politics

|

Misinformed?

Byuclafaculty

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum sounded off against California higher education in Wisconsin Monday, saying that some of the state’s universities do not teach American history.  “I was just reading something last night from the state of California. 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,” Santorum said. “It’s not even available to be taught.”  But UC spokesperson Brooke Converse told Think Progress, which originally reported the story, that all University of California undergraduate programs require students to study American history and institutions, though the…

|

And on your left…

Byuclafaculty

The LA Times today carries a story by higher ed reporter Larry Gordon about a conservative critique of leftist politics at UC: The University of California is a hotbed of leftist faculty and politically correct thinking where many students are receiving a weak and unbalanced education, according to a report by a conservative organization of professors and administrators.  The study by the California Assn. of Scholars repeats objections conservatives have had for decades over what they see as an overwhelmingly liberal academia that stifles dissent. Especially in UC humanities departments, study of classics and rigorous analysis have been replaced by advocacy…

| | |

Tax Plan to Lower Tuition But…

Byuclafaculty

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez is drumming up public support for legislation touted as a billion-dollar relief plan for college students that is sure to be a Democratic centerpiece this year…  While saving students money, Pérez’s plan would raise taxes on out-of-state companies like Detroit automakers and cigarette-maker Altria by requiring that multistate companies calculate tax liability based on the portion of sales in California…  The Assembly leader said his billion-dollar plan would cut fees by two-thirds for families earning under $150,000 per year – from $5,970 to $1,970 at California State Universities, and from $12,192 to $4,023 at the University of California… Full story at http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/03/john-a-perez-launches-fight-to-alter-tax-formula-for-scholarships.html Note: The plan…

| | |

(Direct) Democracy is a Wonderful Thing

Byuclafaculty

Anyone can (try to) write a law in California using the ballot initiative process.  It only costs $200 to start the process rolling.  For that modest sum, you get a ballot title and summary from the state attorney general and a fiscal analysis from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.  Of course, you then have to go out and get the signatures. The latest direct democracy to rising tuition at UC, CSU, and the community colleges is a ballot initiative submitted March 26 that would freeze tuition at the 2010 level, adjusted for inflation. However, the initiative fails to mention what index…

| | |

Regental Lament (and maybe action)

Byuclafaculty

Scroll down on today’s blog posts and you will find an odd item slated for the Regents Committee on Finance scheduled for March 28.  On March 29, in contrast, there will be a discussion at that Committee on the budget and on tax initiatives on the November ballot.  The background report laments the current situation and notes: For UC to remain true to President Daniel Coit Gilman’s promise in the 1800s to be the “University of this State” – to help fuel its economy and provide opportunities for its continually changing population and its needs – the University must strengthen…

| |

Being on Both Sides

Byuclafaculty

From the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert story about yesterday’s rally at the state capitol: College students and activists are rallying today in Sacramento to protest state budget cuts in higher education. They will be joined at one Capitol rally by Democratic legislative leaders who negotiated budgets that included those cuts in recent years.  It’s one example of the murky budget politics surrounding higher education… Full story at: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/03/college-students-and-activists-are.html It’s nice to be able to be on both sides: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcrEqIpi6sg&w=320&h=195]Update: Dan Walters, a columnist for the Sacramento Bee, makes the same point today in an op ed that concludes with the…

Beware! The devil’s not just in the details

Byuclafaculty

From Inside Higher Ed: …The Tampa Bay Times’ PolitiFact news service is reporting that (Rick) Santorum — since 2008 — has linked higher education to the work of Satan. In a 2008 talk at Ave Maria University, Santorum discussed the way Satan has attacked “great institutions of America.”  Where did Satan start? According to Santorum, “The place where he was, in my mind, the most successful and first — first successful was in academia. He understood pride of smart people. He attacked them at their weakest. They were in fact smarter than everybody else and could come up with something…

| | |

New Twists in the Pension Debate

Byuclafaculty

As readers of this blog will know, the governor came up with a 12-point plan for all public pensions in California that would include UC.  To get certain elements of the plan on the ballot, he needs a 2/3 vote of the legislature.  That would require Republican support. In this case, however, the Republicans have pledged support and it is the Democrats who are reluctant.  If all Republicans go along, Governor Brown would need about half of the Dems to go along.  But so far that doesn’t seem to be happening. The Dems are pushing a plan whereby – as…

| |

Trigger May Limit Appeal of Governor’s Tax Initiative

Byuclafaculty

There could be as many as three tax initiatives on the November ballot.  The Field Poll just released posed all three to registered voters and reported the results.  One of the three is sponsored by Governor Brown.  Another is sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers – CFT.  (CFT is the smaller of the two teacher unions in California.)  A third is sponsored by Molly Munger, a wealthy individual.  The sponsors of all three have the financial resources to get pay signature-gathering firms to get their initiatives on the ballot. Brown is convinced from focus groups and polling that his…

| | |

Anti-Pension Group Admits it Has No Money for its Ballot Initiatives

Byuclafaculty

A group pushing ballot initiatives that would have swept UC into a statewide pension formula turns out to have no money for signature gathering. Excerpt: A conservative group announced Wednesday that it was suspending its campaign to put public employee pension reform on the November ballot.  Dan Pellissier, president of California Pension Reform, said his group could not raise enough money to mount a petition-signature drive. A successful drive typically requires at least $2 million…  “California Pension Reform is suspending its effort to qualify an initiative for the 2012 ballot after determining that the attorney general’s false and misleading title and…