicants for the fall of 2013, pending a vote on a tax proposal, it was just the latest piece of bad news from the state's ailing public higher-education system. But Brandman University, a private, nonprofit institution that offers classes online and on more than 20 campuses, seized the moment, broadcasting that it "offers warmth" from the state system's enrollment.

Music helps students get handle on fractions

San Francisco Chronicle

Third-grade students at a San Bruno elementary school who learned fractions through music scored significantly higher on standardized tests than their peers, said San Francisco State researchers experimenting with ways to teach math more effectively.

Math scores significantly improved after one year of a math-focused music program, which included lessons in drumming, clapping and playing the recorder to help students understand how music is broken down into equivalent fractions.

March 27, 2012

More Students Are Enrolled in College and on Financial Aid, Annual Report Shows

The Chronicle of Higher Education

The number of students enrolled in college and the proportion who receive financial aid are both increasing, as are graduation rates, slightly, according to a report of 2010 data published on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education.

The "First Look" report, "Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2010; Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2010; and Graduation Rates, Selected Cohorts, 2002-7," is based on information from 7,165 institutions that receive Title IV federal student aid.

March 26, 2012

Polling looks good for Brown
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

It was a fine weekend for Jerry Brown. He should be elated with the first polling on his revised tax initiative. And the California Teachers Assn., a strong supporter of his first initiative, has come around to back the new version, too, and committed $9 million for the June and November elections. At least a piece of that’s expected to help Brown round up signatures to get the initiative on the ballot, though how much has yet to be disclosed.

SF City College slashing summer school enrollment
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

City College of San Francisco will shut out thousands of students from summer school this year by delaying its start two weeks and accepting less than half the usual enrollment, all to save $500,000.

The biggest losers will be California State University students, who often take summer classes at community college to graduate on time from CSU. With City College enrolling just 40 percent of the usual summer crowd, CSU students will be last on the priority list and may not get into any class at all.

Many valley students start college with lagging skills in math, English
The Modesto Bee (local daily newspaper)

In the Hollywood version of college life, students might arrive on a leafy campus to read Dostoevski and use differential equations.

In the California State University system, which accepts the top third of high school graduates, most freshmen have to take basic composition courses or review algebra in classes that don't count toward a degree.
In 2010, 57 percent of CSU freshmen required remediation in English or mathematics. The rate is higher in the California Community Colleges system, where about 85 percent are unprepared for college-level math and 70 percent are unprepared for college-level English.

Lawmakers look to further limit CSU executive pay
California Watch (investigative journal)

Several state lawmakers are pushing for a tougher crackdown on California State University executive compensation in the wake of trustees' decision to approve the maximum allowable pay raises for new campus presidents.

CSU trustees in January approved a new executive compensation policy [PDF] that caps the amount of base pay new campus presidents can earn at no more than 10 percent above their predecessors' pay. In the first application of the new policy, trustees last week signed off on full 10 percent pay raises for two new presidents at CSU East Bay and CSU Fullerton.

State education data system, CALPADS, makes critical turn
SI&A Cabinet Report (California daily K-12 education issues publication)

The state’s much-maligned student longitudinal data system still has many critics and a long road ahead before fulfilling its many promises – but there appears to be strong evidence the program is finally working as designed.

Targeted for extinction by two governors and widely blamed for the loss of big federal grants under Race to the Top, the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System has in recent months functioned well enough to allow school districts to perform critical information uploads on enrollment, graduations, dropouts and course assignments – mostly without incident.

Mid-level administrative pay up 2%
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Mid-level administrators in higher education saw a median base salary increase of 2.0 percent in 2011. That's up from 1.3 percent the year before, according to data being released today by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

Most mid-level administrators won't be seeing an increase in purchasing power, however, because the growth in inflation (3.2 percent) outpaced their raises. Consistent with recent CUPA-HR surveys on the salaries of senior administrators and of faculty members, the increases were larger at private institutions (2.2 percent) than at publics (1.4 percent).

Another White House meeting on college costs
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

About 25 presidents from state colleges and universities met with White House and Education Department officials Friday for another discussion of President Obama's plans to try to make college more affordable. The presidents, who were in Washington for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' Council of State Representatives meeting, met with domestic policy director Cecilia Muñoz, Deputy Education Secretary Tony Miller and Office of Public Engagement Director Jon Carson, an administration official said. (President Obama, who spent more than an hour with college presidents in a similar meeting in December, was not present.)

March 25, 2012

'Social-Media Blasphemy'
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Dean Terry has 400 friends on Facebook, but he wants some virtual enemies.

Mr. Terry, who is director of the emerging-media program at the University of Texas at Dallas, says a major flaw of the popular social network is that it's all sunshine and no rain: The service encourages users to press the "like" button, but offers no way to signal which ideas, products, or people they disagree with. And "friend" is about the only kind of connection you can declare.

California politicians short higher education

San Francisco Chronicle

When I arrived at San Francisco State 24 years ago, I joined a campus guided by strong educational and social values, chief among them a commitment to social justice and equity, access for a diverse population, community-focused research and public service. In those days, the people of California and their elected officials understood the transformative value of higher education and they invested in it. Much has changed over that time.

Working together, we built a stronger university, but today its foundation is threatened by the catastrophic loss of state support - a cut to the California State University system of nearly $1 billion or 35 percent in just the last 18 months alone.

California's volatile tax revenue still a problem
The Sacramento Bee - Dan Walters column (daily newspaper)

As the housing bubble burst and recession hammered the state three years ago, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic leaders created a blue- ribbon commission to examine "the volatility inherent in California's current tax system."

Community colleges chief decries budget cuts' toll on students
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Invest in yourself with a college education
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

How would you like to invest $21,964 and have it turn into $2 million? Thousands of people do it. Their investment strategy involves a four-year commitment to education. The payoff begins with the receipt of a college degree, which opens the door to a lifetime of earnings that otherwise might not have been possible to obtain. In this article, we'll show you the million-dollar benefits of choosing to pursue an education.

March 24, 2012

Molly Munger tax initiative drive offer workers a chance for free cars
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Key to victory?

A car key, perhaps.

Michael Arno, whose company is spearheading the drive to qualify Molly Munger's tax measure for the November ballot, plans to give away a car each week in a drawing involving his top signature gatherers.
The weekly winner can choose a favorite vehicle in the $15,000 price range, said Arno, whose firm must gather 504,760 valid voter signatures.

High gas prices pinch CA college students' budgets
The Associated Press (national news agency)

LOS ANGELES—When Irma Gorrocino enrolled in college, gas was selling for about $2.50 a gallon and commuting to a campus 30 miles from her Southern California home didn't seem like such a big deal.

Now, with the price hovering near $4.50 a gallon, the 21-year-old junior at California State University, Northridge, acknowledges that she shudders every time she watches the needle on her aging Honda's fuel gauge move toward "E." And she's not alone.

Is college tuition the next bubble?
ABC News (national television news station)

At $1 trillion dollars, student loan debt has eclipsed credit card debt for the first time in American history. To make matters worse, come July 1 the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans will automatically double, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, unless Congressional action is taken to extend the lower rate before then. Depending on which side of the aisle you choose, extending the lower rate will cost between $3 billion and $7 billion per year (estimates from the center of the aisle hover around $5.5 billion).

Next generation: What does the future hold for Hispanic college graduates
Fox News Latino (national television news station)

The Next Generation series provides a platform for new voices speaking to the issues of our time.

I am a Hispanic undergraduate student at Florida International University and when I graduate in 2014, I need a job.

The big question is where will I find one?

Mixed signals in California, regional jobless figures
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Just a few months ago, the job market was noticeably heating up, in Sacramento and across the state.
Now it's not so clear.

California's unemployment rate was unchanged at 10.9 percent in February amid the second straight month of middling job growth, the Employment Development Department said Friday.

California ballot initiative would make college free for residents
The Oakland Tribune (local daily newspaper)

OAKLAND -- Clipboards in hand, high school seniors Estephania Franco and Jocelyn Sanchez approached a group of UC Berkeley students sitting on a curb in Sproul Plaza.

"Hey guys, you want free tuition?" one of them asked.

"Free? Tuition?" sophomore Josh Netter asked, as if waiting for the punch line. "I just feel like it's too good to be possible."

Final 4 in Imperial Valley College president search announced
KSWT CBS News 13 (El Centro area CBS affiliate)

IMPERIAL, CA – The Imperial Valley College Superintendent / President Search Committee has forwarded four finalists to the Board of Trustees following a first round of interviews. This is information released by the college.

The finalists forwarded to become Imperial Valley College's next Superintendent / President are:

• Dr. Andreea Serban, Interim Vice Chancellor Educational Services, Coast Community College,  Costa Mesa, CA.

U. of California agrees to formally promote 'global access' to its inventions
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The University of California system has adopted new guidelines that could help ensure that new medicines and other inventions based on university research are more accessible and affordable in the developing world.

Officials said the change, which would be carried out through university licensing, was partly a response to a years-long campaign by student activists, who have been urging universities to adopt such "global access" licensing policies.

March 22, 2012

States saw revenue surge last year, but not California
The Sacramento Bee

As the nation's economy recovered, albeit slowly, from recession last year, most states saw a surge of revenues - but not California, a new Census Bureau data dump indicates.
Nationally, state government revenues rose 3.5 percent to $183.8 billion during the fourth quarter of 2011 over the same period of 2010, the Census Bureau report said, but in California, they dropped 8.2 percent to $25.6 billion.

But there may be less import than those numbers would indicate. Temporary income and sales tax increases enacted by the Legislature in 2009 were still in effect in 2010, but had expired by late last year, which largely explains the sharp declines in revenues from those two sources.

Report on UC Davis pepper-spraying may be released in April
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

An investigative report on the pepper-spraying of student demonstrators by campus police at UC Davis campus last November may be released the first week of April, although there still are legal hurdles to be overcome about whether it will be unveiled in its entirety.
Cruz Reynoso, the former state Supreme Court justice overseeing an independent probe of the Nov. 18 incident, indicated Tuesday he hopes to release the report in its entirety, rather than in a "piecemeal fashion (that) would provide a skewed view of our findings."

Two Solano Community College students win academic accolades
The Vallejo Times-Herald (local daily newspaper)

FAIRFIELD -- Solano Community College students Matthew Pinkerton-Lloyd and Jiaxing Gu have been recognized for their academic achievements at the California Community College League's 2012 Phi Theta Kappa scholarship luncheon on March 7, the school announced.

The annual event brought 68 students to Sacramento to recognize their academic and community achievements. In addition to the recognition, Pinkerton-Lloyd was also awarded "Bronze Scholar" in the Coca-Cola Scholars category.

McClatchy Chairman and CEO Pruitt leaving for AP
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Gary Pruitt, who led The McClatchy Co. through a turbulent era of growth and contraction, resigned Wednesday to become president and chief executive officer of the Associated Press.
Pruitt announced he is quitting as Sacramento-based McClatchy's chairman and CEO effective May 16. McClatchy owns The Bee and 29 other daily papers.

Students hurt by disinvestment in higher ed, chancellor says
The Los Angeles Times - L.A. Now blog (national daily newspaper)

California community colleges have shed more than 300,000 students since 2009 because they cannot get into classes and the toll is likely to grow unless the state reverses course and pumps more money into higher education.

Jack Scott still fighting for Pasadena City College
The Pasadena Sun (local daily newspaper)

California voters must support a proposed state tax increase in order to preserve student access to higher education and save schools from “death by a thousand cuts,” state Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said Thursday at Pasadena City College.

California community college head: 'Go in and make your case'
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

At a Pasadena City College town hall meeting today the head of the California Community Colleges spoke to about 250 students about the state's budget crisis and the "desperate situations" it has created for schools in the nation's largest higher education system.

The hour-long meeting with Chancellor Jack Scott covered a wide range of issues and seemed rather intimate despite its setting in the campus' Sexson Auditorium. With his warm Texan drawl and anecdotes, Scott tried to illustrate to students the importance of passing the tax initiative in November; how they should lobby to improve their education system; and the impact funding cuts have had on public education throughout the state.

California Community Colleges chancellor to ask AG's office to look at college's pricing plan
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said today he will be asking the state Attorney General's Office for an opinion on the legality of a Santa Monica College program that will allow students to enroll in a selection of higher-cost classes starting this summer.

"The Chancellor's Office has previously indicated to colleges that we believe that step would be illegal," said Scott, speaking to a group of students at Pasadena City College today. "There was an attempt to change the law which failed last year, and now Santa Monica College has chosen to go alone and do it anyway. Frankly, we will seek an opinion from the Attorney General's Office as to whether or not that is legal or not. If it's legal then they can do it. If it's not legal then they cannot."

March 21, 2012

Cal State's closed-door plan
The Los Angeles Times - editorial (national daily newspaper)

The decision by California State University to slam the doors on new applicants next year will have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of hopeful students if it comes to pass. No one would be accepted for the spring semester except a handful of transfers at a few campuses, and all newly admitted students for the following fall — usually about 90,000 in all — would be warned that their spots were not secure. University officials say the only way this won't happen is if tax increases are passed to slow the mounting cuts at the state's most affordable and accessible four-year colleges.

Op-ed: 'We're sabotaging our country's future'
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

Occasionally we like to feature the opinions of the community, today KPCC presents an op-ed by members of the Youth Media Los Angeles Collaborative.

The first injustice kids learn to recognize is hypocrisy. And right now that’s one of the lessons we’re teaching them about education and opportunity.

From the moment kids walk through the kindergarten doors their schools are pushing them to aim for college, and with good reason. Even in the slow recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, unemployment for college graduates was 4.2 percent in January 2012 compared to 8.4 percent for high school graduates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And by 2018 as we become a more tech- and information-based economy, nearly two-thirds of jobs will require at least some college education, according to a 2010 report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

CSU budget cuts
KOBI Ch. 5 (Medford, Ore. NBC TV affiliate)

25,000 eligible students could be turned away from California State University campuses because of massive budget cuts.
     The Cal State University Board of Trustees discussed a proposed enrollment freeze Tuesday night... and while a tax ballot measure in June might provide relief, students are scared.
    "This throws a huge monkey wrench in my plans."
    37-year old Mabel Stewart was hoping to transfer to Cal State University Chico in the spring of 2013.
   "I'm going to have to revamp."

Wait, isn't this the old normal?
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Despite the national political conversation that President Obama has spurred about keeping the price of college down, it would be understandable to think that a few institutions missed the memo this year.

Princeton University’s 4.5 percent tuition increase for next year, bringing the price excluding room and board to $38,650, is the university’s largest price rise in six years. Similarly, Dartmouth College’s increase of 4.9 percent, to $43,782, is larger than its increases in recent years. Yale University's comprehensive fee will also increase about 5 percent next year.

Support the student success task force
The Clarion - editorial (Citrus College student newspaper)

We urge California’s state legislators to adopt the Student Success Task Force plan to improve student success. A 20-member committee which included students, worked for a year to create a plan to improve community college success rates and increase the number of transfers, degrees and certificates awarded.

 In 2010, Senate Bill 1143 was passed by lawmakers requiring an improved strategic plan.

Students exceeding 110 units to register last
The Clarion (Citrus College student newspaper)

A policy proposed by the task force on priority enrollment will push students over 110 units to the back of the line for class registration.  

If the policy is passed by the academic senate and board of trustees, students who were dismissed for poor academic performance or returning from discontinuous enrollment for at least two full semesters will also be last to register.

The current priority enrollment order is as follows: Disabled Student Programs and Services and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services students first, then veterans, foster youth, Honors Program students, and student athletes in their second semester.  Students then enroll in order from greatest to least number of units completed.

UC violates law in delaying pepper-spray report release, experts say
The San Jose Mercury News (local daily newspaper)

The University of California is violating state law by refusing to release portions of an investigative report on a police officer's pepper-spraying of Occupy protesters, public-records experts said Wednesday.

An Alameda County judge ruled this week that the university could release all but a few sections of the report to the public. But UC lawyers refused to release the document to this newspaper, which had requested it under the California Public Records Act.

Educators give update on the Long Beach College Promise
The Long Beach Press-Telegram (local daily newspaper)

LONG BEACH - Educational leaders and community members gathered in the Cabrillo High School auditorium on Wednesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Long Beach College Promise.

The College Promise, founded in 2008, is a partnership among the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College and Cal State Long Beach designed to ease the path to college for local students.

For single mom, thirty year journey toward dream of education
Care2 Make a Difference (Online advocacy news source)

Born in Ennis, Texas—a mid-sized town about 40 miles south of Dallas—Diedrea Lewis, 47, was the tenth child of a large African American family headed by her father, a U.S. veteran and a custodian, and her mother, a homemaker. Diedrea describes her family as “chronically poor,” and yet “it was always instilled in me to go to college. That was the equalizer.”

After graduating from Ennis High School in 1982, Diedrea enrolled at Navarro Community College in Corsicana, Texas, about 20 miles south of Ennis, where she lived in the dorms. Although she had some financial assistance, it was increasingly difficult for Diedrea to cover the costs. Tuition at the school at that time was about $150 per unit. After a year, Diedrea dropped out of college and moved to Dallas where she joined the work force, taking various administrative and switchboard operator jobs. In 1988, she gave birth to her daughter, Chassler. Times for her were very rough, but she never gave up on her dream of going to college.

Community colleges hurt by CSU freeze
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

President Obama has called community colleges “the unsung heroes of America’s education system.” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, “no other system of higher education in the world does so much to provide access and second-chance opportunities as our community colleges.” Yet community colleges can’t catch a break.

Big price, little time for initiative - CFT folds on collecting for Millionaires Tax
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

The California Federation of Teachers has stopped collecting signatures for its Millionaires Tax, throwing its full effort into an expensive race against time to qualify an initiative it negotiated last week with Gov. Jerry Brown.

The union had vowed to continue its own initiative drive as a backup in case the compromise effort with the governor was flagging. But there was always a question whether the CFT, slightly more than a third the size of the California Teachers Association, had the heft to succeed with one initiative, let alone two.

Grace Mitchell, former Cuesta College president, dies at 78
The San Luis Obispo Tribune (local daily newspaper)

Grace N. Mitchell, Cuesta College’s president from 1989 to 1999, died March 19 after a period of failing health. She was 78.
Known for her sharp academic mind, results-driven organizational skills, a warm smile and sense of humor, Mitchell succeeded Frank Martinez as the college’s third president-superintendent.

Tough budget for loans and Pell
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- In a budget proposal released Tuesday, Republicans in the House of Representatives called for tighter eligibility for Pell Grants and a change in the accounting mechanism for federal student loans, which would make it appear to be the nation’s most costly lending program.

Representative Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the House Budget Committee, also proposed cuts to discretionary spending that would surpass those required in the debt ceiling agreement. The Republican budget plan would set the discretionary budget for 2013 at $1.03 trillion, $20 billion less than the discretionary cap agreed when Congress increased the debt limit in August.

First-time survey of online learning in CA produces startling early results
SIA Cabinet Report (Calif. K-12 superintendent and management daily publication)
In what researchers are calling a stunning surprise, traditional public schools appear to be offering online learning to their students at least as often as the state’s charter schools.

Forty-three percent of regular school districts offer online instruction, which is virtually the same percentage as charter schools, despite the vast difference in regulatory oversight and curriculum flexibility, according to preliminary analysis of a first-ever, detailed survey of e-learning courses in California.

Sen. Carol Liu says California budget is 'broken,' vows to focus on schools
The La Cańada Valley Sun (local daily newspaper)

State Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) appeared Monday before the City Council and painted a bleak picture of California's finances.

In her annual State of the State talk, Liu — a former La Cañada city councilwoman — said a lack of tax revenues has led to an expected state budget shortfall of $10 billion to $12 billion for next year. She said the budget crunch will lead to cuts in services, primarily in public education.

March 20, 2012

No diploma, no GED, no aid
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

High school dropouts used to be able to qualify for federal grants and loans based on a basic skills test. That ends in July, and community colleges are worried about what will happen to these students.

CSU trustees denounce admissions freeze, okay 2 pay hikes
The Associated Press (international news agency)

LONG BEACH - The California State University trustees on Tuesday approved 10 percent pay hikes for two campus presidents after administrators outlined a grim financial forecast calling for sweeping cuts that will deny admission to thousands of students.

Cal State to close door on spring 2013 enrollment
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

California State University will accept no new admissions for the spring semester of 2013 - with a few exceptions - as part of a drastic cost-cutting strategy to reduce enrollment by about 16,000 students next spring, officials said Monday.

High schools, community colleges react to CSU enrollment freeze
The Los Angeles Times - L.A. Now blog (national daily newspaper)

The California State University system may have to cut low-enrollment programs and lay off about 3,000 if cost-cutting measures don't improve.

CalState plans to freeze enrollment
Bloomberg Businessweek - Getting In blog (national business publication)

The California State University system, still reeling from drastic funding cuts, announced a bold plan to freeze enrollment next spring, according to a story in Monday’s Los Angeles Times.

Community college budgets hang in the balance
Neon Tommy (USC Annenberg online student newspaper)

California Community Colleges continue to adjust finances with a grievous attitude that initiatives to hike taxes won't pass in the coming election. 

Jerry Brown reaches out to rival tax proponent
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

The California State University system may have to cut low-enrollment programs and lay off about 3,000 if cost-cutting measures don't improve.

Community colleges foundation chooses new CEO
The Sacramento Business Journal (local daily newspaper)

The Foundation for California Community Colleges    Foundation for California Community Colleges Latest from The Business Journals Interim chief for Community Colleges foundation made permanentBest of Biz Notes: Nov. 28Newsmaker | Roger Baccigaluppi Follow this company has chosen its permanent president and chief executive officer. Keetha Mills had been serving in the position on an interim basis since September.

Mills replaces Paul Lanning, who had been at the helm since 2007.

Fear, blame, and financial aid
Inside Higher Ed - Confessions of a Community College Dean blog (education trade periodical)
Some stories have deeper roots than others.

This story is about a change to Federal financial aid policy that’s taking effect July 1. At that point, no new students can receive financial aid -- or from what I’ve been told, could even pay their own way if the college itself is financial aid eligible -- to attend college if they don’t already have a high school diploma or a GED.  (Dual or concurrent enrollment programs are exempted.) That means that the “ability to benefit” test will no longer work; students who show up without either a diploma or a GED have to go get one. (Students previously admitted under ATB will be allowed to finish.)

Community colleges should urge women to pursue science and math careers, report says
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Not enough women at community colleges—especially low-income students and those with children—are studying for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, which are among the nation's fastest-growing fields, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Institute for Women's Policy Research.

State will not appeal court ruling on First 5 funds
California Watch (investigative journal)

The state will not appeal a court ruling that rejected its attempt to divert $1 billion from First 5 commissions, California Watch has learned.

The state informed First 5 commissions of its decision Monday, the deadline for appeal. Its decision ends a yearlong budget battle and frees up funding for programs and services that many commissions had held in limbo. It also could result in the state having to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions' legal fees.

Increasing opportunities for low-income women and student parents in science, technology, engineering, and math at community colleges
Institute for Women's Policy Research

Drawing on a literature and program review, analysis of publicly available data, and consultations with experts in the field, this report examines opportunities for women and student parents to pursue and succeed in STEM fields at community colleges.

California chief justice avoids controversy, warns that budget cuts could imperil judiciary
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who has feuded openly for months with state lawmakers and dissident judges over a bid to weaken her administrative power, appealed to the Legislature on Monday to spare the judiciary from further budget cuts.

Linden's college-bound ahead of the class
The Stockton Record (local daily newspaper)

LINDEN - Six Linden High students sat in the school library and made an admission: None of them know where Barstow Community College is.

The irony? All six are students of the Southern California campus that sits in the desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

"I got a letter from Barstow that I almost threw away. But I opened it up, and it said we were eligible for a $5,000 grant and free tuition for online classes at the college," said Pam Knapp, a counselor with Linden High School's college and career program.

Barstow Community College has made an effort in recent years to enhance its distance-learning department, which uses the online courses. The college wanted to make sure it offered the classes to at least 10 rural districts in California. Along with the $5,000 grant, the college pays $2,400 for textbooks.

Supreme Court denies campus groups' appeal
The San Francisco Chronicle (local daily newspaper)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down an appeal from a Christian sorority and fraternity challenging California State University's refusal to provide funding and other campus benefits to student groups that exclude members of other religions.

March 19, 2012

Riverside Community College seeks employers for training program
The Riverside News Network (community online news source)

Riverside Community College District (RCCD) is seeking industry partners to participate in a manufacturing program that will provide free training for employees.

The district’s Customized Training Solutions center is offering local companies up to 40 hours of free manufacturing skills instruction. The courses are available to employees in both public and private companies and organizations headquartered in the Inland Empire.

Another View: Latinos are embracing community colleges
The Bakersfield Californian - op-ed (local daily newspaper)

The Californian's March 14 editorial, "Latinos don't get message about college," was certainly well-meaning as it encouraged Latino parents and school districts to do more to encourage young Latino students to enroll in four-year colleges. But I have to say that the editorial displayed a bit of "snobbery," if I might quote the hapless Rick Santorum. The editorial noted that "Latinos are bypassing college at an alarming rate." What the editorial fails to note is that the Latino enrollment in California's community colleges is the highest it has ever been. At our own Bakersfield College, 44.3 percent of the students are Latinos. Only 32.9 percent are white/non-Hispanic.

Cal State closes most spring admissions, could shut out 25,000 fall applicants
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

The threat of more budget cuts has led the California State University system to shut out thousands of midyear applicants for spring terms starting in January.

Only eight of the system's 23 campuses -- including Cal State East Bay, but not San Jose State -- will accept transfer students for the spring 2013 term, and none will accept new freshmen, said Robert Turnage, the university's budget chief.

The CSU system also is preparing to deny admission to up to 25,000 qualified applicants in fall 2013 if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax measure fails at the ballot box, Turnage said. Cal State generally guarantees admission to the top one-third of the state's high-school graduates.

Community colleges downsize programs
The USA Today (international newspaper)

Community colleges across the USA, faced with tight budgets and competing priorities, are downsizing or shuttering programs that in many cases have been held near and dear for years by students and other local constituents.

Details: CSU plans to shut down most of 2013 spring enrollment
KPCC 89.3 FM (Southern California public radio)

The 23-campus California State University system will shut down most of its 2013 spring enrollment — accepting only certain community college transfer students and then only at eight campuses — because of massive cuts to state funding, officials said today.

The eight CSU campuses that will accept students include Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Fullerton, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Bernardino and Sonoma, said Mike Uhlenkamp, a spokesman for CSU. The system typically receives about 70,000 applications for spring admissions and admits about 18,000 students most of whom are community college transfers, Uhlenkamp said.

News CSU presidents slated to get maximum pay increases
California Watch  (investigative journal)

In the first test of the California State University system's recently approved executive compensation policy, the presidents appointed to lead CSU East Bay and CSU Fullerton are slated to each receive the maximum salaries allowable under the new rules.

USC to honor the Japanese American students it 'lost' in World War II
The Los Angeles Times  (national daily newspaper)

Seventy years after many USC students were unexpectedly yanked from their classrooms, they will finally get their degrees.

For the first time in its history, USC will award honorary bachelor's and master's degrees to the Japanese Americans who were swept up in 1942, during World War II, and sent to internment camps in the middle of their college careers.

Molly Munger hits TV airwaves with pitch for income tax hike
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Civil rights attorney Molly Munger's campaign to pass a broad-based income tax to bolster California education is taking to the television airwaves with a 30-second ad in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Campaign manager Addisu Demissie said the ad stresses how the proposed ballot measure could benefit schools and communities.

San Jacinto: College tech learning experts honored
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

Four Mt. San Jacinto College employees will accept a California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office technology award during a ceremony today in Ontario, according to a college news release.

Patricia James, dean of instruction, library and technology and distance education; Belinda Heiden-Scott, associate professor in office technology in the Business Education Department and distance education coordinator; Micah Orloff, educational project coordinator; and Anna Stirling, academy coordinator, will accept the exemplary technology practices award at the Hilton Doubletree.

LAUSD hires social media director
The Los Angeles Daily News (local community newspaper)
Los Angeles Unified is about to go viral, with a social media director launching Facebook, Twitter and YouTube sites in an effort to broaden the district's community outreach.

Former CBS/KCAL reporter Stephanie Abrams, who started her LAUSD job early this month, will also be integrating other district and campus networks and working to create websites at schools that don't yet have them.

March 18, 2012

Compromise tax measures need 808,000 signatures
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

It's not going to be cheap or easy to get the new compromise tax measure before voters this November.

The measure, announced this week as an agreement among the governor, Democratic leaders of the Senate and Assembly and backers of the millionaires tax, needs approximately 808,000 signatures to get on the ballot.

Debra Saunders: Jerry Brown's tax plan breaks faith with California
The San Francisco Chronicle - column (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown likes to talk about "loyalty to California." For Brown, that means that public people should put aside their partisan interests to do what is best for the Golden State.

Last week, Brown failed his own loyalty test. He agreed to a deal to put a tax-increase measure on the November ballot when he has to know that the new measure exacerbates California's dysfunctional finances.

Adult learners: The forgotten majority
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)
Is the goal of a “four-year degree for all” realistic? Frankly, it is more idealistic than realistic.

Nationally, the statistics for high school success are disappointing. Only about one-third of seniors graduate and continue on to college. Another one-third graduate, but never set foot on a college campus. The remaining third (about 1.2 million each year) never complete high school. While billions of dollars are spent each year on the first third, it is the last two-thirds, the forgotten majority of adult learners, that I focus on here.

Apprenticeships better than college for some
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley (CBS national news program)

CBS News) There are 1.7 million Americans graduating from college this spring, and not only do many have challenging job prospects, but two-thirds will leave school with debt.

CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reports that situation leads some to take a different path.

Alfred Santana, 18, grew up in South Boston's housing projects and couldn't afford college, but he has no regrets.

A boom time for education start-ups
The Chronicle of Higher Education  (education trade periodical)

Harsh economic realities mean trouble for college leaders. But where administrators perceive an impending crisis, investors increasingly see opportunity.

In recent years, venture capitalists have poured millions into education-technology start-ups, trying to cash in on a market they see as ripe for a digital makeover. And lately, those wagers have been getting bigger.

March 17, 2012

Mailbag: State needs to invest in community colleges
The Daily Pilot (Costa Mesa area community newspaper)

After a trip to Sacramento to hear from our legislators on the state of California's fiscal health, it is clear that Sacramento is broken. The proposed state budget for next year will impose more deep cuts and mandate an increase in fees for our students. We are facing a $7.7-million, mid-year cut to our colleges with an expectation from the state to reduce services and classes for our students in excess of $15 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

College counselor: consider community college
The Long Beach Gazette - college counselor column (local community newspaper)

Some students are skeptical about attending community college. They shouldn’t be.

The Regents of the University of California report that almost of third of those graduating from the UC System transferred from a community college; this trend will probably become even more pronounced in the years ahead as the UC tuition continues to soar and community college tuition remains relatively affordable.

From a cost standpoint alone, attending a community college is a value.

Cuts threaten access to college placement tests
The New York Times  (national daily newspaper)

Because of a federal budget cut, thousands of low-income students across the nation may not be able to afford the fees for their Advanced Placement exams this spring — exams that could save them thousands of dollars in college tuition.

Mentors inspire Latino high schoolers to attend college
Fox News Latino  (international online news source)

San Diego –  The Latino Mentors of America program, being implemented in San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento, creates a relationship between Hispanic professionals and high school students that prepares young people for their future in college and the workplace.

Rolando Moreno, an Escondido High graduate and former assistant soccer coach at the University of California, San Diego, founded the group in 1997 that today has close to 50 professionals including doctors and successful entrepreneurs.

Reality TV lessons come to Mt. SAC
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune (local daily newspaper)

The plastic chairs sit empty inside the TV studio classroom at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. Books are scattered on the floor next to backpacks and jackets.

A large green screen stands upright in the corner, unused.

You won't find Dan Smith's Reality TV class in the studio. They're usually outside - somewhere - toting remote cameras on their young shoulders and tipping fuzzy boom mics into the nonstop action.

March 16, 2012

California student leaders criticize Jerry Brown in open letter
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Frustrated by tuition increases and ongoing spending cuts, California college student leaders criticized Gov. Jerry Brown in an open letter Thursday and complained he hasn't met with them.
"When you were elected in 2010," the students wrote the Democratic governor, "many students hoped that your election would usher in a new era for public higher education in California and reverse the approach taken by your predecessor.

Santa Monica College's two-tier trap
The Los Angeles Times - editorial (national daily newspaper)

At Santa Monica College, the community college known as a feeder school for UCLA, students are regularly turned away from core academic courses that are oversubscribed — but that they need if they hope to take higher-level classes, graduate or transfer to a four-year school. As a result of budget cuts, almost every seat is taken in almost every class.

Santa Monica College to offer more expensive courses for students who can afford them
The Huffington Post (international online news source)

After millions of dollars in budget cuts over the last few years, Santa Monica College says that help is on the way -- thanks to a controversial new plan to shore up their budget.

The community college will price units for the most sought-after classes at five times the current cost, effectively allowing rich students to get first dibs on enrollment.

Starting this summer and winter semesters, the college will form a separate nonprofit foundation that will offer core courses at about $600 each, or about $200 per unit, the Associated Press reports. Regular courses are currently priced at $108 each, or $36 per unit.

Student government President Harrison Wills told the Huffington Post that he is concerned that students were not a part of this decision. He said that the student organizing committee is planning "something big" to try to stop the new plan.

Secondary education is becoming secondary priority
The NextGen Journal (national collegiate online newspaper)

More and more people are going to college or are seeing college as an option. At the same time, this rising demand for a college education is pushing costs to new highs. Statistics place the average student loan debt after graduation at over $20,000. We’re reminded of this almost constantly thanks to the pre-election campaign season. From championing student loan reforms to accusing college of being an elitist idea, the candidates have picked up on the rising costs of college and the impact this will have on American youth. Students aren’t the only ones being hit hard. Tightening state budgets, the economic downturn, and cuts to secondary education have placed colleges in a position of scrambling to cover costs.

Less remedial instruction is the goal
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

In the Hollywood version of college life, students might arrive on a leafy campus to read Dostoyevsky and use differential equations.
In the California State University system, which accepts the top third of high school graduates, most freshmen have to take basic composition courses or review algebra in classes that don't count toward a degree.

California study finds Hispanics struggling at college level
HispanicBusiness.com (online business news source)

While more than half of California's public school children are Latino, they are underrepresented on college campuses, particularly in four-year schools, according to a new statewide study.

The Campaign for College Opportunity's "Latinos and Higher Education" report finds that Latinos are not going directly to college after high school graduation in as many numbers as youth from other groups. It also found these students are not accessing high school college preparation courses as much as students in other age groups.

California Community Colleges tech unit director Catherine McKenzie wins CENIC's 2012 Outstanding Individual Contribution Award
BusinessWire (press release distribution service)

LA MIRADA, Calif., Mar 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Catherine McKenzie, retired Director of the Technology Unit for the California Community Colleges, has been honored by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) as recipient of the 2012 Outstanding Individual Contribution Award.

Report: Bay Area economy rebounding better than rest of country
KGO Ch.7  (Bay Area ABC TV affiliate)
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A new economic report shows how well the Bay Area continues to recover from the recession.

The Bay Area boasts a $535 billion economy, making it the 19th largest economy in the world, according to the report, which is put out every two years by the Economic Institute of the Bay Area Council.

The cranes and towers that rise over Mission Bay in San Francisco are just one of the most obvious visuals of the powerful economic rebound the Bay Area is experiencing.

Saddled with college debt
The Washington Post - op-ed (daily newspaper)
“You’ll have lots of scholarships and financial aid.”

These are just a few of the things my parents said throughout my childhood. I am a second-generation U.S.-born Latina. Growing up in the suburbs of Fort Worth, I was a straight-A student in Advanced Placement classes, with many civic activities on my resume.

Study finds volunteering a low priority
USA Today College  (international newspaper)

A recent study found that Millennials (born 1982-2000) are more civically and politically disconnected, more focused on material values and less concerned about volunteerism than were previous generations at the same ages.

San Diego State University international business student Bakari Weaver believes students are more concerned with “self-serving reasons to look good” and academic obligations, rather than feeling inclined to support a cause.

March 15, 2012

Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott conducts town hall at PCC March 22
Pasadena City College (PCC campus website)

California Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Jack Scott will conduct a town hall meeting at Pasadena City College on March 22 to provide a “State of the State” report on the status of higher education in California. The event, which is co-sponsored by the Pasadena Area Community College District Board of Trustees and the PCC Academic Senate, will provide a discussion on how best to respond to the budget crisis.

Dr. Scott will be available to answer questions by PCC students, faculty, and staff and members of the community about the impact of the budget cuts on districts statewide and the measures he is urging individual districts to take. He will also share his personal perspective on the importance of the Student Success Task Force recommendations that are currently being considered by the California State Legislature.

Leah Halper: Community college reforms will hurt those who need them most
The San Jose Mercury News - opinion (daily newspaper)

How do you ruin a state? Gut its education system. How do you get away with it? Quick knife work.

A small group of political appointees in Sacramento who have mounted an unprecedented attack on California's incomparable community college system is carving fast. By May, unless we defeat some nefarious bills, we will be inaugurating a new era of inequity and social upheaval.

Gov. Brown, millionaires-tax backers join forces
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown said Wednesday he had struck a deal with supporters of a rival tax initiative to unite behind a new ballot measure that combines elements of both proposals to increase the state sales tax and raise income taxes on the wealthiest Californians.

For weeks, Brown has tried to persuade backers of the so-called millionaires tax - along with supporters of a third competing tax proposal - to hold off on their plans and allow his to be the only tax increase on the November ballot.

Jerry Brown changes his tax plan to address concerns of liberal allies
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

After a months-long feud with his most liberal allies, Gov. Jerry Brown compromised Wednesday to eliminate a rival tax initiative for the November ballot.

Buildings go up as universities' budgets go down
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

California has slashed public university budgets, yet construction is booming at campuses statewide.

The University of California system has $8.9 billion in building projects under way at its 10 campuses and five medical centers, including about $2 billion at UCSF, which is near the top of the spending list.

L.A. college district violated contractor's rights, judge rules
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ruled that the Los Angeles Community College District violated the constitutional rights of an Irvine construction firm that was accused of making fraudulent claims and was barred from doing business with the system for five years.

Millennials are more 'Generation Me' than 'Generation We,' study finds
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Millennials, the generation of young Americans born after 1982, may not be the caring, socially conscious environmentalists some have portrayed them to be, according to a study described in the new issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

UC punishment of administrator far too light
The Contra Costa Times - editorial  (local daily newspaper)

State legislators and University of California regents must investigate why leaders at the Berkeley campus failed to fire a high-ranking administrator who pushed through multiple pay raises for a subordinate while she was sleeping with him.

Instead, Diane Leite received a slap on the wrist. The lame punishment smacks of favoritism and shows an inexcusable disregard for university sexual harassment and conflict-of-interest guidelines.

Despite investigators' findings that Leite, 47, a former assistant vice chancellor, violated university policies, she was allowed to stay employed with only a demotion and a relatively small reduction in pay, from $188,531 to $175,000 a year.

March 14, 2012

Gov. Brown, millionaires-tax backers join forces
SFGate, Wyatt Buchanan,Marisa Lagos

Gov. Jerry Brown said Wednesday he had struck a deal with supporters of a rival tax initiative to unite behind a new ballot measure that combines elements of both proposals to increase the state sales tax and raise
income taxes on the wealthiest Californians.

For weeks, Brown has tried to persuade backers of the so-called millionaires tax - along with supporters of a third competing tax proposal - to hold off on their plans and allow his to be the only tax increase on
the November ballot.

PCC: Leading the pack in sustainability and "green" practices
Lancer Life - blog (Pasadena City College official blog site)

Long before “going green” was the hip thing to do, Pasadena City College began the process of becoming more environmentally responsible and using fewer natural resources. From cutting back on energy use to streamlining its architecture and landscaping, the college has made strides in every way to become a greener player in the global community.

PCC’s ongoing effort to reduce its environmental impact has made it an exemplary institution in the state of California and across the nation. In fact, the college has picked up half a dozen awards honoring its good deeds from local and national admirers, including a national award in Outstanding Climate Leadership from the American College and University Climate Commitment and the Model Community Achievement award from the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

California's right is left aside
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

There seemed something off kilter about negotiations that led to Gov. Jerry Brown's revised tax plan to "soak the rich."

Here was a Democratic governor not negotiating with Republicans the way our two-party system is supposed to function. It was not a negotiation between left and right, but rather between left and far left.

College tries 2-tier prices for in-demand classes
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SANTA MONICA, Calif.—After three years of reducing class offerings, one of California's biggest community colleges now plans to start adding them—but at quadruple the price.

Under a new program designed to cope with rising student demand as state funds dwindle, Santa Monica College will form a separate nonprofit foundation to offer core courses for about $600 each, or about $200 per unit.

The program, approved by the college's board of trustees last week for a summer launch, will be offered in addition to the regular courses that are currently priced at $108, or $36 per unit, but are slated to go up to $138 per course this summer under state law.

California lawmakers call for halt to court computer project
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

A legislative panel recommended Wednesday that California’s courts suspend a computer modernization project that has grown in cost from $260 million to $1.9 billion with uncertainty over whether it is affordable.

The 4-0 vote by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Public Safety, which sets the stage for action by the full Legislature, would allow the new computer system to be operated in seven counties where work has begun, but to put a hold on the project in the 51 other counties until the Legislature can consider alternatives.

Our Viewpoint: 70 percent of students should not be attending school for free
The Telescope - editorial (Palomar College student newspaper)

Community college used to be the affordable alternative to the pricier UC and CSUs. But, as more and more students are attending community colleges at a reduced cost, or even for free, other students are forced to pay higher fees to combat a huge budget deficit.

Lehner leaving Mendocino College
The Ukiah Daily Journal (local daily newspaper)

The College of the Redwoods Board of Trustees announced on Wednesday that it has offered the position of CR president/superintendent to Kathryn G. Lehner. Lehner is currently president of Mendocino College in Ukiah. 

The CR Trustees are working on a transition timeline for when Lehner would assume the role of CR president. Until she begins her appointment, CR Interim President Utpal Goswami will continue in his position. Goswami has been the interim president since March 2011. He served as the vice president of instruction from July 2010 until he was appointed the interim president.

Politician Scott, 78, to retire
The Contra Costa Advocate (Contra Costa College student newspaper)

The community college system of California is losing an iconic figure this September.
Former state senator and current California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott, an advocate for higher education in the state for the past 58 years, is retiring on Sept. 1. He became chancellor in May 2008.
Dr. Scott has been fighting for the rights of students and the progression of higher education for many years. Before becoming a defender of education in the political ranks, Scott served as an educator.

What higher ed can learn from Encyclopaedia Britannica
Inside Higher Ed - blog (education trade periodical)Encyclopaedia Britannica announced today that it will cease publication of the 32-volume print edition. Going forward, the focus will be on Britannica's digital properties.

I worked for Britannica.com, the Encyclopaedia Britannica spinoff, from 1998 to 2001. This job gave me a close-up seat to witness the promise of the first dot-com gold rush (1999 and 2000), and the just as rapid crash when the bubble deflated (2001).  I think that the story of Britannica, including this latest chapter to cease print publication, has some things to teach us in higher ed.

Higher community college fee plan in Santa Monica would be a first in California
The EdSource Extra (education policy publication)

Depending on your perspective, Santa Monica College’s plan to charge students several times the normal fee to add sections to oversubscribed classes is either a brilliant idea to cope with its shrinking revenues, or a misguided strategy making it more difficult for low-income students to reach their academic goals.

Brown's revised plan would hike income tax rate on $500,000 earners
The Oakland Tribune (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO -- In a hairpin turnabout, Gov. Jerry Brown is seeking a last-minute change to his tax proposal, a move to capture the energy of the populist ire toward the wealthy while trying to clear the November field of competing measures.

Brown said he wants to revise his initiative to incorporate elements of the chief rival proposal, a move rife with risks that include a fast-approaching deadline and potential new opposition. In return, backers of the so-called millionaire's tax are withdrawing their ballot initiative and putting their weight behind the governor's new plan to boost the hit on the wealthy while easing Brown's previously proposed sales tax hike that all voters would pay.

Big job, big problems

Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The top job for an enormous swath of American higher education is opening up. It offers the potential to play a lead role in determining the success of the national college “completion agenda,” as well as a laundry list of problems daunting enough to intimidate even the most ambitious of applicants.

Dan Walters: Cloudiness over California school funding increases
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

Educating 6 million kids is not only the largest single piece of the state budget, but its most popular one – which explains why it always drives the Capitol's annual budget ritual.
The school finance picture is even cloudier than usual this year. It's the focal point of a contentious debate over raising taxes, and the Legislature is struggling with Gov. Jerry Brown's proposals to overhaul how school money is distributed.

Looking out of state for what California once offered
The Los Angeles Times - column (national daily newspaper)

Many moons ago, I went to California public schools, then on to a community college and later got my degree from a state university. And I can tell you we had some complaints.

