University of California’s President Post Not Easy To Fill/Haley Ayraud

In major job posting publications worldwide, an ideal candidate for the President of the University of California system is describes as “an individual of uncommon wisdom to head the best public research system in the world.” While this description is rather visionary, the ad certainly leaves some major requirements out. This job will not only need a dynamic leader, the person chosen must also be able to navigate a state budget that continually threatens to limit spending, cope with a contentious faculty, manage a student body angry about rising fees and parents worried about rising admissions standards, and deal with a restive Board of Regents.

UC officials and higher education experts say the position's challenges are known around the nation and could make it tougher than in the past to find a willing person with the right scholarly, managerial and political talents. "It's not an impossible job but just a very hard, demanding job. It's a job that really requires a particular kind of skill and particular kind of commitment," said Patrick M. Callan, president of the nonprofit National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in San Jose. "You've got to have the academic authority to know how to deal with a very strong faculty. And it's a highly political job obviously in a state where politics are volatile and the monies are short."

Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucprez4mar04,1,4797957.story

CSU Moves Up Admissions Deadline...HS Students Scramble/April Johnson

A memorandum, written by CSUS officials, will be sent out to high schools informing incoming freshmen that admissions for all 23 campuses will close February 1st. This decision moves up the admission deadline a full six months. This unexpected move comes as part of the governor’s proposal to reduce state support for a university system that already has problems with overcrowding.

Currently the CSUS system serves 445,000 students and expected to increase the student load by an additional 10,000 for the 2008-09 school year. The strain has already been felt this year, however, as CSU schools are already underfunded by 14,000 students.

What will this mean for incoming students? A prioritizing system will have to be implemented and the schools may have to accept only those transfer students who have completed all prerequisite classes…


Link: http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/637679.html

CSU vs. Community Colleges - Battle Over Budget Funds/ Julia Gonzales

In an effort to stave off the harmful affects of the impending proposed state budget cuts totaling $1.1 billion dollars in higher education, the California State University system has announced this week that it has moved up its admission deadline from August 10th, to February 1, to reduce its enrollment by 10,000.

Consequently, it is expected that students will attend the state’s 109 Community Colleges (CC). The CC must now brace itself for the potentially harmful affects that the spike will have on the overall quality of education, as it will admit all who apply, whilst impending budget cuts will not allow them to provide additional courses to teach new students. In sum, those most affected by the likely budget shortfall, will unfortunately be the state’s 10,000 H.S. graduates.

Link: : http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/641089.html