Author: admin

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    UC Gets Good PR on Enrollment of Pell Grant/Low-Income Students

    Byadmin

    UC boosts ranks of low-income students: Officials cite financial aid, with a record high 39% of undergraduates getting federal Pell grants (excerpt) By Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times, October 2, 2010 The University of California, sensitive to criticism about student fee hikes, reported Friday that more low-income undergraduates than ever are enrolling at its campuses and said financial aid is helping them to stay. An estimated 70,000 UC undergraduates are receiving federal Pell grants, which typically are awarded to students with family incomes below $50,000. According to the report, that is the largest number in UC history and represents 39%…

  • He Said, She Said: Another Gubernatorial Debate Today

    Byadmin

    For those who did not satisfy their debate hunger last week, there will be another gubernatorial debate today (Saturday, Oct. 2) on Channel 34 Univision, 4 PM. This one will be bilingual. Given the week’s housekeeper-gate events (see lower picture), there will surely be questions on immigration. Whether there will be much on higher ed literally remains to be seen. UPDATE: You can see major excerpts from the debate at http://univision34.univision.com/destino2010/gubernatorial-debate/gubernatorial-debate-videos/ Since it is not clear how long those excerpts will remain posted, here are links to audio (video with a still picture): Brown-Whitman Univision debate 10-2-10: Part 1 (Latino…

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    Fast Online Degrees

    Byadmin

    One of the issues raised by the recent review of the University Committee on the Future is the possibility of three-year undergraduate degrees. Efficiency through online courses is another topic that has been raised. Some faculty are concerned that such accelerated degrees would leave students missing something that they might gain through the more traditional four-year approach. In a 1971 radio broadcast, commentator Jean Shepherd seems to have arrived at a substitute for whatever might be missing. A quick click where indicated below suggests the alternative. A modest proposal.

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    The Creeping Michigan Model at UCLA

    Byadmin

    Part of the so-called Michigan Model, sometimes called high tuition/high aid, involves recruitment of out-of-state students who pay full tuition. The article below indicates it is coming slowly to UCLA. UCLA recruits nonresidents: University to actively seek increased enrollment of high-paying international and out-of-state students (excerpt) Devin Kelly, Daily Bruin, 10/1/10 Word-of-mouth drew Meng Cui to UCLA, its basketball legends and reputation of high-level education. Raised in China, schooled in Singapore, the first-year math economics student did all of his own research before applying last fall. “UCLA is famous in China,” Cui said. But the university is no longer banking…

  • Governor Vetoes Bill Concerning Disclosure of Campus Foundation Information

    Byadmin

    Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have made UC and CSU campus fundraising foundations more “transparent.” It originated in a controversy over payment to Sarah Palin for speaking at a fundraiser for CSU-Stanislaus. The veto message is below and also at http://dl5.activatedirect.com/fs/distribution:letterFile/yvcee9xanplikz_files/z65dg7ivka5nt3/0/0?&_c=d|yvcee9xanplikz|z65p1zm6c0d0km&_ce=1285940017.3ee23edd36312a2e65a4379f82364fb4 The text of the vetoed bill is at http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0301-0350/sb_330_bill_20100819_enrolled.html

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    More on Growing Public Pension Issue In California

    Byadmin

    As noted in previous posts on this blog, the UC pension funding issue may be difficult to isolate from the more general issue in California, particularly if the Regents don’t have a policy in place when the next governor takes office. Below is an excerpt from a piece reporting on a variety of local ballot initiatives on the pension topic, especially a high-profile San Francisco ballot measure. Pension cost cuts on ballot in eight cities (excerpt) Ed Mendel, calpensions.com, 9/30/10 Proposals to cut public employee pension costs are on the November ballot in at least eight California cities and one…

  • Interesting Study on Diversity in Higher Ed

    Byadmin

    The study described in the article abstracted below was based on a data set from Berea College in Kentucky and the authors are duly cautious about generalizing to all of higher ed. However, the results are interesting. Interracial Friendships in College (Abstract) Braz Camargo, São Paulo School of Economics–FGV and University of Western Ontario;Ralph Stinebrickner, Berea College; Todd Stinebrickner, University of Western Ontario and National Bureau of Economic Research Journal of Labor Economics, 28:861–892, October 2010 We use unique longitudinal data to provide direct evidence about interracial friendships at different stages of college and to provide new evidence about some…

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    Bill Signed by Governor to Ease Path from Community Colleges to UC and CSU

    Byadmin

    I attended a talk yesterday by Chancellor Block at which he indicated that about 40% of UCLA undergrads are transfers from community colleges. Coincidentally, the governor signed some related legislation. One bill mandates some steps by CSU. Respecting its constitutional autonomy, a second bill urges similar action by UC. The text of the governor’s press release is below: 09/29/2010 GAAS:618:10 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Bills to Guarantee CSU Admission to Community College Graduates To increase access to the California State University (CSU) system, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed SB 1440 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) and AB 2302…

  • Erosion of the Master Plan? CSU Doctorates

    Byadmin

    Once upon a time, UC president Clark Kerr gave the Master Plan to Governor Pat Brown which set up a division of labor between the three segments of higher ed. That was then; this is now: CSU to offer doctorate in physical therapy, nursing Sep. 29, 2010, Sacramento Bee Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday to allow California State University campuses to award a doctoral degree in physical therapy and, at three campuses, a doctorate in nursing practice. Assembly Bills 2382 and 867 are exceptions to the state’s current practice of giving the University of California system exclusive jurisdiction to…

  • There Was Also the Lt. Governor Debate

    Byadmin

    Hidden in the news about the Brown-Whitman gubernatorial debate was the fact that there was a Lieutenant Governor debate on KQED radio between San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and incumbent Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado. The Lt. Governor is not a powerful position (understatement!), but whoever holds that office is an ex officio Regent. There was some mention of increases in UC and CSU tuition in the debate. A very brief write-up is at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/29/BA0O1FL47O.DTL But you can listen at Haven’t had enough political debates? As an added bonus, you can hear the senatorial debate, Boxer vs. Fiorina, at http://media.scpr.org/audio/upload/2010/09/29/boxer-fiorina-KPCCdebate.mp3