They weren't using enough turf builder on the outfield grass. The band instruments had been around a few years. And the San Jose State student newspaper only published five days a week.

Santa Monica College to offer two-tier course pricing
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Faced with deep funding cuts and strong student demand, Santa Monica College is pursuing a plan to offer a selection of higher-cost classes to students who need them, provoking protests from some who question the fairness of such a two-tiered education system.

Under the plan, approved by the governing board and believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the two-year college would create a nonprofit foundation to offer such in-demand classes as English and math at a cost of about $200 per unit. Currently, fees are $36 per unit, set by the Legislature for California community college students. That fee will rise to $46 this summer.

March 13, 2012

John Chiang says California revenues fell short in February
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California revenues missed the mark in February by 3.2 percent, or $146.3 million, state Controller John Chiang said Monday.

Chiang, who manages the state's cash, said the shortfall was likely due to a spike in tax refunds going out earlier than expected in February. Income tax receipts were 5.7 percent, or $99.9 million, below the Department of Finance's projection.

Dan Walters: Proposition 13's 'third rail of politics' touched in Capitol
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

Proposition 13, the landmark property tax limit voters enacted 34 years ago, has been termed the "third rail" of California politics – to touch it is to commit political suicide.

The measure passed overwhelmingly, and recent statewide polls indicate that it's still very popular with voters, the vast majority of whom are homeowners who benefit from its provisions.

Anti-transfer bias
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Matthew Kahn is the first to admit his blog post was poorly crafted, insufficiently researched and offensive.

The University of California at Los Angeles economics professor suggested on his personal blog that UCLA’s transfer students were often less committed to the institution than their peers who spent four years in Westwood. He added that the university should admit more of those students as 18-year-olds instead of sending them to two-year colleges where academics might be a “watering down" of UCLA coursework.

California teachers union pushed pollster to drop Jerry Brown's tax rival
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

When wealthy civil rights attorney Molly Munger began drawing up a proposed tax hike to fund education last fall, she partly relied on polls by The Mellman Group, a well-known D.C. polling firm that regularly worked for advocates of increased funding for California public schools.

Lower expectations at CalPERS; bigger bills for cities, schools
The Orange County Register (local daily newspaper)

America’s largest public pension system is about to swallow a bitter pill — and the pain will be felt in most every city in California.

Critics have derided the California Public Employees Retirement System for years over its allegedly rose-colored glasses: CalPERS, and most every other public pension system in California, officially expects to earn 7.75 percent on investments.

Construction jobs increase in California, 34 other states
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Construction employment grew in 35 states in January from December, with California adding the most jobs -- 8,900, or a 1.6% increase.

Thirteen states posted decreases in construction jobs and two states had no change, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Solar installations double last year, with California leading the way
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

The amount of photovoltaic solar panels installed in the United States more than doubled from 2010 to 2011, representing a historic year for the American solar industry.

A year-in-review report jointly released Wednesday by the Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research found that 1,855 megawatts were installed nationwide in 2011, up from 887 megawatts in 2010 -- for a growth of 109 percent.

Long Beach City College candidates vie for seat; Uranga unopposed
The Contra Costa Times (local daily newspaper)

LONG BEACH - A high school teacher, a local attorney, a longtime city employee - all of the candidates for Long Beach City College Board of Trustees are residents who say they are dedicated to serving the community.

COS student earns entry to NASA project
The Visalia Times-Delta (local daily newspaper)

Isis Frausto-Vicencio spent her winter break planning a trip to Mars instead of relaxing and it paid off. The College of the Sequoias freshman is headed to NASA.

Frausto-Vicencio, 18, has earned a spot in the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program.

Local gridders to help Solano College fight for football program
The Napa Valley Register (local daily newspaper)
The Solano Community College governing board voted last week to eliminate the school’s football program for next year due to budget woes. But on Tuesday, it was business as usual for the Falcons, the two-time defending Bay Valley Conference champions, who started offseason conditioning workouts.

Woman featured in Book of Dreams honored for Sacramento City College achievement
The Modesto Bee (daily newspaper)

In November 2010, Ruth Welland, a 37-year-old Sacramento City College student, was featured in The Bee's Book of Dreams. Welland, who had lost her sight seven years earlier as a result of diabetes, needed a $500 desktop personal computer to help with her studies. Bee readers responded with donations, filling the need.

45 years of survey data show first-year students' financial concerns are on the rise
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Today's freshmen are more focused on the financial benefits of a college education than were their counterparts four decades ago. Freshmen now are also more racially and ethnically diverse, harbor higher expectations for the college experience, and are increasingly interested in pursuing graduate degrees.

Davis ranks highly in rural health care training
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade periodical)

The UC Davis    UC Davis Latest from The Business Journals UC Davis Cancer Center bumped up to elite comprehensive designationMercy Foundation chooses Duggan as permanent CEOIHOP promotion helps UC Davis kids’ hospital Follow this company School of Medicine ranks among America’s top medical schools for the quality of its educational programs in rural medicine, primary care and research, according to U.S. News & World Report.

After 244 years, Encyclopedia Britannica stops the presses
The New York Times - Media Decoder blog (national daily newspaper)

After 244 years, the Encyclopaedia Britannica is going out of print.

Those coolly authoritative, gold-lettered reference books that were once sold door-to-door by a fleet of traveling salesmen and displayed as proud fixtures in American homes will be discontinued, company executives said.

March 12, 2012

Tax revenues still lag in California
The Central Valley Business Times (local business trade periodical)

•  February receipts 3.2 percent below budget

•  ‘The state will be able to pay its bills for the remainder of this fiscal year’

Taxes and fees collected by the state of California came in $146.3 million or 3.2 percent below the latest projections contained in the Governor's proposed 2012-13 budget, according to a report Monday from state Controller John Chiang.

California lawmakers under fire in university budget battles
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

With anger bubbling on college campuses, spending on higher education is expected to remain a flash point as California lawmakers hash out this year's state budget.

"Public higher education in California is really in a crisis, probably the most severe crisis that most of us have seen in a generation," said Jaime Regalado, emeritus professor of political science at Cal State Los Angeles. As more students take to the streets, he said, "it's going to become harder and harder and harder for the politicians to ignore."

Chamber takes no position on Gov. Jerry Brown's tax plan; opposes rivals
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

The California Chamber of Commerce announced its opposition today to two of Gov. Jerry Brown's tax rivals but remained silent on the governor's own plan, tacitly giving his proposal a boost as he tries to thin the field.
The Chamber's board voted to oppose a tax on millionaires circulated by the California Federation of Teachers, as well as a progressive income tax hike on most earners backed by wealthy attorney Molly Munger. It did not take a vote on Brown's initiative, according to Chamber president and CEO Allan Zaremberg.

LBCC faces devastating budget cuts
The Long Beach Post (local daily newspaper)

Long Beach City College is struggling to deal with unanticipated mid-year cuts this year, and major cuts in the 2012 – 2013 fiscal year and beyond due to declining budget support from the state and increasing operating costs.
 
“Long Beach City College is facing devastating budget cuts that have been imposed on all of California’s community colleges by the state,” said LBCC President Eloy Ortiz Oakley.  “Unfortunately, the news going forward is worse, with millions more being cut, increased student demand, and no new revenues or support projected for several years.”

California small-business survey has bright spots amid gloom
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

California's small-business owners worry about the economy, regulatory burdens and taxes, but they're also concerned about the deteriorating quality of public education and crumbling roads and other public works.

Those are the findings of an annual survey of 1,067 small-business executives just released by Small Business California, an advocacy group.

Employers -- just over half of them with 19 workers or less -- have trouble finding capable staff and then have trouble navigating clogged freeways, said Scott Hauge, a San Francisco insurance broker who is Small Business California's founder and president.

College freshman in California could be asked to declare sexual orientation
ABC News (national TV news website)

College freshman entering the University of California system next year could be asked to identify themselves as gay, straight, bi, or transgender when they accept their admissions offer.

The system’s Academic Senate initiated the proposal, which would add an additional question to the statements of intent students fill out when deciding to go to the University of California. The statements already include a host of identifiers such as race,  gender, and ethnicity.

Tea Party group effort would take gay history out of school books
The San Bernardino Sun (local daily newspaper)

REDLANDS - The Redlands Tea Party Patriots are working to collect signatures from residents to help repeal the FAIR Education Act (Senate Bill 48).

The act amends the Education Code to require schools across the state to integrate factual information about social movements, current events and the history of people with disabilities and those from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered community into existing social studies lessons.

Since its introduction into California law last July when the measure was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, SB 48 has received its fair share of support and controversy.

March 8, 2012

Jerry Brown tax measure has slim majority in poll
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown appears to face an uphill battle persuading Californians to approve his temporary tax hikes after a poll released Wednesday found that only a slight majority of likely voters back the Democrat's ballot measure.

Poll: California voters again torn over taxes, budget cuts
Capital Public Radio (Sacramento area public radio stations)

Most California voters say they’ve been affected by state budget cuts. But they’re far more torn on how to close the deficit and only a slim majority support Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax proposal, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll.

March 7, 2012

Majority of California voters favor Brown tax plan, poll shows
Bloomberg News (national business news publication)

Just over half of California’s likely voters support Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to boost income taxes on those making $250,000 or more and raise sales levies to help balance state spending, according to a new poll.

Jerry Brown tries new line of attack against rival tax measures
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

Backers of Gov. Jerry Brown's measure to raise upper-income and sales taxes have found a new line of attack against rival tax-initiative proposals: Those other measures, they say, do nothing to help the state's $9.2-billion deficit.

Assembly panel rejects Brown's cuts in college aid
The Los Angeles Times - PolitiCal blog (national daily newspaper)

An Assembly subcommittee on Wednesday rejected Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to trim state-funded college scholarships known as CalGrants, two days after thousands protested budget cuts at the Capitol.

Students packed the hearing in opposition to the cuts, which lawmakers said could "disenfranchise" those seeking college degrees.

State Sen. Carol Liu warns of education funding cuts, budget quagmire
The Glendale News-Press (local daily newspaper)

Competing tax initiatives on November ballot could result in more funding cuts to education, State Senator says.

Sociology, psychology, and the S.T.A.A.
The Courier (Pasadena City College student newspaper)

Community College Chancellor announces retirement

The Chancellor of California Community Colleges Jack Scott, former PCC president, announced Tuesday that he would be retiring from his position this year. Full story

Occupying the Capitol
The San Francisco Bay Guardian (Bay Area online news source)

It's an unseasonably hot day at UC Davis, and student activists are milling around a tent city, set up especially for 100 people arriving from a four-day March on Education. The school, one of the hubs of the Occupy movement, gained notoriety when public safety Officer John Pike casually pepper sprayed a line students during a sit-in back in November. Now, officers bike through the idyllic scene, smiling and chatting up occupiers.

Modesto JC begins budget forums to address cuts
The Modesto Bee (daily newspaper)

A standing-room-only crowd packed a Modesto Junior College lecture hall to attend the first of a series of budget forums planned to address coming cuts across the Yosemite Community College District.
More than 150 faculty, staff and students listened intently during the session, which addressed the current $149 million systemwide shortfall and the possibility of even deeper cuts if the November tax ballot initiatives aren't passed.

SMC students outraged by funding plan
The Malibu Patch (community online news source)

Board would restore classes by creating a foundation that would charge more per unit than community college students now pay but less than those at CSUs and UCs. Despite protests, trustees start the ball rolling.

Community colleges plug into EV chargers
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

San Diego Community College District has installed 16 charging stations for electric vehicles on several of its campuses.

COS interim president not to seek permanent position
The Visalia Times-Delta (local newspaper)

Brent Calvin, interim president for College of the Sequoias, announced Tuesday he will not seek a permanent position with the college when his appointment ends in July.

Calvin, who previously served as the college's athletic director and dean of business and social sciences, cited the desire to spend time with his family as a driving factor behind the decision.

UCLAs civil rights project reports how minorities can transfer to four-year universities quicker
The Sundial (California State University, Northridge student newspaper)

After learning that more than 70 percent of Southern California community college students fail to transfer to a four-year university within six years, the Civil Rights Project at UCLA has researched ways to improve these numbers.

The project came up with several ways minority students can improve their progress towards a degree, and released them in three reports on Feb. 14.

U.S. warns Apple, publishers
The Wall Street Journal (national daily business newspaper)

The Justice Department has warned Apple Inc. and five of the biggest U.S. publishers that it plans to sue them for allegedly colluding to raise the price of electronic books, according to people familiar with the matter.

Could many universities follow Borders bookstores into oblivion
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Atlanta — Higher education’s spin on the Silicon Valley garage. That was the vision laid out in September, when the Georgia Institute of Technology announced a new lab for disruptive ideas, the Center for 21st Century Universities. During a visit to Atlanta last week, I checked in to see how things were going, sitting down with Richard A. DeMillo, the center’s director and Georgia Tech’s former dean of computing, and Paul M.A. Baker, the center’s associate director. We talked about challenges and opportunities facing colleges at a time of economic pain and technological change—among them the chance that many universities might follow Borders Bookstores into oblivion.

CA faces teacher shortage as more retire
California Watch (California investigative news publication)

The percentage of California educators reaching retirement age is rising rapidly, while the number of newly credentialed teachers has decreased for the seventh year in a row, new reports show.

The findings have important implications for school budgets and staffing, as older educators typically command higher salaries and will need a new workforce to take their place at retirement.

California Republicans see an outside chance for a competitive June primary
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Looking east on Super Tuesday, California's presidential primary election found hope.
Not much, perhaps – the Republican nominating contest may still be over by the time California votes in June – but enough that Republicans are giving the possibility some thought.

Silicon Valley leaders take up the Dream on behalf of young migrants
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

With the Dream Act in limbo, a loose coalition of Silicon Valley tech leaders is working to help undocumented students attend college, prepare for jobs and find ways to legalize their status.

UC Davis students give classmates a hand up
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Sometimes students just need a bunch of money. Fast.

Their roommate moved out suddenly, and they got stuck with the rent bill. Their parents paid for tuition - until learning their son or daughter was gay. Or switched majors. Maybe their car was impounded. Their laptop was stolen. Or their textbook costs nearly $200.

Raising revenue at elite public universities
The Christian Science Monitor - blog/opinion (national news publication)

As a professor at a leading public university, I have a strong stake in helping UCLA identify new sources of revenue.  While we can chant "China, China, China", I believe in a diversified revenue stream.   Due to political pressure, public universities will not be able to continue to sharply increase tuition.  Federal grant dollars from NSF and NIH will soon start to decline.  How will $ continue to flow to Universities?

Unregulated for-profits receive big chunk of military spouse tuition aid
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

The Department of Defense spent $65 million last year on its tuition benefit program for military spouses. About 40 percent of that amount -- $25.3 million -- was used at for-profit colleges that operate outside the regulatory reach of the U.S. Department of Education and do not qualify for other federal financial aid programs.

Jerry Brown pushes his tax proposal
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that two tax proposals likely to be competing with his tax measure on the November ballot would do little or nothing to solve the state's persistent deficit and would create even bigger fiscal problems resulting in further spending cuts.

Dan Walters: This year's California state budget could be bizarre exercise
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

Political machinations over the state budget dominate every legislative session, but this year's version of the annual budget game may be particularly bizarre due to a confluence of unusual factors, to wit:
• Not only is it an election year, but incumbents and aspirants will be running in districts that have been altered, sometimes hugely, by the state's new redistricting commission.

Borrowing costs for California bullet train are revised upward
The Associated Press (national news service)

LOS ANGELES -- California's distressed state budget will have to allot more than $700 million each year to repay billions of dollars that officials plan to borrow to build the first phase of a proposed bullet train, a nonpartisan government research office has found.

The repayment projection by the state legislative analyst's office includes principal and interest on $9.95 billion in high-speed rail bonds approved by voters in 2008. The figure is higher than in the past -- partly because of higher borrowing rates -- and does not count millions of dollars already being paid annually on about $500 million in debt incurred to plan the system.

March 6, 2012

Former Pasadena legislator, PCC president, Jack Scott to retire as head of state community college system
The Pasadena Star News (local daily newspaper)

Jack Scott, chancellor of California Community Colleges who retains deep ties to the Pasadena area, said Tuesday he will step down as head of the nation's largest system of higher education on Sept. 1.

Scott, a former state senator and assemblyman representing the Pasadena area and a former president of Pasadena City College, is retiring after nearly six decades in higher education and public service.

Head of community colleges steps down
KMJ News 580 AM (Fresno area radio station)

The man who's headed up California's community colleges for the past three years says he's retiring. Jack Scott announced Tuesday that he's winding down his career and will step down this fall.
   
The 78 year old former democratic state legislator has served as the state's Community College Chancellor since 2008 and led the country's largest community college district through some of the harshest economic times in its history.

California Community Colleges chancellor stepping down
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Jack Scott, a veteran and popular educator who has headed the state's community college system during a period of brutal budget cuts and was often a voice decrying the impact on students, announced Tuesday that he will retire as chancellor overseeing the 112 campuses.

Scott, 78, became chancellor of the nation's largest community college system in January 2009 after a long career as a state legislator and college campus leader, giving him rare insights into both politics and academia. A Democrat, he served in the Legislature for 12 years until 2000, as an assemblyman and senator from the Pasadena area, and previously was president of Pasadena City College and Cypress College.

Calif. Community Colleges chancellor Jack Scott to retire Sept. 1
KPCC 89.3 (Southern California public radio)

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said today that he will retire Sept. 1 after three years as head of the country's largest higher education system.

Scott, 78, caps off a lengthy 58-year career that included 12 years serving as a state senator and assemblymember representing Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank through 2008. Scott also served as president of Pasadena City College and Cypress College, and was a distinguished professor of higher education at Pepperdine University. He became chancellor of the state's community colleges Jan. 1, 2009.

Chancellor of California's 112-campus community college system to step down this year
The Associated Press (national news service)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The chancellor of California Community Colleges said Tuesday he plans to step down later this year as head of the nation's largest system of higher education.

Jack Scott, who became chancellor in January 2009, said he will retire on Sept. 1, after nearly six decades in higher education and public service.

Community colleges chancellor Jack Scott announces retirement
EdSource Extra! (education trade periodical)

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott announced that he will step down as head of the nation’s largest system of higher education, effective on September 1.

In a statement released today, Scott, 78, said he would do consulting and speak publicly on a part-time basis. But mainly, he said, he wants “to take it easy” after a 58-year career, which included a stint as president of Pasadena City College and Cypress College and multiple terms as an influential state lawmaker in both the state Assembly and state Senate where he served as chairman of the Education Committee.California community-college chancellor to retire

California community-college chancellor to retire

The Chronicle of Higher Education - The Ticker blog (education trade periodical)

Jack Scott, chancellor of the California community-college system, announced today that he would retire on September 1. Before leading the 112-college system—the nation’s largest—Mr. Scott served as a state legislator, including as chairman of the Senate education committee, a distinguished professor of higher education at Pepperdine University, president of Pasadena City College, and president of Cypress College. As chancellor, Mr. Scott worked to improve the transfer process for students and helped craft the recommendations of a task force designed to help increase transfer, graduation, and certificate-attainment rates.

UC president gives kudos to his higher ed colleague
KPCC 89.3 (Southern California public radio)

University of California President Mark Yudof released a statement on California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott's announcement today that he will retire as of Sept. 1.

"During his long public career, Chancellor Scott has proven to be an unwavering champion of public education in California. As steward of the vital California Community Colleges, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to California’s Master Plan for Higher Education, fully dedicated to the idea that, by working together, California’s higher education segments have given this state a model for the world to follow. He also has been a courageous and reliable ally in the ongoing struggle to reverse the chronic disinvestment by the state in public higher education. I wish him and Lacreta all the best in retirement."

MSJC students honored for accomplishments
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

Four Mt. San Jacinto College students will be recognized for their academic, leadership and community service accomplishments at a lunch today in Sacramento hosted by the Community College League, made up of the community college districts in the state.

Police arrest 68 people protesting education cuts inside Calif. state capitol
MSNBC.com (national news website)

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A day of boisterous protests over cuts to higher education that included thousands of students swarming the state Capitol ended with dozens of arrests after demonstrators refused to leave the building.

Authorities on Monday evening arrested 68 people, most of whom will be charged with trespassing, the California Highway Patrol said. Four people were arrested earlier in the day.

CHP releases 66 of 72 arrested in day of Calif. Capitol protests over higher education cuts
The Associated Press (national news service)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nearly all of the 72 people arrested during this week’s protests over funding for higher education at the state Capitol have been released, the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday.

Police cited 66 of the 68 protesters who occupied the Capitol rotunda Monday night for trespassing and released them about three hours later at a 24-hour Walmart in West Sacramento, CHP Officer Sean Kennedy said Tuesday.

 

 

March 5, 2012

Closer look: Reforms sought at California Community Colleges
KPIX Channel 5 - video clip (San Francisco area CBS TV affiliate)

As UC and CSU campuses become more competitive and expensive, two groups want the state's community colleges to give priority to recent high school graduates. Allen Martin reports.

Obama initiative aims to link colleges and businesses
The Martinez News-Gazette (local daily newspaper)

California, home to a quarter of the nation's community college students, could reap huge benefits from President Obama's $8 billion plan to pair local businesses and schools.

Local colleges such as Diablo Valley College are among the hundreds of community colleges expected to compete for the money aimed at teaching students the skills they need to fill job opportunities in their community.

Teachers union leads in record year of lobbying lawmakers
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Sacramento—

State Assemblyman Warren Furutani looked out over a sea of red — protesting oil industry workers wearing scarlet T-shirts — and saw trouble for his plan to raise $2.5 billion for universities with a tax on crude.

Poll shows voters support mix of spending cuts and tax increases to balance budget
The Encinitas Patch (community news website)

A totally revamped and updated California Budget Challenge, a nonpartisan budget simulation tool, goes live online today as a new poll pinpoints the budget balancing strategies most California voters favor.

The poll, commissioned by the nonpartisan organization Next 10 and conducted by the Field Research Corporation, shows that a majority of California voters (52 percent) back an equal mix of spending cuts and tax increases in order to balance the state’s budget shortfall, which stands at more than $9 billion. The poll also found that a majority of those surveyed (71 percent) say that the cumulative budget cuts made in Sacramento since 2009 directly impact their families.

Solano Community College cancels its summer session
The Vacaville Reporter (local daily newspaper)

Seeking to relieve some fiscal pressure before the start of fall classes, Solano Community College leaders on Friday canceled the summer session at its four campuses, shaving $1 million from the 2012-13 budget.

"It's painful to have to do this," Jowel Laguerre, the Fairfield-based college's superintendent-president, said Friday afternoon, shortly after issuing a press release.

Report: Community college chancellor's office needs more authority
The San Diego Union-Tribune (local daily newspaper)

Several bills introduced in the last few years have tried – unsuccessfully – to reform the California Community Colleges system by changing its funding formula or its governance structure.

February 28, 2012

Commission: Community Colleges should take over adult schools run by school districts

EdSource Extra By Louis Freedberg

Community colleges should take over all adult school programs from cash-strapped school districts, the Little Hoover Commission, the state watchdog agency, recommended yesterday.

February 23, 2012

Community colleges face unexpected budget deficit
The Associated Press (international news agency)

February 22, 2012

Community colleges hit by $149-million shortfall
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

California community colleges were struggling Tuesday to absorb an unexpected $149-million budget shortfall that will mean more class cuts, layoffs, borrowing and probable elimination of summer programs affecting thousands of students.

In the latest fallout from California's ongoing fiscal crisis, the state's 112 community colleges reported that revenues from students' fees are $107 million below projections for the current fiscal year as more economically strapped students seek and receive fee waivers. In addition, property tax revenues also fell short of estimates by about $41 million.

Unexpected cuts for CA colleges
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. California community colleges are facing a midyear budget cut. No, not the $102 million January trigger cut; that’s so last month. This one is being called the “February surprise,” and it triggered this tweet from California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott:

“#CA #Comm_Colleges will take another $149M unexpected cut this year. The state must stop disinvestment in #highered”

Tour highlights Obama's push for more collaboration between community colleges and businesses
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Two high-profile representatives of the Obama administration will hit the road today on a three-day, five-state bus tour to draw attention to successful partnerships between community colleges and businesses.

Amid rising concern over unemployment, the administration prominently called on community colleges and businesses to collaborate more during the White House Summit on Community Colleges back in 2010. Its newest proposal is the Community College to Career Fund, which would provide $8-billion to two-year colleges and states to work with companies to train an estimated two million workers in high-growth industries.

Educators laud $1.55 million from Chevron
The Bakersfield Californian (local daily newspaper)

Flanked by two banners -- one that read, "The future will run on innovation," and another stating, "Today's explorers have engineering degrees" -- representatives from local colleges, middle schools and high schools hailed Chevron on Tuesday for a $1.55 million donation to science education here.

"The money Chevron is spending, it really makes a difference," said Mike Zulfa, assistant superintendent of instruction at the Kern High School District. Five high school campuses in KHSD will get $170,000 of Chevron's donation for Project Lead the Way, an educational program focusing on science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

A better approach to 'gainful employment'
Inside Higher Education (education trade periodical)

On February 9, Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, introduced a bill on the Senate floor entitled the “Student Right to Know Before You Go Act.” The bill gained bipartisan and bicameral support when it was introduced in the House by Duncan Hunter (a Republican from California and chairman of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education). 

February 21, 2012

California community colleges warn of ballooning budget gap
The Los Angeles Times - blog (national daily newspaper)

California’s community colleges, already suffering from steep funding cuts, are facing a yawning hole in their budgets this year.

The Community College League of California said Tuesday that plummeting revenue from student fees and a dip in property tax revenue has created a $149-million deficit.

The bad news comes as the colleges are coping with $415 million in state budget cuts this year.

Speed puts community colleges front and center
The Associated Press (international news service)

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — Fitzpatrick Manufacturing Co. is a high-tech job shop, crafting super-precise parts for machines used in everything from robotics to aerospace to oil exploration. Macomb Community College lies a few miles down the road in this Detroit suburb.

Sometimes it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

Fitzpatrick's 93 employees are constantly in and out of Macomb, taking classes with a tuition reimbursement from the company. And so frequently are Macomb instructors at Fitzpatrick's plant to offer lessons on the esoteric technology used there that the company built a classroom, now lined with about 250 diplomas and certificates employees have earned. Company president Kevin LaComb describes the school as concierge-style job training — exactly what his workers need to keep a quality advantage over lower-cost competitors overseas.

Jerry Brown bound for Washington, will meet with Obama
The Sacramento Bee - blog (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown, who has rarely left the state since taking office last year, will travel to Washington this weekend to meet with President Barack Obama and governors at the National Governors Association's winter meeting.
The Democratic governor is scheduled to meet with Obama, senior administration officials, California's congressional delegation and the Chinese ambassador, among other meetings.

Should California community colleges prioritize enrollment to help students graduate earlier

Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

By the end of this week, the Student Success Act of 2012 should be officially introduced in the Legislature, launching the debate on how to improve success rates at California’s community colleges.  The Act is necessary to implement some of the 22 recommendations of the Student Success Task Force, which spent the last year developing the proposals and soliciting feedback at dozens of public hearings across the state.

Success begets success
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Community colleges can improve graduation rates by offering a course that teaches students how to navigate college with lessons on study skills, time management and how to find the bursar’s office. Yet while “student success” courses are increasingly common, resistance remains strong at many community colleges.

That’s because all courses come with costs, through hiring or shifting faculty, finding classrooms and creating curriculums. And some academics don’t like the idea of spending limited resources or awarding credit on classes that teach note-taking or other basic skills.

Another challenge is turf wars over deciding which department should manage a student success course. If the class is housed in the communications department, for example, that probably means communications can include one less traditional course among its offerings.

A very rough road for community college students
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Foster Washington knows the odds are against him. The Los Angeles Southwest College student is a 20-year-old from a tough neighborhood in Watts where, he says, there was little encouragement or preparation for college.

Recent studies suggest that students such as Washington are the least likely to stay in school, get a degree or transfer to a four-year university, hampering their future job prospects.

Tax plans would boost schools but leave social safety net vulnerable
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

As education groups battle over which California tax initiative would give the biggest boost to schools, advocates for low-income residents fear safety-net programs remain vulnerable no matter what happens on the ballot in November.

How and why to get an on-campus job
U.S. News & World Report (national daily newspaper)

Many students want or need to work during college, but not all jobs are created equal. Working on campus is something every student should give serious consideration.

JULIE:

Recently, I attended a Parent Association Advisory Board meeting at the University of Kansas, and the conversation turned to students working during college. The college administrators present reminded me of the special advantages of working on campus.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Jerry Brown and Gray Davis a study in contrasts

If Californians believed that electing Democrat Jerry Brown as governor would mean a big break with Republican predecessor Arnold Schwarzenegger, they must be disappointed. On the chronically imbalanced state budget and other issues, such as water and global warming, Brown has generally picked up where Schwarzenegger left off. The differences, such as they are, exist only on the outer margins of policy. Brown is somewhat more willing to cut spending than Schwarzenegger, and his tax-increase proposal is more modest than the one Schwarzenegger signed.

Going green will cost California more green

The state of California has made a full-blown commitment to reducing reliance on fossil-fuel energy and other limited resources. Utilities are required to use solar, wind and geothermal sources for a third of their electricity supply by 2020, while owners of homes and businesses are being urged to install solar panels. The state is mandating that automakers dramatically ramp up sales of battery-powered and other low-emission cars. It is imposing new cap-and-trade emission controls on business with hefty fees.

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

It still should be a full-time job

LA Times -- A brief email to Assembly aides from the speaker's office inadvertently made a strong case for demoting the California Legislature to part-time status. It was sent last Monday and referred to that afternoon's Assembly meeting in the house chamber: "Everyone made it on time to the 14-minute Session. Yay! Thank you all very much. That made everything so much easier today." A 14-minute shift to start the workweek? For a "full-time" outfit?The Assembly and Senate usually meet twice a week in floor session, on Mondays and Thursdays.

MATIER AND ROSS COLUMN

CSU professors to be paid for protest day

SF Chronicle -- California State University East Bay professors who played hooky to protest state budget cuts - but then put in for a full day's pay - are getting a pass from the system's chancellor. "Following the California Faculty Association's one-day strike at California State Universities Dominguez Hills and East Bay on Nov. 17, 2011, faculty on your campuses were asked to properly report their time for that day," CSU Chancellor Charles Reed wrote in a Feb. 13 memo. At CSU Dominguez Hills in Carson (Los Angeles County), where there was a sign-in system, 359 faculty members did not work that day - meaning their pay could be docked.

MARY ANN MILBOURN COLUMN

California unemployment payouts drop $40 million a day

OC Register -- California paid out $1.3 billion in unemployment benefits in December or about $60 million a day, the state Employment Development Department reports.That’s a $40 million-a-day drop from December two years ago when California’s unemployment rate was 10% compared to 8.5% last December.  In 2009, the state wrote $2.2 billion in benefits checks — about $100 million a day. Total payouts declined in December, in part, because Congress ended an extra $25-a-week in benefits in December 2010. The extra benefits were part of the economic stimulus package approved during the height of the recession.

BUDGET

Tax plans would boost schools but leave social safety net vulnerable

Sac Bee -- As education groups battle over which California tax initiative would give the biggest boost to schools, advocates for low-income residents fear safety-net programs remain vulnerable no matter what happens on the ballot in November. Proponents for three competing tax measures are focusing heavily on schools because voters prioritize education funding most. But it remains an open question how other programs will fare. Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal raises several billion dollars for the state's general fund that he says would help protect schools from severe reductions.

Trying to save $1 billion on seniors’ health care could backfire

OC Register -- About 1.2 million California seniors and people with disabilities are dual-enrolled in Medi-Cal and Medicare. Their care, however, is fragmented, as no single organization coordinates their services. The result: increased health care costs.Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing to reduce those costs by $679 million in the next fiscal year by integrating the services of dual-enrolled Californians under a managed care plan. His idea, which was included as part of his January budget plan, calls for expanding a recently authorized coordinated care pilot project.

As tobacco sales fall, state budget suffers

California Watch -- Fewer smokers is bad news for California’s budget. A major bond rating agency sounded an alarm this month, saying the state may have borrowed more than $4 billion against settlement money that might never materialize. A little more than a decade ago, 46 state attorneys general reached a settlement with the four biggest tobacco companies. The companies agreed to pay an estimated $246 billion over a 25-year period to compensate states for tobacco-related health care costs. But there is one quirk: The settlement payments are not fixed, but linked to tobacco sales.

Failed legal fight over video games costs California nearly $2 million

Sac Bee -- Designed to protect California kids from video games of murder and mayhem, a law that was passed six years ago but never took effect wound up costing state taxpayers nearly $2 million. The final check for nearly a million dollars is expected to be written soon, a settlement contained in a routine legislative claims bill passed by the Senate and awaiting Assembly action. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown, governor and attorney general at the time, supported appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court despite the state's 2009 fiscal crisis and defeats in two lower courts.

EDUCATION

Heavy competition for school tax measures

UT San Diego -- Unless someone blinks, voters could face three competing measures on the November ballot that will ask them to raise taxes in the name of schools. The individual merits of each have been largely overshadowed by growing warnings that the powerful sponsors — Gov. Jerry Brown, teacher unions and the PTA, among them — must either coalesce behind a single initiative or risk having voters turn down all three.Better one then none is the advice. “The more measures on the ballot, the greater the chance for voter confusion. And confused voters tend to vote no,” Jack Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College, said in an email.

UC chancellor raised no objection to baton report

SF Chronicle -- E-mails have surfaced that for the first time reveal UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau was informed on Nov. 9 while traveling that police used batons to forcibly remove an encampment involving hundreds of student Occupy protesters, yet did not call a halt to their use. The use of force was criticized as excessive not only by students who were hit and are suing the university, but also by faculty and others. The Nov. 9 protest is under investigation by a campus Police Review Board to determine who authorized use of batons by police, seen on video hitting nonviolent student protesters who had pitched tents in violation of campus policy.

PENSIONS

Bill puts $250,000 limit on compensation to calculate CA pensions

Sac Bee -- Democratic Assemblyman Jerry Hill of San Mateo reintroduced a measure last week that caps the amount of state and local government employees' compensation used for pension calculations. Assembly Bill 1639 would bring the state and local pensions in line with IRS rules that limit pensionable compensation. This year the limit is $250,000, up from $245,000 in 2011. The law allows exemptions from the limit for public institutions. A few years ago the University of California's pension system was granted just such an exemption, although it wasn't implemented.

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER EDITORIALS

Bad budget news for Jerry Brown

The state's independent Legislative Analyst's Office warns that Gov. Jerry Brown relies on too much money from cap-and-trade taxes to shore up the state's beleaguered budget. In his 2012-13 budget, the governor overestimates how much relief he can expect from businesses forced to buy "credits" beginning in August to permit greenhouse gas emissions. The 2011-12 budget fell billions short of Mr. Brown's projected revenue, despite his boast last year that it was balanced.

RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTERPRISE EDITORIALS

Fiscal fantasy

California needs state budgets built on realistic estimates, not spending plans constructed on wishful thinking and improbable assumptions. The governor’s proposal to use money from the state greenhouse gas law is the latest in a long line of shaky fiscal ideas. The Legislature should reject such schemes, and instead craft an honest, realistic budget. The state’s legislative analyst reported last week that Gov. Jerry Brown overstated the amount of money the state budget can expect from AB 32. That 2006 legislation requires California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Unshackling schools

California needs to fix a school financing system that is outdated, arbitrary and inefficient. The governor’s proposed redesign of school financing offers a good starting point for reforms. Legislators should build on that plan to offer a more rational and effective approach to spending education dollars. The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee last week held the first hearing on Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to revamp California school finance. The session was only the first of many hearings the plan will undergo, and legislators will need to weigh a host of complex issues before any final decision.

SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIALS

Community colleges chart new path

Community colleges offer opportunity for millions of Californians seeking to better themselves. But that vital system has been neglected and must be righted. In 2010, lawmakers passed a bill focused on an alarming reality: "The low rate of degree completion among community college students is threatening California's economic future." Senate Bill 1143, by Sen. Carol Liu, required the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to " adopt a plan for promoting and improving student success" by March 1 of this year. After a year of work, a 20-member task force presented its recommendations, adopted in January by the board.

SAN BERNARDINO SUN EDITORIALS

Cancel corrupt officials' pensions

It's hard to argue with Assemblyman Paul Cook's latest bill introductions. His Assembly Bill 1653 would prevent any public employee working for an elected official from receiving a pension if the staffer is convicted of bribery, embezzlement or other offenses arising from official duties as a public employee. The companion bill, A.B. 1654, would bar such staff members from holding employment at any government agency for five years after the conviction.Both measures seem perfectly reasonable to us. They should sail through the Legislature and be signed by the governor.

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE EDITORIALS

Bullet train: No semantic antics, please

Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent pronouncement that the $98 billion price tag for the state’s bedraggled high-speed rail project was far too high suggests that the next version of the bullet train’s business plan – now due in mid-March – will include some profound changes. Some state lawmakers and rail insiders expect the new proposal to essentially give up on building new tracks in the metropolitan Bay Area and in Los Angeles and Orange counties in favor of a system that links the southern tip of the former region with the northern tip of the latter region, then relies on upgraded existing tracks to get folks where they want to go, albeit at much slower speeds.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS EDITORIALS

California must block blatant Delta water grab

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, wants to solve the budding Delta water calamity in the worst way. Literally. Nunes wants to give priority for San Joaquin River water to Central Valley farmers, which could mean drying up the San Joaquin River for a 40-mile stretch and destroying the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta ecosystem, the largest estuary west of the Mississippi. Silicon Valley receives nearly half of its water from the Delta. Valley leaders must join forces to stop one of the most blatant water grabs in California history. And, yes, that's saying something.

SANTA ROSA PRESS DEMOCRAT EDITORIALS

Many ideas need to save state parks

From schoolchildren to community groups to wealthy donors, state parks are finding allies committed to keeping the gates open. So far, 10 parks have been removed from the list of 70 marked for closure by this summer. There is no single formula for saving a park, but the bottom line is, of course, the bottom line. The state says closing parks will save $22 million a year. That's debatable, but any group that plans to keep a park open will need operating money or a credible plan to raise it.

February 20, 2012

CSULB to consider tightening entrance requirements
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

LONG BEACH - Faced with ongoing state budget cuts and a record number of undergraduate applications, Cal State Long Beach is considering changes to its entrance requirements that will likely make it harder for some students to get accepted.

Beginning Friday, the university will have a series of three public hearings to discuss the proposed changes that would start in the 2013-2014 academic year. The Cal State University Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the policy change later this year.

YouTube enlists big-name help to redefine channels
The Associated Press (national news agency)

CULVER CITY, Calif. -- YouTube is enlisting Hollywood's help to reach a generation of viewers more familiar with smartphones than TV remotes.
The online video giant is aiming to create 25 hours of programming per day with the help of some of the top names in traditional TV. The Google-owned site is spreading its wealth among producers, directors, and other filmmakers, using a $100 million pot of seed money it committed last fall. The fund represents YouTube's largest spending on original content so far.

February 19, 2012

Community colleges chart new path
The Sacramento Bee - editorial (daily newspaper)

Community colleges offer opportunity for millions of Californians seeking to better themselves. But that vital system has been neglected and must be righted.

In 2010, lawmakers passed a bill focused on an alarming reality: "The low rate of degree completion among community college students is threatening California's economic future." Senate Bill 1143, by Sen. Carol Liu, required the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to " adopt a plan for promoting and improving student success" by March 1 of this year.

California finance director is someone the governor can count on
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The gig: The director of the California Finance Department, Ana Matosantos helps the governor shape California's $87-billion general fund budget. The youngest person ever appointed to the post and the first Latina, Matosantos, now 36, has gained a reputation as a fiscal straight shooter respected by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. A registered Democrat, Matosantos was appointed to the job in December 2009 by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. She proved so adept at crafting budget solutions that incoming Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown reappointed her in January 2011.

In the last year, Matosantos helped Brown whittle the state's budget deficit to $5 billion from $20 billion, putting California on a path toward boosting its credit rating and bringing its finances into balance. Matosantos likens the job to doing "trigonometry … trying to make sure we understand how all the pieces are fitting together, to make sure things happen according to the plan and to adjust and adapt."

U.S. manufacturing sees shortage of skilled factory workers
The Washington Post (national daily newspaper)

HOLLAND, Mich. — This stretch of the Rust Belt might seem like an easy place to find factory workers.

Unemployment hovers above 9 percent. Foreign competition has thrown many out of work. It is a platitude that this industrial hub, like the country itself, needs more manufacturing work.

February 18, 2012

Steve Glazer advises Jerry Brown as tax measure heads for November ballot
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Steve Glazer waited alone backstage in San Diego as Gov. Jerry Brown finished speaking at the California Democratic Party's annual convention last weekend. Then together they slipped from the convention hall to a private, high-dollar fundraiser at a nearby hotel.

February 16, 2012

Brown's budget can't count on cap-and-trade revenue, analyst says
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

In another blow to the state budget, the state's Legislative Analyst's Office said Gov. Jerry Brown should not count on $500 million in revenue from California's controversial cap-and-trade emissions control program to help balance the budget. Only one-fifth of that sum could be spent without major hurdles, the nonpartisan office concluded in a report issued Thursday.

The money, to be generated in an auction of permits allowing major polluters to emit greenhouse gases, can legally be spent only on reducing carbon emissions, the analyst's office said.

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Little initiative for change

LA Times -- California's century-old ballot initiative system is cherished and cockeyed. What began as political reform — giving citizens the power of direct democracy — has become a tool of special interests and a plaything for nut jobs. Voters tend to become confused, gullible and even more cynical. So here are a couple of suggestions, neither of them new. But their time has come.—Strip the state attorney general of the power to summarize ballot measures for voters. Give it to someone who's nonpartisan, preferably the universally respected legislative analyst.

JOHN ORTIZ COLUMN

The State Worker: Pension measure autopsy shows multiple causes of death

Sac Bee -- We're in the ballot initiative wing of the California Political Causes Morgue. On the table, two public pension reform plans that died last week. Scalpel, please: Poisoning. The official language issued last month by Attorney General Kamala Harris to describe the measures' tainted public opinion. The AG picked "teachers, nurses, and peace officers" as public servants affected by the measures and implied that public employees and their families could not receive death and disability benefits. Voters polled by California Pension Reform, the group that wrote both measures, said the descriptions were a huge turnoff.

Study finds solar industry could add 18,000 jobs by 2015
Teatro Naturale (Italian agricultural news periodical)

A study released by the Centers of Excellence finds that job opportunities in the solar industry are expected to increase by up to 40 percent in the next three years.

The “Solar Industry & Occupations: Distributed and Utility-scale Generation” report also looked at the availability of community college courses and programs educating potential employees for the solar industry in California. The researchers concluded that community colleges statewide have responded adequately to solar employment demand, with at least 54 colleges statewide providing some type of training.

PENSIONS

CalPERS report undermines Gov. Jerry Brown’s pension overhaul plan

LA Times -- CalPERS has a new report that says California Gov. Jerry Brown's idea to alter pensions with 401(k)-style plans won't help new workers and won't save California money, either. The California Public Employees Retirement System is the nation's largest public pension fund, and its new report undermines Brown’s efforts to change California’s pension system -- which the governor insists is unaffordable and unsustainable. CalPERS found that while some schools and local government agencies will probably save money, the expected savings to the state are “generally not significant.”

San Diego: Top city pensioner pulls down $307,000

UT San Diego -- More than $2.4 million is being paid out annually to the top 10 former employees in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System, according to a new report. Councilman and mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio commissioned a report from the city’s pension system that showed about 500 retired city employees receiving more than $100,000 a year in total compensation from their pensions in 2011. A former assistant city attorney tops the list, receiving $307,758 annually. “These payouts are the symbol of an unsustainable system,” DeMaio said.

TAXES

Study: Calif. taxes high, but not the highest

OC Register -- By some measures, California’s tax burden lands the state in the nation’s top 10 – but you can’t blame Sacramento alone for the ranking. A study by the Tax Foundation found that the state’s state and local tax burden per person was $4,910 in 2009, sixth highest nationwide. (No. 1 is Connecticut at $7,256.) But local taxes were a key reason for California’s ranking being so high.When you look at all state revenue – including taxes, fees, licenses, and intergovernmental revenue – the amount per person is $5,292, landing California at 24th highest nationwide.

Californians for a Higher Education Contract want to change affordability and access to public higher education
California Newswire (online news distribution service)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — For over six months, Christopher Campbell, a recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine, has been spearheading a campaign, CHEC2012 (Californians for a Higher Education Contract), that will profoundly change affordability and access to public higher education for currently enrolled and future college students in California.

Campbell's proposed amendment to the California State Constitution stipulates that "any student in good standing at a California Public Postsecondary Institution will not see an increase in their fees or tuition while enrolled in a degree program."

An unlikely exchange
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

The following are excerpts from a recent exchange between Bob Shireman and Michael Clifford as moderated by Ariel Sokol (and edited by Inside Higher Ed).

Ariel Sokol: If the new gainful employment rules are good for regulating for-profits, why shouldn't they be used for every single Title IV institution?

Michael Clifford: For-profit institutions have argued for the last several years that they have been targeted. After all, if federal oversight (e.g., 90/10, GE) is good for the for-profits, why isn't it good for all of higher education?

February 15, 2012

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Misplaced budget priorities abound in California

Sac Bee -- The Save Mart supermarket chain unveiled a plan Tuesday to keep Sacramento's public swimming pools open this summer and thus provide recreation for thousands of youngsters whose families can't afford backyard pools. The company will match donations from others with the goal of raising $1 million to save the pools, which were to be closed by the city government because of severe and continuous operating budget deficits. Good for Save Mart. It's stepping up to fill an obvious void. However, its benevolence merely underscores the chronically misplaced priorities among local and state governments in these days of financial constraints.

Calif. community colleges like Obama's $8 billion career-tech proposal
Capitol Public Radio 90.9 FM (Sacramento public radio station)

CPR file photo/Gerry McIntyre CPR file photo/Gerry McIntyre  

President Obama's budget may be getting a rough reception on Capitol Hill, but California community colleges are excited about his call for eight billion dollars to fund career-technical education.

It's just a proposal and needs Congressional approval.  But California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott says if it goes through, his colleges would be in a "strong position" to win some of the competitive grants.  Scott says many career-tech programs are already up and running - but state budget cuts have hindered the creation of new ones.

Pierce College students, faculty 'mourn' cutbacks
The Contra Costa Times (local daily newspaper)

WOODLAND HILLS - The casket marked with "rage" wound through Pierce College on Wednesday, trailed by long-faced mourners. | See photo gallery. | Watch video.

An estimated 150 students and faculty marched though the Woodland Hills campus to protest the effect of steep budget cuts, tuition hikes and fewer available classes.

D.A., district prove alleged improprieties at Trade-Tech College foundation
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A foundation created to help needy students at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College paid its director tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses, membership fees at exclusive private clubs and a $1,500 monthly car allowance, according to interviews and records reviewed by The Times.

The Trade-Tech Foundation paid a $5,000 initiation fee at the California Club in downtown Los Angeles for Executive Director Rhea Chung.

School scene or honors
The San Jose Mercury News (local daily newspaper)

Community college trustee reappointed

Gov. Jerry Brown has reappointed Danny Hawkins, 47, of San Jose, to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, where he has served since 2011. Hawkins is a senior systems administrator for the San Jose Evergreen Community College District. Before that, he served as the systems manager for Santa Clara University undergraduate admissions from 1988 to 1997.

Gifts to colleges rose 8.2% in 2011, survey finds
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

After two lackluster years, donations to U.S. colleges and universities rose last year by a healthy 8.2 percent, to an estimated $30.3-billion, according to a report by the Council for Aid to Education.

The total raised during the 2011 fiscal year, while economic news was mixed, comes close to the $31.6-billion brought in during 2008, the best year ever for giving to colleges. Adjusted for inflation, giving increased 4.8 percent.

Veterans in crisis can now text for help
Army Times (military newspaper)

Veterans and service members contemplating suicide can now text for help through the Veterans Crisis Line, formerly the national Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline.

The Veterans Affairs Department announced Wednesday that confidential text-messaging is available 24 hours a day by texting 83-8255.

Trained professionals will provide free mental health support, referrals and advice for military members, former service members and their families via texts.

PENSIONS

CalPERS will look again at adjusting forecast

Sac Bee -- CalPERS is going to look again at adjusting its investment forecast, a move that could increase taxpayer contributions while ramping up the political heat on public pension funds in California. Just a year ago, the board of the California Public Employees' Retirement System ignored recommendations from senior staff to cut its forecast a quarter-point, to 7.5 percent. Yet on Tuesday, senior actuary Alan Milligan said CalPERS staff will make another recommendation to the board next month. He didn't say what the recommendation will be. But other big public pension funds have been cutting their forecasts in recent years to reflect a tougher investment climate.

NORTH COUNTY TIMES EDITORIALS

Irresponsible budgeting

While every government budget is by nature a political beast, reflecting the values, priorities and aspirations of those holding power, it's difficult to find one so cravenly partisan as the one President Barack Obama submitted to Congress on Monday. Claiming false savings of $850 billion from winding down military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the president proposes to take the money we had been borrowing to spend on the wars and continue borrowing a good chunk of it to pay for freeways, schools and other projects near and dear to constituencies the president needs to appease as he seeks re-election.

Standard & Poor's gives state a boost, upgrades California's bond outlook
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Standard & Poor's improved California's bond outlook from stable to positive Tuesday, a signal that the deficit-ridden state could be in line for a ratings bump.

The state's A-minus rating is S&P's lowest among U.S. states.

Boost sought for students of color
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

As she considered what to do after graduating from high school in 2002, Kelli Hubbard of Oakland listened to the most persuasive voices: her peers and her television set.

Low college transfer rate tracked to high school
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

President Obama has long been a champion of community colleges and he demonstrated that commitment Monday, when he traveled to Northern Virginia Community College to release his 2012-13 budget proposal, which calls for an $8 billion program to train students for jobs in high-demand industries.

One day later, the Civil Rights Project at UCLA released a series of reports warning that California’s economic future is threatened by abysmal transfer rates from community colleges to four-year colleges, especially for Latino and African American students. Those rates, according to the studies, are a direct result of extreme racial and economic segregation in high school.

Boy genius' book reveals life in college at age 8
ABC Television (national television network)

The one thing 14-year-old Moshe Kai Cavalin dislikes is being called a genius.

All he did, after all, was enroll in college at age 8 and earn his first of two Associate of Arts degrees from East Los Angeles Community College in 2009 at age 11, graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

A gift of good news
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

For the past two years, February was the time university fund-raisers, investment officers, and government relations officials got together to read a slew of reports about the past fiscal year, lament the sad state of the industry, and question whether the university finance world would ever return to the way it was.

Not everybody is in the same boat this year.

Hiring and higher education: Business executives talk about the costs and benefits of college
Committee for Economic Development / Public Agenda

February 14, 2012

Passing when it counts - Math courses present barriers to student success in California community colleges
Ed Source - Policy Brief

Large numbers of students in California’s 112 community colleges are struggling to pass college-level math classes, including courses they need to complete a degree or transfer to a four-year institution.

Community college students’ success in rigorous math is crucial to their futures and to any effort to improve college completion rates in California. But an EdSource analysis found that in fall 2010 just 55% of students who enrolled in a math course that they could apply toward an associate degree or use to transfer passed it during the term.

Editorial, other views: Community colleges poised for change
TheCalifornian.com - editorial (local online newspaper)

After a succession of budget cuts, something clearly has to be done so the schools can do a better job of preparing high school graduates for transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

As it is, community colleges have performed admirably, often in trying financial circumstances, sending local young people off to California State University and University of California campuses after successfully completing required units and classes. The downside is that with fewer class openings available, this often takes more than two years.

White House pushes blueprint to train workers through community colleges
SayCampusLife.com (Internet campus news source)

President Barack H. Obama has moved beyond his 2012 State of the Union address to articulate his call for a national commitment to create an economy that is “built to last” by training workers to fulfill key jobs. That plan was unveiled by the president at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Virginia, on Monday, representing a proposed $8 billion Community College to Career Fund.

The plan, which the president called a blueprint, proposes to create a partnership between businesses and community colleges to train 2 million workers for jobs in select high-growth industries.

Getting on ballot only half the battle
KQED Capital Notes - blog (Northern California public media)

As every smart politico knows, there are two distinct stages of direct democracy in California: getting your proposition on the ballot and then getting voters to actually ratify your proposition.

And so in a few cases this season, the real question may be not whether a measure qualifies for the November 6 statewide election... but rather will there'll be enough money to get it over the goal line.

Amador Community College Foundation gets $500 fiscal sustainability planning grant
TSPNTV.com (local cable TV station)

Amador County – The Amador Community College Foundation announced that it has received a $500 grant from the Amador Community Foundation for the purpose of fiscal sustainability planning.

Foundation grant writer Karen Dickerson said “ACCF has identified a community college presence in Amador County as an important factor to improving the quality of life for this region. Amador County is one of two counties in California not currently aligned with a community college district.

California state sales tax rate highest, but overall rate ranks 12th
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

First class of COS honors program gearing up for graduation, transfers
The Visalia Times-Delta (local daily newspaper)

The goal for most community college students is to transfer to a four-year university or graduate with an associate's degree. Doing so as an academic standout is an added bonus.

For some of the College of the Sequoias' brightest students, the honors program was welcome news.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Jerry Brown has a big problem with tax measures

Sac Bee -- When Jerry Brown goes into his bunker – or monk's cell or man-cave – and issues cryptic messages, you know he's up to something. California's governor did it again last weekend during a brief appearance before a state Democratic convention in San Diego. He could have used his time to give Democratic activists a compelling argument why they should get behind his plan to raise Californians' taxes to balance the state budget – the plan that he's been trumpeting day and night, publicly and privately, for weeks.

BUDGET

Obama's budget plan cuts aid for California farms, beaches, illegal immigrants in prison

Sac Bee -- California has a big stake in the debate begun Monday with release of the Obama administration's proposed fiscal year 2013 budget, even if the sprawling document has only a short lifespan. If adopted, Obama's budget would mean fewer subsidies for Central Valley farmers, smaller grants for Valley counties and less money for incarcerating the illegal immigrants who crowd the state's jails and prisons. The $3.8 trillion budget also subtracts money used to clean California beaches while it invests in preserving Valley lands and aiding some of the state's 2.5 million community college students.

Funding for illegal immigrant incarceration jeopardized

Riverside PE -- In what has become something of an annual tradition, the presidential budget proposal unveiled Monday contains deep cuts to a federal program that reimburses states for the costs of jailing illegal immigrants, sparking calls to restore funding. The White House’s plan to slash the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program from $240 million to $70 million follows similar proposals over the last several years, from both Democratic and Republican administrations. But under pressure from law enforcement agencies that have come to rely on the aid, Congress has repeatedly put much of the funding back into the program.

Sacramento judge rules Department of Justice layoffs can proceed

Sac Bee -- A Sacramento judge has refused to temporarily halt layoffs planned for the Department of Justice, leaving the path clear for about 80 employees to be shown the exit. The Association of Special Agents, a subset of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, had sought the temporary restraining order from Judge Timothy Frawley. He turned the association down on Friday after hearing brief arguments from both sides. Many DOJ employees heeded the layoff warnings last year and moved on to other jobs or retired.

NORTH COUNTY TIMES EDITORIALS

Part-time Legislature a good idea

Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) has introduced a ballot measure to return the state Legislature to part-time status. Now, the political class that runs Sacramento will do everything in its power to squash this effort, and the odds of the rest of us even getting to cast a vote on it are pretty long.But the idea of a part-time Legislature is one whose time clearly has come, and is one that every voter should support. The problem with full-time legislators is that they want to run for re-election on their records ---- and their records, in our current political culture, are based on quantity rather than quality

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE EDITORIALS

A new obstacle to pension reform

In one sense, the decision of the state Public Employment Relations Board to back the San Diego Municipal Employees Association’s effort to block a June vote on the Comprehensive Pension Reform ballot initiative is a shocker. PERB official Lew Chisholm confirmed it was the first time his agency had ever sought injunctive relief to prevent a local vote. The MEA, the city’s largest public employee union, contends that the initiative – which would shift new hires to 401(k)-type accounts instead of guaranteed pensions, among many other changes – violates the requirement that city leaders meet and confer with union representatives before implementing new policies on wages and benefits.

Kamala Harris’ dirty trick on California

The need for pension reform in California is major at the state government level and immense and urgent at the local level. Many cities that have not taken the aggressive steps seen in San Diego are on track to spend one-third of their budgets or more on retiree benefits alone. Meanwhile, the rationales for having pensions for public employees that are far more generous than those in the private sector simply don’t hold up. The pay is no longer lower in the public sector, and market demand for nearly all categories of public employees is so small that there is no evidence the big pensions are necessary to avoid a mass exodus of workers.

SANTA ROSA PRESS DEMOCRAT EDITORIALS

Allowing local schools to make choices

Funding continues to shrink for public agencies despite some encouraging signs that the economy is on the mend. State Controller John Chiang reported last week that California’s projected $9.2 billion shortfall for next year is getting worse due to lower-than-expected income tax collections. California’s revenues were $528 million lower than expected in January, he said. Nonetheless, state officials are at least doing a better job of cutting the cords that bind local school districts, allowing them to make their own decisions about how to keep their heads above water. But it still leaves educators with some tough choices.

EDUCATION

Minority students lag in transferring from California's community colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Community colleges in California are poised to play a crucial role in sending minority students on to four-year institutions, but many of the two-year colleges have a poor record of transferring those students to the next level, says a set of reports released on Tuesday by the Civil Rights Project at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Bus funds restored, but some schools lose more

California Watch -- California schools will no longer lose $248 million in transportation funding under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday – a move applauded by many education officials and school districts that had decried the loss as a disproportionate burden on rural schools. But for some, the move is bittersweet at best: Hundreds of schools now stand to lose more money than they did before the law.Instead of targeting school bus money, SB 81 allows school districts, county offices of education and charter schools to absorb the $248 million hit – a loss of about $42 per student – anywhere in their budgets.

California state sales tax rate highest, but overall rate ranks 12th
The Sacramento Bee - Capitol Alert blog (daily newspaper)

California has the nation's highest state sales tax rate, but its overall rate, including local sales taxes, drops to 12th highest, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based organization that collects nationwide tax data.

California's state government levies a 7.25 percent sales tax rate, and that would jump another half-percent if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax increase plan wins voter approval in November. The Tax Foundation says local governments add an average of .86 percent for an overall average of 8.11 percent. However, in a few jurisdictions the overall rate approaches 10 percent, according to data from the state Board of Equalization.

Business leaders see higher education as hampering economic growth
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The rising cost of higher education, its indifferent quality, its resistance to change, and its lack of accountability are endangering the nation’s prospects for future economic growth, according to a report on the views of business executives that was released today by Public Agenda and the Committee for Economic Development. The report, which draws on focus groups last year with 27 executives in Ohio and Texas, and on telephone interviews with 12 others, echoes the concerns that business leaders have expressed in two other recent reports that cover similar terrain: one based on a survey of 500 business leaders released in January and one based on a survey of more than 1,000 employers released in September. In the new report, “Hiring and Higher Education,” the business leaders say colleges’ inability to control their costs, lack of adaptability, and meager accountability have resulted in a dearth of qualified workers for the jobs the leaders need to fill.

Linking job training and education
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

Obama seeks to shape education policy by using both financial carrots and sticks to get states, higher education institutions and school districts to adopt reforms he favors.

February 13, 2012

Obama's 2013 budget little more than starting point
The Fresno Bee (local daily newspaper)

WASHINGTON -- California has a big stake in the debate begun Monday with release of the Obama administration's proposed fiscal year 2013 budget, even if the sprawling document has only a short lifespan.
If adopted, Obama's budget would mean fewer subsidies for Central Valley farmers, smaller grants for Valley counties and less money for incarcerating the illegal immigrants who crowd the state's jails and prisons.

'Cash for College' event at Alisal High
TheCalifornian.com (local online newspaper)

Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, in collaboration with Alisal High School, announced that he will host a free Cash for College resource fair on Saturday.

Students and parents are invited to learn more about grants, scholarships, loans and other financial resources available to ease the cost of college.

Obama budget contains nearly $3.5 billion for passenger rail
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

The Obama administration, which has been urging California to push through growing opposition to its high-speed rail project, asked Congress on Monday for nearly $35 billion in passenger rail funding over the next five years.

The request in its fiscal 2013 budget includes $1 billion for next year and nearly $8 billion in 2018, a massive funding plan that faces difficult odds of getting through Congress. Last year, the Republican-controlled House and even the Democratic-led Senate slashed a similar request and left no new money for any high-speed rail project.

Rising fees, budget cuts blamed for drop in College of Marin enrollment
The Marin Independent Journal (local daily newspaper)

Full-time spring enrollment at the College of Marin has fallen by about 6.7 percent in the past year, a drop officials attributed to rising fees, cuts in classes and new state requirements to crack down on students who aren't making academic progress. State community college officials say such declines are being seen across California, as schools reeling from budget cuts struggle to provide the core math, science and composition classes needed by students hoping to transfer to four-year universities.

Luis Alejo: College affordability key to long-term economic health
The Salinas Californian - op-ed (local daily newspaper)

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" — W.B. Yeats

A college education is the key that opens many doors in life.

That said, with the seemingly constant stream of budget cuts to California's public colleges and universities, this key is becoming increasingly difficult for local students to obtain. For California's economy to continue its recovery, we need more college graduates, not less. Now is the time for the state's leaders to come together and provide students with the tools and resources that can assist them in their education endeavors to succeed as the drivers of tomorrow's economy.

Calif. Governor Brown announces appointments for Feb. 13, 2012
California Newswire (Internet news source)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments. First: Lisa Barkett, 52, of La Jolla, has been appointed to the Race Track Leasing Commission as a representative of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, San Diego Fair Board. She has been vice president of Merjan Financial Corporation since 1989. Barkett earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barkett is a Democrat.

Five  ways California is helping the immigrant community
The Huffington Post - blog (national online newspaper)

There's no doubt immigration reform has a long way to go to ensure family reunification and a path to citizenship for the undocumented community. We must continue to fight for a federal DREAM Act and demand an end to Secure Communities and 287(g) programs that allow state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE. I remain hopeful because California had major victories last year that prove just how powerful uniting with dignity as our moral compass can be.

Job front: Biomedical job growth stalls in California, study finds
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Job growth in California's biomedical industry has stalled as uneasy investors wait out a shaky economy and an uncertain regulatory environment.

Employment in the sector has dropped to pre-recession levels statewide, according to a recent California Healthcare Institute report.

California economy to take a hit from defense cuts
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Tens of thousands of California jobs are at stake as the Pentagon rolls out plans to reduce its budget for the first time since the 1990s.

While California is less dependent on defense dollars than it was two decades ago, when drastic cuts cost the state nearly half a million jobs, communities from the Bay Area to San Diego will feel the pinch.

WILLIE BROWN COLUMN

Jerry Brown tax plan has competition

SF Chronicle -- It looks like Gov. Jerry Brown will not get his wish, and his tax plan will not be the only one on the November ballot. Multimillionaire Molly Munger, with her income-tax increase for education, and the California Federation of Teachers, with its millionaires tax, show no signs of backing down.Unlike the governor, who fears that multiple measures will amount to a circular firing squad, I say choice is healthy. Let's be honest - all the tax plans are set up to pay for the interests of their backers. Munger and the teachers are all about money going to education.

BUDGET

California Democrats debate how to raise taxes at statewide convention

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown acknowledged Saturday that his tax proposal for the November ballot has a "few issues," but he sidestepped the controversy in a high-profile speech at the California Democratic Party's annual convention. A growing rift between Democrats about competing measures to raise taxes was evident at the gathering, where supporters of a competing "millionaire's tax" waved banners outside the San Diego Convention Center.Brown referred only in passing to his tax plan, a major part of his agenda this year.

State employee unions aren't counting on generous contracts from Democrat Jerry Brown

Sac Bee -- Contract talks kicking off this month between the state and four employee unions present Gov. Jerry Brown with a political dilemma: How does he deal fairly with his key labor constituency without exposing himself to charges he's kowtowing to them? The 73-year-old Democrat needs labor's continued backing if he decides to run for another term, but California's $9.2 billion state budget deficit limits what he can offer at the bargaining table. Beyond that, Brown wants to put a tax increase before voters in November, but employee contracts that don't share the fiscal pain would give opponents plenty of ammunition to blast the initiative.

PENSIONS

L.A. Coliseum Commission officials cash in on unused sick leave

LA Times -- Top officials at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have shown a knack for banking healthy chunks of unused sick leave on the public payroll — in one case, about 35 years' worth. Interim General Manager John Sandbrook, a retired University of California administrator, used the sick leave allotment for most of his university career to boost his annual pension by $655 a month for life, to nearly $183,000, UC figures show. The increase represents 418 days — the quota for all but two of his roughly 37 years within the system, which allows 12 sick days a year.

State pension initiative fails, local votes in June

Calpensions -- A drive to place a statewide public pension reform initiative on the November ballot ended last week, lacking funding like previous attempts. But major local pension reforms are expected to be on the June ballot in San Diego and San Jose. Gov. Brown is urging the Legislature to place much of his 12-point pension reform plan on the November ballot, despite opposition by public employee unions to key parts. He suggests the cost control could boost support for his tax measure.

STATE POLITICS

California Democrats take shots at Republicans - and each other

Sac Bee -- For California Democrats attending the state party's annual convention here over the weekend, the mission for 2012 was clear: deliver victory to President Barack Obama and win enough congressional seats to give the speaker's gavel back to Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. "We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines," state Attorney General Kamala Harris said during a Saturday address to delegates. "We need to do whatever is necessary, day and night, night and day, to return President Barack Obama to the White House."

Democrats look back to 2008

UT San Diego -- Democratic leaders this weekend implored attendees at the state party convention in San Diego to harness the energy and enthusiasm of 2008, casting the upcoming elections as pivotal moments that will determine the trajectory of the country for decades to come. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Saturday that the only way to maintain the firewall against Republican and tea party “extremism” is to re-elect President Barack Obama, return her to the U.S. Senate for another term and marshal the resources to regain control of the House of Representatives.

Democrats vote to back two June ballot measures during state convention

NC Times -- The California Democratic Party voted Sunday to back measures on the June ballot that would raise the tax on tobacco products to fund research into cancer and other smoking-related illness and loosen term limits as it concluded its three-day convention at the San Diego Convention Center. Proposition 29 would increase the tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack and similarly raise the tax on other tobacco products. Its backers, including retired cycling champion Lance Armstrong, a campaign co-chair, say it passage will help find a cure for cancer, fund research and stop youngsters from smoking.

Baca snares Democratic endorsement

Riverside PE -- As of late Saturday, longtime Rep. Joe Baca and state Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod had seemingly tied in their fight for the California Democratic Party endorsement in the 35th Congressional District. But early Sunday, the party’s credentials review committee acted on disputed ballots cast by Baca and Negrete McLeod supporters. The result: a 25-to-24 win for Baca in the endorsement caucus for the district that extends from Pomona to Rialto. As a Democratic incumbent seeking re-election, Baca needed only a majority vote-plus-one to receive the party’s endorsement, not the 60 percent required of other candidates.

Saldaña misses state Democrats endorsement

UT San Diego -- The California Democratic Party will make no endorsement in the 52nd Congressional District, after former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña came up one vote short of the coveted designation tonight at the state convention in San Diego. This is the second time in as many tries that Saldaña came within a 1/2 percent of securing the endorsement over Port Commissioner Scott Peters. The pair is challenging Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray, who most expect to advance to the general election in November.

Bennett's departure from House race clears field for new frontrunner

VC Star -- After Supervisor Steve Bennett's dramatic decision Saturday night to end his campaign for the House, county Democrats left the state party convention Sunday wondering whether one of the three remaining announced candidates will emerge as a clear frontrunner or whether a new candidate will step in to try to fill that role. Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica, whose district includes much of Oxnard and Port Hueneme, said she "will be taking a very serious look" at entering the race, and former Ventura Mayor Richard Francis also is reconsidering a potential candidacy.

Redistricting by citizens' panel sparks competitive California congressional races

CoCo Times -- For the first time in two decades, California's newly drawn congressional districts could play a big role in deciding which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, needing 25 more seats to take the House back from Republicans, has singled out eight California seats -- many of them made more attractive by recent redistricting -- as "red to blue" targets this year. At stake is whether San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi gets another turn with the speaker's gavel, which she held from 2007 to 2011.

Democrats see California as cash cow for elections

SF Chronicle -- California Democrats, while acknowledging their solidly blue state will not be a presidential election battleground, marshaled forces this weekend for another critical 2012 battle: maximizing the Golden State's role as a powerhouse fundraiser to fuel the re-election of President Obama and return Rep. Nancy Pelosi to the speakership of the House of Representatives. Pelosi, speaking to reporters at the annual state party convention that drew 3,000 Democratic activists to San Diego this weekend, repeatedly predicted California will be a linchpin in her "Drive for 25" campaign, the 2012 Democratic effort to win back control of the House by taking at least 25 seats.

Californians fund super PAC that hounds GOP

California Watch -- Everywhere Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney goes, he is followed by "trackers" with video cameras, hoping to catch him making an embarrassing gaffe. The effort, run by a super political action committee, is funded in part by wealthy Californians. American Bridge 21st Century pulled in more than $1 million from California donors last year, more than from any other state, according to campaign filings. American Bridge is a liberal research organization in hot pursuit of what is now known as a "macaca" moment.

RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTERPRISE EDITORIALS

Pension mop-up?

The collapse of a pension reform initiative campaign does not free the Legislature to ignore the issue. California needs to rein in the growing and unsustainable cost of public retirements. And with the demise of the initiative push, the Legislature bears full responsibility for enacting the necessary changes. California Pension Reform, a group hoping to put a pension overhaul measure on the ballot, last week announced it was suspending the campaign. The group said an unfavorable title and summary from the attorney general doomed the effort. The organization was also well short of the $2.5 million it needed to qualify the measure for the ballot.

SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIALS

Pension reform teeters, so Brown needs a 'Plan B'

The announcement last week by activists that they were suspending their efforts to put a pension reform initiative on the ballot leaves Gov. Jerry Brown as the only serious proponent of pension reform still standing. Reform is crucial. Local governments, in particular, threaten to be swamped in pension debt. The beleaguered California State Teachers' Retirement System could run out of funds in 30 years. The public is incensed. If the governor is unable to persuade the Legislature to put a reform measure on the ballot, he should bypass lawmakers and take his case directly to the voters with an initiative campaign of his own.

School kids show the state why parks should be open to all

Slowly but surely, nonprofits and local communities are exploring what they can do to keep open the 70 state parks slated to close on July 1. So far, 10 parks have been removed from the closure list. The latest is a gem in our region, the South Yuba River State Park, with a lovely canyon and covered bridge, near Grass Valley. Elementary school students at the public Grass Valley Charter School were among those who lobbied local leaders and helped the South Yuba River Citizens League collect 10,000 petition signatures.

SAN BERNARDINO SUN EDITORIALS

A part-time protest vote

Of course it's former Democratic legislative leaders who are trying to make sure California's Assembly members and state senators continue to work full-time. Who better than fat cats to spread the gospel of how well the current system works - for politicians? So naturally the first organized opposition to the reformist plan for a part-time California Legislature comes from such as Steve Maviglio, a political consultant and former spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, and Dario Frommer, the former Assembly majority leader who is now a Burbank lawyer.

President to seek $8-billion for job-training partnership involving community colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

In his budget for the 2013 fiscal year, due out today, President Obama will ask Congress to raise the maximum Pell Grant by $85, to $5,635, and provide $10-billion for job-training programs, according to the White House and sources briefed on Sunday.

The budget will include $30.7-billion for the National Institutes of Health, the same as the current year, but it will propose new grant-management policies that would increase the number of research grants by 7 percent. It would expand and make permanent the research-and-development tax credit.

Preview: Obama's 2013 budget
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- President Obama today will propose spending $8 billion on job training programs at community colleges over the next three years, part of a budget for the 2013 fiscal year that also would increase spending on Education Department programs and some scientific research.

The president will outline the job-training proposal in more detail in a speech at Northern Virginia Community College this morning. But unlike past calls to spend more on community colleges, this plan is aimed squarely at an election-year message of “jobs, jobs, jobs” rather than the administration’s goal of increasing the number of Americans with college degrees.

Obama proposes $8 billion for job training at community colleges
Bloomberg Businessweek (national business trade periodical)

Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration will propose an $8 billion, three-year plan for shoring up career programs at community colleges to help train 2 million people for the workforce.

The plan, to be administered by the Education and Labor departments, designates funds in the 2013 budget to establish training courses for skilled careers, develop partnerships between the schools and employers, and help state and local governments attract businesses, according to an Education Department statement.

Brown's bond bookkeeping plan would cut billions from schools
Bloomberg Businessweek (national business trade periodical)

Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) -- California students from kindergarten to community college may have funding curtailed for years to come under Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to cut education spending if voters reject $7 billion in tax increases.

California’s constitution requires the state to devote a minimum percentage of its budget to education. Brown’s plan would, for the first time, count debt service on school bonds toward meeting that requirement. The bookkeeping change, taking account of more than $31 billion in debt, would reduce the state’s obligation for classroom spending by $2.4 billion next year alone.

Disapproving parents agree: Go back and fix your budget, governor
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Parents from around the state have reviewed the governor’s proposed 2012-13 budget, and we would like to say, loud and clear, we are disappointed. We were hopeful that the Legislature and Gov. Brown would put together a budget that would ensure that schools, at the very minimum, would have stable funding for next year. We are still hopeful.

But the proposed budget doesn’t even come close. The main issues are 1) depending on an initiative passing after the school year has begun, and 2) moving the debt service into the school fund. There is a silver lining, however, in the form of the newly proposed weighted student formula. Such a system would be a huge improvement over the existing convoluted scheme, although there are many specifics as yet unresolved. Nevertheless, regardless of how the money is distributed, there simply isn’t enough, and our children in California lose.

February 12, 2012

Claremont McKenna's inflated scores bring new scrutiny to college rankings
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

As she looked for potential colleges, Elisha Marquez researched school rankings in U.S. News & World Report and other publications. As a result, she found some East Coast schools that previously were not on her radar.

"It wasn't the most important factor," she said of the magazine's rankings. "But it did factor into my eventual decision of what schools to apply to," said the Eagle Rock High School senior, who is awaiting word from 14 campuses: UCs, Ivy Leagues and others.

Dueling tax hike measures pushed as Democrats hold convention
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from San Diego—

More than 2,000 California Democrats gathered in San Diego this weekend for their state party convention, giving leaders a chance to rally the faithful and rub elbows with powerful, well-heeled interests.

While hundreds of activists listened to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) give a noontime address Saturday, Gov. Jerry Brown slipped away to a neighboring hotel to host a $25,000-a-plate lunch for a select group of contributors.

Dan Walters: Is a part-time California Legislature the cure?
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

Shannon Grove, a Republican assemblywoman from Bakersfield, is sponsoring an embryonic ballot measure to return the Legislature to a part-time body, which it was before 1966.

It's one of dozens of proposals for the November ballot and, like most, faces an uphill struggle to qualify and win. But it could resonate with voters because of chronic dysfunction on the budget, water and other issues, and lawmakers' very low stature in polls.

Missed conference, retirement letter probably led to colleges' probation, officials say
The Ventura County Star (local daily newspaper)

The commission that put Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges on probation didn't explain exactly why it made the move, but several college officials are pretty sure they know.

They say it's because Trustee Art Hernandez missed a conference all five board members said they would attend to get training on working more effectively — a recommendation the commission made when it initially put the colleges on warning. Instead, Hernandez went to a forum at Oxnard College to talk about programs that might be cut.

What are the best ways to learn about social media management?
The Washington Post (national daily newspaper)

On Small Business is introducing a new feature in which young entrepreneurs will answer common questions about small business owners’ social media needs. The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of young entrepreneurs. The YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to unemployment and underemployment and provides entrepreneurs with access to tools, mentorship and resources that support each stage of their business’s development and growth.

 

February 11, 2012

Marin College students brace for changes to financial aid
The Marin Independent-Journal (local daily newspaper)

ELIZABETH CASTELLANOS is worried about her future.

The 20-year-old has spent the past three years studying molecular cell biology — with minors in math and chemistry — at San Rafael's Dominican University, thanks in large part to the Cal Grant she received as a freshman.

But a new proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown would cut Cal Grant funding by 44 percent for students such as Castellanos who are attending private universities. Should the Legislature agree to Brown's proposal, Castellanos fears she'll have to leave the school.

SF State students gain voice for tuition frustration
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

It began with an argument.

San Francisco State University President Robert Corrigan stood outside the administration building on a warm, December day before a crowd of angry students and refused to sign their petition demanding that university trustees rescind tuition increases.

The students called him an elitist who ignored their financial woes. Corrigan insisted that they take their message to lawmakers who had renounced higher taxes, cut $1 billion from California State University's budget, and forced trustees to raise tuition over and over.

February 10, 2012

SD community college students have tough time passing math
KPBS (San Diego public broadcasting)

Nearly half of all community college students are having a hard time passing math courses. A recent report by EdSource found that out of California's 112 community colleges, 45 percent of their students are finding it difficult to pass college-level math courses.

The report, Passing When it Counts, looked at math classes that are necessary to complete an associate degree or transfer to a four-year institution. Of almost 310,000 students statewide enrolled in those math courses, only 55 percent passed the class with a "C" or higher.

Riverside City College opens School of Nursing & Math and Science Complex
PR.com (press release distribution service)

Riverside, CA, February 10, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Officials from Riverside City College, construction manager Balfour Beatty Construction, project partners, community leaders and students gathered on Thursday, February 9, 2012 to mark the completion of the College’s new School of Nursing & Math and Science Complex. The 132,000-SF facility provides additional educational space for the nursing, math and science programs at the existing campus.

February 9, 2012

Education gap grows between rich and poor, studies say
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

WASHINGTON — Education was historically considered a great equalizer in American society, capable of lifting less advantaged children and improving their chances for success as adults. But a body of recently published scholarship suggests that the achievement gap between rich and poor children is widening, a development that threatens to dilute education’s leveling effects.

It is a well-known fact that children from affluent families tend to do better in school. Yet the income divide has received far less attention from policy makers and government officials than gaps in student accomplishment by race.

Government Printing Office to roll out mobile app for president's 2013 budget
The Washington Post (national daily newspaper)

Starting at 11:15 a.m. Monday, when the White House releases President Obama’s proposed spending plan for fiscal 2013, budget geeks across the country will be able to download it on their iPhones, Androids, BlackBerrys and other smart phones.

“You’d be surprised how much public interest there is in the budget,” said Davita Vance-Cooks, the acting public printer, whose office is rolling out the new app.

Doubling classroom time helps community college students overcome math hurdles
EdSource Extra! (education trade periodical)

you’re having trouble with math, try spending twice as much time in class learning it.

That strategy plus intensive support from tutors and counselors inside and outside class are making a difference for students at De Anza Community College trying to overcome one of the major stumbling blocks to academic success.

Wine exports symposium set
The Central Valley Business Times (local business trade periodical)

A live market briefing from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Services in Hong Kong is the centerpiece of the Wine Exports Symposium, set for Feb. 23 in Atascadero.

Hosted by the Kern Community College District of Bakersfield and Cuesta College in conjunction with their Business & Entrepreneurship Centers, the Wine Exports Symposium is designed to stimulate commerce and increase California wine industry exports.

Bakersfield College president to step down
KERO 23 (ABC Bakersfield affiliate)

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- On June 30, 2012, Bakersfield College President Dr. Greg Chamberlain, will return to what he loves – teaching. Today, Kern Community College District Chancellor Sandra Serrano and the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees accepted Chamberlain’s resignation agreement, allowing Chamberlain to leave his post as Bakersfield College president and return to teaching in the Computer Studies department at Bakersfield College.

February 1, 2012

BUDGET

California running out of money again

SF Chronicle -- California will run out of cash by March 1 if the Legislature does not take immediate action, Controller John Chiang told budget leaders at the Capitol in a letter Tuesday. The controller recommends borrowing and delaying some payments to deal with the shortfall, which he projects will last seven weeks. Absent that kind of action, which lawmakers and the administration of Gov. Jerry Brown say is assured, the state would probably have to send IOUs and delay tax returns.

John Chiang says California's cash will dry up if officials don't act

Sac Bee -- California will run out of cash by early March if the state does not borrow more money and delay some payments, the state's cash manager warned Tuesday. Controller John Chiang said state leaders must find $3.3 billion to ensure California has enough cash to pay for priority programs between Feb. 29 and April 13. "I believe the upcoming shortfall can be effectively managed without resorting to IOUs, tax refund delays and other drastic measures with (legislation) and other steps we must take – quickly and collaboratively – in the coming days," Chiang wrote Tuesday to the Legislature's budget committee chairmen.

California needs to find $3 billion by March

LA Times -- State lawmakers moved to avoid a cash crunch Tuesday as the controller warned that California could be in the red by early March. A lag in revenue and higher-than-expected spending mean the state needs to scrape together more than $3 billion to stay in the black and keep a comfortable cash reserve, the controller said. A legislative committee advanced a bill that would expand the state's ability to borrow from dedicated funds to cover daily expenses, while Gov. Jerry Brown's administration planned to tap universities and take other measures to help plug the gap.

California warned of cash crunch

UT San Diego -- Controller John Chiang warned lawmakers Tuesday that the state could run out of cash if they don’t act quickly and aggressively to come up with $3.3 billion by March. While Chiang’s written advisory concentrates on immediate cash flow, the shortfall foreshadows another difficult budget year for California. His letter informs lawmakers that as of Dec. 31 the state has taken in $2.6 billion less than projected in the current 2011-12 budget. Moreover, spending has surpassed estimates by a like amount.

Gov. Jerry Brown gets wide array of support for tax-hike initiative

SJ Mercury News -- Early contributions to Gov. Jerry Brown's tax-hike initiative show a wide span of interests are beginning to line up behind it. In the past two weeks, two business groups -- the Occidental Petroleum Corporation and the American Beverage Association -- pitched in $250,000 apiece to his ballot committee, Californians to Protect Schools, Universities and Public Safety. The governor has raised $1.7 million as his campaign begins to collect signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot, according to campaign finance reports released Tuesday. No committee has yet been formed to oppose the tax measure.

Voter registration numbers show parties' decline

LA Times -- The growth in “decline to state” voters in California continues to climb, while both the Democratic and Republican parties saw their voter rolls dip over the past year, new statewide voter registration figures show. One in five California voters--21%--has declined to claim membership to any political party, according to the secretary of state’s Jan. 3 Report of Registration. Despite the slip, however, the Democrats maintained a substantial advantage over the GOP, accounting for 44% of the registered voters in California compared with 30% for Republicans. Both parties saw a drop of about half a percentage point over the last year.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS EDITORIALS

Don't cut funding for kindergarten, preschool

California's preschool and kindergarten set are targeted to take some of the biggest hits to funding in the state budget proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor should withdraw his plan before it undercuts the critical years of education for some of California's most vulnerable children. Almost one-fifth of the $4 billion in state program cuts Brown has proposed would come from early childhood education -- child care, preschool and the new transitional kindergarten scheduled to start in the fall. These programs should be among the state's highest priorities.

The California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force
Reform Plan to be Presented to State Legislature Today at 9:30 a.m.

Who/What:      California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott will be at the state Capitol for the Senate Education and Assembly Higher Education committees' joint hearing to review the Student Success Task Force reform recommendations package. The Education Budget Subcommittees from both houses have also been invited to participate. No action will be taken by the committees but the hearing is a requirement of Senate Bill 1143 (Liu) that says the recommendations must be presented to the Legislature no later than March 2012.

January 31, 2012

EDUCATION

CTA’s a team player for Jerry Brown 

The Educated Guess -- The president of the California Teachers Association said Monday that in backing Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, the state’s largest teachers union is agreeing to “stay at awful” for now with the expectation that more money will flow again to schools in coming years. But if voters defeat the $6.9 billion tax measure in November, the CTA will fight Brown – and go to court if necessary – to prevent the governor from exacting disproportionate cuts to K-12 schools.

Budget jeopardizes kindergarten program

UT San Diego -- California’s plan was to slowly raise the starting age of students in kindergarten while creating a new grade for those children left ineligible because of their fall birthdays. The get-ready year of schooling — called transitional kindergarten — would have effectively made kindergarten a two-year process for children who turn 5 in September, October and November. Supporters said the change, which brings California in line with the most common state age requirement, would reduce the number of children held back or flagged for special education assistance by having them be older and better prepared for the academic demands of school.

Discipline changes eyed for first-time alcohol offenses among teachers

Capitol Weekly -- In what would be a significant shift in statewide teacher disciplinary policy, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is considering a plan to streamline oversight of first-time alcohol offenders. The proposal is one of a number of ideas that commission staff have made in response to an audit issued last year that criticized the agency’s inability to deal with a big backlog of misconduct complaints that reviewers said could have jeopardized student safety.

Cal Grants may be tougher to get under governor's proposed budget

VC Star -- College students could find it harder to get Cal Grants, which are based on financial need and academics, if changes the governor has proposed become part of his budget. The changes would raise the grade-point average students need to qualify for the grants and substantially reduce the amount of grants for students going to private schools. "These changes are going to hurt our students," said Sunshine Garcia, director of financial aid and scholarships at CSU Channel Islands in Camarillo, where 19 percent of students receive Cal Grants. "It's making education a little harder for first-generation and low-income students."

California college administrator admits faking SAT scores for years, resigns

CoCo Times (AP) -- A senior administrator at California's Claremont McKenna College resigned after admitting that for years he falsified SAT scores to publications such as U.S. News & World Report to inflate the small, prestigious school's ranking among the nation's colleges and universities, according to the college's president. President Pamela Gann told college staff members and students about the falsified scores in an email Monday, The New York Times reported. Gann wrote that a "senior administrator" had taken sole responsibility for falsifying the scores, admitted doing so since 2005, and resigned his post.

BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN EDITORIALS

Rationing comes to California's 2-year colleges

California is underutilizing one of its greatest assets: Its community college system. Budget woes have turned the system of two-year campuses against its original purpose in significant ways. Colleges across the state have reduced course offerings, significantly slowing the progress of students who are trying to accumulate enough credits to transfer to four-year schools. The result: Surprisingly small percentages of students successfully complete certificate and degree programs, and few actually transfer. And it's worse at Bakersfield College than across the state as a whole.

15 minutes with... Long Beach City College Superintendent Eloy Oakley
The Long Beach Business Journal (local business publication)

January 31, 2012 - Eloy Ortiz Oakley has served as superintendent-president of the Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) since 2007, continuing the success of both campuses of Long Beach City College and its strong partnership with workforce and economic development within the City of Long Beach.

January 30, 2012

Changes proposed for California's community colleges
KABC Ch. 7 (Los Angeles ABC TV affiliate)

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Big changes are proposed for California's community colleges. The main goal is to increase the number of students who finish their programs or transfer to four-year schools.

There are 2.6 million students at California's community colleges, but roughly half of them don't complete their programs or transfer and earn a degree. In light of that statistic, state lawmakers are considering changes to improve student success.

Brown gets closer to pulling a budget coup
NBC San Diego (San Diego NBC TV affiliate)

The great philosopher (and sometimes baseball player) Yogi Berra once said, "It's not over until it's over."

Certainly, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown must be thinking as much with respect to the latest poll numbers regarding his temporary tax ballot measure scheduled for a November vote. The statewide survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) now finds that 68 percent of those surveyed support the governor's proposal, up from 60 percent just a few weeks ago.

College officials welcome Obama's focus on higher education costs, but raise some concerns
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

President Obama chose a spiffy new indoor football field at the University of Michigan here on Friday to kick off a broad campaign for college affordability, calling higher education "an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford."

Should we switch to weighted student funding and do it now?
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

In next year’s budget, Gov. Jerry Brown proposes to rearrange school funding based on a weighted student formula – a concept that State Board of Education President Michael Kirst fleshed out in a 2008 brief. Beyond a flat grant for all students, districts with large concentrations of English learners and low-income students would get a premium of potentially thousands of dollars more per student. Districts would decide how the money would be used. Under the initial plan, Brown would phase in the new system over five years but would not hold districts financially harmless; doing so would require new money or a  long timeline to implement.

Thomas Elias: 'Tax oil for education' measure advanced
The Marysville Appeal-Democrat - column (local daily newspaper)

Amid the welter of prospective initiatives and referenda whose sponsors hope they'll reach the ballot this year, one stands out as increasingly necessary: The proposed "Tax Oil for Education" measure.

It's true that as with several of the others, California voters have previously seen and rejected parts of this idea. Less than four years ago, another initiative to tax oil pumped from California wells was resoundingly defeated after an advertising campaign that convinced many that it would substantially raise the price of gasoline.

UC using more private developers for student housing
California Watch (investigative journal)

The University of California has been slowly expanding the use of private developers to build student housing over the last decade, authorizing seven such deals since 2000 at UC Irvine, UC Davis and UC Riverside.

The growth of these partnerships in the Golden State is part of a national trend reported by The New York Times last week. In California, the partnerships have enabled the universities to meet student demand for on-campus housing while focusing their resources on other facilities needs. But with fancier amenities, they sometimes cost students more than university-built housing options.

EDUCATION

CSU tries to avoid $400K presidents

OC Register -- It was a scandal last year when the California State University trustees hired a new president at an annual salary of $400,000 a year – at the very same meeting they hiked student tuition by 12 percent. It didn’t help that the old exec at San Diego State University’s pay — after an entire career there — was $300,000. That makes his successor’s raise 33 percent. This sort of pay hike was necessary to attract and keep top talent, officials said at the time. But crusading Sen. Leland Yee sprung into action with legislation to prohibit pay raises for top university administrators during bad budget years, or when student fees are increased.

California community colleges prepare to ration their offerings

Sac Bee -- Now in his third year at Yuba College, a year he once hoped to spend in Chico or Davis, Robert Bond said every student he knows has struggled to get the classes they need. "My first semester here, no math classes were open, so I couldn't get a math class," Bond, 20, lamented on the Yuba campus quad, decked in a sweat shirt and shorts on an unseasonably warm afternoon. "Basically it took me two years until I could get a math class, college-level Math 52. So I'm like way behind." Faced with state budget cuts since the recession – annual funding is now 12 percent below its 2008-09 high-water mark – community colleges have pared back course offerings.

Local educators decry push to relax high school science requirement

Santa Rosa PD -- Educators across California are lashing out at an item in Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed 2012-2013 budget that would eliminate a second year of science as a minimum requirement to graduate from high school. The item, which has caught some officials by surprise, is causing outrage among educators who say California's students should be getting more science, not less.“To me, it's absolutely astounding that the state of California, our leadership, would actually believe it would be appropriate not to have more science and actually have less science,” said longtime Santa Rosa School Board member Frank Pugh.

January 29, 2012

California community colleges prepare to ration their offerings
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Now in his third year at Yuba College, a year he once hoped to spend in Chico or Davis, Robert Bond said every student he knows has struggled to get the classes they need.

"My first semester here, no math classes were open, so I couldn't get a math class," Bond, 20, lamented on the Yuba campus quad, decked in a sweat shirt and shorts on an unseasonably warm afternoon. "Basically it took me two years until I could get a math class, college-level Math 52. So I'm like way behind."

Proposed community college changes aim to speed students along
The Pasadena Star-News (local daily newspaper)

A task force formed to study the state's community college system has issued a report recommending significant changes, including some that would reward students who move faster toward a certificate or university transfer.

They are aimed at boosting the number of students who complete programs or transfer, currently just over half of students.

Chief among the recommendations are a common set of college-readiness standards developed by the community colleges and K-12 school districts, more support and advising for incoming students, a requirement that students pick an area of study by the end of their first year and easier access to classes for new students.

California Teachers Association backs Gov. Jerry Brown's tax plan
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The California Teachers Association officially agreed Sunday to back Gov. Jerry Brown's multibillion-dollar tax plan, which should provide the governor hefty financial support for his fall campaign.
The union represents 325,000 teachers and education workers, and it is a heavy hitter in state politics. Brown is gathering signatures for a November initiative to raise sales taxes by a half-cent and income taxes on high income earners. He has structured his budget so that schools would face a $2.4 billion program cut in 2012-13 if voters reject his proposal, which he says is equal to three weeks off the school year.

UCI faculty: Quality eroding as class sizes swell
The Orange County Register (daily newspaper)

IRVINE – Instead of two teaching assistants for a class of about 50 students, UC Irvine professor Mark LeVine now gets one.

Instead of being able to lead intimate seminar classes of just a dozen or so students, LeVine is under pressure to teach more large, lecture-style classes.

Instead of assigning multiple, full-length research papers throughout the quarter, the history professor has modified class assignments for his students so they're easier and quicker to grade.

"We're forced to really lower our demands so that we can actually get through all the work in terms of grading," said LeVine, who has been teaching in UC Irvine's history department for 10 years.

Strong year for California's job market
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Here's some good news: California added jobs at a faster pace than all but six other states last year.
The number of employed Californians grew by 263,000, or 1.9 percent, during 2011, significantly higher than the 1.1 percent nationwide growth rate.

January 27, 2012

At Davis, Occupy Protesters Move Indoors
Students take over a vacant university building.

Should financial aid be linked to college's affordability
PBS Newshour (public television program)

RAY SUAREZ: Now, The White House calls for changes in college financial aid tied to improving the affordability and value of higher education.

At the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor today, President Obama said an improved educational system will help build a stronger American economy.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

California Legislature once again earns scorn

Sac Bee -- Last Tuesday, the Public Policy Institute of California issued a new poll that found, among other things, just 17 percent of the state's voters like the Legislature's performance. Simultaneously, the Legislature's top leaders provided another reason for Californians to harbor such scorn. Assembly Speaker John Pérez and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg announced that they would spend untold amounts of taxpayers' money on high-priced lawyers to sue state Controller John Chiang over his decision to withhold legislators' paychecks last year after they failed to enact a balanced budget.

EDUCATION

Kindergarten? Transitional class? More preschool? Shifting state law and budget has parents confused

SJ Mercury News -- For decades, California parents with kids nearing their fifth birthday knew that right about now, they needed to start thinking about registering for kindergarten. But a new law, a funding crisis and California's Byzantine budgeting ways have turned that certainty on its head. Not only parents, but also schools and even state officials are confused about who can start school in August.It used to be that children turning 5 years old by Dec. 2 could enroll in kindergarten that year. A new state law rolls back that cutoff date to Nov. 1 this year and orders districts to offer a year of "transitional kindergarten" for children left out.

State told to help enforce ban on fees

UT San Diego -- The state bears some legal responsibility for enforcing an often-ignored provision of the state constitution that blocks schools from charging fees for public education, a judge ruled this week. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit in September 2010, and the state tried to argue that local school districts were the ones responsible for upholding the law — not the state. The ACLU filed the suit after the group did a survey that found $550 band fees at Carlsbad High School, $1,097 cheer fees at Clairemont High and $395 color-guard fees at Patrick Henry High School.

California school districts change board elections to avoid lawsuits

Sac Bee -- In recent years, the rural Esparto Unified School District has eliminated teaching jobs and classes as it struggled to absorb state funding cuts. So district officials, eager to avoid a costly legal battle with San Francisco civil rights lawyers, chose to change the way school board members are elected. "When we heard districts were being sued, we decided we had no other option," said Esparto trustee Jane Stallings. This week, Esparto Board of Education members voted for a plan in which trustees must run for seats in the places they live rather than in districtwide at-large elections.

Community colleges' economic impact touted, questioned
 
UT San Diego -- The nine community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties contribute $6.6 billion annually to California’s economy, according to a new study commissioned by the colleges. The results will be presented to seven area legislators at a Jan. 30 “summit” in Sacramento with governing board members and educational leaders from the districts that make up the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association.The college leaders hope to persuade the legislators to support a tax increase sought by Gov. Jerry Brown in his proposed budget.

January 26, 2012

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Poll shows strong support for Jerry Brown's tax hike proposal

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown has California voters right where he wants them — hating the notion of whacking schools even more than the prospect of paying a higher sales tax. Meanwhile, ingrained American populism is flaring as the inequity gap widens between haves and have-nots. So voters absolutely love the idea of socking the rich with higher income taxes. Total it all up, and the result is 68% support among likely voters for Brown's proposed November ballot initiative to raise taxes on sales and high-end income, and spend the money on K-12 schools and community colleges.

Calif. ranks 3rd for worst tax climate for business

OC Register -- California's business tax climate is the third worst in the United States, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation. Even though California's temporary income surtax and sales tax hike expired in 2011, the state didn't improve in the standings for 2012 because its taxes were so high already, said Tax Foundation economist Mark Robyn. The only states with worse business tax climates, according to the State Business Tax Climate Index, are New Jersey and New York. Rounding out the 10 worst climates are: Vermont, Rhode Island, Minnesota, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland and Iowa.

California among least business-friendly states, report says

LA Times -- California's combination of business, sales, income and other taxes ranks it close to the bottom of the 50 states for being business-friendly, according to a conservative Washington think tank. California placed 48th, ahead of New York at 49th place and New Jersey at 50th, said a report released Wednesday by the Tax Foundation. The findings, which are contradicted by other studies and disputed by some economists, are likely to become an issue in this fall's elections. California Gov. Jerry Brown is trying to put an initiative on the November ballot to temporarily raise the state sales tax and the individual income tax for people who make more than $250,000 a year.

EDUCATION

CSU trustees change policy on campus president pay

SF Chronicle -- Bending to critics' concerns of runaway executive pay, California State University trustees voted Wednesday to limit salaries for new campus presidents and to consider economic realities before making salary offers. The new policy, approved unanimously by the trustees in Long Beach, caps a president's base pay at 10 percent over what the prior president earned, with the money coming from the state's general fund. The salaries could be augmented with private money. The trustees had expected to approve a plan with no cap.

CSU will limit future presidents' salaries

UT San Diego -- California State University trustees, who have been under fire for the pay package they granted San Diego State University President Elliot Hirshman last summer, on Wednesday adopted a new policy to limit presidential pay. The university will not allow new presidents to be paid more than $325,000 in state funds or earn more than 10 percent above their predecessors’ state-funded salaries.The policy is not retroactive. Hirshman earns $400,000 annually, with $350,000 of that coming from the CSU and $50,000 from SDSU’s fundraising arm.

More college freshmen see getting good job as key goal, poll finds

LA Times -- Seeing their parents struggle with unemployment and other money worries over the last few years, the nation's current batch of college freshmen increasingly view a bachelor's degree as a necessary ticket to better jobs, according to a UCLA survey being released Thursday. In responding to the "American Freshman" poll, 85.9% of first-year students across the country said that being able to land a good job is a very important reason for attending college. That is the strongest response to that question in the 40 years it has been asked and is sharply higher than the 70.4% reply in 2006, before the recession began.

Community colleges in San Diego reap ROI of over 17 percent for students
Scoop San Diego (community news site)

A study has found that the nine community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties contribute a whopping $6.6 billion to California's economy each year, provide jobs to thousands of county residents, and increase the pay students receive as the result of completing their education.

PENSIONS

Lawmakers urge Brown to provide details on pension proposals

VC Star -- Members of a conference committee charged with crafting comprehensive pension-reform legislation this year urged Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday to quickly provide full details on how he envisions his proposed reforms would work. "The public is starting to question if this committee is going to accomplish anything," said Sen. Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel. "We need to prove to the public that we are very, very serious about moving forward with pension reform." She urged the Brown administration to quickly provide the committee with proposed legislative language that would detail his proposals on reform for public employee pensions.

Tiny return for CalPERS: Retirements at risk?

OC Register -- So a raging debate in the pension wars has long been this: Just how much will the giant investment funds really earn over the long haul? The more the investments earn, of course, the less that public workers — and the agencies  employing them — must stash in the retirement kitty so it all pencils out in the end. The gargantuan California Public Employees Retirement System — the nation’s largest — has long assumed a 7.75 percent return on its billions. But that’s pie-in-the-sky optimism, critics argue, and CalPERS should lower its expectations so it’s not stung during less-rosy economic times.

Promotions unpopular for California firefighters earning overtime

Sac Bee -- Some of California's rank-and-file firefighters earn so much money in overtime that the state has revived pay bonuses worth thousands of dollars to lure them into management. The problem at the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has grown over the last decade, as the state negotiated firefighter contracts that boosted overtime pay without consistently raising supervisors' wages. Along with the department's graying ranks and early-retirement incentives, the developments have depleted Cal Fire's leadership ranks.

Graphics: How freshmen's political views have changed over time
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Four decades of data reveal shifts in first-year students' attitudes on politics.

No weaseling out of school fees case
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge drew a bright line Wednesday on Gov. Jerry Brown’s goal of shifting control over education decisions from Sacramento to local districts. What the state can’t do is pawn off its constitutional duty ensuring that California’s children get their fundamental right to a free education, Judge Carl West indicated in a terse tentative ruling. He is expected to elaborate on and finalize the ruling within the next few days.

S.F. schools drop 2012-13 transitional kindergarten
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

San Francisco school officials have abandoned plans to offer transitional kindergarten this fall, saying the uncertainty over the state budget makes it too much of a financial risk to pursue.

The decision flies in the face of state law, which still requires districts to offer the program starting in the 2012-13 school year, but Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget would eliminate that requirement as well as the funding for the program.

January 6, 2012

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Let the California budget games begin

Sac Bee -- The state Constitution requires governors to unveil their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year by Jan. 10. Jerry Brown's 2012-13 proposal was hastily released Thursday, five days before its scheduled delivery, after it inadvertently found its way onto a state website. "This is an honest budget that got started a little earlier than expected," Brown told reporters at an afternoon briefing that caught many legislators by surprise. He later described it as "based on my experience … the best I can put together."

MARK LANDSBAUM COLUMN

Jerry Brown’s surprise budget

OC Register -- We’re not conspiracy theorists, but ya gotta wonder… Gov. Jerry Brown was supposed to unveil his 2012-13 budget next Tuesday morning. Suddenly, this afternoon, five days early, we get an email notification that he will be doing it at 2:30 p.m. today. That allowed about 95 minutes notice.Ostensibly, the reason for the quick draw was that someone mistakenly posted the document on the Department of Finance web site, letting the cat out of the bag. Hm. OK.

BUDGET

Jerry Brown budget plan cuts welfare, threatens deeper cuts if taxes fail

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown released a new budget Thursday that would slash health and welfare programs for the poor and ask voters to pump nearly $5 billion back into education through higher taxes. Brown framed his $92.6 billion spending plan as an either-or decision dependent on his $6.9 billion initiative to increase taxes on sales and the state's high earners. If voters approve his taxes, he suggested, the state could begin paying down years of debt and reverse recession-era cuts to K-12 schools, which have stuffed more students into classrooms and shortened the instructional calendar to save funds.

Brown’s Budget Sends ‘Ransom Note’ to California Voters on Tax Increases

Bloomberg -- California (STOCA1) Governor Jerry Brown proposed a budget that would lop off the equivalent of three weeks from the public school year if voters reject his proposal for $7 billion in temporary tax increases. The $92.6 billion spending plan Brown unveiled yesterday for the year that starts in July boosts spending by 7 percent from the current year, even though the state faces a $9.2 billion deficit. The increase is to be financed through economic growth (BCAX), higher income taxes on those making at least $250,000 a year and expanded sales levies.

Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget plan targets schools

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his new budget plan, calling for a painful $4.8-billion cut in public school funds if voters reject a proposed tax hike that he hopes to put on the ballot in November. Despite the possible reduction — the equivalent of slashing three weeks from the school year — the spending blueprint Brown released Thursday is a relatively optimistic document. It assumes he will have to close a $9.2-billion deficit, a vast improvement over last year's $26-billion gap. Half of the deficit would be wiped out through the temporary half-cent sales-tax hike and increased levies on the wealthy that Brown wants voters to approve — or by the schools cuts.

Schools will be cut $4.8 billion if taxes don't pass, Gov. Jerry Brown says

SJ Mercury News -- Putting schools and voters squarely in the middle of what could be an explosive battle over taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday laid out a fiscal blueprint that heavily relies on cash the state doesn't yet have. Brown called for a budget that assumes $6.9 billion in new revenues from a tax measure he plans to take to voters in November. The governor says passage of the measure would wipe out a $9.2 billion deficit through mid-2013 and give schools $4.9 billion more than this fiscal year.

Brown: Schools, cops could take $5.4 billion cut without new taxes

OC Register -- Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday he will need to cut $5.4 billion from schools, universities and public safety if voters don't approve a tax increase in November. The announcement came as Brown released the first draft of his 2012-13 budget proposal. Brown had originally intended to release the plan next week, but his administration accidentally posted it online Thursday morning. The snafu forced Brown to roll out the centerpiece of his 2012 agenda in a hastily called press conference at the State Capitol.

Steinberg: Senate won't make March cuts proposed by Brown

Sac Bee -- California's top Senate Democrat today shut the door on Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal to make deep cuts to social services programs in the first few months of the year. The January spending plan unveiled by Brown today includes nearly $1.4 billion in cuts to the state's welfare-to-work and subsidized child care programs. The Democratic governor called on lawmakers to approve those cuts in March to maximize savings. But Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, echoing comments made Wednesday, said he wants to hold off on further spending reductions in hopes that the state will see an uptick in revenues this spring.

Jerry Brown budget would slash 3,000 state jobs, merge departments

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown's 2012-13 budget proposal would cut state government by a few thousand jobs and consolidate nearly 50 state organizations, while avoiding furloughs. Brown's plan would reduce the state's workforce by some 3,000 positions, mostly from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The savings would fill just a tiny fraction of the $9.2 billion budget hole projected through June 2013. Department of Finance Director Ana Matosantos said the administration will "try to minimize the number of layoffs" by relocating employees whose positions have been eliminated, "but the total workforce will continue to go down."

Jerry Brown: More cuts to welfare in new budget

SF Chronicle -- Gov. Jerry Brown released his budget plan Thursday, proposing more deep cuts to state health and welfare programs next fiscal year while warning that spending on schools, universities and courts will be reduced by billions if California voters refuse to pass his tax proposal in November. The plan assumes that the taxes are passed, leaving funding for higher education and courts steady while K-12 school spending increases. But the state's welfare-to-work program, CalWORKS, would be slashed by nearly $1 billion, 71,000 child care subsidies would be eliminated and publicly funded health care would see deep reductions.

California’s Debt-Issuance Drought Means Sales Held to Only $5.2 Billion

Bloomberg -- California (STOCA1) bond sales this year will remain at levels well below those of 2009 and 2010, as Governor Jerry Brown attacks what he calls a “wall of debt.” While the nation’s most-populous state will sell $5.2 billion of general-obligation bonds in 2012, up 18 percent from 2011, that amount is far less than was issued in either of the two preceding years, according to Tom Dresslar, a spokesman for state Treasurer Bill Lockyer.In 2009, the state sold $20.5 billion in general-obligation debt. The amount fell by almost half in the following year, to $10.4 billion, Dresslar said.

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER EDITORIALS

Brown's bad-news budget arrives early

Gov. Jerry Brown released Thursday his proposed budget for 2012-13, five days ahead of schedule. Apparently someone mistakenly posted the budget on the Department of Finance website, letting the cat out of the bag. It's a good thing it wasn't an important secret, although we can understand why Mr. Brown may not want a lot of fanfare over this budget. The bottom line is that spending increases by $6 billion, to $92 billion from to $86 billion in the current fiscal year, which doesn't strike us as austere.

Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget plan targets schools
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his new budget plan, calling for a painful $4.8-billion cut in public school funds if voters reject a proposed tax hike that he hopes to put on the ballot in November.

Effort to repeal California Dream Act comes up short
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Critics of illegal immigration announced Friday that they were unable to obtain the needed 500,000 petition signatures to ask voters to repeal the California Dream Act signed into law last year by Gov. Jerry Brown.

In an email to supporters, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-San Bernardino), the public face of the initiative drive, said petitioners had netted only 447,514 signatures to submit to the secretary of state by the deadline on Friday. They would have needed to submit well above the 504,760 threshold because some signatures are inevitably found to be invalid.

January 5, 2012

Billionaire tax-boosters target Californians

OC Register -- In the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. For beleaguered California taxpayers, this may be the Year of the Billionaire. Of the half dozen or so potential November ballot measures designed to raise taxes, nearly half are actively sponsored by billionaires. While other tax proposals are being backed by extremely well-heeled special interests, they will be the subject of a future column. Here is where some ultrarich are putting their money. Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge-fund manager with major investments in renewable energy, is promoting a $1.1 billion tax on out-of-state businesses with operations in California, to fund renewable energy projects.

EDUCATION

Senator's bill would cap CSU presidents' salaries

SF Chronicle -- The salaries of California State University campus presidents would be capped, and discussions about their pay would be held in public, under a bill being proposed by a state senator frustrated that CSU has been raising executive pay as well as tuition. The proposal comes months after CSU trustees hired a campus president in San Diego for $400,000 a year - $100,000 more than his predecessor - and at the same meeting that they approved a 12 percent tuition increase.

Parent activists vs. unions over school law

San Diego UT -- A dispute has erupted over how education labor groups characterize a California law that enables parents to force changes at schools. Parent organizers from San Diego and Lynwood on Wednesday rallied against what they called inaccurate and misleading union dispatches to teachers on the controversial parent trigger law, which allows parents at low-performing schools to force their campus to convert to a charter and hire new teachers, or change its administration.

LGBT in textbooks: New law, but so far little has changed

Capitol Weekly -- One of the Capitol’s fiercest 2011 rhetorical duels centered on including the contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons in the social studies curriculum of California’s public schools. “Social studies classes require the inclusion of just about every traditionally overlooked community you can think of,” said Sen. Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat, who carried the bill – SB 48 – mandating the curriculum change. “Conspicuous by its absence is LGBT citizens. We’ve literally been censoring a chapter in civil rights history.”

Elected school officials not always easy to reach

SJ Mercury News -- Maybe you're anxious about trigger cuts at your kid's school. Or you don't want your neighborhood school closed, or you're outraged by an administrator's salary. So you pick up the phone to call a school board member. How do you find the number? Only about one-third of the school districts in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties list some or all of their trustees' phone numbers online. The rest channel contact through the district office, which is open during school hours, usually 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed on weekends, holidays and winter break.

With eye on K-12, community colleges to revamp

CoCo Times -- Inundated with unprepared students, California's community colleges next week will consider a slate of reforms to improve graduation and transfer rates -- and to help high schools improve their own graduates. A panel that spent a year examining low success rates at the state's 112 community colleges will recommend Monday that the statewide Board of Governors take swift action to boost dismal figures in several key areas. In its report, the task force calls the 22 recommendations "a vision for our community colleges in the next decade."

Unemployment Varies by College Major, Study Finds

By Beckie Supiano

Employment rates are higher for recent college graduates than for those with less education, but job prospects vary by major, according to a report released on Wednesday by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

Episode 91: Students Want Colleges to Go Mobile Now, Even if Services Aren’t Perfect

By Jeffrey R. Young

The biggest challenge colleges face when designing new mobile services is a tendency to overplan, argues Cindy Bixler, chief information officer of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The Tech Therapy team explores the challenges colleges face as the number of students and professors carrying smartphones and tablets grows.

Stop Letting High-School Courses Count for College Credit
By Michael Mendillo

When our best students "place out" of general-education classes, they're missing the point of college. It has been 25 years since I ended administrative service to return to the joys of full-time teaching and research in a science department at a major research university. One of the assets I brought back to my department was a thorough familiarity and appreciation of the teaching and research done by colleagues in the humanities and social sciences. When advising our undergraduate science majors on how to complete their general-education requirements, I felt particularly useful. I could recommend courses across the disciplines taught by professors I knew well.

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Survey shows California healthcare costs rising, benefits shrinking

LA Times -- Fewer California companies offered their workers health insurance last year, and the ones that did charged employees more for their coverage. That's among the findings of an annual California Employer Health Benefits Survey released Wednesday by the California HealthCare Foundation, a research and grant-making nonprofit organization.According to the survey, premiums for employer health insurance plans have risen 153.5% since 2002, a rate that's more than five times the increase in California's inflation rate.

PENSIONS

San Jose City Council members issue a call to cut their own pensions

SJ Mercury News -- As San Jose's elected leaders try to trim city workers' pensions whose rising costs are gobbling up funds for services, their own guaranteed retirement plan has drawn little scrutiny. But amid growing employee outrage over proposed pension cuts -- which Mayor Chuck Reed wants to take to voters in June -- he and some other council members now say it's unseemly for them to keep their own pensions, whose costs also are climbing.

Agencies picked up $2 billion pension bill for workers

OC Register -- Dreamers, imagine this: Your employer makes its required contribution to your retirement account, and then makes your required contribution, too. Sweet? This is reality for many folks who work for California’s local governments.Cities and counties are required to pay the employer’s contribution to worker retirement accounts, which is about 25 percent of each employee’s salary. Then there’s the part that cities and counties don’t have to pay, but often do pay, to sweeten the pot: The employee’s required contribution to the retirement account, which is 8 percent or 9 percent of salary.

California lawmakers return to budget woes, personal issues

Sac Bee -- Lawmakers returned to Sacramento with a bang Wednesday, kicking off 2012 with a flurry of new bills, a leadership transition and no shortage of drama involving members' personal troubles. While tackling a projected budget deficit of roughly $12 billion over the next 18 months will be a top priority, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg predicted that members would take action on a long list of issues during the second year of the two-year session, including public employee pensions, the state's high-speed rail project and an $11 billion water bond slated for the November ballot.

STOCKTON RECORD EDITORIALS

Follow the money online

Campaign finance laws are pretty hollow if the public has only limited, after-the-fact access to what candidates are spending and where they're getting their money. That's why it's good news that Cal-Access - http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/campaign/ - is up and running again. California's campaign finance and lobbying disclosure database, operated by the Secretary of State's Office, has been down all but about 30 hours since Nov. 30. The non-specific, catch-all phrase used to describe the outage: technical difficulties.

January 4, 2012

EDUCATION

California and Sacramento-area teachers took pay hits last year

Sac Bee -- School districts across California slashed teacher payrolls by historic amounts last school year, cutting 15,000 teachers and $1 billion from their budgets, according to a Bee review of new state data. The roughly 5.5 percent statewide reduction in teaching payroll eclipsed the 3 percent cut the prior year. "This $1 billion comes on top of years of cuts," said Eric Heins, vice president of the California Teachers Association, the state's largest teachers union. "Overall, we have lost 40,000 teacher jobs over the last four years."

PENSIONS

Pension reform: More expensive than doing nothing?

OC Register -- Pushing public workers out of pension plans with guaranteed payouts could save taxpayers billions each year — but perhaps not until the folks reading this story are grizzled and gray, according to new analyses by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. In the short-term, the LAO said, pension reform could actually cost governments, and the taxpayers who fund them, more. We’ve been telling you about the two versions of an aggressive initiative filed by California Pension Reform (whose VP is Fullerton’s own Jack Dean), which are in the signature-gathering stage and aiming for the November ballot.

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE EDITORIALS

California Legislature has plenty to do in 2012

California legislators passed, and Gov. Jerry Brown signed, 745 measures last year, but they still left themselves plenty of critical work to do when lawmakers reconvene in Sacramento today. Their to-do list starts with coming up with a way to contain the rising burden of public employee pensions. Brown set the table for debate in October when he rolled out a 12-point reform plan that would raise the retirement age for most new workers from 55 to 67 and would move away from the traditional monthly pension to a hybrid system that included a 401(k)-type account.

January 3, 2012

EDUCATION

Competing pressures put strain on school principals, study finds

VC Star -- California principals are facing shrinking budgets and mounting responsibilities to lead teachers and keep schools running — creating competing pressures that may make the job untenable, a study has found. Principals reported working 60 and sometimes 70 hours a week. As budget cuts thinned the ranks of support staff, they juggled roles as teachers, community liaisons, nurses, athletic directors, crisis managers and budget gurus.

SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIALS

State deserves a 21st-century voting system

A dozen years have passed since the Bush-Gore presidential election debacle in Florida. A decade has passed since Congress approved the Help America Vote Act in response to the Florida events. The law required states to modernize their voter registration and vote tabulation systems. California has received $380 million from the federal government to get the job done and another $200 million in bond money from state taxpayers. But the fixes remain incomplete. Voting equipment has been updated. None of the punch card, chad-producing voting machines that caused such consternation in Florida remain in use in California.

Let's Improve Learning. OK, but How?
By W. Robert Connor

A genuine theory of change would be grounded in knowledge about how students learn, and in the best way to put that knowledge to work.

Is Your College a Great Place To Work?
Find out by participating in the 2012 Great Colleges to Work For survey. Now in its fifth year, the program will help you understand your employees' perceptions of your institution and provide a framework from which you can refine your recruitment and retention strategies. There is no cost to participate, so sign up today at ChronicleGreatColleges.com

December 16, 2011

BUDGET

California oil tax ballot proposal filed

LA Times -- Political professionals agree that the biggest threat to Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed $7-billion tax hike initiative for next November is that so many other people want to crowd the ballot with their own tax proposals that overwhelmed voters will reject them all. So, get this: As Brown was telling reporters in Sacramento on Tuesday that he needed to convince people to drop those competing tax measures, the chairman of the governor's own political party was filing yet another tax initiative.

California group behind millionaires tax presses on

CoCo Times -- A group touting a populist tax on millionaires is not backing down from Gov. Jerry Brown's pleas to clear the field for his own tax initiative. Organizers for the liberal Restoring California boasted Thursday that their tax measure has the best chance of winning among the four submitted to the attorney general. The group says an internal poll shows 67 percent of likely voters are in favor of a tax on those with an annual income of $1 million or more. "Our proposal draws a sharp line in the sand politically," said Joshua Pechthalt, president of the California Teachers Federation, one of dozens of groups backing the tax measure.

EDUCATION

School group recommends some charter closures

San Diego UT -- The state’s charter school association is calling for the closure of 10 underperforming schools in the state, including one in the San Diego, in an effort to improve accountability and fulfill a “collective promise” of quality education in charter schools. Letters will be sent to boards that authorized the charters recommending they not be renewed when they are up for review in 2012. “This is the first time that we have done this,” said Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association.

SANTA ROSA PRESS DEMOCRAT EDITORIALS

Let the voters decide on state tax increase

If you listened only to the anti-tax crusaders, you might believe that California voters have no faith in government and little use for public services. It’s a different story if you listen to the voters. In November’s elections around the state, voters passed 40 of 53 ballot measures involving bonds, taxes and fees — the highest approval rate in the past decade. Those results reaffirm that Californians value public services, and they’re willing to pay for them — if they believe their money is being well managed. For the most part, they trust local government to do so. State government?

December 15, 2011

More student unrest likely, California college officials tell legislative panel
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

One month after the pepper-spraying of student protesters at the University of California, Davis, officials are struggling with how to move forward, even as they prepare for the possibility of new protests and building takeovers when students return next month.

Budget cuts will cost us later
The Los Angeles Times - editorial (national daily newspaper)

There's such a thing as tightening our collective belt or making do with less. When that happens, Californians raise fees or close another public office for a few additional days or cram a few more students into an already full classroom without screaming too loudly about it. But something entirely different is happening now: California is becoming a state that lets down its elderly, its disabled, its children and its college students in fundamental ways that will harm all of us in the years ahead.

Past, present and future budget cuts haunt California
KQED - blog (Bay Area public broadcasting and news service)

So just how bad are the trigger cuts announced by the state yesterday?

It depends on whether you're a glass half-empty or glass half-full kind of person, I guess. But it also depends on your ability to ignore the probability that the glass is going to keep getting drained, maybe for years to come.

Judge rejects claim that Cal State tuition hike was illegal
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A Cal State Los Angeles student lost a round Wednesday in his legal battle to prevent a tuition increase when a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rejected his claim that the Cal State board's recent approval of the hike was illegal.

Robert W. Bates, a graduate student who is seeking a teaching credential, had sought a preliminary injunction to block the 9% increase for next fall, arguing that the university's trustees violated public meeting laws during a tumultuous Nov. 16 session that was disrupted by protesters.

UC Berkeley cuts price for shrinking middle class
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

It takes not only brains but money to attend UC Berkeley, and that means one unlikely group is increasingly unable to enroll: the middle class.

BUDGET

Burton proposes oil tax measure for 2012 ballot

Sac Bee -- John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, is adding his own tax proposal, on oil production, to an already crowded field. Burton filed paperwork with the state Tuesday that proposes a ballot measure for an oil severance tax. The move comes as Gov. Jerry Brown is trying to place his own tax measure – which would temporarily increase the state sales tax and income taxes on California's highest earners – on the November 2012 ballot. Other groups have also filed proposals to raise revenue.

EDUCATION

Officials decry education cuts, weigh options for new taxes

SB Sun -- Statewide education officials on Wednesday decried "trigger cuts" announced this week to the state's K-12 school system and said they wanted taxes raised to bolster education funding. The officials' comments, in a teleconference with media members, touched on the strategies being contemplated to find new tax revenue. Several voter initiatives seeking tax increases to fund education could potentially qualify for the ballot in November, said Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction.

Schools searching for ways to offset busing cuts

San Diego UT -- Education officials across San Diego County are scrambling to keep school buses rolling after the governor’s announcement this week that the state will cut $248 million in school transportation funding beginning Jan. 1. School districts plan to tap reserves or adjust budgets — if they can — to make up for the loss of about $15 million in state funding in the county.Although the cuts are imminent, school districts are expected to continue providing bus service at least until March, according to David Walrath, legislative advocate for the Small School Districts’ Association. He said schools must give a 60-day notice before laying off bus drivers.

REGION: Buses will roll even with cuts

Riverside PE -- State education leaders on Wednesday painted a bleak picture of the nearly $1 billion in funding cuts announced this week, including $248 million that they said would force schools to reduce bus service. Inland school officials didn’t welcome the cuts, but most said they had planned for them and did not anticipate immediate changes in bus service. However, the cuts mean there is less money for other programs. In a teleconference Wednesday morning, state schools chief Tom Torlakson and members of California’s Education Coalition said the cuts will disproportionately affect districts serving low-income and rural areas.

Apologies for UC Davis pepper-spray incident come with a warning

LA Times -- State lawmakers grilled University of California officials Wednesday over the controversial pepper-spraying of student protesters at UC Davis, only to be warned by those administrators — however conciliatory — that more protests are inevitable if the Legislature keeps cutting funds for higher education. The university administrators gave a legislative committee the same combination of apology and defense they have offered since the incident sparked nationwide outrage last month and became a rallying point for the Occupy movement.

More student unrest likely, California college officials tell legislative panel

Sac Bee -- One month after the pepper-spraying of student protesters at the University of California, Davis, officials are struggling with how to move forward, even as they prepare for the possibility of new protests and building takeovers when students return next month. Anger over the rising cost of a college education in California is so great, university officials told a legislative panel Wednesday, that they are concerned about students building new encampments. But so far the only consensus on how to deal with the protests going forward is to avoid using police force to quell the unrest.

UC Berkeley moves to ease tuition burden for some

Sac Bee -- The University of California, Berkeley, will cap attendance costs for families earning between $80,000 and $140,000 in a new attempt to relieve middle-class parents squeezed by tuition hikes. Starting next year, those families would pay no more than 15 percent of their gross income for tuition, books and living costs, a cap ranging between $12,000 and $21,000. The current resident price tag of attending UC Berkeley is $32,634 a year. School officials said Wednesday the Middle Class Action Plan would cost between $10 million and $12 million in the first year, on top of a current undergraduate aid budget of $130 million.

Campaign to repeal financial aid for immigrants

San Diego UT -- Supporters of a campaign to repeal the California Dream Act, which allows undocumented immigrants to apply for college financial aid, chose three locations in San Diego County on Wednesday to collect signatures for a ballot referendum. Their events were held in Carlsbad, San Diego and Santee.The campaign needs to collect 504,000 valid signatures to get the measure on the November 2012 ballot. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the two bills collectively known as the California Dream Act into law this year. The legislation, sponsored by Los Angeles Democrat Gil Cedillo, will take effect Jan. 1.

December 14, 2011

State budget: Trigger cuts hit community colleges
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Now that California's dreaded "trigger cuts" have been triggered, public colleges and universities - and students and teachers - are the clear losers in the midyear budget bloodbath.

California State University and the University of California will each lose $100 million, bringing to $750 million in cuts this year from each university's budget.

Gov. Jerry Brown announces deeper cuts to California colleges and child care
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

In a rare December budget action, Gov. Jerry Brown announced deeper cuts Tuesday to colleges, libraries and child care, though he spared K-12 schools from the worst-case scenario they had feared.

Vallejo and Napa colleges lose more state funds in mid-year cuts
The Vallejo Times-Herald (local daily newspaper)

The stream of state funds for higher education just got thinner with cuts slated for local community colleges and Vallejo's California Maritime Academy.

State officials announced Tuesday the California State University system would be cut an additional $100 million.

Likewise, the California Community College system will immediately lose $102 million based on prior revenue projections not coming to fruition, officials said.

Good budget news complicates Jerry Brown's bid for tax boost

Sac Bee -- California's public schools received a rare bit of good news Tuesday when Gov. Jerry Brown largely exempted them from automatic reductions in state aid, citing improvements in the economy. However, Brown's declaration that the economy is getting better and he doesn't have to squeeze all automatic spending cut "triggers" also lessened the air of crisis and therefore complicated Brown's efforts to persuade voters to raise taxes next year. "The economy of California is recovering," Brown said as he announced that about half of the $4 billion in questionable new revenue is materializing, adding, "We're getting wealthier by the day but it's slower than we like."

JAN NORMAN COLUMN

Survey: 57% of Calif. firms lack money to grow

OC Register -- More than half (56%) of California business owners say they lack the resources to grow their companies, according to a report released today by Pepperdine University. California businesses don’t have reserves so they’re scrounging for outside funding with little success, according to the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project at the Graziadio School of Business and Management. The state-specific data are from a national survey of almost 11,000 privately owned businesses in the  fall with Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.

BUDGET

$1 billion in California budget cuts to kick in soon

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown announced nearly $1 billion in new state budget cuts, slashing spending on higher education and eliminating funding for free school-bus service but avoiding the deeper reductions to public schools that many had feared. Services for the disabled, money for public libraries and funding for state prisons will also be pared. Most of the cuts, announced Tuesday, will take effect Jan. 1. The reductions were built into the budget that Brown and lawmakers approved in June, set to kick in if revenue did not reach the optimistic level they had assumed.

Jerry Brown announces $1 billion in spending cuts

SF Chronicle -- Public services in California will be hit with nearly $1 billion in midyear cuts over the next few weeks because the state will collect less revenue than anticipated in the budget approved earlier this year, Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday. Higher education, K-12 schools, public safety, and health and social services all will see a drop in funding, and Brown warned that state spending will face further cuts in the 2012-13 fiscal year under the budget proposal he will unveil in January. "The good news is the economy of California is recovering ... but (it's) still not enough to close the deficit built up for years," Brown said during a news conference at the Capitol.

Gov. Jerry Brown announces deeper cuts to California colleges and child care

Sac Bee -- In a rare December budget action, Gov. Jerry Brown announced deeper cuts Tuesday to colleges, libraries and child care, though he spared K-12 schools from the worst-case scenario they had feared. It served as prologue to another year of budget jousting as Brown prepares to ask voters for $7 billion in higher taxes to avoid deeper reductions. All told, California will impose $980 million in midyear cuts to a dozen programs starting in January, a sizable amount but less than half of what the legislative analyst predicted in a gloomier forecast last month.

Gov. Jerry Brown pulls trigger: Colleges, schools and services for elderly and disabled hit

SJ Mercury News -- Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday he would slash nearly $1 billion in funding for higher education, K-12 schools and services for the elderly and mentally disabled, but schools will be largely spared from the devastating cuts many had feared. Because revenue has fallen $2.2 billion short of the $4 billion it had penciled into the budget because of an improving economy, Brown's administration is being forced to make $981 million in "trigger cuts" under a budget plan agreed to by Brown and Democratic legislators last June.

'Vigil' protests cuts to state budget

SB Sun -- More than 60 protesters from San Bernardino and Riverside counties marched through downtown Riverside Tuesday night, carrying candles as a "vigil" for services that will be cut as part of the "trigger cuts" to the state budget announced earlier that day. Waving signs with messages ranging from "Students First" to biblical references to the importance of caring for the needy, the protest was organized by 10 groups."I think the diversity of this group is what's most impressive - we're united and can't be divided," said Hector Guzman, a student at San Bernardino Valley College who has been involved in other movements, including Occupy San Bernardino Valley.

TAXES: Poll shows voter support for governor’s plan

Riverside PE -- Sixty percent of likely voters support Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed November 2012 ballot measure to temporarily increase the income tax for high earners and the state sales tax, according to a new poll. The new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California finds that 93 percent of Californians think the state’s budget is a problem. Sixty-two percent of residents report that they’ve noticed cutbacks in local government services. Announced last week, Brown’s proposed initiative would raise $7 billion annually over five years. The state confronts a nearly $13 billion shortfall through June 2013.

EDUCATION

Darrell Steinberg pushes 'open-source' college textbooks for Californians

Sac Bee -- Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg announced Tuesday that he will push for legislation to create an online, open-source library to reduce the cost of course materials for college students across the state. Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said the average student spends $1,300 a year on textbooks, a figure his staff said is based on projections that the University of California, California State University and community college systems provide to students for budgeting purposes. Under his proposal, materials for 50 common lower division courses would be developed and posted online for free student access.

PENSIONS

Stanford study says public pensions must be curbed in California

Sac Bee -- California's retirement obligations to public employees can't be tamed without curbing benefits for current workers and retirees, according to a new pension report published Tuesday by Stanford University. California's three largest pension systems face a collective $485 billion in promised pension payments in the coming years that they don't have the money to cover, according to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. Delaying changes to the pension systems is costing the state about $3.4 million more per day.

CalPERS earns $695 million profit from investment fund

Sac Bee -- CalPERS reported a $695 million profit from one of its investments Tuesday. The California Public Employees' Retirement System said it earned the money from an investment fund that closed down after a 10-year run that ended when it sold its last asset. The profit is obviously welcome news for CalPERS. Although it earned some of the best returns in its history in the 2010-11 fiscal year, the giant public pension fund is still working to recover from the devastating losses it suffered during the 2008 market crash. The just-reported profit stems from a 2001 investment with GI Partners of Menlo Park.

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE EDITORIALS

Budget relief doesn’t change big picture

The Brown administration’s announcement Tuesday that it would order smaller midyear budget “trigger” cuts than feared must be kept in context. The $1 billion in cuts will further reduce state services for seniors and the disabled and will cost the University of California and California State University systems $100 million each. While school districts face only $79 million in new cuts to classroom funding, the $248 million reduction in school transportation funds means the end of busing in many districts, which will have a deeply disruptive effect on hundreds of thousands of families, and not just in rural areas.

December 13, 2011

BUDGET

Community colleges face $102 million budget cut
The Fresno Bee (local daily newspaper)

California community college students will face a 28% fee increase next summer after lawmakers had to slash hundreds of millions of dollars from higher education.

On Tuesday, Gov. Jerry Brown announced $1 billion in midyear cuts to higher education, K-12 education, child care, senior services and other state-funded programs, triggered by the budget plan lawmakers passed this year. Community colleges will lose $102 million, a blow to the system's already strained budget that will trim courses, diminish student services and could lead to staff layoffs.

Community college system worries about budget cuts
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business periodical)
Budget cuts to higher education won’t just hurt colleges and staff, but also will ultimately hurt students and workforce readiness and therefore the state’s economy, California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said Tuesday.

If fees are raised in the state’s community colleges, the system’s 2.6 million students will be hit by cuts in student support services, Scott said. Campuses will also reduce faculty, counselors, advisers, tutors and financial aid officers.

$1 billion state cut goes easy on schools
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that cash-strapped California must impose $1 billion in spending cuts starting Jan. 1, but K-12 classrooms will be spared from the most punishing reductions.

Nevertheless, the retrenchment will still be painful across the state, with school busing, colleges, universities and social service programs taking the largest blows. State spending on libraries and some public safety programs will also be slashed.

$1 billion in cuts will slash social services and higher ed, spare K-12
The Pasadena Star-News (local daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown pulled the trigger on nearly $1 billion in automatic mid-year budget cuts Tuesday that will slash core social service programs and higher education but largely spare K-12 education.

The announcement comes in the wake of new accounting from the Department of Finance, placing revenues $2.2 billion short of the $88.4 billion Brown and state legislators had hoped for when they passed the budget last summer.

Several social safety nets are on the chopping block - including funding for school buses, support programs for the developmentally disabled and child subsidies for working mothers. The state's three-tier higher education system will also suffer - by about $300 million.

Rally against community college cuts
KEYT Channel 3 (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Ventura TV station)

Since the recession began community colleges have seen their budgets slashed and this coming year may be no exception.

Ventura County Community Colleges located in Ventura, Moorpark and Oxnard are bracing for more.

Members of the American Federation of Teachers rallied outside campuses Monday.

Tonight they plan to join students and rally outside the VCCCD Board of Trustees meeting in Ventura.

How many billions will be cut from schools, services?

OC Register (AP) -- Californians will find out Tuesday how much the state will automatically cut from public schools, higher education and a range of state services. State finance director Ana Matosantos will release the department's latest forecast for the current fiscal year, which will determine how much in pre-approved cuts the state will need to make starting Jan. 1. The cuts to be implemented include up to $100 million each to the University of California, California State University, developmental services and in-home support for seniors and the disabled.

California midyear cuts loom for schools, services
The Associated Press (international news agency)

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Californians will find out Tuesday how much the state will automatically cut from public schools, higher education and a range of state services.

State finance director Ana Matosantos will release the department's latest forecast for the current fiscal year, which will determine how much in pre-approved cuts the state will need to make starting Jan. 1.

The cuts to be implemented include up to $100 million each to the University of California, California State University, developmental services and in-home support for seniors and the disabled. Community college fees would increase $10 per unit, and reductions would be made for child care assistance, library grants and prisons, among other programs.

AM Alert: Time to pull the California budget trigger
The Sacramento Bee - blog (daily newspaper)

State Finance Director Ana Matosantos is expected to say today just how much in cuts will be triggered by California' failure to meet its optimistic budget projections.

Her announcement on the state's revenue forecast, in a briefing for credentialed news media, will be held at noon in Room 126 at the Capitol.

Any cuts will go into effect on January 1.

Gov. Brown's tax proposal enjoys support in poll
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Sacramento -- - A strong majority of Californians support Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to raise the sales tax and income taxes on high earners to help close the state's budget deficit, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll.

Completion comes first
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- Community colleges are no longer the “best-kept secret” in higher education. The colleges are getting plenty of attention for their role in workforce training, and at the same time feeling growing pressure to improve low graduation rates -- a trend that continued Monday with the naming of Valencia College as the first winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Valencia, a large two-year institution in Florida that is widely considered a top community college, edged out the competition in part for its strides on completion rates.

PPIC POLL: Big majority support Brown’s tax increase plan

San Diego UT -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax increase appears to be more popular than he is. Nearly two-thirds of Californians favor Brown’s tax hike, but fewer than half of them think he’s doing a good job as governor, according to a survey released Monday by the nonprofit Public Policy Institute of California. The independent survey gauged public opinion on a range of issues and showed widespread support for various public employee pension changes advanced by Brown and others — even among those identified as public employees.

December 12, 2011

California budget cuts likely as revenue lags
The Wall Street Journal (national daily newspaper)

Recipients of state money in California are bracing for as much as $2.5 billion in new budget cuts prompted by a revenue shortfall in the nation's most populous state.

The cuts expected to be announced this week by Gov. Jerry Brown could include a seven-day reduction of the school year, projected to save $1.5 billion. Other possible cuts outlined by the state finance.

BUDGET

California's financial forecast this week will have real-world consequences

Sac Bee -- Next month, rural residents may struggle to find library books, and low-income families could lose subsidized child care. Come February, public school districts may scour their calendars looking for days to shut their doors.The rosy budget crafted by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in June confronts reality this week when state finance officials update their revenue forecast. The audience for such dry exercises normally consists of bureaucrats and budget wonks. But in an unusual step, state leaders tied real-world consequences to the revenue update.

EDUCATION

Current crop of California college grads can't find jobs they want

Sac Bee -- Call them the underemployed generation. Since the start of the recession, the number of new college graduates in California working as cashiers, office clerks, retail salespersons, bartenders, secretaries, child care workers, tellers and customer service representatives has jumped by 40 percent, or 12,000, according to a Bee review of census data. Meanwhile, the number of new grads employed in their chosen professions as schoolteachers, architects, accountants and myriad other careers has fallen. "I'm frustrated," said Sergey Savrasov, 21.

Cal State campuses overwhelmed by remedial needs

CoCo Times -- Wracked with frustration over the state's legions of unprepared high school graduates, the California State University system next summer will force freshmen with remedial needs to brush up on math or English before arriving on campus. But many professors at the 23-campus university, which has spent the past 13 years dismissing students who fail remedial classes, doubt the Early Start program will do much to help students unable to handle college math or English.

Mercury News editorial: Valley should support online textbook movement
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

Silicon Valley should be cheering state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg's new push to bring digital open-source textbooks to California's community college and university campuses. With skyrocketing costs for textbooks, it represents the quickest and smartest way for colleges and universities to reduce the burden on students, who increasingly are finding higher education priced out of their reach.

It also could make California a model for the nation: Digital textbooks surely are the wave of the future.

Publishers now require students to buy the print edition of a book in order to receive the electronic version. It is a Luddite business model. There has to be a fair pricing system that preserves a profit for publishers but saves them -- and students -- the cost of printing a paper book nobody really wants. If they can't work that out, students need other options.

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Let's make textbooks affordable

LA Times -- Sadly, today's college students have been handed a much worse deal than their parents' generation enjoyed in California. They're being forced to pay loads more for arguably less. Even if their parents are helping, many students are burdening themselves with loans that they could still be paying off when their own kids leave for college. For generations, California prided itself on offering very affordable, quality higher education for any youngsters with the energy, discipline and ambition to seek a college diploma. The return on the public's investment was a professional workforce that fueled California's economy and spurred innovation.

California has low science standards, study says
The Oakland Tribune (local daily newspaper)

California claims it sets its academic bar high for public school students, but a newly released study shows that the state's eighth-grade science standards fall far below a national benchmark -- and are lower than those in nearly half the states.

The survey examined states' standards for eighth-grade science and students' test results for 2009, and compared them to a national yardstick.

Using as a reference point the National Assessment of Education Progress, the only K-12 academic test common across all states, California's definition of proficiency in science actually falls below the "basic" level. So do proficiency standards in 15 other states. The study found that only three states -- New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts--maintain science standards above NAEP's definition of proficiency.

December 11, 2011

High price for higher education: CPA tries to teach parents tools to pay for child's tuition
The Santa Cruz Sentinel (local daily newspaper)

SANTA CRUZ — The numbers are mind-boggling.

The price tag for a year at San Francisco State University is rising to $25,000. At UC Santa Cruz, it's $32,000, and private colleges cost more than $50,000.

In 1985, students paid for 25 percent of the cost of their education at state colleges and universities; the state picked up 75 percent of the tab, according to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Today, it's about 50-50.

For community colleges, a time to shine
The Chronicle of Higher Education - opinion (education trade periodical)

What is the best community college in America? Ask a similar question about universities and you'll prompt a vigorous debate. Caltech and MIT would duke it out for engineering supremacy while Harvard and Princeton compete for maximum selectivity and prestige. Amherst is near the top of everyone's liberal-arts-college list, with Swarthmore close behind.

December 10, 2011

Goodbye textbooks, hello iPad
PC World (computer trade periodical)

A technology shift is under way. The PC’s promise to transform how learning happens in the classroom is being realized by Apple’s iPad. Students and teachers in grade school through higher education are using the iPad to augment their lessons or to replace textbooks.

The iPad is especially helpful for students with special needs. Its simplified touch interface and accessibility features help these children learn more independently; aftermarket accessories assist in making the iPad more classroom-friendly.

December 8, 2011

COD student newspaper joins statewide protest - The Palm Desert Patch (local online news source) Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Can Washington help what ails American higher ed? - The Associated Press (international news service) Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Completion conundrum - Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical) Thursday, December 8, 2011

December 6, 2011

CSU sees big jump in student interest
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

For the third year in a row, the California State University has received a record number of undergraduate applications.

Freshmen and transfer students submitted 665,860 applications -- easily eclipsing last year's total of 611,225. The increase in interest comes at a time of tight budgets and diminished funding by the state.

A growing number of registered nurses in California, U.S.
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Lauren Mills' counselor in college pushed her to consider nursing. She heeded the advice, graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 2007 and now works with cardiac patients at an Orange County hospital. It's proved a challenging and gratifying choice, said Mills, now 27.

BUDGET

Brown initiative seeks higher taxes to avoid deep school cuts

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown asked voters Monday to increase taxes on sales and the rich in California, warning of damaging cuts without new money and blaming Republicans for partisan gridlock. The Democratic governor's initiative would raise the statewide sales tax a half-cent and impose higher income taxes starting with individuals making at least $250,000 a year. The plan would raise $7 billion annually for five years to shrink the state's deficit problem. The state's top budget analyst estimated last month that California must tackle a $12.8 billion deficit next year.

December 5, 2011

Gov. Jerry Brown names capital student to community colleges board
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Ning Yang of Sacramento has been appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown as a student representative to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

Yang is pursuing an associate degree in psychology at Mendocino College. She has served as a senator for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges since 2010, according to a news release from the college system. She served as student president for Mendocino College from 2008-09.

Jerry Brown's rating may be better than it looks
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

A new survey shows that Gov. Jerry Brown has the second-lowest first-year approval rating of any California governor in a half-century, "but that's as good as he could possibly hope for in a bad situation," said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo.

Jerry Brown to take tax hike plan directly to voters
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Sacramento—

In what he called an end-run around Sacramento's partisan gridlock, Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday unveiled his bid to raise taxes on high earners and boost the sales tax by a half-cent for the next five years.

Obama meets with college leaders as Occupy protesters target student debt
Bloomberg News (national business trade periodical)

A dozen heads of public and private universities and “thought leaders” in higher education told President Barack Obama of successes in reducing rises in costs while improving quality.

BUDGET

FIELD POLL: Voters oppose automatic budget cuts

Riverside PE -- Two-thirds of California voters continue to strongly oppose the likelihood of automatic midyear spending cuts to make up for lower-than-expected state revenue, a new survey shows. The conclusions of today’s Field Poll are virtually unchanged from a survey two months ago, and come a little more than a week before Gov. Jerry Brown’s finance department releases its assessment of the state’s revenue picture. Last month, the Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst projected that state revenue was on track to be $3.7 billion short of June budget estimates. That would trigger $2 billion in cuts to schools, universities and social services.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

State measure would let illegal immigrants work legally

OC Register -- a California Assemblyman is proposing a measure that would allow nearly a million people who are in the country illegally to work lawfully in the state without much fear of deportation, according to published reports. While several states throughout the nation are cracking down on those in the country illegally, Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, D-Sylmar, is spearheading the California Opportunity and Prosperity Act, which was filed Friday with the state attorney general's office, according to the agency's website.

CSU needs to focus on what drives angry dissent

California State University trustees are understandably concerned about security and safety at their meetings, but canceling them is not the solution. They're avoiding the real issue: As long as they keep giving big raises to top administrators while jacking up tuition, angry protestors are going to show up. The potential for confrontation was particularly high at the now-nixed Monday meeting in Long Beach because of the topic – pay for campus presidents.

California tuition prices reach new proportions for students
The Lariat - opinion (Saddleback College student newspaper)

The recent rise in tuition at University State California's and University California's, in effect fall 2012, is affecting not only students but families as well. How much more money can they take from us?

Community Colleges tuition has raised 8 percent while Universities has raised 14 percent. According to UCLA's website, UCLA was $29,771 a year living in the resident halls in the 2010 to 2011 school year.

Employers say college graduates lack job skills
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

Many employers believe colleges aren't adequately preparing students for jobs, according to findings of a study presented here on Monday by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

The group surveyed more than 1,000 employers in various industries last month about whether job applicants possess the skills to thrive in the workplace. More than half of employers said finding qualified applicants is difficult, and just under half thought students should receive specific workplace training rather than a more broad-based education.

December 4, 2011

Riverside: Keeping students in college
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

When Nicole Silva arrived as a sophomore transfer student at La Sierra University in September, she felt lost.

“I was clueless as to the requirements I needed to graduate and stay on track at La Sierra,” Silva said.

New California nursing graduates find it hard to get hired
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Barbara Elwell wanted a midlife career switch from medical billing to nursing. Since graduating in May, the Marin County resident has applied as far away as Georgia and interviewed as far away as Texas.

Yuba Community College to host Dec. 8 redistricting forum
Lake County News (local daily newspaper)

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Yuba Community College District is planning a forum this week to introduce community members to proposed new boundaries for trustee areas.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, in room 603 at Yuba College’s Clear Lake Campus, 15880 Dam Road Extension, Clearlake.

California Education Code requires each California community college district that elects its board of trustees “by trustee area” to adjust its trustee area plan in a process that follows the completion of the US Census, district officials reported.

Immigrant teen's death touches off a charged debate
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Mission, Texas—

The night after Thanksgiving, 18-year-old Joaquin Luna Jr. helped his diabetic mother to bed at their home among the Rio Grande Valley orange groves, and whispered beneath the decorative ceilings he had designed in drafting class that he loved her and needed her forgiveness.

December 3, 2011

Gary Hart: Community colleges' old guard resists changes to help students
The San Jose Mercury News - columnist (daily newspaper)

Occasionally, action in the Capitol is transformative, remaking the way we do business in California. Think of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, giving farmworkers bargaining rights, or the California Global Warming Act, reducing California's carbon footprint. The coming year offers another opportunity for transformative change -- through reform of California community colleges.

Research has documented that only three in 10 community college students complete a certificate, two-year degree or transfer to a four-year college within six years. There is widespread consensus that community colleges are failing to meet the educational needs of large numbers of students. The Legislature last year called on the board of governors to convene a Student Success Task Force to propose ways to achieve significant improvements in success rates.

December 2 2011

BUDGET

Jerry Brown has plan to hike sales, income taxes

Sac Bee -- Desperate to plug budget holes for the next five years, Gov. Jerry Brown will ask voters to raise $7 billion annually by taxing the rich and hiking the sales tax by half a cent. The Democratic governor crafted his November 2012 initiative with legislative leaders and major labor unions behind closed doors, relying on polls showing voters may be willing to tax the wealthy and pay more for schools. The state faces a $12.8 billion deficit over the next 19 months after relying on optimistic projections and onetime budget patches, according to the state Legislative Analyst's Office.

Gov. Jerry Brown to ask voters for tax hike

Desert Sun (AP) -- Facing another budget deficit and the prospect of deep cuts to education, Gov. Jerry Brown plans to file a ballot initiative as early as Friday that asks voters to increase taxes on the wealthy and raise the sales tax by half a cent. The initiative would be intended for the November ballot and would maintain a pledge Brown made during his 2010 gubernatorial race not to raise taxes without a vote of people. His plan was initially reported by The Los Angeles Times, which cited sources with direct knowledge of it.

EDUCATION

UC regents approve pay hikes for 12 staffers

LA Times -- Even as they dealt with student protests over economic inequities and rising tuition costs, the University of California regents this week approved salary raises of between 6.4% and 23% for 12 highly ranked administrators and attorneys, most of whom now earn more than $200,000 a year. The action has renewed debate about the university's efforts to retain what it describes as important talent while it seeks more state funding and considers further fee increases. Coming as Occupy protests disrupted the regents meeting, the raises struck some critics of UC as inappropriate and likely to anger taxpayers and legislators.

Community colleges focus on student veterans

San Diego UT -- California’s community colleges have taken a budgetary hit in recent years that has resulted in program and student reductions but there is one growth area in the future: military veterans. As the nation draws down troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, community colleges are gearing up for a fresh wave of new students, some with unique needs. Many of those war veterans will join the 1.97 million resident California veterans — 234,000 who live in San Diego County. “More and more war veterans are applying and many of them have special needs, like post-traumatic stress,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott.

Student veterans issues to be examined at California Community Colleges summit
The Lake County News (local newspaper)

SACRAMENTO – California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said a Dec. 2 Veterans Summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn San Diego-On the Bay will increase awareness for community college faculty, counselors and others of the issues that veterans deal with when returning from active duty and attending community college.

The event will provide an opportunity to better understand the needs of student veterans and how to support their transition from military life into civilian careers.

“This summit is an important resource for information and program models that our people can take back to their campuses across the state to better serve those who have served our country,” Chancellor Scott said.

Community college task force amends disputed student success plan
California Watch (investigative journal)

A task force that has been selling a sweeping package of reforms aimed at increasing student success in the California Community Colleges has removed several proposed changes from the plan in an attempt to assuage concerns about cuts to special services and negative consequences for some students.

The plan’s 22 recommendations [PDF] focus on improving the rates at which community college students earn degrees or certificates, transfer to a four-year university or achieve their job-training goals.

The new community college leader
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

This is one of a series of articles that looks at pathways to the academic presidency in the U.S.  In an earlier piece, boards were offered suggestions about how best to prepare for the inevitable change in leadership that comes sooner or later to every college and university.

PENSIONS

California legislators give Jerry Brown's pension reform plan a tepid response

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed rollback of public employee pensions received a tepid response from California legislators at its first public hearing Thursday, even as the Democratic governor made a public appeal for his plan. "In my opinion, this is the minimum. This is what makes sense, consistent with the law and, I think, consistent with what the Legislature can get to," Brown told members of a joint legislative committee on pensions. In late October, Brown outlined proposed changes to the pension system that include raising the retirement age to 67 and creating a "hybrid" system combining defined benefits and a 401(k)-style plan for most new workers.

Gov. Jerry Brown defends plan to reduce pension costs

LA Times -- As he puts the final touches on a proposed ballot measure to raise taxes on California's high-income earners, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday defended his attempt to rein in public pension costs — arguing that government workers must accept lower benefits to help restore the state's financial stability. Appearing before a joint legislative committee, Brown said his proposal to raise the retirement age for future public workers to 67 and enroll them in a partial 401(k) plan was needed to stave off budgetary disaster.

Gov. Brown urges quick work to get state pension reform proposal on 2012 ballot

VC Star -- Making a rare gubernatorial appearance before a legislative committee, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday urged a panel studying potential changes to public employee pensions to act quickly on reforms he has proposed in order "to win the confidence of the people." Brown has asked lawmakers to place on a next year's ballot constitutional changes that would implement portions of his proposals, which include requiring public workers to pay half the cost of annual contributions to their pension plans, raising the retirement age to 67 for most workers and establishing a so-called "hybrid" system that would include both a scaled-down pension and a 401(k)-type retirement saving plan.

PENSIONS: Governor calls on lawmakers to act

Riverside PE -- Gov. Jerry Brown told the Legislature’s pension panel Thursday that lawmakers need to act on his plan to overhaul the retirement system for state and local government workers or else risk a European-style public debt crisis. The governor’s 12-point proposal, unveiled in October, includes the creation of a hybrid retirement system for new state workers that would combine a traditional defined-benefit plan with a 401(k)-style plan.It also would increase the retirement age from 55 to 67 for non-safety workers. And it calls for workers to pay more for their retirements. Many of the plan’s details have yet to emerge.

December 1, 2011

Budget

LA Times- Jerry Brown to pitch tax plan to voters
In the latest proposed fix for California’s fiscal crisis, Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to announce a multibillion-dollar tax initiative in the coming days, asking voters to raise levies on upper-income earners and increase the state’s sales tax by half a cent. The levies would expire at the end of 2016, said sources with direct knowledge of the plan. The governor's office has been fine-tuning the tax measure for weeks with its labor allies. It hopes to file language with the attorney general's office as early as Friday so it can start gathering the signatures needed to place the measure on the November 2012 ballot.The proposal comes as a host of groups race to qualify tax measures for next year’s ballot, all aimed at preventing deeper cuts to state services. Democrats hope the governor’s backing will help clear the field and avoid a tax glut on the November ballot.

SJ Mercury News- Gov. Jerry Brown to add sales and income tax increases to budget plan
With ballot measure proposals to increase taxes flying off the shelf, Gov. Jerry Brown will soon add his own. In a proposal he will likely unveil Friday, the governor will ask voters in November to approve a temporary increase in sales and income taxes, the latter for individuals making more than $250,000 a year, sources who have been in conversations with the governor told this newspaper.The Legislative Analyst's Office recently projected that the state budget this fiscal year will fall short by $4 billion and thus trigger another $2.6 billion in cuts -- most of which could come from schools.

Capitol Weekly- Got a calculator? Rival tax plans complicate ballot
Five groups and counting – including Gov. Jerry Brown – aim to help California by convincing voters next November to approve billions in tax increases. It’s difficult to say how many of the nearly 15 million Californians who file state tax returns would be digging into their wallets – and how deeply – if all of the measures pass, despite that being an unlikely prospect. Even examined separately, the billions add up quickly.

Ventura Star- Some school districts could go bankrupt, state superintendent says in Camarillo visit
Some school districts could go bankrupt and be taken over by the state because of budget cuts expected to take effect in January, California's top public-school official told educators Tuesday in Camarillo. "A majority of the districts in the state have prepared for a $300-per-student midyear cut, but some have not," said Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction. "I think we'll see several districts go bankrupt. I think we'll see the state taking over several districts as a consequence."He was the keynote speaker at a Ventura County Office of Education forum at the agency's Camarillo headquarters. About 300 attended, most of them school administrators and teachers from across the county.

Some welcome steps toward reducing reducing the cost of college
The Washington Post - editorial (national daily newspaper)

THE PRICE OF a college education keeps spiraling upward. Tuition is up 8.3 percent for in-state students at four-year public universities for the 2011-12 academic year, according to the College Board. Lest you think state budget cuts are solely to blame, tuition at four-year private colleges rose 4.5 percent at the same time. Both figures far outstrip the rate of inflation.

Community colleges focus on student veterans
San Diego Union-Tribune (local daily newspaper)

SAN DIEGO — The reasons that community colleges appeal to veterans are numerous. “We are the open door to getting into the UC and CSU college systems,” said Scott. “We’re also relatively inexpensive.”

Additionally, “a lot of veterans are not interested in living on campus,” he said. “A lot are married.”

 

November 30, 2011

Poll: Dedicated tax with ed reforms is winner
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A new poll has confirmed what Ted Lempert, president of Children Now, and others in the 2012 Kids Education Plan coalition expected: An initiative coupling school reforms with a tax increase dedicated to education has a good chance of winning at the polls a year from now.

Glendale Community College to cut summer classes, faculty pay
The Glendale News-Press (local daily newspaper)

Glendale Community College is poised to reduce its 2012 summer session by an additional 80 classes and cut faculty pay 3.95% if state revenues fail to meet expectations, according to the terms of a new contract announced Tuesday.

“No one is happy with it, but it was the best we could do, so we are just going to have to accept it,” Faculty Guild President Isabelle Saber said.

College system's new plan draws heat at MPC
The Monterey Herald (local daily newspaper)

A plan to revamp priorities in the California Community College system and place more emphasis on student graduation and transfer rates is drawing heavy criticism from Monterey Peninsula College officials.

Detailed in the 73-page "Refocusing California Community Colleges Toward Student Success," the proposed sweeping changes would centralize student evaluation and career planning, increase collaboration with K-12 educators to come up with common core standards, change enrollment priorities to benefit career-oriented students and place increased emphasis on helping students who need remedial classes to succeed in college.

Voters want more of what they won't pay for: stronger higher education
Thoughts on Public Education - opinion (education trade periodical)

The latest PPIC poll on higher education in California was released last month, and the findings will bring no cheer to our state’s public colleges and universities. On the bright side, most respondents affirm that a strong higher education system is important for California’s future, and they agree that recent budget cuts are causing significant harm to both colleges and students. At the same time, a substantial majority of respondents is unwilling to pay higher taxes to support post-secondary education, and a similar majority rejects the idea that students should pay more for their education than they already pay.

Measuring completion
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- After more than a year of study, a federal committee is urging the Education Department to change how it tracks and evaluates graduation rates and other measures of success for students at community colleges.

Budget

California Watch- State's tax amnesty program raises $350 million
The state Franchise Tax Board's latest tax amnesty program brought in $350 million from those who had underreported their income through tax shelters and offshore accounts. More than 1,000 taxpayers confessed to underpaid taxes in exchange for the state's offer to waive penalties and the possibility of prosecution. Businesses made up $100 million of the catch, though the overwhelming majority of participants were individuals. Those who should have but didn't participate in the program, which ran from August through October, can be hit by huge penalties and tax audits for up to 12 years back, the tax board warns. "If these taxpayers have the chance to come in without penalties and become tax compliant, then it's good for everybody," said Michael Cornez, tax counsel for the board.

Education

AP- UC board approves raises at disrupted meeting
The University of California board of regents approved raises for several senior employees at a meeting that was disrupted by protesters angry about tuition hikes and executive pay. The regents approved the compensation packages Monday after their meeting was interrupted by shouting Wall Street protesters seeking to hold their own "people's regents meeting." Documents show that two vice chancellors got 9.9 percent raises, an interim dean received a 7.5 percent increase and the head attorneys of six UC campuses got raises ranging from 6.4 percent to 21.9 percent. The salary of UC Davis Medical Center's chief operating officer was raised 23 percent after he received a competing offer. His pay is funded by medical center revenue, not state funds. UC officials said the raises were needed to bring employees' pay in line with market rates.

Sac Bee- UC Davis faculty, staff weigh in on tuition, pepper-spraying
They disagreed over whether UC Davis should continue to have a campus police force and whether chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi should resign following the Nov. 18 pepper-spraying of student protesters. But faculty and staff members who spoke during a town-hall-style meeting Tuesday seemed to agree on the need to work together to curb rising tuition and to lobby for increased public funding for higher education. "We should not lose sight of the battle being waged before this happened," said economics professor Ann Stevens. Many decried rising costs that are pricing students out of a higher education.

November 29, 2011

Education

San Diego UT- School funding tangle may hamper restoring cuts
Efforts to reverse possible education cuts would be complicated
California’s already convoluted system of public school finance is about to get even more complicated — and controversial. That’s because there will undoubtedly be an aggressive campaign to reverse a possible $1.35 billion midyear budget cut to K-12 public schools when lawmakers return to the Capitol Jan. 4. While money, or rather the lack of it, is of critical importance, it’s not the only issue in play. Education funding is a head-scratching mix of state, local and federal spending that is dictated in part by past ballot decisions and lawsuits.

SJ Mercury News- California school districts prepare for a new grade level: transitional kindergarten
Soon, many children in California will have two years to learn how to share, count and sound out words before they move on to first grade. A new state law, the Kindergarten Readiness Act, gradually will move the birthday cutoff date for new kindergartners from December to September. The law also requires districts -- beginning next year -- to offer a new grade level for children with fall birthdays who are too young to start kindergarten. Researchers and advocates say transitional kindergarten, as it's called, will better prepare children to be successful in school. In California, where education cutbacks have become the norm, some marvel that the state is creating something new for kids.

California Watch- Measure seeks to expand access to online education 
For public school students in California, where you live usually determines where you can learn. To David Haglund, that’s not right. This month, Haglund, principal of the Riverside Virtual School, an online independent study program run by the Riverside Unified School District, introduced a statewide ballot initiative that would give students unrestricted access to publicly funded courses — wherever they are.The California Student Bill of Rights Initiative is “designed to eliminate control by ZIP code,” Haglund said.

State can't take $1B from First 5, judge rules
California Watch (investigative journal)

California's attempt to divert $1 billion from First 5 commissions to state health services is illegal, a Fresno County judge ruled last week.

Lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown had sought First 5 funds in March to help close what was then a $26 billion budget shortfall. After several commissions sued, the governor removed First 5 from his May budget solution but continued to defend the move in court.

In an opinion issued Nov. 21, Superior Court Judge Debra J. Kazanjian said the funding shift could be enacted only by voters, who established First 5 when they approved Proposition 10 in 1998.

Better data, better rates
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Colleges may be able to improve their graduation rates by gaining a better understanding of the students they enroll, according to a report being released today.

The report, from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, brings together data from the "freshman survey"  by UCLA’s Cooperative Institutional Research Program and graduation numbers from the National Student Clearinghouse and aims to help colleges determine if they have actually improved retention rates or if they have simply attracted better students.

College of the Desert changes how it elects trustees
MyDesert.com (local online news source)

PALM DESERT — College of the Desert changed the way its Board of Trustees will be elected in the future.

The five trustee areas have been redrawn both to even out population according to the 2010 Census and to comply with a state voting rights law, said Edwin Deas, vice president of business affairs at the community college.

Mission College goes solar to save 8.5 million
Campus Technology (education trade periodical)

Mission College in Santa Clara, CA has completed a solar system designed to save the school approximately $8.5 million in electricity costs over 25 years.

The 1.1-megawatt system was installed as a parking lot canopy structure covering 1.5 acres and will provide approximately one third of the college's energy. Built by Gilbane, the project includes 2,640 high-efficiency solar panels manufactured by SunPower, and "will generate up to 50 percent more energy for the college than a similarly-sized system with conventional solar panels," according to information released by SunPower.

November 28, 2011

Despite angry protests, UC Regents raise administrators' salaries
The Bay Citizen (daily online newspaper)
Regents of the University of California, meeting for the first time since campus police used pepper spray and riot batons to disperse student protests at Berkeley and Davis, listened to nearly three hours of public complaints about those incidents and tuition increases before chanting protesters disrupted the meeting and drove them from the room.

The Regents then reconvened in a smaller room down the hall from the protesters, where they voted to raise the salaries of nearly a dozen university administrators and lawyers by as much as 21.9 percent.

Dan Walters: Are high-income taxpayers the enemy?
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

It's difficult to divine exactly what the Occupy demonstrators in California cities and on university campuses are protesting.

The former appear to be denouncing the greed of the "one percent" – those with the highest incomes – while the latter are opposing fee increases that university boards are imposing to compensate for reductions in state appropriations.

Whatever the underlying rationales may be, the media have lumped both varieties together and issues have been subordinated to verbal clashes over occupation tactics and official responses, some of which have been needlessly violent.

Keys to college students' success often overlooked, report says
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Colleges should examine a wider set of social, economic and personal characteristics to determine how they can help students remain in school and graduate, a new report has found.

Aside from SAT scores and high school grade point averages, students' success in college relies on a number of other factors — often overlooked — that more accurately predict whether they will stay in school, according to the report scheduled for release Tuesday by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.

Study: Online tech poised for growth in 2012
Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade publication)

Mark Anderson blog: Research from Robert Half International    Robert Half International Latest from The Business Journals Study: Online tech job-growth outlook great for 2012Hot jobs: Demand grows for Web and mobile apps developers, cybersecurity analysts7 hot jobs in demand for 2012 Follow this company revealed that the most potential for technology job growth in the coming year exists in the online sector.

Rethinking budget trigger unlikely, says speaker
KQED News (Bay Area public radio/TV)

Assembly Speaker John Perez isn't ruling it out -- never say never, one supposes -- but nonetheless says that talk of the Legislature stopping, or even just rejiggering, the budget's automatic spending cuts isn't likely to go anywhere.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Education aimed at specific skills begins a comeback in California

Sac Bee -- As Californians worry – with good reason – whether the state will ever truly recover from recession and re-emerge as a global powerhouse, they know that education is one major factor. They also sense, as demonstrated by a recent USC/Los Angeles Times poll, that California's school system is very troubled, plagued by financial uncertainty and poor outcomes, such as a high dropout rate and low scores on national academic tests.

Craziness governs school aid in California

Sac Bee -- The state budget's 800-pound gorilla is the task of educating 6 million elementary and high school students. It consumes between 35 and 40 percent of the general fund. The money is allocated by a bizarre combination of power politics and a constitutional provision so complex that only a few in and around the Capitol even profess to understand it – and rarely agree. Since the budget usually can't meet its full constitutional obligation each year, even when the economy is healthy, politicians and education lobbyists hammer out some number.

JIM NEWTON COLUMN

Teacher ratings and the public's right to know

LA Times -- There's a shocking disconnect at work these days in the relationship between the public and government workers: The public is demanding greater accountability, and public employees — social workers, police, teachers, even state legislators — are finding ways to avoid it. Legislators contend that they should be allowed to conduct budget deliberations in private. Police unions are fighting forcefully to protect the names of officers involved in shootings or other uses of force. Social workers are fighting to keep dependency court hearings private. 

November 25, 2011

More women graduating than men at community colleges in California
The Vallejo Times-Herald (local daily newspaper)

In the continuing effort to identify barriers some face in higher education, a new report has found that more women complete community college education than men.

That trend is apparent at Solano Community College where 60 percent of the campus' female students graduate compared to

40 percent of the male students, President Jowel Laguerre said.

"When it comes to students accessing higher education our young men are missing," Laguerre said.

The data is contained in an analysis of the statewide 2010 report: "Divided We Fail: Improving College Completion and Closing Racial Gaps in California's Community College."

Nearly 80 percent of African American and Latino men start their higher education.

UCD wins state grant for wind research
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The California Energy Commission has awarded nearly $400,000 to the University of California, Davis, to develop a forecasting tool for responding to sudden changes in wind power production.

SF man appointed to California Community Colleges Board of Governors
The San Francisco Appeal (online local newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown announced various state appointments Tuesday, including four to Bay Area residents, according to the governor's office.

Joseph Bielanski, 61, of San Francisco has been appointed to the California Community College Board of Governors. Since 2000 Bielanski has worked in a range of related positions at institutions, including Berkeley City College, the Peralta Community College District in Oakland and Vista Community College in Berkeley.


November 24, 2011

The state worker: Gov. Jerry Brown's hiring freeze has thawed...some
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown's hiring freeze has thawed some.

California faces an estimated $13 billion budget hole next year, but the hammerlock on hiring that Gov. Jerry Brown announced Feb. 15 is over for nearly all departments and offices under his authority, with a few notable exceptions.

 

November 23, 2011

Gov. Brown appoints four to California Community Colleges Board of Governors
The Lake County News (local daily newspaper)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott welcomed Gov. Brown’s appointments of three new members to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the reappointment of Manuel Baca, who has been on the board since 2009.

Each member has been appointed to a two-year term.

“These three new appointments are well qualified to help lead our system and each has been directly involved in the operation of their local district or college,” Chancellor Jack Scott said. “And Manuel Baca has shown that he has great depth of knowledge and really cares about the issues facing the system. I welcome all four of these outstanding people to the board and look forward to working with each one of them.”

California's public colleges and universities fertile ground for protest
EdSouce (education policy publication)

The declaration yesterday by University of California President Mark Yudof that he wants to devise "a system-wide response" to the Occupy Wall Street protests underscores their potential to take root on college campuses, and the challenges they would present to college administrators if they spread across the state.

November 21, 2011

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

California's economic recovery is weak and rocky

Sac Bee -- Technically, California's economy is recovering from the worst recession since the Great Depression. But it sure doesn't feel like it. The housing market is still in the sewer, retail sales are weak, and more than 2 million California workers are unemployed – not counting tens of thousands who have given up looking for work or are getting by with off-the-books jobs.With their families, an educated guess would be that recession still seriously affects a quarter or more of Californians.

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Brown polishing his tax plan

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown is drafting a ballot initiative that would raise income taxes on the wealthy and hike sales taxes for everyone, insiders say. Much political finesse is involved. Each step is delicate. First, the governor must choose taxes that voters might agree to increase. That means, for the most part, taxes paid by someone else. He probably can sell raising taxes on the top 1% of income earners. But he probably cannot peddle income tax hikes on the middle-class and poor.

Billionaires, insiders plan to place $10-billion tax hike on 2012 California ballot

LA Times -- Joining the battle over California taxes, a group of billionaires and political insiders say they will place a $10-billion tax increase on the November 2012 ballot. The Think Long Committee, which includes Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, former governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles philanthropist Eli Broad, says its proposal would provide $5 billion more for public schools every year and billions for public universities and local governments. Although the group has prepared a report outlining its proposals, it has not taken the preliminary steps needed to place the ideas before voters.

EDUCATION

Californians support making teachers' reviews public

LA Times -- California voters want teachers' performance evaluations made public, a new poll has found. And most also want student test scores factored into an instructor's review. Of those surveyed, 58% said the quality of public schools would be improved if the public had access to teachers' reviews; 23% said it would not help or could make things worse. "They want to see the evaluations," said Linda DiVall, the chief executive of American Viewpoint, a Republican firm that co-directed the bipartisan poll for the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles Times.

Survey finds ethnic divide among voters on DREAM Act

LA Times -- Many Californians worry that they are being priced out of the state's public university systems, and they object to allowing illegal immigrants the same financial aid that U.S. citizens can receive at the campuses, a new poll has found. Fifty-five percent of the voters questioned said they oppose a new state law known as the California DREAM Act. It will permit undocumented students who graduated from California high schools and meet other requirements to receive taxpayer aid to attend the University of California, Cal State and community colleges starting in 2013. Forty percent support it.

More support for teachers than unions 

The Educated Guess -- For all the talk of teacher bashing, a big majority of Californians think highly of public school teachers; most believe they’re underpaid. But they also have issues with their union, a new poll has found. According to a survey of 1,500 Californians by the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll, 52 percent said that teachers unions are too powerful, while 36 percent disagreed; 45 percent said unions are resistant to reforms that would improve schools, while 37 percent disagreed. Parents in the survey were the most critical of the unions.

'Appalled' by police force on protesters, UC president orders urgent review

Sac Bee -- Saying he's appalled by the images he's seen of police force used on student protesters at Davis and Berkeley, the head of the University of California system announced Sunday he's begun an "urgent assessment" of campus officers' actions. President Mark G. Yudof's statement came in response to videos posted on the Internet Friday showing a Davis officer pepper-spraying Occupy UC Davis protesters in the face as they sat passively on the ground with arms linked, and earlier images of Berkeley officers jabbing protesters with nightsticks.

Community college reforms seek higher completion rate

Sign On San Diego

With resources dwindling, the California Community College system has unveiled a reform package meant to maximize the good it can do for students and the state in general. The U-T Community Editorial Board recently discussed the draft proposal with Jack Scott, chancellor of the system, and Constance Carroll, chancellor of the San Diego Community College District and a member of the Student Success Task Force, which drafted the plan at the behest of the state Legislature, which will review the plan after it is finalized next month. The following is a condensed, edited transcript of the interview, beginning with an opening statement by Scott.

Hayashi's political career, legacy in jeopardy with charges looming

CoCo Times -- State Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi entered the political world as a survivor of a tormented childhood, losing an older sister at 17 to suicide and watching as her disgraced parents burned her sister's clothes, cut her out of photos and never mentioned her name again. Yet Hayashi quickly built a name for herself at the Capitol after becoming the first Korean-American woman to serve in the Legislature. She became part of the inner circles of two Assembly speakers. A magazine named her one of the 100 most influential Asian-Americans of the past decade.

SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIALS

Don't abandon budget 'trigger' cuts

To the surprise of almost no one, state tax revenues have failed to meet the hopeful expectations of lawmakers when they approved a budget in June. As a result, the Legislative Analyst's Office projected last week that California now faces a $3.7 billion shortfall in the current budget year. This shortfall was anticipated in the budget deal that Democrats and Gov. Jerry Brown crafted on their own. With no chance of new tax revenue because of Republican intransigence, Democrats based their spending plan on rosy projections, but wisely coupled it with a contingency plan of "trigger cuts" should revenues come in lower than expected.

Community college reforms make sense

On the cover of today’s Dialog section, Jack Scott, chancellor of the California Community Colleges system and Constance Carroll, chancellor of the San Diego Community College District, make a strong case for a series of reforms developed by a Student Success Task Force created at the direction of the Legislature. Driving the reforms: the view that California needs a more focused community college system that uses its limited resources in a more productive fashion. Among the proposals in the reform plan’s latest draft: Better aligning high school and community colleges in course offerings and educational missions.

Many Chinese Students Could Pay U.S. College Costs but Lack the Language Skills
The Chronicle of Higher Education, By Karin Fischer

Chinese students seeking to study in the United States have the money to do so but may lack the English-language skills, a survey of 18,000 prospective students found.

Fifty-three percent of those surveyed by Zinch China, a consulting company that advises American colleges and universities about China, said their families can afford to spend $40,000 or more, per year, on an undergraduate education. Another 22 percent reported they could spend between $10,000 and $40,000 a year.

November 18, 2011

Dan Walters' Column
Sac Bee- Jerry Brown's budget gimmick falls short
Jerry Brown sought his second stint as governor last year by promising to balance the deficit- riddled state budget without gimmicks."Our state is in a real mess, and I'm not going to give you any phony plans or snappy slogans that don't go anywhere," Brown said in one ad. "We have to make some tough decisions." After winning, Brown conducted some showy public conferences and then proposed a budget that split the deficit between spending cuts and taxes requiring voter approval."For 10 years," Brown declared, "we've had budget gimmicks and tricks that pushed us deep into debt. We must now return California to fiscal responsibility and get our state on the road to economic recovery and job growth." However, while voters had eliminated the two-thirds vote on budgets, it's still required for taxes, and Brown couldn't muster enough Republican support.

Budget

LA Times- Deeper cuts to state budget expected
Lower-than-forecast revenue means automatic reductions will likely kick in. A shorter K-12 school year could result. Sluggish state revenue is likely to trigger a new round of spending cuts that could mean a shorter school year and millions of dollars slashed from public universities, child care programs and services for the disabled, the Legislative Analyst's Office says. California's coffers will be $3.7 billion below what lawmakers and the governor assumed in the budget they crafted last summer, said Mac Taylor, the analyst whom legislators look to for nonpartisan financial advice. The new reductions were built into the spending plan, to kick in if state income fell short.

OC Register- Calif. may lose 11,500 jobs to new health tax
California could lose 11,500 jobs by 2021, 59% of them in small businesses because of the new tax levied in the federal health health insurance law, a new study  claims. The nation will lose between 125,000 and 249,000 by 2021, based on independent cost estimates used by National Federation of Independent Business’  Research Foundation.The NFIB is working to repeal the law and is a party to the lawsuit before the Supreme Court trying to strike down the law. The Health Insurance Tax, which goes into effect in 2014, is a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was levied on insurance companies, but NFIB says it will be passed on to insurance buyers.

Education

SJ Mercury News- Most school districts won't shorten school year, but worry about future
It's good news for parents, but may be bad news for kids: Despite the prospect of massive cuts in education funding, the 2011-12 school year probably won't get any shorter.That doesn't mean the cuts, estimated to be $180 per student, won't be painful. But in most cases they will not prompt bankruptcies, more furloughs or a shorter school year. Graduations will go on as planned with pomp and circumstance.

LA Times- Charter schools impress half of California voters
In the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, 52% of respondents had a favorable opinion of charter schools. But voters overall opposed supporting charters at the expense of resources for traditional schools. Charter schools have won over about half of California voters, but these independent, non-traditional public schools are not widely viewed as the solution to the state's education problems, according to a new poll. Among those surveyed in the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, 52% had a favorable opinion about charters; only 12% had an unfavorable impression.Asked whether charter schools or traditional schools provided a better education, 48% gave superior marks to charters; 24% considered traditional schools more effective.

Riverside PE- Californians say no tax hike for education 
Californians believe funding for higher education is inadequate and don’t want to see tuition costs increase further, but a majority are unwilling to endure a tax increase to solve the problem, a new poll found. The survey of 2,500 Californians was conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California with support from the James Irvine Foundation.

EdSource- “Income achievement gap” almost double black-white achievement gap
In a dramatic illustration of the impact of income inequality on how children do in school, the achievement gap between children from high and low income families is far higher than the achievement gap between black and white students, a pathbreaking research report from Stanford University has shown.The report by Sean Reardon, a Stanford professor of education and sociology, shows that the income achievement gap—the difference in the average standardized scores between children from families at the 10th percentile of income distribution and children at the 90th percentile—is now “nearly twice as large as the black-white achievement gap.”

Sac Bee- California higher education commission shuts down
A longtime state agency, felled by the budget ax, closes its doors today. The California Postsecondary Education Commission got zeroed out in June by Gov. Jerry Brown, whose veto message called the agency "ineffective" and requested the state's three higher education systems to explore other ways of coordinating and developing higher education policy.The commission's executive director, Karen Humphrey, issued a parting news release: "It is regrettable that the state, in trying to balance the budget, has discarded a low-cost agency whose value to policymakers was to help wisely spend the far vaster amounts of state dollars allocated to the public colleges and universities and student aid."

Co Co Times- Faculty strike at Cal State East Bay shuts campus, frustrates some students, buoys others
Classrooms were empty at Cal State East Bay on Thursday, as hundreds of faculty members rallied over a pay dispute, budget cuts and frustration over university leadership.Marching and holding signs that read "Fewer Classes, Higher Fees, CSU Is Run By Thieves," the California Faculty Association led a peaceful protest, triggering none of the violent police confrontations seen in recent rallies at University of California campuses.

SF Chronicle Editorial
CSU board hits back room to raise tuition again
It was bad enough that the California State University trustees voted to raise tuition another 9 percent, starting in fall 2012. At least they could have had the decency - and respect for the students and parents who will be paying these bills - to debate and vote in public. "I'm sort of mesmerized by the lack of outrage, said Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who serves on the CSU board. "It just doesn't seem to be consistent with the public trust," Newsom said of the decision to retreat behind closed doors at the system's Long Beach headquarters Wednesday. The room change was made after protesters had disrupted the session in the main auditorium.

SJ Mercury News Editorial
CSU faculty strike looks reasonable in light of the perks enjoyed by administrators
Some may not sympathize with the hundreds of California State University faculty who went on strike Thursday to protest management's decision to withhold raises that were promised in 2007 contracts. Many private-sector workers have gone years without a raise, too. However, the faculty's unprecedented two-campus strike starts to look pretty reasonable in light of the perks enjoyed by CSU administrators. At the same time, students have been hit by relentless fee increases: Including the 9 percent hike approved Wednesday, tuition will have nearly quadrupled since 1998. You have to wonder whether Chancellor Charles Reed understands his organization's mission.

Santa Rosa PD Editorial
Bleak budget shows need for tax measure
Five months ago, Gov. Jerry Brown abruptly abandoned hope of finding four Republicans in the Legislature to go along with his tax-initiative plan. Instead he went in another direction to balance California’s budget. His new plan included some wishful accounting — a hope for $4 billion more revenue than was otherwise forecast. On Wednesday, officials got the bad news: The money’s not coming.

November 17, 2011

Reality vs $ at community colleges

Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)
One of the dominant issues at the fourth and final town hall meeting on how to improve the state’s community colleges wasn’t even in the 70 pages of recommendations from the Task Force on Student Success.

“There was some eloquent testimony today that we need more funding,” Community College Chancellor Jack Scott told the 200 or so people who turned out yesterday for the public hearing in Oakland. “I want you to understand that we know we are underfunded.”

CSU trustees raise tuition 9% as students protest
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

California State University trustees raised tuition by 9 percent Wednesday, even as CSU police used pepper spray and clashed violently with protesters who had been escorted from the system's Long Beach headquarters.

Transition to community colleges to get easier for vets
EGPNews.com (Southern California online news source)

An agreement reached between the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office should make it easier for military exiting active duty to enroll in a state community college, Cal Vet Secretary Peter J. Gravett announced Wednesday.

Currently, 75 percent of veterans who use their GI Bill education benefits in California, do so at a community college, according to a CalVet press statement. “Under the new agreement, veterans will find it even easier to connect with a community college to begin their transition to civilian life and the state’s workforce.”

Educated illegal immigrants bring fiscal gain
Inside Higher Ed - opinion (education trade periodical)

Ronald Reagan once said, “Don’t be afraid to see what you see.” The current flap over Gov. Rick Perry’s defense of in-state tuition for students whose parents are in the United States illegally drives us to take off the lid and take a peek. 

And what we see is that illegal-immigrant students pay back more than they take.

Daniel Griswold, an immigration expert at Cato Institute, wrote to me recently in response to my inquiry, “In 1997, the National Research Council published a major study on immigration. It found that an immigrant with a college education is a huge net plus for the United States.”

Engineering majors hit the books more than business majors do, survey finds
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The average full-time undergraduate student studies about as much as faculty members expect—15 hours a week—but the duration varies by major, according to this year's National Survey of Student Engagement, released today.

Engineering majors spend the most time studying, 19 hours a week, but even among those who exceed 20 hours, nearly a quarter still often show up for class without assignments completed, the report says.

Budget

LA Times- Deeper cuts to state budget expected
Lower-than-forecast revenue means automatic reductions will likely kick in. A shorter K-12 school year could result. Sluggish state revenue is likely to trigger a new round of spending cuts that could mean a shorter school year and millions of dollars slashed from public universities, child care programs and services for the disabled, the Legislative Analyst's Office says. California's coffers will be $3.7 billion below what lawmakers and the governor assumed in the budget they crafted last summer, said Mac Taylor, the analyst whom legislators look to for nonpartisan financial advice. The new reductions were built into the spending plan, to kick in if state income fell short.

OC Register- LAO: State must cut budget now
California’s economy has remained so weak that the respected Legislative Analyst’s Office predicts that the state will have to enact mid-year budget cuts to schools and other services. In a report released this morning, the LAO estimates that state revenues will come in $3.7 billion below what was projected in the state budget this summer. That shortfall will force the state to enact $2 billion in so-called “trigger” cuts.In June, the state budget was balanced largely on optimistic revenue projections. The budget included a series of additional cuts that would be triggered if that money didn’t materialize. The LAO is saying now that it won’t.

SF Chronicle- State fiscal nightmare: deep cuts on horizon
California faces deep midyear cuts to its universities, community colleges, social service programs and public schools - which may have their year shortened - because the state will collect billions of dollars less in revenue than expected, according to a report released Wednesday. The report by the Legislative Analyst's Office says the state faces a budget deficit in the current fiscal year largely because it will collect only $300 million of $4 billion that Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature added to the budget just days before it was approved in June. Critics had called the sudden infusion of projected revenue "phantom money" that was conjured to avoid deeper spending cuts.

Co Co Times- State falls short of projections; 'trigger cuts' likely
Californians should begin bracing for more steep cuts to schools, universities and safety-net programs because a feeble economy failed to produce the revenues that Gov. Jerry Brown had hoped for, the state's nonpartisan legislative analyst warned Wednesday.The report released by the Legislative Analyst's Office raises the curtain on an upcoming budget season bound to be marked by grim news: Not only did California fall $3.7 billion short of the $4 billion Brown was depending on for the current spending plan, but the analyst predicts the accumulating budget deficit will total $12.8 billion -- including $3 billion from this fiscal year -- by July 1. Mac Taylor, the legislative analyst, said that it's likely the $2 billion in cuts could be "triggered" as agreed to when the Legislature passed and Brown signed the $85.9 billion budget last June.

AP- Calif. faces $13B deficit, faces midyear cuts
California faces $2 billion in automatic spending cuts at the first of the year that will reduce funding for public schools, higher education and a range of state services, according to a nonpartisan fiscal analysis released Wednesday. The bleak assessment by the state's Legislative Analyst's Office warns of declining tax revenue and a rocky statewide economic outlook that will lead to budget shortfalls for years to come.Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown had hoped for a $4 billion increase in tax revenue through the current fiscal year when they passed the state budget last summer. The analysis released Wednesday said revenue—a majority which comes from income, sales and corporate taxes—will run $3.7 billion lower than the state assumed. Based on a pre-approved budget mechanism, that shortfall will translate into $2 billion of automatic cuts in the weeks ahead.

Riverside PE- Analyst projects revenue $3.7 billion short
The Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst Wednesday punctured rosy revenue assumptions in the June budget, putting California a step closer to midyear cuts to schools, social services and other programs. General fund revenue is on pace to be $3.7 billion behind estimates for 2011-12, contributing to a nearly $13billion shortfall through June 2013 as the state continues to struggle out of recession, the Legislative Analyst’s Office reported.The June spending plan included up to $2.5 billion in automatic cuts that would be triggered if revenue fell significantly below estimates. Any reductions, however, will not happen until after Gov. Jerry Brown’s Department of Finance releases its own revenue estimates next month.

Sac Bee- Grim California budget forecast means more cuts to schools, social services
The state's nonpartisan budget analyst on Wednesday said California will fall $3.7 billion short this fiscal year, likely resulting in fewer public school days, cuts to libraries and further reductions in developmentally disabled services.Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers counted on that money – to be generated by projected tax revenues – in a fit of summer optimism when they drafted the state budget. But Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor now predicts California will land 4 percent shy of the $88.5 billion in revenues they banked on in their plan. Unlike previous years, when the analyst's forecast was advisory, his report this time could trigger automatic cuts. Brown and lawmakers designated $2.5 billion in midyear reductions dependent on the strength of revenues as determined by the analyst and the Department of Finance.

Sac Bee- Senate staff raises small compared with budget, but timing questioned
California's chronic budget problems haven't stopped the state Senate from giving some of its own staff members a bump in pay, handing out raises averaging 7 percent to dozens of workers in recent months.The Senate increased the pay of at least 169 employees – nearly one-fifth of the staff – during a three-month period ending October 31. The raises affected staff members serving in many levels of Senate operations, including Capitol security technicians, printing specialists and district workers.

Sac Bee- New California budget report triggers old partisan arguments
It didn't take long Wednesday for the state's partisan budget battle to reignite. Fresh off a new Legislative Analyst's Office report that paves the way for mid-year cuts in education and social services, Democrats called for additional taxes and Republicans said lawmakers must rein in spending. The report also pegs the state's deficit at nearly $13 billion through June 2013.The Assembly's Democratic budget chairman, Bob Blumenfield, said in a statement that the analyst's report "acknowledges that we made great progress last year but validates the need to raise revenues to finish what we started." "We need solutions that protect education, create jobs and put California on the path to stability," he added. "That can't be achieved through cuts alone or by one party governing alone. New revenues can prevent cuts that shock the conscience, hurt our economy and compromise our morals as a civilized society."

San Diego UT- Schools bracing for midyear cuts
Based on news from Sacramento on Wednesday, schools throughout San Diego County and California have cause to worry about their fate. A fiscal report issued by the state's independent analyst predicts revenues will fall far behind last summer's anticipated $4 billion increase in state income. A projected $3.7 billion shortfall is enough to trigger a significant reduction in state spending. That means schools could be hit with midyear budget cuts. Bus drivers, cafeteria workers, clerks and other nonteaching employees would be particularly vulnerable since districts can lay them off on the impromptu. Teachers must be warned of potential layoffs in March under the law. What's more, the state has given districts authority to shave another week off the school year, one that has already been cut with furlough days in many cities.

Ventura Star- Schools facing massive midyear cuts; state's tax revenues $3.7 billion short. 
Tax revenues in California will fall about $3.7 billion short of what had been hoped for in the budget approved over the summer, a development that likely will trigger contingency cuts that could force school districts to absorb massive midyear cuts, the Legislature's nonpartisan fiscal analyst reported Wednesday. The contingencies — so-called "trigger" cuts — were included in the budget in the event that a hoped-for $4 billion surge in revenues would not materialize. Among the options included in that contingency plan is one that would allow school districts to shorten the current school year by as many as seven days. A final determination on what level of midyear cuts will need to be made will come in December, when the Finance Department issues its independent assessment of state revenues. The level of cuts will be based on whichever revenue estimate is higher — the Finance Department's or the Legislative Analyst's Office's.

Educated Guess- Big midyear hit for Prop 98 likely  
LAO foresees $3.7 billion state shortfall. The first shoe fell with a thud Wednesday, when the Legislative Analyst’s Office predicted that a $3.7 billion state revenue shortfall this year would result in $2 billion in midyear “trigger” cuts, including $1.5 billion in Proposition 98 funding and $100 million each to the University of California and California State University. The other shoe will drop next month when the state Dept. of Finance issues its own revenue estimates and then sets the midyear cuts based on the rosier of the two projections.

Pensions

Sac Bee- LAO: Retirement costs to increase by $200 million over 5 years 
State pensions will cost government employers about $200 million more in fiscal 2016-17 than expected next year, according to a new report from the Legislative Analyst's Office. About half of those rising costs will hit the general fund. The chart above comes from page 40 of the LAO report released this morning. It depicts California's general fund employee retirement expenses past, present and future. Here's a slice of what the report says:

November 16, 2011

California finance director says mid-year budget cuts likely
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown's finance director said Wednesday that some mid-year cuts are "likely," increasing the possibility the state will slash education and social services in the coming months.

Finance Director Ana Matosantos issued her statement just as nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor presented his report projecting that California will fall $3.7 billion short in revenues this fiscal year

Californians say higher education system is heading in the wrong direction
The Central Valley Business Times - PPIC poll (local business trade periodical)

Most Californians say the state's public higher education system is headed in the wrong direction, according to a statewide survey released Wednesday night by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), with funding from the James Irvine Foundation.

With the possibility of more cuts to the state's public colleges and universities looming, most residents say affordability and the state budget situation — rather than educational quality — are big problems.

Bay Area community colleges seek to keep state off campus
The San Francisco Examiner (local daily newspaper)

San Francisco City College officials are vowing to fight a new proposal that would give Sacramento more control over California’s network of community colleges and require that resources be focused on full-time students seeking degrees.

They are opposing the recommendations of the California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force, which urged last month that community colleges adopt a statewide standardized testing system that they would use to determine whether students need remedial classes.

New poll shows rising worries about cost of California colleges
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A strong majority of Californians think that the rising tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities is a big problem and is keeping some qualified students from attending, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Sentiment is in favor of shifting state funding from other programs to help higher education but against paying more taxes to stabilize tuition at the community colleges, Cal State and UC campuses, the survey found.

Editorial: Success not for everyone
Coast Report Online (Orange Coast College student newspaper)

The statewide Student Success Task Force plans to make recommendations for a restructuring of the California community college system that will place much more power in the hands of the state and will focus more on pushing students to transfer to universities or receive certificates.

California budget: Automatic spending cuts?
KQED (San Francisco Public Broadcasting TV station)

Mac Taylor, the state Legislature's independent analyst, tells reporters budget revenues are lower than expected, and could trigger automatic spending cuts in schools and social services.

Budget shortfall heightens threat of shorter school year
EdSource Extra (education policy publication)

The prospect of many California public school students experiencing a shorter school year was heightened by the release on Wednesday of a grim report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office predicting a severe budget shortfall.

CSU trustees approve budget, raise tuition
KSEE Channel 24 (Fresno NBC TV affiliate)

(Press Release) The California State University Board of Trustees unanimously approved its 2012-2013 budget, which requests that the governor and legislature provide an additional $471 million in state funding for the upcoming fiscal year. The board also approved an increase in tuition of $498 a year that will go into effect for fall 2012. The vote was nine to six.

"The additional revenue requested in this budget is critical to addressing the deep and painful cuts the CSU has had to absorb, and to ensure that students have access to needed courses and support services,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed.

Bay Area to outpace state in job growth next year
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

The Bay Area will outpace California in job growth next year, according to a new University of the Pacific forecast.

Still, the Bay Area is at least two years away from recapturing the jobs lost during the recession, stated a separate forecast by Beacon Economics.

Many Americans say they will have to work until they're 80
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Forget about retiring at age 55. Or 65. Or perhaps even 75.

One-quarter of middle-class Americans fear they will have to work until they're at least 80 years old to afford a comfortable retirement (if "retirement" is even the right word, given that many of these people may never actually retire).

November 15, 2011

Viewpoints: Focus on improving college completion rates
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Last month, the California Community Colleges' Student Success task force released draft recommendations on how to improve the performance of the state's community colleges. The recommendations represent a significant step forward for the state and the nation: It is the first time that the imperative of improving student outcomes has been championed at such a high level.

Occupy student loans
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

A prominent (if disputed) criticism of the Occupy Wall Street movement has been its amorphous, platform-free nature. But as the protests that began in New York in September have continued, spreading across the United States and the world, one clear issue of concern has emerged: student loan debt.

On the movement’s unofficial manifesto, the “We Are the 99 Percent” Tumblr blog, young adults hold handwritten signs with their personal stories. More often than not, they include tens of thousands of dollars of debt and, the former students write, little hope for good job opportunities.

OC Register- Budget cuts may be coming in Sacramento
The state Department of Finance this morning released budget figures that confirm the state is in danger of enacting mid-year cuts to schools and other services. According to Finance, state revenues came in $608 million below projections for the month of October. All told, state revenues this year are $1.26 billion below projections, according to Finance numbers.State Controller John Chiang recently estimated that revenues are $1.5 billion behind projections. While Finance’s number would represent an improvement, it the difference wouldn’t be enough to avoid so-call trigger cuts that were built into this year’s budget deal.

OC Register- County to grab $73 million from schools, force state to make up for it
In a bold move to make up for $49.5 million in tax revenues lost to the state earlier this year the County of Orange will grab $73.5 million in property taxes once destined for local school districts, County Supervisors Chairman Bill Campbell said Monday. Campbell said that state coffers, not the school districts, will suffer, because a state law mandates that it backfill the reduction in local revenue.County employees who were scheduled to be laid off December 1 as a result of the county’s $49.5 million shortfall received an unexpected reprieve. A legislative money grab earlier this year targeted special funds Orange County receives from California vehicle license fees and uses to pay off its bankruptcy debt. That took the county from a balanced $5.6 billion budget that increased spending 2.7 percent to a budget that was $49.5 million in the hole.

Business and Labor

OC Register- California jobs won’t return to peak for 5 years
It’s been a long economic downturn for California and it could be a lot longer as one research firms predicts the state won’t reach its previous peak employment levels until the second quarter of 2016. IHSGlobal Insight‘s regional economic group crunched the numbers and determined that California is among eight states that will have to wait at least five more years to recover. The others were Alabama, Arizona,Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and Ohio.

November 14, 2011

Occupy Wall Street protesters shifting to college campuses
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

BERKELEY, Calif. — Goodbye, city park, hello, college green. As city officials around the country move to disband Occupy Wall Street encampments amid growing concerns over health and public safety, protesters have begun to erect more tents on college campuses.

UC Berkeley, Oakland brace for Occupy clashes
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)Protesters, police and public officials in the East Bay were preparing Sunday for what they expect to be a tumultuous week in the Occupy movement, with a police raid of a tent city outside Oakland City Hall expected as soon as this morning and a UC Berkeley walkout planned for Tuesday.

Job Front: State's community colleges to lend veterans a hand
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California Community Colleges and the state's Department of Veterans Affairs want to smooth veterans' transition from military service to the civilian workforce.

The two last week signed a memorandum of understanding allowing CalVet to help vets leaving active duty to streamline their applications to community colleges and find information on how to use federal veterans benefits to pay for college.

Colleges assist in veterans' transitions
The Santa Clarita Valley Signal (local daily newspaper)

The California community college system is easing the way for returning veterans who are interested in going back to college.

The state Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has joined with the California Department of Veterans Affairs to inform veterans of the closest community college to their homes once they complete a re-integration form.

Brown will look to build on tax measures' success
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Sacramento -- - Last week, counties, cities and school districts across the state won strong support from voters for new and increased taxes, and their success could be a model for Gov. Jerry Brown as he plans to ask California voters to increase taxes next November.

Online 'Bill of Rights' for high school students
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Students whose high schools don’t offer the required courses or enough sections to qualify them for admission to the University of California or California State University would have a right to take those courses online, under an initiative that sponsors are targeting for next November’s ballot.

USC enrolls the most international students in the nation
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

For the 10th year in a row, USC held on to a championship that has nothing to do with sports: The Los Angeles campus once again enrolled the most foreign students of any college or university in the United States, according to a new study. UCLA had the sixth-highest international enrollment, up from seventh place the year before.

Poll: Boomers anxiety about retirement grows
The Associated Press (international news agency)
A majority of baby boomers say they have taken a financial hit in the past three years and most now doubt that they will be financially secure after they retire, according to a new poll.

So much for kicking back at the lake house, long afternoons of golf or pretty much anything this generation had dreamed about in retirement. The Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll found a baby boom generation planning to work into retirement years - with 73 percent planning to work past retirement, up from 67 percent this spring.

California finance aides peg revenue gap at nearly $1.3 billion
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The budget news remains downbeat, but the state Department of Finance reported Monday that the state's revenue gap is less than what Controller John Chiang said last week.

The state is $1.275 billion behind in revenues for the first four months of the fiscal year, or 5.1 percent. Chiang said last week that the gap was $1.5 billion, or 6.2 percent. Department of Finance totals typically vary because of a delay in when agencies report their cash totals to the controller.

Community colleges plan more class, job cuts
The Ventura County Star (local daily newspaper)

Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges will cut more classes, lay off more workers and eliminate programs as they continue to deal with state budget cuts.

Ventura County Community College District officials held presentations at Oxnard and Moorpark colleges Monday afternoon, laying out the anticipated cuts and effects.

Angry students protest $650 billion reduction in budget cuts
The Bottom Line (UC Santa Barbara student newspaper)

“They said cut back—we say fight back!” was one of the resounding cheers heard from protestors participating in the Budget Cut Rally on Nov. 9 in the Arbor. The rally was organized by an amalgamation of students and workers in an effort to take a stand against the University of California Regents’ decision to cut $650 million in funds this year. It featured a variety of speakers, all of whom conveyed the same message to students: The time to act is now.

CSU students could face tuition hike next fall
CBS TV Ch. 47 (Fresno CBS affiliate)

Full-time students at California State University, Fresno, could face another tuition increase next year under a budget plan unveiled by CSU officials on Monday.

The CSU Board of Trustees plans to vote this week on its latest budget proposal. If passed, it would include a request for about $2.4 billion in state funding for the 2012-2013 school year. That's an increase of about $333 million over the CSU system's current budget, leaders said. The system needs at least $138 million in additional funds to avoid passing on a 9% tuition increase to full-time students next fall, they added.

It's (still) the economy, stupid, as Americans worry about jobs
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

American are more pessimistic about the job market than they have been in more than a decade, according to a new Gallup poll that shows that 92% of Americans consider November a bad time to find a good job.

According to another Gallup poll, Americans continue to cite jobs and the economy as the country’s biggest concerns, despite a slight drop in the national unemployment rate in October.

Palo Alto is California's most educated city
California Watch (investigative journal)

About 8 of 10 Palo Alto residents hold at least a bachelor's degree, making the Silicon Valley hotspot California's most educated city, recently released census data show.

The city, which tech giants Facebook and Hewlett-Packard call home, also has the state's highest rate of graduate or professional degrees among residents age 25 and older: 49.8 percent, according to the 2008-10 American Community Survey.

Chinese students enroll in record number at U.S. colleges
The Washington Post - higher education blog (national daily newspaper)

The number of Chinese undergraduates on U.S. campuses in the last school year increased 43 percent from the previous year, according to the annual Institute of International Education Open Doors report that was released today.

Chinese undergraduates, like most international students, are highly attractive to universities: They are usually well-educated and well-traveled, bringing a global point-of-view and sophistication to campuses. Their helicopter parents are on the other side of the world. And they hardly ever tap university resources to fund their education.

November 10, 2011

Public Pension and Retiree Health Benefits: An Initial Response to the Governor's Proposal

The Governor’s 12-point pension and retiree health plan would result in bold changes for California’s public employee retirement programs. His proposals would shift more of the financial risk for pensions—now borne largely by public employers—to employees and retirees and would, in so doing, substantially ameliorate a key area of long-term financial risk for California governments.

As this report discusses, despite the proposal’s strengths, it leaves many questions unanswered, such as how his hybrid plan and retirement age proposals would work and how the state should cope with large unfunded liabilities already affecting the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the University of California Retirement Plan, and the health benefit program for state and California State University retirees. The Governor’s proposal to increase many current public employees’ pension contributions also raises significant legal and practical issues.

November 7, 2011

Assembly candidate hosts rally to push repeal of Dream Act
The Lake Elsinore-Wildomar Patch (local news website)

Just before he put out the call last week denouncing the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators as “anarchists, drug addicts, guilt-ridden youth of wealthy families and plain and simple criminals,” local conservative Republican Phil Paule asked residents to help him repeal the California Dream Act.

Paule, a French Valley resident seeking the California Legislature’s 67^th District seat that includes Lake Elsinore and Wildomar, supports the Stop AB 131/Dream Act campaign backed by Inland Empire Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks). Paule’s vowing to collect 10,000 signatures from the Riverside County area in an attempt to repeal the Act, and he’s invited local residents to learn more about the effort during a public meeting he’s scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the Murrieta Comfort Inn & Suites.

California DREAM Act under debate
The Collegian (CSU, Fresno student newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law the California Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minor Act, also known as the DREAM Act. Opponents of the law have raised questions of the cost and effect of the bill.

On July 9, Brown signed Assembly Bill 130 known as part one of the California DREAM Act, which will give undocumented students access to private scholarships and grants. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2012.

Chinese are now the largest group of foreign students at UC Davis
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

On a recent Sunday, more than 500 Chinese students at UC Davis filled Freeborn Hall and sang both the U.S. and Chinese national anthems at their Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.

They staged a variety show featuring Chinese musicians, dancers, singers and comics performing under seven red Chinese lanterns. Eyes went moist at Chinese ballads about heartbreak and love's mistakes.

Let's come together in November 2012 to restore education funding
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Yes, November 2012. It may seem like a long way off, but it’s not. In just a year, our state will have a potential opportunity our children can’t afford for us to miss.

That’s when millions of Californians will go to the polls, where they could have a chance to do what our legislators have so far been unable to do: reverse the chronic underfunding of our public schools.

Calif. home price recovery expected in 2012

OC Register -- UCLA economists forecast that California home prices will rise steadily over the next six years, although the recovery in home sales isn’t projected to begin until 2013. The UCLA Anderson Forecast predicted that the median price of an existing single-family home will increase 52.5% by 2017, rising to $438,980.This year’s median house price is projected to be $287,904, down 0.3% from 2010. But home prices are projected to turn around in 2012 — jumping 11.5% to $321,138 next year, then rising 10% more in 2013 to $353,411. The recovery is expected to run through 2017.

November 4, 2011

Employed and poor: Working to stay behind
The Orange County Register (local daily newspaper)

SANTA ANA - It's a sunny Friday afternoon and the streets surrounding D & E Pipe & Supply in Santa Ana are packed with commuters hustling home.

At his desk inside D&E, Ezequiel Lazaro prepares to join them. He switches off his computer, straightens his stapler, and leaves an invoice on his desk to tackle first thing Monday. Then he punches his timecard and gets into his silver minivan.

U.S. adds a modest 80,000 jobs; rate drops to 9%
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

Could have been worse. That was the reaction on Friday to the government report that the nation’s employers added just 80,000 jobs in October. While the pace was not exactly robust, it was better than over this summer, when monthly hiring fell to 20,000. Upward revisions in the report for September and August gains contributed to the sense that the economic picture was a little less bleak.

BUDGET

State shortfall could trigger early cuts

San Diego UT -- State budget forecasts to be issued in the coming weeks have taken on a new sense of urgency this year, foreshadowing potential immediate and steep cuts to social services, schools and libraries throughout San Diego County. Few programs outside of public safety that rely on state funding will be immune from reductions if those economic projections find that expected revenues will be far off the mark. If that’s the case, programs across the state could lose as much as $2.46 billion.

EDUCATION

Community colleges looking to boost students’ success

San Diego UT -- California Community College officials are traveling the state explaining draft recommendations aimed at ensuring students succeed at the two-year institutions. Among the key proposals cited by Jack Scott, chancellor of the 112-college system, is a closer alignment of what is taught in K-12 schools with what is necessary to succeed in college.“Many of our students come unprepared,” Scott said in a meeting Thursday with the editorial board of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Student success plan prompts worries about special services cuts

California Watch -- California community college faculty and community members questioned this week whether draft recommendations from a task force aimed at increasing student success could have negative consequences for groups that receive special services, such as English as a Second Language students, CalWORKs recipients and foster care parents. Representatives from the 20-member Student Success Task Force and the chancellor’s office have been canvassing the state to get feedback on a plan they hope will help more students earn degrees or certificates, transfer to four-year universities, and navigate college more successfully.

November 3, 2011

Community colleges looking to boost students' success
The San Diego Union-Tribune (local daily newspaper)

California Community College officials are traveling the state explaining draft recommendations aimed at ensuring students succeed at the two-year institutions.

Among the key proposals cited by Jack Scott, chancellor of the 112-college system, is a closer alignment of what is taught in K-12 schools with what is necessary to succeed in college.

“Many of our students come unprepared,” Scott said in a meeting Thursday with the editorial board of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

'Modern Warfare' coming to a CA community college near you
The Quick & The Ed - blog (independent education policy news website)

California Community Colleges have released a draft of policy recommendations to increase student success in the state’s two-year colleges (from the cleverly-entitled “Student Success Task Force”). One of the biggest changes is to enrollment policies and priority registration – a major issue given $800 million in budget cuts over three years and 140,000 students shut out of the system due to lack of classes.

Student success plan prompts worries about special services cuts
California Watch (investigative journal)

California community college faculty and community members questioned this week whether draft recommendations from a task force aimed at increasing student success could have negative consequences for groups that receive special services, such as English as a Second Language students, CalWORKs recipients and foster care parents.

Representatives from the 20-member Student Success Task Force and the chancellor’s office have been canvassing the state to get feedback on a plan they hope will help more students earn degrees or certificates, transfer to four-year universities, and navigate college more successfully.

November 2, 2011

EDUCATION

California math, reading test scores come up short

SF Chronicle -- In the race for educational excellence, California hovered near the back of the pack yet again with only Mississippi and the District of Columbia languishing further behind, according to 2011 math and reading scores released Tuesday. For what it's worth, several states lagged alongside California, including New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, West Virginia and Tennessee. One silver lining in the grim data were significant gains by the state's African American students, with black fourth-graders outperforming their peers nationwide

Latino college enrollment skyrockets, but will upward mobility follow?
California Progress Report (online policy journal)

Maricruz Cabrera, a 17-year-old high school senior from Thermal, Calif., a rural community in the east Coachella valley that stretches from Indio to the Salton Sea on the southern edge of Riverside County, knows what it’s like to pick grapes under a hot desert sun. It’s back breaking. It pays little. In a nutshell, it’s hard physical labor for minimal return. Which is why Cabrera, the daughter of migrant workers, has her sights set on the one thing she believes will create job opportunities that her parents never had: a college degree.

Colleges prepare for coming of the California DREAM Act
The Glendora Patch (local online news source)

Higher education institutions are preparing for their new roles, while affected students anticipate a better future. Some work to repeal the law.

Colleges across California are waiting for word from Sacramento about their roles in the implementation of the California DREAM Act.

Tis the season to assess student learning in college
Inside Higher Ed - blog (education trade periodical)

If I were feeling a bit more obtuse this morning I might have titled this entry “Tis the Season for Trying to Assess Student Learning in College.” Now more than ever higher education leaders, the legislative community, and the public are obsessed with having better data about what students actually know and are able to do upon graduation. Earlier this year the blockbuster book Academically Adrift effectively shook the higher education community by showing that students themselves reported being asked to do very little in college and in some cases lost ground educationally. The book landed in the middle of a national conversation about increased accountability in higher education and associating public funding with evidence of institutional effectiveness. This discourse, affirmed by accreditation agencies, upped the ante on evidence of student learning outcomes at college and universities across the nation.

Grab college major or lose career

The Washington Post

I like movies and television programs about schools. I sometimes roam cable channels looking for old favorites. Those shows will usually have a character who gives a student a warm look and says, “You can be anything you want to be.”

That is a motto for America. It defines the high expectations we have for our kids. It celebrates our stubborn pioneer belief that hard work can overcome any obstacle.

November 1, 2011

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

$20 million gift to California courts a big mistake

Sac Bee -- California's court system, which like all other state-supported activities is strapped for cash, is on the verge of making a big mistake. It's ready to accept a questionable $20 million donation for its very expensive and much-troubled computerized case management system.Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a South African medical tycoon of Chinese descent who lives in Los Angeles, made the offer last week to the state Judicial Council, which sets policy for the state's trial and appellate courts and is headed by Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye.

For Asian Americans, educational attainment varies widely
California Watch (investigative journal)

Asian Americans overall obtain high levels of formal education, but an analysis of recent census data reveals large disparities between Asian American ethnic groups.

The percentage of high school graduates is as high as 96 percent among Taiwanese Americans and as low as 61 percent among Hmong Americans, according to a report [PDF] released last week by the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice. The rate of bachelor's degrees ranges from 12 percent among Laotians to 73 percent among Taiwanese.

National test puts California students on bottom
The San Jose Mercury News (daily newspaper)

On the nation's report card, California schools have advanced from failing to -- failing a teensy bit less.

Despite posting minute gains this year, California students scored at nearly the bottom of the nation in reading and math, test results show. In reading, California performed worse than all other states and only outscored Washington, D.C. In math, state fourth-graders ranked above only D.C. and Mississippi; eighth-graders did a notch better, also outscoring Alabama.

Standards: A critical need for K-16 collaboration
Education Week - commentary (education trade periodical)

The time for the Common Core State Standards is now. With U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s recent announcement that the federal Department of Education will relax enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act in states in exchange for the adoption of rigorous college and career standards, it is safe to say that many states will simply formalize their commitments to the standards as part of their waiver requests, opening the door to the full implementation of the standards. That could—and should—be a good thing.

Calculating the cost of college: A guide to finding a fair price to pay
The Washington Post - column (national daily newspaper)

I haven’t met anyone who looks forward to the process of figuring out what’s a fair price to pay for a car and then negotiating to get less than the sticker price from a dealership. That same anxiety is also true for students and families trying to figure out the cost of college.

But finally the federal government has taken steps to push schools to give families more price information. My hope is people will use it when making decisions about the colleges their children want to attend, ultimately reducing the debt they take on.

LAUSD below state average in high school graduates attending college
The Daily Sundial (CSU, Northridge student newspaper)

Only 63 percent of LAUSD high school graduates go on to college, 12 percent less than the state average, according to the California Department of Education.

Students in surrounding districts, such as Glendale and Arcadia, go on to college at higher rates, over 75 percent.
The national average is 68.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

October 31, 2011

Task force moves toward rationing access to community colleges
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Jasmine Delgado is one of the lucky ones. With advice from an older sister, the Santa Monica College student developed a plan that has helped her enroll in the classes she needs to transfer next year to a four-year university.

But many California community college students lack the motivation, guidance and resources to reach that goal. So, for the past year, a statewide task force has been studying ways to help them get there.

Parents daunted by college costs have saving options
McClatchy Newspapers (national newspaper network)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With three school-age daughters, Rob Lindgren, a stay-at-home dad whose wife is a Sacramento State University professor, is sure that all his kids will attend college someday.

But how to pay for it? That's not quite so clear.

A decade ago, the couple opened an investment account for their oldest daughter, Bonnie, who's now 15, but it got beat up by the stock market's slump in 2000-01. They still have the account, but "when things went south, it was pretty discouraging."

School districts wait to see if state revenue shortfalls trigger more cuts
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Centene Corporation Reports 2011 Third Quarter Earnings of $ 0. 55 Per Diluted...
October 24, 2011 | Centene Corporation

Flameret Significantly Upgrades Its 2012 Revenue Estimates Based on Strong Interest...
October 21, 2011 | Flameret, Inc.

Volition Announces Closure of Share Exchange Agreement - PR Newswire - sacbee. com
October 06, 2011 | VolitionRX Limited

Sunshine Biopharma's anti- cancer compound, Adva- 27a, found to be a strong Topoisomerase...
October 04, 2011 | SUNSHINE BIOPHARMA INC.

Zanett to Voluntarily Delist from NASDAQ; Management Cites Material Facts & Exchange...

Success no guarantee for career academies
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Jerry Winthrop roared with laughter when the director of a career academy asked him if the programs will be protected in the event that California’s revenues fall short and the state pulls the trigger on education funding at the end of the year. Winthrop, who oversees more than 400 California Partnership Academies, told the 25 academy coordinators and teachers gathered at an Oakland High School last week that they may want to learn how to write grant proposals.

Brown has two reasons to push pension reform
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

From Sacramento

Gov. Jerry Brown would be the first to admit that rolling out a 12-point pension reform plan is the easy part.

Brown has always belittled the notion of multipoint plans, dismissing them as targets for cheap shots.

Of course, he's usually most adamant about that when he doesn't have a plan and is being pressured to produce one.

But Brown is essentially correct. A plan without execution is merely an academic exercise. Plans are a dime a dozen. They can be found in any college faculty lounge. What's needed is political leadership capable of implementing a plan.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

California Legislature drops ball on marijuana

Sac Bee -- Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That ancient philosophical – or would it be biological? – question has a political counterpart in California, to wit:Did California's Legislature become dysfunctional because voters adopted too many contradictory ballot measures, or were those ballot measures merely responding to the chronic inability or unwillingness of the Legislature to deal with substantial issues? Countless academic conferences, newspaper op-ed essays and even books have been devoted to answering, or attempting to answer, the question ever since ballot measures became the central method of policymaking in 1978.

October 30, 2011

Education: Battle on to increase graduation, college-going rates
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

A generation ago, a high school degree was enough to land a decent-paying job at the local steel mill or aerospace plant and gain entry to the middle class.

In the years since, the job market has evolved into one that requires more brain power and less muscle.

October 28, 2011

Education

NYT- Insight into Admissions at the University of California
The University of California may be blind to race, ethnicity and gender in its admissions, but geographic origin is fair game, and, according to Christine Van Gieson, director of admissions at the University of California, Santa Barbara, students applying from outside California receive extra attention in the review process and have an increased number of scholarships available to them this year.

October 27, 2011

Pierce College students protest rising burden of college costs
The Contra Costa Times (daily newspaper)

About 150 Pierce College students, accompanied by faculty and activists from other community colleges, marched Wednesday around the Woodland Hills campus, demonstrating against rising tuition and shrinking class offerings.

As speeches were made through megaphones in the school's central Rocky Young Park, members of Students Organizing for Success passed out signs to the gathering crowd. Many of the placards sported "WTF" in big letters; that stood for the protest's name, "Where's The Funding," but the more vulgar meaning of the letters was obviously implied.

Can Silicon Valley stop budget cut triggers
NBC Los Angeles (local NBC affiliate)

California watchers have their eyes on December, when cuts could be triggered if the budget is more than $1 billion out of balance.

What could prevent the triggers? A big surge in revenues -- big enough to move projections by the legislative analyst and the governor’s department of finance high enough that the triggers won’t be pulled.

The rich are getting richer, U.S. study says
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Washington—

The rich got richer over the last three decades — and the very rich got very much richer — according to a new government study.

The top 1% of households saw their after-tax incomes grow by 275% from 1979 to 2007, said the study by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. That was more than quadruple the growth of the rest of the top 20% of the population during that period.

State approves LGBT major at City College
The Bay Area Reporter (local LGBT newspaper)

State higher education leaders have approved an LGBT studies major at City College of San Francisco.

The community college is the first of the state's two-year institutions to offer such an undergraduate degree. The news follows the recent announcement by San Diego State University that it would become only the second four-year institution in the country to offer an LGBT studies major.

October 26, 2011

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Financial facts don't back anti-Proposition 13 propaganda

Sac Bee -- It's an article of faith – indeed, blind faith – among those on California's political left that the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 began the state's downward spiral. Before voters limited property taxes, they say, California was a paradise of well-financed public services, but since then has evolved into something like Mississippi, in which a tiny, selfish overclass oppresses a burgeoning, mostly nonwhite underclass.Indeed, one leftish critic titled his book, "Paradise Lost." The anti-Proposition 13 propaganda always becomes louder when the economy is in recession and government budgets face big deficits, as they do now.

EDUCATION

California leads nation in escalation of college costs

LA Times -- Steep funding cuts to higher education in California and elsewhere were significant factors in pushing average tuition and fees up 8.3% at four-year public colleges and universities nationwide this fall, according to a report by the nonprofit College Board. California's public universities enacted the highest average tuition increase, 21%, of any state, the annual study on college costs found. The state enrolls a tenth of the nation's public four-year college students. But even excluding California, tuition prices at such colleges rose significantly nationwide this year, an average of 7%, the College Board found.

California bucks U.S. trend on teacher evaluations

LA Times -- About two-thirds of states have made significant changes in teacher evaluations in the last two years, with many for the first time taking into account student achievement in such high-stakes decisions as granting tenure protections and dismissing instructors for poor performance. California is a notable exception. Critics insist the state is trailing the nation in this area while others applaud California for resisting unproven strategies.The nationwide snapshot comes from a report released Wednesday by the Washington-based National Council on Teacher Quality, which compiles data and advocates for policies it favors.

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Doctors ask feds to review Medi-Cal rates

California Watch -- The California Medical Association is asking federal Medicaid authorities to review whether the state pays enough to guarantee adequate access to care for patients who rely on the Medi-Cal program. The CMA is relying on a federal law that says Medi-Cal should pay health providers enough to ensure care is available to program beneficiaries at the level of their privately insured peers.The move relies on an obscure law that allows Medicaid authorities to impose conditions on or possibly cut off funding to states that run a noncompliant program.

Medical marijuana advocates back 2012 California ballot measure to regulate industry

Sac Bee -- Medical marijuana advocates, decrying a federal government crackdown on dispensaries and a failure of state lawmakers to act, said Tuesday that they are drafting a 2012 ballot initiative to impose statewide oversight of California's burgeoning medicinal cannabis trade. The ballot push, announced at a San Francisco news conference, is being readied by groups that include the architects of 2010's unsuccessful Proposition 19, which would have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

California teacher's union suggests it might oppose millionaire's tax

SJ Mercury News -- The state's largest teacher's union seems to be having reservations about a proposed "millionaire's tax," even as labor groups hash out strategies for next year's elections. Dean Vogel, president of the powerful California Teachers Association, says a tax on people making $1 million a year or more -- a levy being pushed by the smaller California Federation of Teachers -- won't generate enough revenue. He also worries that having more than one tax initiative on the November 2012 ballot would turn off voters.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS EDITORIALS

State, federal government must continue to look for ways to heal housing market

It will probably help a little. That's about the best that can be said of the mortgage refinancing program announced Monday by the Obama administration. Sadly, that's been true of each of Obama's initiatives to heal the housing market. The surest way to end the foreclosure crisis is for banks to reduce the principal balance for at least some of the 11 million or so borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth. So far, that plea has proved futile. But the fact that other programs have failed to live up to expectations isn't reason to abandon them.

California leads nation in escalation of college costs
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Steep funding cuts to higher education in California and elsewhere were significant factors in pushing average tuition and fees up 8.3% at four-year public colleges and universities nationwide this fall, according to a report by the nonprofit College Board.

Tuition jumps 8.3% doubling inflation as Obama plans debt relief
Bloomberg Business Report (national news service)

Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Tuition and fees at U.S. public universities soared 8.3 percent this year, twice the rate of inflation, to an average $8,244, a College Board report found. Nonprofit private college costs rose 4.5 percent to $28,500.

October 25, 2011

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Jerry Brown still hazy about upcoming tax initiative

Sac Bee -- California voters are certain – as certain as anything can be in the topsy-turvy world of politics – to pass judgment on a multibillion-dollar tax increase measure next year, but what kind of measure is very much up in the air. Gov. Jerry Brown, who tried and failed to persuade some Republicans this year to place taxes on the ballot, has often declared his intention to seek more tax revenues from voters via an initiative in 2012.However, Brown has ducked when asked by reporters what he would include in his tax measure, saying in several ways that he's still working on it.

BUDGET

California's budget battles are now playing out in court

Sac Bee -- In any California budget fight, there are winners and losers. And then there are lawyers.Interest groups that lose in the Capitol now head straight for the courthouse as a matter of routine, asking judges to block budget actions under state and federal laws. Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers approved an $85.9 billion budget in June. Their plan now faces at least six legal challenges worth more than $4 billion combined."Not unexpected, and I'm going to fight them every step of the way," Brown, who previously served as attorney general, said in a news conference last month.

California's unemployment insurance fund debt grows

LA Times -- California has borrowed $11 billion from the federal government in recent years to prop up its insolvent unemployment insurance fund. The loans kept benefits flowing to millions of laid-off workers, but now the bill is coming due. The state recently sent $303.6 million to Washington, the first of what could be many years of interest payments required to service its debt to Uncle Sam. It will have to pony up at least a half-billion dollars in 2012 and even more in coming years. The state, which already is struggling to close a massive budget deficit, probably will be forced to make even deeper cuts to schools, law enforcement and other basic services.

State agency forecloses on homebuyers current on mortgages

Sac Bee -- The California Housing Finance Agency, which makes low-interest loans to first-time homebuyers, is taking an unusually strict and costly stand against borrowers who rent out their homes, foreclosing on some even though they are current on their mortgage payments, state overseers say in a new report. In a report released Monday, the California Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes faults the California Housing Finance Agency for foreclosing on homeowners who move into larger homes, often renting out their first ones because they cannot sell them in the weak housing market.

EDUCATION

Study: Science pushed out of California elementary schools

SJ Mercury News -- California's elementary schools spend too little time teaching science as volcano models and germination kits vanish to focus more on English and math, a new statewide study says. And when science is taught, classroom teachers feel unprepared, the study found. More than four-fifths of teachers think the emphasis on English and math has hampered science teaching, according to the survey that sampled hundreds of administrators and teachers.

UC Davis, Chinese company form major genetics research partnership
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

In a potentially huge boost for Sacramento's technology industry, UC Davis is embarking on a major partnership with one of the world's leading genetics researchers.

The university's partnership with BGI, a research institute from Shenzhen, China, could help turn the Sacramento area into a hub for pharmaceutical and agricultural biotech companies – a status community leaders have been craving for years.

"It's about creating jobs," said Joyce Peng, a spokeswoman for BGI Americas, the institute's U.S. subsidiary.

Athlete welfare, on the table
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON – Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, adamantly opposes “pay for play," the idea (favored by many athletes' rights advocates) that college players deserve more compensation because they don't get a fair share of the revenue in big-time sports. And Emmert made clear Monday that a new plan he’s proposing this week to the Division I Board of Directors, which would help close the gap between what a full athletic scholarship covers and the actual cost of attending college by allowing “probably allow up to $2,000” in additional scholarship money for athletes whose conferences permit it, does not signify a shift in that stance -- though he fears critics might say it does.

Steve Jobs had hopes of disrupting textbook market
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

The late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had discussed plans to shake up the textbook industry, including an effort that would have included free textbooks with iPads, according to a biography released this week.

“Jobs had his sights set on textbooks as the next business he wanted to transform,” says a passage in the new book, Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson. It notes that Jobs said he had met with several major textbook publishers, including Pearson. It appears that his primary focus was on the K-12 textbook market. “The process by which states certify textbooks is corrupt,” Mr. Jobs is quoted as saying. “But if we can make the textbooks free, and they come with the iPad, then they don’t have to be certified. The crappy economy at the state level will last for a decade, and we can give them an opportunity to circumvent that whole process and save money.”

Student loans add to angst at Occupy Wall Street
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from New York—

For almost a week, Nate Grant has sat cross-legged on a wall at the Occupy Wall Street encampment, holding a cardboard sign that bears his scrawled grievance: "Students Ought Not Be a Means of Profit."

Strangers have harangued him: "Get a job, you commie." Tourists have photographed him. Others have stopped to engage in existential standoffs. "I have to pay interest on my car loan," a banker told Grant. "What's the difference between that and you paying off a student loan?"

California biggest loser for jobs
The Sacramento Business Journal (business trade periodical)

California has seen 1.09 million jobs slip away during the past four years, equaling a loss of 750 jobs each day since September 2007. That’s the nation’s biggest employment decline in raw numbers, according to an On Numbers analysis of new employment data.

California is not alone in losing jobs, of course. Forty-five states have smaller employment totals today than before the recession officially began in December 2007.

October 24, 2011

State Senate leader calls on Gov. Brown to present his plan for school accountability
EdSource (education trade periodical)
Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, is calling on Governor Jerry Brown to come forward with his own “comprehensive” plan for the state’s testing and accountability system.

His comments to EdSource came in response to Brown’s harsh rejection two weeks ago of Steinberg’s legislation, SB547,  to reform the state’s main system for rating the state’s schools.

Realistic or radical?
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

California’s community college system is among the most idealistic in American higher education, with a deep commitment to sharing resources equally among all its 2.6 million students. That may soon change, as a state task force has argued that students who demonstrate academic progress should get the most attention, as well as financial incentives and first dibs in enrolling.

The task force's draft recommendations, released last month, are described as a “reboot” for the system. They would set higher expectations for the state’s 112 two-year colleges, which enroll one-quarter of the nation's community college students, and for the students themselves.

UC's new admissions rules confuse applicants
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

A major change in freshman admission requirements for the University of California this year was supposed to ease the burden of standardized test-taking for high school seniors and allow more students to apply.

Dan Walters: Reality will bite on California's debt-ridden unemployment fund
The Sacramento Bee - column (daily newspaper)

California has well over 2 million unemployed workers, and half of them collect unemployment insurance benefits.

The state's Unemployment Insurance Fund, which had a $6.5 billion reserve a decade ago, went into the red nearly two years ago. The state has since been borrowing from the federal government to keep it afloat, a debt now approaching $10 billion.

October 23, 2011

End community college waste
The San Francisco Examiner - op-ed (local daily newspaper)

California spends more than $100 million a year on community college students who drop out before their second academic year, according to a study released Thursday by the nonprofit American Institutes of Research. That wasteful spending surpasses any other state, even accounting for differences in population.

“We must pay far more attention to the high costs of low retention rates,” said Mark Schneider, who authored the study titled “The Hidden Costs of Community Colleges.” Given the increasing fiscal difficulties facing states like California, the report stated, “it is clear that ‘business as usual’ is far too expensive.”

October 21, 2011

Rationing for community colleges
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

By Kathryn Baron

The days of the so-called professional student at California’s community colleges may be coming to an end.  After nearly a year of studying ways to improve graduation and transfer rates, with dwindling resources, the 21-member Student Success Task Force on community colleges is considering changes to some of the historic tenets of the nation’s largest public college system.

October 20, 2011

High cost of first-year community college dropouts
The San Francisco Chronicle (daily newspaper)

Like making a bad bet in Vegas, taxpayers gamble hundreds of millions of dollars a year on community college students who quit as freshmen - many in California.

A new study shows that from 2004 to 2009, Americans spent nearly $4 billion on full-time students who dropped out after one year and didn't transfer.

The Hidden Cost of Community Colleges
The American Institutes for Research

Community colleges are an essential component of America’s higher education system. Last year, they enrolled well over 6 million students, a number that continues to grow. Community colleges also are essential to meeting the Obama administration’s goal of having the United States regain its position as the nation with the highest concentration of college-educated adults in the world. Labor force data show that many of the certificates and associate’s degrees awarded by community colleges generate significant returns on the investment that students and taxpayers make in these institutions. And compared to the costs of attending a bachelor’s degree-granting institution, attending a community college is usually far less costly to the student.

California spends billions on community college students who drop out
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

California and other states are spending billions of tax dollars on community college students who drop out before completing their studies, according to a report released Thursday.

For the Record, 8:22 a.m. Oct. 20: The headline on an earlier version of this online article stated that "California spends billions on community college students who drop out." Actually, the report cited in the article said billions were being spent across the United States; California's expenditures over five years totaled $480 million.

Community-college dropouts cost taxpayers nearly $1-billion a year, report says
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

By Lacey Johnson

Students who drop out of community college before their second year have cost taxpayers nearly $1-billion annually, says a report released today by the American Institutes for Research.

From 2004 to 2009, the study found, federal, state, and local governments spent almost $4-billion in student aid and appropriations to community colleges that benefited full-time, first-year students who never made it to graduation day.

Government spends $1 billion each year on community college dropouts
Yahoo! News - blog (national news service)

A new report says community colleges waste billions of dollars in taxpayer money by doing a poor job of retaining and graduating their students.

Over the 2008-2009, academic year--the last year when such data was available--federal and local governments spent $1 billion on full-time first year students who didn't return the next year, according to the American Institutes for Research report. That amount has increased 35 percent over the level it was at five years ago.

October 19, 2011

Jerry Brown: California economy has 'tremendous dynamism'
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

It was only a ribbon-cutting, but in a flagging economy and with statewide unemployment above 12 percent, even a minor victory can get a politician to show up.

The opening of a new research and development center by Dell Inc., Gov. Jerry Brown said in Santa Clara this morning, "exemplifies the tremendous dynamism of the California economy."

The Democratic governor spoke for less than two minutes and didn't stay to mingle. His office issued a release: "Governor Brown Opens New Dell Facility, Welcomes Hundreds of New Jobs to California."

Community colleges clamp down on class repetition
The Santa Cruz Sentinel (local daily newspaper)

APTOS -- Cabrillo College students who have failed or withdrawn from a class three times or more have one last chance during the spring term to successfully complete the class before they will be barred from taking it again.

In the past students were allowed to repeat a class three times and withdraw four times, for a total of seven opportunities.

Now, because of a policy change by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, students will only be allowed to withdraw from a class or repeat it after failing a total of three times.

October 12, 2011

KCCD grant will help Cerro Coso students complete health careers
The Kern Valley Sun (local daily newspaper)

Kern Community College District will receive $5 million of a $20 million grant to train Bakersfield College, Porterville College, and Cerro Coso Community College students for high-demand health career jobs, KCCD Chancellor Sandra Serrano announced Oct. 6.

California is becoming 'post-industrial hell,' economist says

California Watch -- Since the recession began, times have been tough in California – everybody knows it. The economy is in a protracted stall. But it took economists at California Lutheran University’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting to describe, in hyperbolic language, the depth of the problems that have beset the Golden State since the stock market started to tank in the summer of ’08. “California,” writes center director Bill Watkins, “is fast becoming a post-industrial hell.” That’s true “for almost everyone except the gentry class, their best servants and the public sector,” he writes.

Unemployed Californians face benefit losses

LA Times -- Nearly 1.8 million jobless Americans could lose their unemployment insurance benefits at year's end unless Congress approves the president's proposal to reauthorize the federal program through 2012, said the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group known as NELP. California leads the other 49 states with 305,400 unemployed people facing a cutoff.About 70,600 would see their 26 weeks of regular, state-paid checks run out. Another 122,500 would stop getting federal emergency unemployment compensation, and 112,300 immediately would lose special, extended federal benefits.

EDUCATION

Campuses taking cover in case of shortfall

Inland Valley DB -- Education would be among the hardest-hit sectors if automatic cuts built into the state's budget are triggered. And that hit was on the minds of local education leaders Tuesday, a day after state Controller John Chiang reported that state tax revenue in September was $300 million less than expected. A projected $1 billion tax deficit would prompt a $100 million budget cut to Cal State University and University of California systems. And if tax receipts are projected to fall short by more than $2 billion for the 2011-12 fiscal year, the K-12 school year will be shortened by up to seven school days, saving the state up to $1.5 billion.

State urged to form strategy to produce needed degrees

California Watch -- Experts warn that California needs to significantly boost the number of undergraduate degrees granted each year in order to turn around the state's economy and help the country remain competitive. But a new report from Sacramento State University's Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy says the state's public higher education segments are not on track to meet that goal.Also, the report finds the UC, CSU and community colleges have no guidance on how to divide increasingly precious state resources among themselves to produce the necessary degrees.

Brown vetoes bill to warn women of breast tissue

LA Times -- Among the dozens of bills vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent days was a measure that would have required medical providers to notify women if they have dense breast tissue — a factor that could obscure detection of cancer on a standard mammogram. The proposal would have required that women be told they might benefit from more screening, a suggestion that did not sit well with the governor. "Such a notice must be more carefully crafted, with words that educate more than they prescribe," Brown wrote in his veto message.

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE EDITORIALS

Talking education with Gov. Brown

Gov. Jerry Brown’s message accompanying his veto of legislation to overhaul California’s system of measuring the performance of students and their schools was blunt, iconoclastic and witty. In disputing the conventional wisdom emphasizing the importance of testing, the governor invoked Greek mythology – mocking the “siren song” of the latest trends in education reform – and quoted Albert Einstein – “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” But his veto message raised larger questions: Is Brown rejecting the value of testing in general or just attempting to play the role of a policy provocateur?

October 11, 2011

Community colleges awarded $7 million for mental health training

The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

California community colleges have been awarded nearly $7 million to help students cope with stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

The grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority will be used to help train faculty and staff in the state's 112 community colleges to better respond to students who exhibit signs of mental distress.

About $1 million of the grant will be awarded competitively to 12 colleges to develop campus-based projects.

California community colleges receive grant
The Santa Clarita Valley Signal (local daily newspaper)

The California Mental Health Services Authority has awarded a $6.9 million grant to the California Community College system to be used over a three-year period for faculty and staff training on student mental health issues, suicide prevention and peer-to-peer services, the chancellor announced Tuesday.

California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office announces $6.9 million grant to address mental health needs of students
YubaNet.com (local news website)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. October 11, 2011 - California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott today announced that the California Mental Health Services Authority has awarded a $6.9 million grant to the college system to be used over a three-year period for faculty and staff training on student mental health issues, suicide prevention and peer-to-peer services.

"Our most recent data shows that stress, anxiety and depression are among the top factors that affect student academic performance," said Chancellor Scott, who advocates for the state's 2.6 million students across a 112-college system. "This grant comes at a critical time as students are under even more stress because of economic troubles. Almost 50 percent of students reported feeling very sad, very lonely and hopeless and more than a third reported that they were so depressed it was difficult to function."

MARY ANN MILBOURN COLUMN

California limits credit reports for hiring

OC Register -- California employers will be limited in using consumer credit reports for making decisions about hiring under a bill Gov. Jerry Brown signed this weekend. Job applicants must be informed that there will be a credit check and they will be able to request a copy of the report from the reporting agency. If a job is denied based on the report, the applicant must be advised. The use of consumer credit reports for hiring has become a major issue since the recession because so many people who have lost their jobs also ended up with bad credit.

OC WATCHDOG COLUMN

Shh! Benefits for disabled restored – but still secret

OC Register -- Two years after the Legislature effectively eliminated their dental benefits, developmentally disabled Californians are expected to get coverage back in January. It’s great news for a needy population — except the state isn’t telling them about it. About 3 million Californians lost most of their dental benefits in July 2009 when the Legislature sharply cut Denti-Cal, a program that covered low-income and disabled adults. Since then, the Legislature has quietly made $7.65 million available to reinstate Denti-Cal benefits. Who knew?

BUDGET

California's continued revenue slide could trigger cuts

Sac Bee -- California missed the revenue mark again in September by collecting $301.6 million less than state leaders expected when they approved this year's budget, according to Controller John Chiang. For the first three months of the fiscal year, from July to September, California has fallen $705.5 million, or 3.6 percent, behind what state leaders expected by this point. The gap is roughly equivalent to the July through September share of the $4 billion revenue spike that Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers used to close the budget in June.

A window into the governor's mind on education

San Diego UT -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s candid veto of legislation to transform California’s maligned school assessment practices is a radical departure from the mostly perfunctory messages of governors gone by, this one calling on Albert Einstein, lecturing the education community and issuing his own challenging alternative. The bill would have added different gauges to the traditional yardstick known as the Academic Performance Index, or API, that now tracks school success based on test scores exclusively.“Adding more speedometers to a broken car won’t turn it into a high-performance machine,” Brown wrote in his veto message.

Inland Empire lawmaker, group to fight Dream Act

San Bernardino Sun -- Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of the California Dream Act over the weekend sparked an immediate backlash from opponents in San Bernardino County on Monday seeking to overturn the new law that provides state financial aid to undocumented college students. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly and Claremont-based anti-illegal immigration activist Raymond Herrera plan to initiate two separate efforts to overturn the act, which Brown signed into law on Saturday. Donnelly, R-Hesperia, said he expects to file immediately after A.B. 131 is chaptered this week.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Illegal immigrants get boost in new California laws

Contra Costa Times -- As states such as Alabama and Georgia make waves with a hard-line approach to illegal immigration, California took a leap in the other direction this weekend when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a host of bills that make the nation's biggest state one of the most accepting of immigrants living here illegally. Some saw the flurry of new laws, especially the California Dream Act, as a rejection of the political fervor against illegal immigration in other parts of the country.

Brown vetoes bill to limit cell phone searches

SF Chronicle -- Frustrated by Gov. Jerry Brown's veto, a Bay Area lawmaker says it will be at least another year before he can try again to require police to get a search warrant before looking at the contents of cell phones they seize from people they arrest. Legislative rules prohibit reintroducing the bill in 2012, the second year of the current two-year session, Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, said Monday. Despite rebuffs from the governor and the courts, he said, the issue isn't going away.

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS EDITORIALS

Dead end law -- State Dream Act likely to prove costly

Of all of the bills that landed on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk in the past month, none came packed in as much emotion as Assembly Bill 131, which allows undocumented college students to apply for state-funded scholarships and financial aid. Brown signed it into law over the weekend. Angry opponents plan to seek a repeal, and they should. This is not a good law. It is likely to prove costly, at the time when California can least afford it. And compared to the proposed federal Dream Act, which would offer a path to citizenship, the so-called California Dream Act risks sending these future college graduates into a dead end.

RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTERPRISE EDITORIALS

Better budgeting

California needs a better approach to state budgeting, despite Gov. Jerry Brown’s veto of a budgeting reform bill. The Legislature should study whether the state needs every program it offers now, as the governor suggests. And Legislators should demand that state spending bring results, as well. Brown announced on Monday that he had vetoed SB 14, by Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis. The bill would have shifted the state to performance-based budgeting. That method allots money based on agencies’ goals and performance, instead of building on the previous year’s budget totals.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS EDITORIALS

Dream Act shows that -- thankfully -- California is different

California is different, and there is no better illustration of this truth than Gov. Jerry Brown's decision to sign the Dream Act. Even as the Republican candidates for president battle to take the harshest possible stance on immigration, and the Democratic Obama administration dithers on immigration reform, the Golden State recognizes the value that immigrants -- particularly the educated -- bring to our civic and economic life. California's Dream Act will allow undocumented students who attended high school here to apply for state aid for college if they meet certain requirements. They'll qualify for aid only after all legal residents have applied.

October 10, 2011

MARY ANN MILBOURN COLUMN

Nearly 1 million Californians long-term jobless

OC Register -- California has 988,000 people who have been unemployed more than six months, with the majority of those out of work a year or longer, according to the state Employment Development Department. That is more than the entire population in the state of Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. Typically, workers who have just lost their jobs make up the bulk of the unemployed. But as the economic downturn has dragged on, those who don’t find work in the first six months of unemployment find it increasingly difficult to get a job.

KATHLEEN PENDER COLUMN

California workers to face hardships in retirement

SF Chronicle -- Almost half of California workers will face "significant economic hardship in retirement," says a new report from the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. The report defines significant hardship as having a retirement income that is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold, a "well accepted measure in high-cost areas like California." In California, 200 percent of the poverty threshold for a single adult was $1,860 a month or $22,320 a year in 2009 dollars.

Jerry Brown vetoes bill restricting debit card paychecks

Sac Bee -- Siding with banks and employers, Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill unions sought to restrict employers from using debit cards to pay employees, his office announced this morning. Paying workers with debit cards carrying wages that can be withdrawn at stores, banks and ATMs, is becoming more popular as employers try to cut costs. The payroll cards are cheaper to process than paper checks and - unlike direct deposit - can be issued to low-wage workers who don't have bank accounts. But unions got behind Senate Bill 931 -- which would have limited the fees issuers can charge when workers access their wages.

EDUCATION

Student-aid bill for illegal immigrants signed

San Diego UT -- Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to apply for state-funded college financial aid, the second chapter of a package known as the California Dream Act. “Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking,” Brown said in a statement issued Saturday after signing the bill. “The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.” In July, Brown signed the first part of the package, which permits undocumented students to apply for private financial aid.

Brown signs DREAM Act for immigrant students

OC Register -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill on Saturday that will provide access to state financial aid to illegal immigrants who have graduated from California high schools. Assembly Bill 131, state's version of the Dream Act, will give an educational opportunity to all deserving students, the governor said. "Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking. The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us," Brown said in a written statement. The state Senate approved AB 131 with a 22-11 vote last month.

REDISTRICTING

California redistricting means many lawmakers might move

Sac Bee -- For some sitting legislators, preparing to run for re-election in 2012 includes packing up boxes and hunting for a new home. California's new district lines, drawn for the first time by an independent redistricting commission, have shaken up the political landscape for next year's election. As a result, candidates and incumbents across the state are "diving and dodging" into districts that will give them the best shot at victory, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic consultant who has tracked the redistricting process. By Mitchell's count, the maps left at least 60 current elected officials either outside the district they were eyeing or in the same district with a competitor.

An affordable UC for the middle class

It's no wonder the University of California regents delayed serious consideration of a plan that calls for annual tuition to rise as high as $22,000 within five years if the state does not increase the university's budget. Such a steep increase, from about $12,000 this year, would do more than strain the wallets of families across California. It would change the nature of the university in profound ways. UC would still be cheaper than most private universities, but the price difference would not be so striking — it would cost about two-thirds as much instead of one-third.

Community college chancellor: New bills will save students and colleges time and money
Lake County News (local newspaper)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott on Monday thanked Gov. Jerry Brown for signing two bills designed to simplify the educational process for students and create more efficient placement testing within the 112-community college system.

The new legislation will save colleges tens-of-thousands of dollars as more modern and efficient services are used, and students will benefit from a streamlined assessment system and will have the ability to request and view their transcripts online.

Chancellor Scott noted that dozens of different standardized assessment tests are currently being used throughout the California community college system to place students into courses.

Committee focuses on student success at community college
The Sacramento Business Journal (business trade periodical)

Newly released recommendations from the Student Success Task Force provide a workable plan that can improve transfer and completion rates, California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said in a statement.

The recommendations call for tools that better determine entering students’ skill levels and ways to address student’s basic education earlier in their academic careers.

Study: Minority students to better under minority teachers
The Washington Post - blog (national daily newspaper)

A group of researchers has found that minority students in community colleges tend to perform better when they’re taught by minority instructors — particularly those of similar race or ethnicity. In a new working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research, three economists explain how the minority performance gap narrows: According to their research at California’s De Anza College, one of the biggest community colleges in the United States, black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students are 2.9 percent more likely to pass courses with instructors of a similar racial or ethnic background.

How to fix California's democracy crisis
The New York Times - op-ed (national daily newspaper)

ONE hundred years ago today, California voters added the ballot initiative to the State Constitution, allowing citizens to use petitions to bring proposed statutes and constitutional amendments for a public vote.

Inland empire lawmaker, group to fight Dream Act
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (local daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of the California Dream Act over the weekend sparked an immediate backlash from opponents in San Bernardino County on Monday seeking to overturn the new law that provides state financial aid to undocumented college students.

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly and Claremont-based anti-illegal immigration activist Raymond Herrera plan to initiate two separate efforts to overturn the act, which Brown signed into law on Saturday.

October 6, 2011

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Prison overcrowding and underfunding lead to more local burdens

LA Times -- The boring, bureaucratic word "realignment" masks the truly dramatic change in locking up California criminals that Gov. Jerry Brown just pulled off. A lot of people say, 'Hey, what's new in Sacramento?'" Brown told a news conference last week. "Well, this is new. It's bold. It's difficult. And it will continuously change as we learn from experience. "But we can't sit still and let the courts release 30,000 serious prisoners. We have to do something." In truth, the change was inevitable. Either the state began to dump thousands of its lower-risk prisoners onto local custody or it would have been forced by federal courts to dump them on the streets.

THOMAS D. ELIAS COLUMN

Even in hard times, state setting trends

VC Star -- Back in the 1970s and '80s, when California solidified its position as America's most populous state, it was common for demographers and trackers of trends to say that "When California catches cold, the rest of the nation sneezes." They meant that California was the unquestioned national trendsetter. Back then, analysts were thinking of things like the rise of the Silicon Valley-based electronics industry and the spread of property tax limits like this state's Proposition 13 to dozens of other states.Those were prosperous times for California, times when state legislators debated what to do with budget surpluses.

JONATHAN LANSNER AND JEFF COLLINS COLUMN

Calif. home prices off 6.2%, 7th worst drop

OC Register -- California home prices fell 6.2 percent in the year ending in August, 7th biggest drop among the states, according to new data from CoreLogic. That drop is calculation from all sale transactions in the state. Curiously, when distressed transcations are removed from the math by CoreLogic — homes sold after foreclosures or by sellers getting less than the mortgage owed — California pricing was only of 0.8 percent in the year. Based on all transactions, Nevada fared worst, down 12.4 percent in a year. Then came Arizona, -10.7%; Illinois, -9.6%; Minnesota -7.8%, Georgia -7.2% and New Mexico, -6.3%.

RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTRPRISE EDITORIALS

Schools myopia

California needs a better system of financing public education, not another budget lawsuit. Arbitrary formulas, budget games and legal wrangling do not improve student achievement. The Legislature needs to create a fairer, more rational method of funding schools, as part of a larger series of education reforms. A coalition of California school district officials last week sued the state over the 2011-12 budget. The lawsuit charges that legislators illegally diverted $2.1 billion from education by tinkering with the Prop. 98 school funding guarantee. The current $85.9 billion budget allocates K-12 schools $43.2 billion under Prop. 98.

The big question: Will Jerry pull the fiscal trigger?
Capitol Weekly (California political news website)

With autumn leaves comes budget-building time in Sacramento.

In recent years, that’s invariably accompanied by autumnal worries of how awful next year’s whack will be by the many who are touched by the $120 billion spending blueprint.

The big question this go-round is: Will Gov. Jerry Brown pull the trigger?

October 5, 2011

Citrus' sustainability template plan to pave way for greener initiatives
The Glendora Patch (local news website)

Citrus College reviewed a sustainability plan Tuesday, Oct. 5 that may help guide California's other community colleges to a greener future.

The sustainability template discussed at the Board of Trustees meeting is a partnership between Citrus College and the California Community College Chancellor's Office, with a $285,000 grant received earlier this year from the Public Utilities Commission.

CSU police official calls for colleges to monitor students online
California Watch (investigative journal)

Billions of details about students’ lives pulse through university computer servers every day. The data is in e-mails from school accounts, in online purchases and Facebook updates made on school Internet connections.

This flood of data might contain clues to future violent threats at colleges. A campus police lieutenant at CSU Channel Islands is arguing that university officials need to use that information to monitor their student bodies.

Governor vetoes Portantino higher ed bill
The Altadena Patch (local news website)

Once again, a bill intended to simplify the financial aid process for college kids in California failed to become law.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday returned AB 91 unsigned to the California State Assembly. Authored by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who represents Altadena, the legislative measure would reduce the number of forms students have to fill out to access finanial aid. Currently, students apply for a Board of Governors waiver or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or both.

Tuition jump feared
The Accent Advocate (Contra Costa College student newspaper)

When medical assisting major Melanie Johnson enrolled in her fall semester classes, she had one big roadblock that determined the number of classes she could take: money.

The 23-year-old does not work and has to pay for her own college tuition, which went up from $26 to $36 per unit beginning this semester as part of the state Legislature's plan to aid California's budget deficit.

"It's difficult right now because I was planning to take four classes, but because of my budget I'm taking two," said Johnson, who is currently enrolled in five units. "It's hard to find a job to pay so I might have to put (education) on hold."

SCC receives $500,000 hybrid training grant
The Tempest (Solano Community College student newspaper)

Currently only car dealers can offer maintenance of hybrid vehicles. That is about to change.

Solano Community College has received a $500,000 grant from the California Employment Development Department.

Cerritos College to change trustee election system
The Associated Press (national news service)

NORWALK, Calif.—The Cerritos Community College board of trustees has moved to change its trustee election system a week after a lawsuit was filed charging that the current system discriminates against Latino voters.

A statement from the college says the board introduced a resolution Wednesday night to change to a system where trustees are elected from their own residential areas. Currently, trustees are elected at-large.

TIMM HERDT COLUMN The age of retirement insecurity VC Star -- When members of Congress and candidates for president bring up the issue of Social Security these days, Americans had better pay close attention — and Californians closer still. To a degree that would have been unimaginable in the now-gone golden age of retirement, Social Security has become the solitary pillar of support that for about half of today's California workers will allow them to survive on near-poverty incomes rather than become destitute when they reach old age.

Otober 4, 2011

Jobs bill could save thousands of CA teachers
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan spent the day Tuesday lobbying for the nearly-doomed American Jobs Act by underscoring its financial commitment to rehire laid-off teachers and retain those whose jobs are in jeopardy.

While the President traveled to Eastfield Community College in Mesquite, Texas, and Duncan spoke with reporters by telephone, the White House released a short report titled Teacher Jobs at Risk. The talking points were essentially the same: the jobs bill is a win for teachers.

Online calculators may help parents, students estimate real college costs
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Students applying to college this fall have a new tool to help them compare costs at various campuses. This month, so-called "net price calculators" will appear on the websites of colleges nationwide, giving students and parents an idea of how much financial aid they could receive months before a formal offer arrives.

CSUN and Harbor College awarded federal science and tech grants
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Two Southern California colleges have been awarded multimillion-dollar federal grants to increase the number of low-income and minority students studying science and technology.

Cal State Northridge received $5.5 million from the Department of Education’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM program to boost the number of students who transfer from a community college and graduate with degrees in engineering and computer science. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The university will work with Glendale Community College and College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita to identify potential students who will receive tutoring, mentoring, research opportunities, career advice and stipends to help pay education costs.

NVC could get $3.8 million in federal grants
The Napa Valley Register (local daily newspaper)

Napa Valley College has been awarded money that will enable school officials to hire additional math instructors and offer more math classes by next fall.

The one-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant of $788,581 will enable the community college to provide more resources for students pursuing math and science degrees. The grant is expected to be renewed annually for five years. If the full amount requested is received, the five-year total will be more than $3.8 million, college spokeswoman Betty Malmgren said. 

Cabrillo receives $4.3 million grant to support science, technology, engineering and math programs
The Santa Cruz Sentinel (local daily newspaper)

APTOS -- The Cabrillo College Governing Board accepted a $4.3 million grant Monday that is earmarked for so-called STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The grant comes from the Department of Education and is specifically geared toward program development at Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and will fund new programs and construction at Cabrillo.

"I'm very excited about this grant," said Trustee Rebecca Garcia. "Although this grant emphasizes or targets Latino students, it's really a grant that will benefit all of our students."

Stanford helps bring human rights to community college classrooms
Stanford Report (Stanford University news website)

Globalization has meant that the whole world is connected to the whole world's problems. Yet most of today's students live in a world no bigger than a cell phone keypad.

So how do you explain to them that the clothes on their backs may be sewn by slave labor in Asia, or how international human trafficking may be behind an Internet porn site?

Brown signs bill limiting access to school safety strategies
The San Diego Union-Tribune (daily newspaper)

Sacramento — Now required to be made publicly available, school safety plans that detail emergency response strategies can be kept secret starting Jan. 1.

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation sponsored by San Diego Unified School District administrators and security forces, who contend that laying out the plans for all to see endangers students and staff.

“How we train, where we evacuate, where we set up command posts, how we communicate — you’re releasing all of that sensitive information,” said Don Braun, chief of police for the district. “There are tactical responses we don’t want just anyone to access.”

Study finds sharp cost-of-living increases in California
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

California's economy remains locked in recession and wages have been stagnant, but nevertheless living costs - especially taxes - have risen. That's putting a squeeze on many families, according to a new county-by-county compilation of the "true cost of living."

The report from the Oakland-based Insight Center for Community Economic Development provides statistical ammunition not only for advocates of raising minimum wages and other steps to aid the poor, but for conservative anti-tax groups since the center found that taxes are the largest single element in living cost increases.

 

September 30, 2011

BUDGET

Sam Blakeslee predicts replay of tax measure debate

SJ Mercury News -- Republican Central Coast lawmaker Sam Blakeslee predicts a once-roiling debate over a statewide vote on a package of tax increases will resurface in time for the 2012 legislative session. In remarks to a business group this week in Aptos, Blakeslee said he believes a state law triggering automatic spending cuts will go into effect once the state begins adding up tax collections in December, outlining a scenario where California finds itself $8 billion in the hole - right after closing a gaping $25 billion deficit this year.

California state prison inmates stage second hunger strike for better treatment

Sac Bee -- California prison officials say more than 4,200 inmates in eight prisons are taking part in a hunger strike that began Monday, the second such effort by prisoners in recent months. Prisoners are staging the hunger strike to protest what they see as a lack of progress in their push for better treatment. The earlier strike, which spread to prisoners in other states, was aimed at getting reforms in how inmates are designated for incarceration in segregated housing units, or SHUs, which inmate advocates say leave prisoners in isolation.

BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN EDITORIALS

Californians aren't voting, but why?

If states were graded on the civic responsibility of their residents, California would be earning expulsion-caliber report cards. According to data gleaned from U.S. Census Bureau figures and reports from last year's elections, California has the second-lowest rate of voter registration in the nation, and one of the lowest voter turnout rates. Only 50.1 percent of the state's 27.4 million voting-age residents were registered to vote for the 2010 elections, the second-lowest figure among all states. Of those registered to vote, just 39.2 percent turned out to cast a ballot, a rate that put California ahead of just 10 other states.

September 29, 2011

MARY ANN MILBOURN COLUMN

1 million get debit cards for jobless benefits

OC Register -- California’s rollout of unemployment benefit debit cards is almost complete, with an estimated 1.1 million jobless workers now getting payments on plastic, reports the state Employment Development Department. EDD began converting unemployment benefits payments from paper checks to debit cards in July. Loree Levy, an EDD spokeswoman, said they have been sending out about 26,000 cards a day and expect all the unemployed who are receiving benefits to have cards by early October.

BUDGET

California budget hit with 3 lawsuits

SF Chronicle -- California's budget, already on shaky footing with tax revenues coming in lower than forecast, was hit with three new problems Wednesday when advocates for public schools, the developmentally disabled and cities filed separate lawsuits challenging the spending plan. The California School Boards Association, the Association of California School Administrators and three school districts claim the budget shortchanges schools by $2.1 billion, while service providers for people with developmental disabilities argue that a $91 million cut runs afoul of federal and state mandates.


BUSINESS AND LABOR

Mortgage fraud complaints rise 88%, with California in the lead

LA Times -- Mortgage fraud reports to the Treasury Department jumped 88% in the second quarter — mainly because banks are reexamining loans from the housing boom and finding problems. And California led the way in this dubious trend, Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network division said in a quarterly report released Wednesday. The agency said the mortgage-collection arms of banks filed 29,558 suspicious activity reports involving possible loan fraud in the quarter that ended June 30. That compared with 15,727 that the mortgage servicers filed in the same quarter of 2010.

September 28, 2011

Simply finishing college offers best chance to gain financial education
Time Magazine (national news periodical)

In the muddied global effort to teach young people about money, one thing has become clear: college graduates pretty much have, or through experience and learning ability soon will acquire, enough personal finance smarts to effectively manage that part of their life.

California's budget faces new legal challenges
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Reporting from Sacramento -- California's precariously balanced state budget, already teetering in the continuing economic upheaval, came under further siege Tuesday as two groups announced lawsuits challenging the spending plan.

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

Jerry Brown needs to do more than complain

Sac Bee -- Jerry Brown, California's 73-year-old governor, has been showing signs lately of becoming a grumpy old man. In comments to reporters, in speeches and in bill veto messages, Brown has complained about the quantity (too much) and quality (too little) of legislation reaching his desk, about the intransigence of Republicans on taxes and about the influence that anti-tax groups wield on those Republicans.The responses are obvious, to wit: The Legislature generated less than half as many bills this year as it routinely did during Brown's first governorship three-plus decades ago.

School officials say they'll sue California over latest state budget

Sac Bee -- Local school officials say they will sue California over $2.1 billion in education funding they believe state leaders should have provided in the June budget. Officials from the California School Boards Association, the Association of California School Administrators and school districts will hold a news conference today to explain their case.The San Francisco Unified School District is among those participating. School groups face a deadline today to challenge the state budget, according to CSBA assistant executive director Rick Pratt.

September 27, 2011

Community colleges get $20 million for job training
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

A consortium of community colleges in California’s economically distressed San Joaquin Valley has been tapped by the U.S. Department of Labor for the first round of funding in a $2 billion federal program to train laid-off and dislocated workers.

“This initiative is about providing access to training that leads to real jobs,” said U.S. Labor Secretary and former California Congresswoman Hilda Solis.

Solis and U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter, former Chancellor of California’s Foothill-De Anza Community College District, announced winners of the competitive grant program yesterday during a telephone call with journalists. Each year, for the next four years, the program will distribute $500 million to U.S. community colleges. It’s funded as part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Winners and losers
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON – Community colleges are finally getting more than praise from the Obama Administration, with the announcement Monday of $500 million for job training grants from the Department of Labor. The grants, which range from $24 million to $2.5 million, will go to 49 community colleges, some of which are sharing the money for projects across consortiums.

The big surprise to observers, however, was that community colleges in 10 states failed to receive a grant. Connecticut, Louisiana, Nevada and New Mexico were shut out. Florida, a presidential battleground state with several high-profile community colleges, only received a portion of a shared grant, as did Indiana and Iowa.

Top-performing California community college presents case study of virtualization, cloud client computing and distance education at campus technology west

Sys-Con Media (technology website)

(Marketwire) -- 09/27/11 -- Wyse Technology, the global leader in cloud client computing, today announced that Citrus College, a community college in Glendora, California, will present at Campus Technology Forum West 2011. The presentation will focus on how the college implemented Wyse cloud client computing solutions instead of PCs alongside a virtualization strategy. Citrus College has been named one of the nation's top degree- and certificate-producing two-year institutions by Community College Week.

Budget cuts have profound effect on ag universities
Woodland Daily Democrat (local daily newspaper)

At a time when many of the state's university agricultural programs are experiencing increased enrollment and seeing growing student interest, state funding cuts are forcing some schools to scale back class offerings, turn away applicants and rely more heavily on private contributions and market sales to operate campus farms.

"Budget cuts have had a profound effect on all areas of the campus," said Diane Ullman, associate dean of undergraduate academic programs at the UC Davis College of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences. "It's my opinion that we can't tolerate more budget cuts because we're already cut to the bone."

Half of California voters report decline in personal economic situation
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

David Vargo bought three homes in the Sacramento region within the last 11 years.

He figures the value of his three-bedroom Natomas ranch house has plummeted more than 56 percent from its peak. Though the 64-year-old Vargo owns two of his houses outright, the paper losses were deep enough that he left retirement to work for the U.S. Census Bureau last year.

Study finds low graduation rates among part-time college students
The Los Angeles Times (national daily newspaper)

Growing numbers of college students are in school part time, and they face increasingly long odds of ever graduating, according to a report released Tuesday.

The report, Time is the Enemy, by the nonprofit group Complete College America, includes data on full- and part-time students at public colleges and universities in 33 states, including California. It was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lumina Foundation and others.

61% of state's full-time college students graduate
The Orange County Register (local daily newspaper)

California trails national graduation rates by a slim margin, with both rates falling below 61 percent even when students take eight years to complete a four-year degree, according to a new report on college completion.

The report, released Wednesday by Complete College America, a nonprofit focused on increasing college graduation rates, tracked higher education students in 33 states with data provided by state governors. It is the first report to take track both full- and part-time students working to complete certificate, associates and bachelor in order to understand and evaluate the challenges they face.

September 26, 2011

College district gets $5 million to train students for health jobs
Bakersfield Californian - education blog (local daily newspaper)

Kern Community College District (KCCD) will receive $5 million of a $20 million grant to train Bakersfield College, Porterville College and Cerro Coso Community College students for high-demand health careers jobs, KCCD Chancellor Sandra Serrano announced today.

KCCD colleges won the grant in collaboration with a consortium of California community colleges. The Central California Community College Consortium, led by West Hills Community College District, submitted the only grant proposal to be funded in California. The three-year, $20 million grant is part of $500 million in grant funds to community colleges around the country. The grant monies support partnerships between community colleges and employers to develop programs that provide educational pathways to readily available, high-paying jobs.

"These grant funds will build upon KCCD's recently focused efforts to increase student success and college completion in our service area," Chancellor Serrano said. "This funding will help us prepare students with the skills and competencies they need to be successful--and to do so in a shorter time period to better respond to local workforce jobs in highest demand."

CR budget may be cut an additional $476,000; Another student fee increase deferred until summer
Eureka Times-Standard (local daily newspaper)

After 9 percent of College of the Redwoods' budget was cut last year and student fees increased by $10 per unit, the campus may lose an additional $476,000, officials said. Students may also be forced to pay more for their education this summer.

While Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill last week that postpones student fee increases for the spring semester, the potential that fees will increase from $36 to $46 per unit in summer 2012 still exists, said CR President Utpal Goswami.

Sacramento State nursing program gets $300k boost
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade publication)

California State University Sacramento Latest from The Business Journals Sacramento State to launch entrepreneur centerSacramento State lands M NSF grantSacramento State nursing program gets 0K donation Follow this company has gotten a $300,000 boost to its nursing program fundraiser.

Catholic Healthcare West Latest from The Business Journals Sacramento State nursing program gets 0K donationStructures: Hospitals undergo reconstructive surgerySpecial: Mega Company Finalists Follow this company has contributed that amount to the School of Nursing’s campaign to raise $1.8 million.

California schools turn to SaaS after budget cuts
THE Journal (education technology trade periodical)

SaaS programs, which are typically paid for monthly, are Web-based, eliminating the cost of additional hardware, licensed applications, installation, set-up, upkeep, and maintenance.

More than 1,200 schools across the state are now using the Web-based Study Island service which provides resources to help students learn subjects based on California's Content Standards, California High School Exit Examination, and Common Core Standards. It also offers math and reading skills for kindergarten and first grade, fine arts, health, and technology for elementary and middle school, and preparation for the high school Algebra II Skills Mastery.

September 23, 2011

Colleges awarded $9.1 million in federal grant
The Riverside Press-Enterprise (local daily newspaper)

INLAND COLLEGES

The United States Department of Education has awarded Crafton Hills College a five-year STEM grant of $870,000 per year and San Bernardino Valley College a five-year cooperative grant with Cal State San Bernardino of more than $950,000 per year under the same program.

STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics studies.

The grants are designed to expand the institution's capacity to serve Hispanic students and benefit all students in many ways, including increased student enrollment, graduation and transfer rates.

Allan Hancock College receives major grant for science and math programs
KSBY TV 6 (San Luis Obispo NBC TV Affiliate)

Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria is awarded $4 million in grants to increase efforts to get students into the fields of science and mathematics.

It's a five-year multi-million dollar federal STEM Select grant.

College administrators say the cash will allow the school to offer more state-of-the-art programs.

Allan Hancock College was one of 97 colleges to receive the grant.

September 21, 2011

Poll finds even Republicans would switch initiatives to November election
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

Republican legislators in Sacramento are crying foul over an eleventh-hour push to limit future initiatives to November general elections.

But the idea behind the union-backed legislation doesn't seem so bad to a majority of GOP voters, according to a new Field Poll.

Senate budget would preserve Pell
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday approved a budget for the Education Department in fiscal year 2012 that would again preserve the maximum Pell Grant at $5,550 -- this time at the expense of subsidized interest on undergraduate student loans during a six-month period after students leave college.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies voted 10-8, along party lines, for a $68.4 billion allocation for the Education Department in the 2012 fiscal year, which would represent an $80 million increase from 2011. The full Appropriations Committee will vote on the measure today.

Meg Whitman funds charter expansion
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman vowed to promote the growth of charter schools. Private citizen Whitman made good on the promise Tuesday, donating $2.5 million to Summit Public Schools to start 10 more high-performing charter high schools in low-achieving areas in Silicon Valley, with a promise to double that amount if other tech titans match her $2.5 million.

For Whitman, who spent $144 million of her own money in losing to Jerry Brown in 2010, the donation marks the first sizable gift from The Whitman-Harsh Family Foundation, which she established five years ago with her husband, physician Griffith Harsh. Last week, she also donated $500,000 to Los Angeles Unified to extend web-based math instruction software created by Mind Institute, a nonprofit in Southern California, to 10 additional schools.

September 20, 2011

Riverside Community College system seeks $30 million in private donations
The Valley News (local newspaper)

RIVERSIDE - Ceremonies are planned Friday on each of the Riverside Community College District's three campuses to mark the beginning of a fundraising drive to secure $30 million in donations to offset further cuts in state appropriations.

According to RCCD officials, the five-year "100 at 100" fundraising effort will be the largest in the district's history, concluding in 2016, when Riverside City College celebrates its centennial.

"RCCD is among the top community college districts in the country," said RCCD Chancellor Gregory W. Gray. "The communities love our colleges and support them, something that is very clear when you realize that we've brought in more than $70 million in private donations, grants and other monies over the past few decades.

Solano Community College's child care center set for a big renovation
The Vallejo Times-Herald (local daily newspaper)

For Solano Community College parent Van O'Bryan, the campus' child care center's playground is another arena for his son, Xeo, 3, to learn about life.

Through sharing playground equipment, settling disputes over toys and learning how to plant vegetables, "they figure out how the big world works," he said.

O'Bryan is just one of dozens of parents who volunteer regularly in the Children's Program -- helping staff supervise and play with children, or keeping up vegetable and flower gardens.

California sells $2.4 billion of bonds amid falling yields
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

California on Tuesday wrapped up its first long-term debt sale of 2011, paying interest rates substantially below what it paid on bonds last November -- a savings for taxpayers.

The drop in yields curbed demand for the bonds from individual investors, but buying by institutional investors such as mutual funds allowed Treasurer Bill Lockyer to issue nearly the full amount planned.

The state said it sold $2.37 billion of tax-free general obligation bonds to refinance previously issued bonds and pay off other debt.

Senate panel approves lean spending bill for higher education and research
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

A U.S. Senate panel voted on Thursday to approve a bill that would cut spending on the National Institutes of Health by $190-million in the 2012 fiscal year while maintaining a maximum Pell Grant award of $5,550.

To pay for the Pell program, the bill would end the interest subsidy on undergraduate student loans during the six-month grace period after a student graduates. Other student-aid programs—including Federal Work-Study and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants—would receive the same level of support as they did in 2011.

Startup to offer hybrid college experience to veterans
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

San Francisco—Most colleges are underprepared for the wave of veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the largest influx since after the Vietnam War. The same is true of many employers.

It’s not that the colleges and companies aren’t looking for veterans, says Gunnar Counselman, the founder and chief executive of Fidelis College. But they often do a poor job of understanding how to attract veterans and help them acclimate to civilian life once they return, he says.

Single mothers and college success: Creating paths out of poverty
Women Employed

Military service members and veterans - A profile of those enrolled in undergraduate and graduate education in 2007-08
U.S. Department of Education

MARY ANN MILBOURN COLUMN

California jobless rate to remain stuck at 12% — UCLA

OC Register -- California’s unemployment rate, which had been coming down earlier this year, is now expected to remain at 12% through 2012, according to UCLA’s quarterly economic forecast released today. And things won’t improve much from there. “Employment growth in 2011 and 2012 will push unemployment down marginally,” wrote UCLA senior economist Jerry Nickelsburg. “Therefore, we do not expect it to reach single digits until 2014.” The one hopeful note for Orange County and other coastal counties  is that Nickelsburg thinks jobs are likely to come back faster here due to higher concentrations of high tech, innovation and knowledge-based activities.

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Unemployment to stay above 10% in state through 2013

San Diego UT -- California's unemployment rate is likely to remain above 10 percent until 2014, the UCLA Anderson Forecast says. The quarterly look, released Tuesday, at the state and national economy speaks of the economy in a "stall" and the gap in California widening between coastal counties and inland areas. "As compared to our forecast of last June, the current forecast is substantially weaker," said Jerry Nickelsburg, senior economist, in the second of the report on California.

September 19, 2011

Enjoy paying for UC
The Stockton Record - opinion (local daily newspaper)

Saturday was move-in day at the University of California, Davis, the day when parents drop their kids off with a hug, a pat on the head and their fingers crossed.

And their fingers are really crossed this year.

UC tuition, now $12,192 per year, has doubled since 2005. Under a plan being considered by university regents, it will just about double again by the 2015-16 school year, rising to about $22,000 a year.

Add to that the cost of room and board, books, transportation and personal items. The current estimate for a California resident student tops $30,000 a year.

Brown skeptical of key ed bill
Thoughts on Public Education (education trade periodical)

Gov. Jerry Brown has warned lawmakers that his veto pen will flow freely over the next three weeks. Among bills on the threatened list is potentially the most far-reaching K-12 education legislation before him – a bill that would significantly shift the state’s accountability system away from its concentration on standardized tests. SB 547 is also a priority of its author, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

Acknowledging that the bill may be in trouble, Steinberg said Friday that Brown “has expressed some doubts” about it, while not precluding the possibility that he might sign the bill, in several discussions they have had.

DAN MORAIN COLUMN

Don't look too closely at tax bills

Sac Bee -- Tax legislation is never pretty in California, and bills this year dealing with Hollywood, the Internet and, yes, old rugs were ugly in their own special ways.Final wording didn't become public until the end of the just-concluded legislative session. Lawmakers had no time to hold hearings on late amendments and didn't vote until the last hours of the last night.Let's start with a fundamental truth: Lawmakers love giving tax breaks to Hollywood glitterati.

EDUCATION

Cheating by teachers invalidates schools' test scores

LA Times -- Twenty-two California schools had their test scores thrown out this year for reasons ranging from outright cheating to comparatively minor mistakes, such as failing to cover up bulletin boards or stumbling over instructions. In most cases, schools or school districts turned themselves in. Because of budget cuts, the state Education Department no longer conducts random audits at schools or scans test booklets for irregularities.Nearly half the campuses lost their Academic Performance Index scores because of cheating by teachers on the multiple-choice tests. Several others were penalized because of help teachers gave students that violated rules.

STATE POLITICS

With 600 bills to consider, Gov. Jerry Brown gets persuasion from all corners

SJ Mercury News -- Once Gov. Jerry Brown gets through the massive stack of bills on his desk, a wave of disenchantment is likely to wash over the Capitol. He made sure legislators were girded for disappointment when he warned that many would be "singing the veto blues" over the next three weeks as the governor takes action on 600 bills they sent him in the closing days of the legislative session. "I have to say to some, 'Fasten your seat belt, 'cause this is going to be a rough ride,' " Brown told reporters last week. "They've given me 600 bills and there's not 600 problems that we need those solutions for."

LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIALS

Two easy steps to catch cheating schools

For better or worse, the stakes attached to standardized test scores are higher than ever. Now that schools can be taken over if their students' scores don't improve on the annual state tests, and now that the test results are considered in teacher evaluations, educators have more incentive to cheat, by giving students correct answers or erasing incorrect ones — or by looking the other way when others do it. Incentive, yes. Excuse, no. The rising tide of cheating scandals shows that the job of curbing unethical behavior cannot be left solely to schools and school districts, which are directly affected by the outcomes.

Closing California's achievement gap

Most of the upheaval in public education over the last decade was prompted by the achievement gap. Middle-class, white and Asian American students scored much higher on standardized tests than their disadvantaged, black and Latino counterparts. Those in the latter groups were far more likely to drop out and far less likely to attend college. The gap doomed entire subpopulations to generally lower-paid, less-fulfilling jobs as well as higher unemployment.

Students need supervision to make online learning work
EdSource Extra (California education policy news publication)

The Fresno Unified School District has figured out a relatively simple way to dramatically increase the pass rates of high school students who enroll in online courses to make up for classes they have failed in a traditional classroom setting.

September 18, 2011

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Advice from the front line

LA Times -- Jennifer Granholm is a California girl — with a very California story — who was elected governor of Michigan at the worst time. Now she's back in California offering advice on how we and other states can turn economic rust into recovery. Or, how California can avoid becoming another shuttered Michigan. Actually, we've already failed in that, based on lost jobs. According to figures released Friday, California still had the second highest unemployment rate in the nation in August, 12.1%. Nevada again was first at 13.4%. Michigan came in third with 11.2%, an improvement over the 14% of about two years ago.

Colleges on hunt for foreign students
The Glendale News-Press (local daily newspaper)

Pasadena City and Glendale Community colleges continue to rank in the top 45 nationwide for recruiting international students, a burgeoning $20 billion-a-year industry that generates revenue, prestige and a wide-reaching alumni base for the campuses.

This semester, Pasadena City College enrolled 1,016 students on F-1 visas — issued by the federal government for academic pursuits — college officials said. It’s a figure that has remained relatively steady during the last seven years and has consistently placed the Pasadena campus among the top 20 community colleges nationally, according to annual rankings conducted by the Institute of International Education.

Retiree benefits for the military could face cuts
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

As Washington looks to squeeze savings from once-sacrosanct entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, another big social welfare system is growing as rapidly, but with far less scrutiny: the health and pension benefits of military retirees.

September 17, 2011

UC Davis revs up its economic engine
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

The University of California, Davis, generated $5.5 billion in local economic activity during the 2009-2010 fiscal year, according to a new report by the university's Office of the President.

UC Davis said it benefits the local region through the 56,000 jobs at its campuses, the goods and services that the school purchases and produces and through the intellectual property that the school generates.

"Clearly, this powerful academic enterprise is a boost to the economic activity in our region," said Chancellor Linda Katehi.

September 15, 2011

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

3 big bills in a pile of minutia

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown has a clutter of 600 bills piled on his desk to sign or veto by Oct. 9. The Legislature dumped them there before it adjourned for the year early Saturday. Many aren't worth the paper their glowing news releases were printed on — and certainly not worth the $20,000 legislative cost, on average, that each bill ate up in processing. "Solutions in search of a problem," Brown has called them.But some would enact significant policy changes that merit attention. Here are three, with my cheap advice to the governor.

EDUCATION

UC plan sees tuition rising up to 16% annually over four years

LA Times -- University of California students could face annual tuition increases of 8% to 16% over the next four years, possibly bringing the fee as high as $22,068 for the 2015-16 school year, according to a long-term budget plan the university unveiled Wednesday. UC leaders said that the proposal was intended only as a guideline but that it would help students, parents and faculty to plan more realistically. This summer, the state budget crisis resulted in deeper than expected cuts to UC and a second tuition increase just weeks before the school year began.

UC tuition could nearly double under budget plan
The Associated Press (national news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO—Undergraduate tuition at the University of California could nearly double over the next five years under a budget plan set to be considered Thursday by school officials.

Administrators plan to propose the multiyear budget plan at the Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco. The regents could vote on the proposal at its November meeting.

Under the plan, UC would raise tuition by as much as 16 percent each year if the state doesn't boost funding to the 10-campus system.

The size of the tuition hike would depend on how much the state contributes. For example, if the state boosts funding by 8 percent, the university would increase tuition by 8 percent. A 4-percent increase in state funding would lead to a 12-percent tuition hike.

Yes to the California Dream Act

California lawmakers have attempted to give qualified undocumented immigrants access to state scholarships and grants for five consecutive years. Each time, however, a gubernatorial veto has cut short legislative efforts. Now, Gov. Jerry Brown has the opportunity to break with the past. He should do so by signing AB 131, part of a two-bill package known as the California Dream Act. The measure would allow illegal immigrants who graduate from a state high school and demonstrate both merit and need to apply for publicly funded scholarships and other state aid.

UC tuition no longer a bargain

Fed up with indecision and drift, the University of California is serving notice: Barring a miracle, tuition could nearly double over the next four years to more than $22,000. Don't anyone miss the point: California's finances and political priorities don't favor higher education. That means the vaunted university system needs to fend for itself by asking students and their families to fill the gaps left by indifferent Sacramento.UC is at a tipping point. This fall, for the first time, tuition checks will supply as much as state payments to the university budget. Also, student costs have more than doubled since 2005 - and might nearly double again by 2016.

BCC continues cuts to faculty, classes in new budget
The Desert Dispatch (local daily newspaper)

BARSTOW • As state funding continues to lag, Barstow Community College District will head into the next year with continued deficits and cuts to faculty and classes.

The BCC Board of Trustees passed the 2011-12 budget Wednesday night, which continues the five-year pattern of expenditures increasing annually by about $600,000 and revenues increasing only by $28,000 each year.

“The fiscal situation is tumultuous at best,” said Virgil Stanford, vice president of administrative services at Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting, where the budget passed with a 3-0 vote.

September 14, 2011

Calif. Treasurer wants to maintain automatic cuts
The Associated Press (national news agency)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The state treasurer's office on Tuesday urged California Gov. Jerry Brown to reject a bill that would require the governor to consult lawmakers about midyear budget cuts they already have approved.

The move comes as the treasurer began offering $5.4 billion in short-term borrowing notes to the public so California will have enough cash to cover its immediate operating needs. Investors have ordered more than $3 billion, or about 57 percent, of the notes, which were being offered in a two-day sale and will mature in June 2012. The interest rates range from 0.40 percent to 0.55 percent. 

Community colleges could receive $1.7 billion from proposed oil extraction fee
The Clarion Online (Citrus College student newspaper)

The proposed tax on oil extraction from California is circulating among signature gatherers. To qualify for the November 2012 ballot, they must gather 504,760 signatures by Sept. 30.

According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, Prop 1481 would impose a 15 percent tax on each barrel of oil extracted from the state of California.

The tax revenue would be placed into the Competitiveness Education Fund, a state account which would distribute its funds to public schools.

Community college districts would receive the largest amount of funds – 48 percent. Another 30 percent would be distributed among public school districts, leaving 22 percent to split evenly among the California State University system and the University of California system.

The proposition's lead proponent is Peter Mathews, a political science professor at Cypress College who says that he hopes the tax will rescue California's educational system.

"Our students are the future," Mathews said. "We won't have a critical thinking population without education."

The proposition would disallow oil companies to pass along the extraction fee to refineries, gas stations and consumers by working with existing anti-trust and anti-collision laws.

September 13, 2011

Citrus College unveils new $23 million Student Services Building
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune (local daily newspaper)

GLENDORA - After 23 years of planning and at a cost of $23 million, a new student services building was dedicated Tuesday at Citrus College.

The V-shaped tan, white and red building sits on a grassy slope just beyond the school marquee at the community college's Citrus Avenue entrance. The building will beckon future students to the college's doorstep and also serve as a one-stop shop for enrolling students and those graduating and entering vocations or institutions of higher education, officials said.

"It is a gateway for the community and for students coming onto campus," said building architect Gary Moon, vice president of tBP/Architecture in Newport Beach. "But it is also a gateway for their career paths, either looking to jobs or further higher education."

The two-story, 55,000-square-foot building will house offices for student admissions, counseling, financial aid, job placement, a career center, CalWORKS, veterans' services and other administrative offices. It also has a cyber caf , a bookstore and student health center.

September 12, 2011

California Legislature can't break its junk habit

A couple of years ago, Bill Lockyer, the veteran politician who is now the state treasurer, showed up in the Capitol to scold legislators for their preoccupation with trivia. "Sorry, but two-thirds of the bills that I see come out of the Assembly, if they never saw the light of day, God bless it," Lockyer said."Just stop it. I mean they're junk. And they're consuming all your staff time with junk." Lawmakers didn't take kindly to the words from Lockyer, a one-time president pro tem of the state Senate. If anything, the Legislature became even more consumed with junk legislation – small beer favors for special interests, symbolic gestures and naked publicity-seeking.

GEORGE SKELTON COLUMN

Howard Jarvis kills Brown tax plan

LA Times -- The most powerful person in the state Capitol last week was not the governor or a legislative leader, at least on taxes. It was Jon Coupal. Jon Coupal? He's a disciple of the legendary anti-tax crusader Howard Jarvis. Gov. Jerry Brown recognizes Coupal's clout. That's why he invited the outspoken president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. into his office in a last-ditch effort to generate support for his ill-fated tax plan. Brown and his advisors kept hearing from Republican senators that they sort of liked the governor's proposal — thought it basically good policy — but wouldn't sign on unless Coupal did.

DAN MORAIN COLUMN

Creating jobs? Not California

Sac Bee -- California lawmakers love jobs, or so they say. They ended their legislative session by pushing "reforms" to "create" jobs. They sought to slash regulations to fast-track fancy new sports arenas, maybe a new studio and other cool places.They considered tax breaks to put more money into the accounts of entrepreneurs and moguls in the hope that they might hire a few working stiffs. Speaker John A. Pérez and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg issued press releases the other night crowing about their bills to "create jobs."

BUDGET

Jerry Brown again sees Legislature block his tax plans

Sac Bee -- Twice this year on the precipice of a legislative deadline, Gov. Jerry Brown trotted out a rare coalition of special-interest foes in his presumed march toward a bipartisan tax victory. Twice, that victory eluded him in the Legislature. If the Democratic governor learned anything this year, it's that obtaining supermajority tax votes is every bit as difficult as veterans of recent Capitol battles warned. Brown staked his claim in the final month on a $1 billion package that would have raised taxes on out-of-state companies like Detroit automakers and cigarette-maker Altria Group in order to sprinkle small tax breaks among California businesses and individuals.

What kind of higher-education system does China need?
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

It is widely anticipated that China’s economy may rival that of the United States around 2040. Such an achievement requires a strong educational underpinning, especially at its universities. For this reason, China has expanded its higher-education system into the world’s largest in the past decade, and is determined to have it earn world-class status in the next decade. However, this goal–and the process the Chinese government has laid out to meet it—are not without flaws.

While some good ideas are put forward in its most recent education plan, overall it mirrors China’s approach to the economy: top down and government directed. It’s an approach that may succeed in terms of high efficiency but at the expense of vitality. Without building universities that foster critical thinking, creativity, and innovation, China’s higher-education system—as well as its economic growth—will continue to suffer. This kind of higher-education reform is difficult, given the inertia with respect to political and societal change, yet it is key to the country’s future success.

September 9, 2011

States would distribute $5-billion to community colleges under Obama's jobs plan
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

A day after President Obama unveiled a $447-billion jobs package, a few details have emerged about how the $5-billion allocated to community-college construction would be disbursed.

During a news conference on Friday, Carmel Martin, the Education Department's assistant secretary for planning, evaluation, and policy development, said that if the legislation were enacted as planned, states would receive a share of the money based on their number of students attending community colleges. That share would in turn be given to specific community colleges based on those institutions with the greatest needs, she said.

Community colleges spared from fee hike
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade periodical)

Community colleges may be spared from fee increase, for now. California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said that the legislature has delayed a mid-year fee increase until the summer that would have been triggered by state revenues falling by more than $1 billion below projections.

A fee increase of $10 to $46 per unit was expected for spring 2012 if revenues triggered cuts.

September 8, 2011

Amazon cuts deal on California sales taxes
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Reporting from Sacramento—

Amazon.com cut a tentative deal with legislative leaders Wednesday night that would allow it to postpone collecting sales taxes from Californians for another year.

The company in turn would drop its battle to overturn the state's new law that required it and many other out-of-state online retailers to collect the taxes.

Taxes and jobs in California
The Los Angeles Times - editorial (daily newspaper)

Lawmakers often try to create jobs by offering tax breaks to employers, but it's hard to tell whether those breaks actually lead to more hiring or whether they merely reward companies that were going to hire anyway. That's one of the challenges facing Gov. Jerry Brown, who's calling for $1 billion worth of broad new tax breaks for businesses, and for advocates of more subsidies for film production. In both cases, the goals are commendable but the methods are open to question.

Greuel to investigate community college hiring
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Yielding to outside pressure, the Los Angeles Community College District has asked City Controller Wendy Greuel to investigate allegations that its selection of a watchdog to police its troubled campus construction program was rigged.

In a recent audit of the $5.7-billion program, state Controller John Chiang's office cited "possible malfeasance" in the district's hiring of Christine E. Marez as inspector general and urged an independent investigation.

JON ORTIZ COLUMN

The State Worker: Labor-unfriendly measures aim for 2012 ballot

Sac Bee -- A few snippets of state worker news worth watching: Three ballot measures drawing fire from public labor unions can begin collecting signatures, aiming to make a 2012 ballot.The initiatives would end public employee collective bargaining, tax six-figure CalPERS and CalSTRS pensions up to 25 percent and raise the minimum retirement age for members of those retirement systems to 65 (or 58 for sworn public safety officers). Labor teed off after the secretary of state's Wednesday announcement the measures could circulate.

EDUCATION

Political fallout of UC’s decisions raise Capitol eyebrows

Capitol Weekly -- A  venerable, iconic institution, the University of California faces increasing criticism from lawmakers and the public for appearing insensitive to the concerns of the public and Legislature during a time of fiscal crisis. The posture is hindering support for the higher education system. The year has been rife with politically ungainly moves on the part of UC, from opting out of the state controller’s public salary database, announcing raises for faculty and unrepresented staff while at the same time drastically raising tuition, recruiting out-of-state students to boost revenue and displaying 2010 payroll data that shows top earners are earning even more year to year.

Obama's jobs proposals include $5-billion for community-college facilities
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

In a blunt speech to a joint session of Congress on Thursday, President Obama unveiled a series of proposals to revive the stalling economy, and among them was a $30-billion spending proposal to repair and modernize buildings at elementary and secondary schools and also community college campuses.

The proposal calls for $5-billion to bolster the infrastructure at community colleges, including tribal colleges.

No success on success measures
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

WASHINGTON -- The federal committee charged with recommending ways for the Education Department to better judge student success at community colleges will meet at least once more before approving a final report, despite a draft copy of recommendations issued last week that sketched the broad outlines of the committee’s plan.

When members of the Committee on Measures of Student Success met Wednesday, the meeting was scheduled to be the group’s last. But they couldn’t reach a final agreement on points that bedeviled the 14-member committee of education leaders and policy experts at its previous three meetings in the past year: what role student outcomes, especially students’ employment status and salary after graduation, should play in evaluating colleges.

Lifetime commitment: College readiness program will pay off
The Santa Cruz Sentinel - opinion (local daily newspaper)

Without a doubt, community colleges face a tremendous challenge in dealing with state budget cuts and future uncertainty about how to keep up course offerings for the students of all ages and educational backgrounds.

An equal challenge is ensuring that students who arrive are ready to take college-level courses -- and then want to work toward transferring to a four-year school.

For four-year schools like the CSU and UC systems, also heavily impacted by budget cuts, community colleges can be a safety valve -- taking undergraduates who need to get through their basic college credits before transferring.

That's why a countywide collaboration unveiled Wednesday between local K-12 schools and publicly funded higher ed has so much promise.

The goal of the collaboration -- the "Santa Cruz County College Commitment" -- is to make local students college ready and to help them move on from community college to a four year university.

September 7, 2011

California treasurer not thrilled with last-minute budget bill
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

As California prepares to ask investors for $5.4 billion next week, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer is none too pleased with a last-minute bill related to automatic budget cuts.

Lockyer had to amend his disclosure statement to explain that lawmakers may require Gov. Jerry Brown's administration to consult on alternatives to as much as $2.5 billion in "trigger" cuts under Assembly Bill X1 20. Brown and lawmakers agreed in June to prescribe cuts to schools and other public programs that would take place if the state falls behind its optimistic revenue projections.

Obama's jobs plan to reflect his more modest ambition
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Reporting from Washington—

When he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama made a prediction breathtaking in its ambition: Americans would look back at that night in Denver as the moment when "the planet began to heal" and the country began to provide "good jobs to the jobless."

The out-of-state solution to college budgets
Bloomberg Business Week (business trade periodical)

Colorado Mesa University was typical of most public institutions in the fall of 2007, with out-of-state students making up a small number, about 5 percent, of the overall student body. But when the economic downturn hit in the fall of 2008, and state support for higher education began dwindling, Colorado Mesa President Tim Foster knew it was time to shake up the status quo. He decided to aggressively recruit out-of-state students, who pay 50 percent to 60 percent more than do Colorado residents. “Obviously the purchasing power of in-state students from a budgetary perspective was not very good,” Foster says.

California college transparency bill signed
The Sacramento Business Journal (local daily business trade publication)

A bill to promote greater transparency and accountability in California’s higher education systems has been signed by the governor.

Senate Bill 8, by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), will require the University of California    University of California Latest from The Business Journals Gladstone scientist finds new target for treating symptoms of Parkinson’s diseaseCalifornia college transparency bill signedBlue Shield foundation makes M in Q3 grants, for total of .9M through 9 months Follow this company , California State University and community colleges auxiliaries and foundations follow public record laws. That means the organizations would be required to provide financial records, contracts and correspondence on request.

Two colleges merge fundraising efforts
The San Diego Union Tribune (local daily newspaper)

A new organization that intends to strengthen the way Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges raise money was recently started.

The Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges will continue the work of the two separate foundations at Grossmont and Cuyamaca to raise money for scholarships, facilities and college programs.

Fees may rise again
The Coast Report Online (Orange Coast College student newspaper)

A proposed tuition increase for the spring 2012 semester may take effect after students register for classes and could leave many at Orange Coast College with unpaid bills.

The increase that would bring the cost of tuition from $36 to $46 per unit is likely to be implemented in early 2012, just a few weeks after registration in November, and would require students to pay additional fees.

SMC dodges proposed budget cuts
The Corsair (Santa Monica College student newspaper)

State budget cuts to higher education have been largely avoided at Santa Monica College, due to a surplus of $2.1 million.

Back in January 2011, California’s newly appointed governor Jerry Brown proposed three scenarios of budget cuts for California community colleges: Scenarios A, B, and D.  Scenario A consisted of a $5.57 million cut to the community college system for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Additionally, Scenario B would have been a 9 percent cut, and  Scenario D at 15 percent.

September 6, 2011

An 'instructor like me'
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Nonwhite students at community colleges are more likely to stay in classes and to earn higher grades if they have instructors of their race or ethnicity, according to a study released Monday by the National Bureau for Economic Research. But the same is true for white students, meaning that hiring more minority instructors may result in decreased performance by white students.

The positive impact of having a same-race instructor appears to be the greatest on black students, and on younger students.

Grant recipients and race
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

Every so often, the issue of financial aid awarded on the basis of students' race flares. Lawsuits crop up challenging a state's or institution's ability to consider students' race in handing out grants, or a white student (or a group of such students) announces the creation of a fund for scholarships reserved for white students, on the grounds that grant money flows disproportionately to members of minority groups.

A new report challenges the assumptions underlying such developments. The study, by the financial aid analyst Mark Kantrowitz, is plain about its goal: to debunk what the author calls "the race myth, which claims that minority students receive more than their fair share of scholarships."

BUDGET

Highest state salaries hidden in special funds

OC Register -- For years now, the state budget has been the subject of intense scrutiny as multi-billion-dollar deficits have forced cuts to the state's General Fund. California's highest-salaried nonacademic employees, however, reside outside of that system, working in departments that are funded by bonds or special revenues. This world isn't as well-known. According to annualized June 2011 pay data from the State Controller’s Office, nine of the 10 highest-salaried nonacademic state employees work under these special circumstances, outside of the public debate over the state budget.

JAN NORMAN COLUMN

Calif. taxable sales up 9% in Q2

OC Register -- California’s taxable sales rose an estimated 9% in the second quarter, almost double the increase for the same period in 2010, according to Michelle Steel, who represents Orange County on the State Board of Equalization. California taxable sales rose faster than personal income for the first time since 2005, Steel said.The 2011 data are not yet available for individual counties, but in the second quarter of 2010, taxable sales for Anaheim rose 7.3%, for Orange County 6% and for the whole state 4.6%.

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Jerry Brown trying for last-minute bipartisan tax deal

LA Times -- Gov. Jerry Brown is pondering changes in the corporate tax swap plan he introduced last month in hopes of reaching a bipartisan accord before the Legislature adjourns for the year. Although no final deal has been reached, the outline of a possible agreement began to emerge Monday. Like Brown's original plan, it involves changing a 2009 law so that corporations could no longer choose which formula to use when calculating their state tax liability.

Hollywood lobbies to extend tax credit for California filming

LA Times -- Hollywood wants a $500-million blockbuster out of Sacramento. In the final days of the legislative session, the industry is seeking a five-year extension of a tax credit for producing films and television shows in California. It has assembled a powerful coalition of moguls and unions, who argue that failing to re-up the program risks losing film jobs to states offering even more generous rebates. That is something, advocates argue, that the state with the second-highest jobless rate in the nation cannot afford.

California bill banning alcohol sales at self-checkout stands advances

LA Times -- Rob Gokee and Allison Vanore know that buying wine at their neighborhood Fresh & Easy near the USC campus can be something of a production. After scanning two bottles at one of the store's self-checkout stands, all heck broke loose. An alarm sounded. A red light flashed. And the checkout computer froze until a clerk came by to confirm the buyer was at least 21 years old.California politicians, egged on by the grocery clerks union, want to put an end to such four-alarm checkouts. They're pushing a law that would require anyone buying liquor to conduct business with a human cashier, not a machine.

September 5, 2011

Jerry Brown trying for last-minute bipartisan tax deal
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Gov. Jerry Brown is pondering changes in the corporate tax swap plan he introduced last month in hopes of reaching a bipartisan accord before the Legislature adjourns for the year.

Although no final deal has been reached, the outline of a possible agreement began to emerge Monday. Like Brown's original plan, it involves changing a 2009 law so that corporations could no longer choose which formula to use when calculating their state tax liability.

But instead of Brown's original plan, which used the estimated $1.1 billion the change is expected to generate on new tax credits for businesses that hire California workers or buy new equipment, the new proposal would include more sweeping changes to the state's business taxes.

Undocumented students small portion of DREAM Act beneficiaries
The Daily Californian (UC Berkeley student newspaper)

As the second half of the California DREAM Act — which would allow students who qualify for in-state tuition under AB 540 access to public financial aid for the first time — reaches Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, the topic of undocumented students has garnered mass media and public attention.

But although the bill carries enormous symbolic significance for many students, the DREAM Act would affect a relatively small number of those enrolled in California public higher education. And the majority of students who could benefit from the bills — contrary to popular belief — are actually not undocumented.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        September 1, 2011

JON ORTIZ COLUMN

The State Worker: Jerry Brown poised to take on pensions

Sac Bee -- After months of virtual silence on rolling back public pensions, Gov. Jerry Brown is about to resurrect the issue. As the Capitol gears up for another round of budget talks, word is that Brown also plans to put forward a pension agenda for next year. He's been circumspect about the details, although recent history hints at his plans. "I've got a whole bunch of pension ideas I've been working on, and I'll announce those relatively soon," Brown said this week in an interview with Bee reporter David Siders.

TOM BARNIDGE COLUMN

Budget woes increase the burden on community colleges

Contra Costa Times -- California's community colleges are the workhorse of higher education. Spread across 112 campuses, they are open to nearly anyone who walks in the door. You need not be a student council president, a legacy or even in the top 12 percent of your class. Just finish high school and pay a nominal fee to enroll. They dwarf the UC and Cal State systems in student enrollment (2.75 million to 750,000) and in community outreach. They not only prepare underclassmen for transfer but provide career technical training, workforce development, lifelong learning programs and English as a second language.

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Amazon offers to build facilities in bid to end sales tax fight

LA Times -- Amazon.com Inc. is offering to build at least two distribution centers and hire as many as 7,000 workers if lawmakers back away — at least temporarily — from trying to force the Internet giant to collect sales taxes on purchases made by California customers. The proposal, along with promises to invest as much as $500 million in the new facilities, was made in the form of draft legislation at a meeting Tuesday night between Amazon lobbyists and representatives of companies that belong to the California Retailers Assn.

Amazon offers jobs to avert ballot showdown over tax

Sac Bee -- Amazon.com is offering to bring thousands of jobs to California as it tries to back away from a ballot-box confrontation over the state's new Internet sales tax law. The online retailing giant, in a meeting late Tuesday of legislative staffers and retailing lobbyists, proposed opening six distribution centers that would employ a total of 7,000 Californians, according to sources with knowledge of the offer. In return, Amazon wants a reprieve from the new law until sometime in 2014. It's a strategy Amazon has used – with some success – in other states as it tries to squash a growing movement toward taxing online commerce.

EDUCATION

Senate OKs state college aid for illegal immigrants

San Diego UT -- Illegal immigrants in California would soon be allowed to apply for state-funded college financial aid if the governor signs a bill that has now passed both houses of the Legislature. The measure, which had won Assembly approval, cleared the Senate on Wednesday by a 22-11 vote. Several amendments must be reviewed by the Assembly before the legislation can go to Gov. Jerry Brown, who has indicated that he would sign the bill.

State Senate OKs part of California Dream Act

LA Times -- The college dreams of thousands of students who are illegal immigrants moved closer to fulfillment Wednesday after the state Senate approved a bill that for the first time would give them access to public financial aid. Part of a two-bill package known as the California Dream Act, the measure would allow undocumented students who qualify for reduced in-state tuition to apply for Cal Grants, community college waivers and other public aid programs. To be eligible, they must be California high school graduates who attended schools in the state at least three years, and demonstrate financial need and academic merit.

JUDICIARY

Goodwin Liu confirmed to California Supreme Court

LA Times -- After a protracted and ultimately losing battle for a seat on a federal appeals court, UC Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu sailed through his state confirmation hearing Wednesday to join the California Supreme Court. During a 70-minute hearing, witness after witness lavished praise on Liu, a constitutional scholar whose nomination to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was derailed earlier this year by Republicans in the U.S. Senate. The state Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed him unanimously.

CONTRA COSTA TIMES EDITORIALS

Steinberg's bill gives better assessment for our schools

California's Academic Performance Index, which is used to measure a school's performance at each grade level, relies too heavily on standardized test results and thus gives an incomplete picture of student progress. Standardized tests are useful in providing an objective measurement of student achievement that is applied evenly to all students and schools. However, the tests are far too limited in assessing the overall progress of students and schools.

August 31, 2011

BUDGET

Appeals court rules Schwarzenegger had right to furlough workers in constitutional offices

Sac Bee -- The two-day-a-month unpaid furloughs of state executive branch workers ordered in 2008 by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger legally applied to employees of California's elected constitutional officers, an appellate court in Sacramento ruled Tuesday. Applying the furlough order to the staffs of constitutional officers "does not violate the California Constitution's system of divided executive authority or impermissibly interfere with (the officers') statutory right to control the staffing and management of their respective offices," a three-justice panel of the 3rd District Court of Appeal declared in a 47-page opinion.

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Jerry Brown talks jobs now that budget is behind him

Sac Bee -- Gov. Jerry Brown, who said little about job creation for the first seven months of his term, suddenly can't get it off his mind. In the last two weeks alone, Brown appointed a jobs adviser and touted the state budget's passage as a measure to improve investor confidence in California. He proposed changes to the corporate tax structure that he said would create jobs and, when he left the state on Tuesday for the first time since taking office, it was to promote California's green-energy economy. "There's a lot of stuff we can do, and it takes investment," Brown said at a clean-energy summit in Las Vegas.

EDUCATION

The Buzz: How to make $1 million working for the state

Sac Bee -- Last year was extremely lucrative for a few University of California employees. Fourteen UC workers earned more than $1 million during 2010, up from 10 during 2009. All 35 of the highest-paid state workers in California during 2010 worked for UC. The cutoff to get in that elite group: an annual salary of $800,000-plus. But before students and parents break out pitchforks and demand a refund, they should know these highly paid employees aren't taking it all from them. All are either athletic coaches supported by boosters or employees at UC hospitals supported by patient fees.

Budget cuts hamper state efforts to combat cheating

California Watch -- Only after the governor ordered an independent examination did Georgia officials catch widespread cheating by teachers, principals and administrators on standardized tests in the Atlanta Public Schools system. The resulting scandal has sparked resignations, a criminal investigation and a wave of other state inquiries into possible test tampering. The sleuthing techniques used to catch testing fraud in Atlanta – monitoring test score data for dramatic spikes, analysis of testing erasures and on-the-ground interviews – used to be commonplace at the California Department of Education.

U.S. official no 'Textbook Rebel'
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that the U.S. Education Department's Hal Plotkin will appear at a protest on textbook prices today dressed in a 10-foot-tall mascot costume as "Textbook Rebel."

But despite some last-minute uncertainty Tuesday afternoon, and almost certainly to the dismay of the textbook publishing industry, a key adviser to Under Secretary of Education Martha J. Kanter will be a star attraction this morning at the suburban D.C. launch of a national campaign arguing that textbook prices are "out of control."

Controversial state bill to serve extension courses hits barrier

The Accent Advocate (Contra Costa College student newspaper)

In an effort to make courses widely available to students, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) introduced a bill to provide California community colleges with a pilot extension program offering credit classes at no additional cost to the state.

Since its creation in February, Assembly Bill 515 has undergone several amendments and its newest revision is stuck in the California State Senate Committee waiting to be voted on, Contra Costa College Academic Senate President Wayne Organ said.

Regaining confidence
Inside Higher Ed (education trade periodical)

In 2006 and 2007, it seemed like every wealthy college and university was announcing a record-breaking fund-raising campaign that would bring its research and education endeavors to new heights. Major research universities talked about bringing in $3 billion or $4 billion, much of it in "mega-gifts."

That talk quieted down in 2008, when the economic downturn began, and the past few years have not seen the kinds of pre-recession goals that used to make headlines. A handful of universities announced that they had met or exceeded their goals, but, for the most part, the bravado of exceptional and even unprecedented goals was absent.

August 30, 2011

Education vs. prisons: Shifting priorities
The Bay Citizen (local daily newspaper)

Over the past 30 years, California has spent an increasing portion of its budget on prisons — and a shrinking share on the University of California and California State University systems.

The budget for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation increased from about 3 percent of the state's general fund in 1980 to 11.2 percent for this fiscal year, according to figures prepared at the request of The Bay Citizen by the state Department of Finance. Meanwhile, funding for UC and CSU dropped from 10 percent of the state's general fund 30 years ago to about 6.6 percent this fiscal year.

Jerry Brown: Sales and income taxes could pass in 2012
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

LAS VEGAS -- Gov. Jerry Brown, who is considering what tax increases to propose to voters in November 2012, acknowledged this morning that polls are generally unfavorable but said voters might approve sales and income taxes.

"Sales and income could pass under certain circumstances," he told The Bee. "It could. And it couldn't."

Brown said that such a measure would require broad-based support.

Recent high school graduates optimistic about value of college
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Despite the rising costs of a college education, most recent high school graduates say that earning a college degree is worth the time and money, and most are optimistic that they and their peers will find good jobs and careers.

That is the good news from a national survey of 1,500 graduates from the class of 2010 that was released Tuesday by the College Board, the nonprofit association that runs the SAT and Advanced Placement tests.

Three-fifths of colleges get C or worse in general education
The Washington Post (national daily newspaper)

An analysis of core education requirements at 1,007 colleges found that three-fifths of those schools require three or fewer of seven basic subjects, such as science, math and foreign language.

This is the third annual report on general education by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, titled What Will They Learn? The group has set out to illustrate the failings of America’s colleges in requiring students to learn essential subjects over the course of their education.

California still tops states in population
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business periodical)

California remains the most populous state in the nation, according to a new analysis from On Numbers.

The top five states remain the Golden State, followed by Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois, which corresponds to the findings of the U.S. Census from 2010.

Obama draws line on possible cuts to veterans programs
The New York Times (national daily newspaper)

MINNEAPOLIS — President Obama vowed on Tuesday that he would not allow cuts in programs for veterans as Congress and the administration look for ways to balance the budget.

August 29, 2011

California tax talks await decision by Gov. Jerry Brown
The Sacramento Bee (daily newspaper)

When he abandoned his tax plan this summer to make a budget deal, Gov. Jerry Brown suggested he'd try again to raise revenue with a ballot measure in November 2012.

But two months later, Brown and the labor unions that could fund such an effort are stuck in preliminary, disjointed talks, discouraged by internal polls and undecided about which taxes to pursue. Labor officials, saying time is short to prepare for a campaign, are becoming increasingly anxious.

Education department backs away from fix to help disabled student borrowers
The Chronicle of Higher Education (education trade periodical)

After suffering from panic attacks and episodes of psychosis, Donita McDonald was diagnosed with a severe mental illness in 2009. She was unable to work or attend school, and the Social Security Administration declared the 21-year-old disabled. After the ruling, her family turned to the Department of Education, appealing to have her thousands of dollars in student loans forgiven. The department is supposed to forgive the loans of former students who, like Ms. McDonald, develop severe and lasting disabilities.

But rather than accept the Social Security Administration's ruling, the Education Department has forced Ms. McDonald to go through a separate, arduous, and largely duplicative review that has left her facing continual collection efforts, even though she is unable to handle her own finances.

August 26, 2011

Program aims to ease CSU student transfers - colleges hope to save money, help expedite the process
The Fresno Bee (daily newspaper)

A new program at California community colleges could put students on the fast track to earning a bachelor's degree, while saving them – and the state – some money.

A transfer-degree program started this semester gives community college students a simpler, quicker way to transfer to California State University schools.

Community colleges have welcomed the program, which was borne out of a collaboration with the CSU and state lawmakers.

But some faculty and administrators say they're skeptical that it will work as well as state officials claim.

State and community college officials say the program could save the state millions, and help students finish college and get into the work force more quickly.

Students who complete the two-year program will be eligible for admission into any CSU school in the state to finish their bachelor's degree – and all of their classes will transfer.

Pew: Half of US adults now use social networks
The Associated Press (national news agency)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Half of all American adults are now on social networks, slightly more than a year ago, and use among Baby Boomers is growing, according to a new study.

A report released Friday by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that, of the U.S. adults who use the Internet, nearly two-thirds use social networks such as Facebook or Twitter.

Among Baby Boomers aged 50 to 64, 32 percent said they use a social networking site on a typical day. That's up sharply from 20 percent a year ago.

August 25, 2011

Steve Scauzillo: Navigating the student transfer maze
The Pasadena Star-News - opinion (local daily newspaper)

I proudly tell people my higher education is the result of all three college systems. I attended a community college where I earned an Associate's Degree, a UC and a Cal State.

It's a rare happenstance. The trifecta of higher ed.

Some, like my friend Brad, wonder why California needs a UC and a Cal State system. The simplified answer being, UCs are for teaching but also for researching the origins of the universe and cures to diseases, while the CSUs are more about teaching above-average students a four-year curriculum in various disciplines and churning out the next group of teachers, journalists, entrepreneurs, nurses, engineers, etc.

Sure, there is some overlap there. UCs also produce B.A.s and new professionals, as well as M.A.s, but UCs are the only one of the three that offer doctoral degrees (emphasis on research). But my friend's query made me think of that first rung, the California Community Colleges or CCCs and how they fit into this California higher ed matrix.

College class do-overs limited
The Modesto Bee (local daily newspaper)

FRESNO — Community college students no longer have the luxury of repeating courses four, five and even six times on the state's dime.

Education leaders decided last month to limit the number of times students can repeat classes using state money. The state pays 90 percent of the cost of community college classes to keep tuition affordable — but low costs also encourage students to drop classes more frequently.

With demand for classes at an all-time high and course selections diminishing, competition for a spot in community colleges is fierce. Students who repeatedly enroll in classes and withdraw or flunk make the problem worse: They take seats away from new students and strain the system's scant resources by delaying their graduation.

UC spending on pay rises slightly in 2010
The Sacramento Business Journal (local business trade periodical)

Payroll spending at the University of California    University of California Latest from The Business Journals College football elite spend to winHesse discusses AT&T deal, Sprint merger potentialNew sports bar opens in Tempe Follow this company grew by about 1 percent to $10 billion from $9.88 billion, according to an annual report on employee pay.

UC said that was a smaller increase than in prior years. The 2010 increase is due, in part, to a 10 percent growth in research spending, according to a summary analysis of the salary report. Student enrollment also grew by 1 percent, from 232,000 to 234,500. And the workforce of 186,000 grew a little more than 1 percent.

August 24, 2011

DAN WALTERS COLUMN

California budget cuts to courts reignites judges' war

Sac Bee -- When Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature took another bite out of the state court system to balance the state budget – on paper, anyway – they reignited a political war between rival factions of judges over financial priorities. The fight began when rebel judges organized themselves as the Alliance of California Judges and opposed former Chief Justice Ron George's commitment of vast funds to a statewide computer system with chronic operational shortcomings while trial courts were being forced to curtail operations.

Amazon ups the ante in Internet sales tax fight

LA Times -- Amazon.com Inc. is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to trying to overturn a new California law that requires it and other Internet sellers to collect sales taxes on purchases by customers from the Golden State. Late last week, the Seattle-based online retailer reported to the California secretary of state's office that it had contributed $2.25 million to the "More Jobs Not Taxes" campaign to qualify a referendum for the June primary election ballot. The contribution brought Amazon's cumulative investment in the campaign since mid-July to $5.25 million.

EDUCATION

Advocates push public aid for undocumented college students

LA Times -- Scores of students, teachers and other advocates for illegal immigrants are launching rallies, phone drives, petition campaigns and other actions this week for what they see as their best hope to win access to public financial aid for undocumented college students. A small rally in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday was part of a statewide series of actions to prod a state Senate committee this week to allow a floor vote on AB 131, a hotly contested measure that would give undocumented students who qualify for reduced in-state tuition access to nearly $40 million in coveted Cal Grants, community college fee waivers and other public grant and scholarship programs.

Many graduates not ready for college, test data suggests

California Watch -- Only about 30 percent of last year’s California high school graduates who took the ACT college entrance exam tested proficient in all subject areas. The state’s best subject was English – 72 percent of students were considered ready for college freshman classes. In science, however, only 34 percent were deemed ready for higher education. “In California, about half of entering freshmen at Cal State University need to take remedial courses in English, and about 40 percent have to do so in math," said Hans Johnson, policy fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California.

JUDICIARY

As Budgets Continue to Shrink, the Lines Will Grow in California Civil Courts

New York Times -- Lines at a courthouse are kind of like hurt feelings in a divorce: they are expected, they are unavoidable, but, hopefully, they are dealt with quickly. For the romantically estranged residents of San Francisco, however, the wait for a divorce may soon drag on longer than the life span of most Hollywood marriages, as a series of cutbacks threatens to cripple the civil courts. Under a plan unveiled last month and due to take effect this fall, San Francisco will close 25 courtrooms, reduce clerks’ hours and lay off more than 175 employees, effectively bringing much of the business of the court to a crawl.

STATE POLITICS

A few California lawmakers release their budgets; others say they'll wait

Sac Bee -- Assemblyman Roger Dickinson does not plan to release his office budget without a nod from Assembly leaders. The Sacramento Democrat, noting that Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez is creating a task force to consider updating disclosure policies, said, "I'm going to respect that process." Republican Assemblywoman Beth Gaines of Roseville said she supports disclosing budgets for all 80 members. She doesn't want to release hers, however, unless the entire house does so.

Finding the keys to college
The Santa Maria Times - editorial (local daily newspaper)

There are so many lessons to be learned from a prolonged economic recession, and that's particularly true for California's colleges and universities.

The most important lesson now and in the foreseeable future will be figuring out how to turn less into more.

For the first time in the state's history, the University of California system will take in more revenue from student tuition than from state funding, in large part because state government is in the midst of a long-running budget deficit.

What this ultimately means for UC's policy makers remains to be seen. But it seems fairly clear they must choose which of the system's historic goals is to be emphasized. Will it be accessibility? Or will it be quality?

Advocates push public aid for undocumented college students
The Los Angeles Times (daily newspaper)

Scores of students, teachers and other advocates for illegal immigrants are launching rallies, phone drives, petition campaigns and other actions this week for what they see as their best hope to win access to public financial aid for undocumented college students.

Many graduates not ready for college, test data suggests
California Watch (investigative journal)

Only about 30 percent of last year’s California high school graduates who took the ACT college entrance exam tested proficient in all subject areas.

The state’s best subject was English – 72 percent of students were considered ready for college freshman classes. In science, however, only 34 percent were deemed ready for higher education.

August 18, 2011

KATHLEEN PENDER COLUMN

Times is right for California to issue bonds

SF Chronicle -- California plans to sell $5.4 billion in short-term revenue anticipation notes the week of Sept. 12, but yields are likely to be well below those on last fall's RAN sale. That's good news for state taxpayers, but not for investors desperate for tax-free income.November's sale was not only enormous - $10 billion - but it came at a time when there was a lot of nervousness in the municipal market. That supply-demand situation worked in favor of investors and against the state, which had to pay about a quarter-point more interest than anticipated.

BUDGET

Brown says he's not interested in Prop. 13 reforms

Contra Costa Times (AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday turned down a challenge from the mayor of Los Angeles to reform Proposition 13, saying he would prefer to focus his attention on bringing financial stability to California. Brown was responding to comments by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who called on the governor and state lawmakers to think big in solving California's ongoing fiscal problems. The mayor suggested the Prop 13 property tax cap be lifted for businesses and left in place for homeowners.Prop 13, however, is seen as untouchable by many politicians in the state because it is so popular with the electorate.

EDUCATION

Cash-strapped UC hands out millions in raises

SF Chronicle -- The University of California will spend $140 million raised from increased student tuition, general fund money and other UC sources to give merit raises to thousands of faculty members and nonunion employees earning up to $200,000, UC officials said Wednesday. UC is experiencing what officials have called the worst financial crisis in its history, losing million of dollars in state funding over the last few years while steadily raising tuition and laying off employees to compensate.

UC making history – but not the good kind

Capitol Weekly -- This year at the University of California, history is being made: Students attending school this fall will be the first class charged more in tuition than the state contributes to the cost of their education. With student fees and philanthropic sources outweighing the amount of money coming into the system from the state, when does UC cross the threshold from a public provider of higher education to a private one? Is California’s Master Plan for Higher Education, a dying fiction that has reached the limits of its sustainability?

PENSIONS

Recent stock crash has cost CalPERS $9 billion

Sac Bee -- The recent wreck on Wall Street cost CalPERS billions of dollars, and the pension fund believes there's more instability coming. "We should expect more market riots," chief investment officer Joseph Dear told CalPERS' governing board on Wednesday.The California Public Employees' Retirement System had barely put the wraps on one of its best investment years ever – gaining $37 billion, or nearly 21 percent – when the markets started tumbling.

New policies helped CalPERS weather market turbulence

This month's plunging stock prices cost the state's biggest public pension fund $9 billion, but the fallout from the "market riot" could have been much worse, said Joseph Dear, chief investment officer of the California Public Employees' Retirement System. Although the $228-billion portfolio lost  only 1.7% of its value in the week-long period between Friday, Aug. 5 and Friday, Aug. 12, "it was a wild ride with eerie echoes of 2008," the roughest stretch of the recent recession, Dear reported to the CalPERS board Wednesday.CalPERS posted a 20.7% return in the fiscal year that ended June 30, the best result in 14 years.