Students for California's Future: News - December 9, 2008

*Please feel free to share information with your fellow leaders, friends and family and post content on your social networking profile, blog and website.*

Study: Poverty dramatically affects children's brains - A new study finds that certain brain functions of some low-income 9- and 10-year-olds pale in comparison with those of wealthy children and that the difference is almost equivalent to the damage from a stroke. - USA Today

College vs. Employment - In forming a strategy to deal with the severe economic downturn, President-elect Obama and his evolving brain trust of economic advisers should recall the largely successful and innovative efforts by federal and state governments to avoid a projected steep post-World War II recession — in particular, the key role given to higher education. - Inside Higher Ed

Four Green Campus Schools Win California State University Poster Contest - Green Campus Interns were featured prominently at the California State University Facilities Management Conference, with the four recognized campuses presenting to the full conference during Thursday evening’s Awards Dinner. - California State University

Learning gap puts future work force at risk -- Latino adults in San Diego County continue to lag far behind their white peers in obtaining a college education, a trend that threatens to leave the region without the well-educated work force it will need to prosper in the future. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/9/08

California legislature told projects could be shut down – California state coffers are so dangerously short of cash that $5 billion in public works projects will grind to a halt within two weeks unless there is a fast solution to the budget crisis, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer warned legislators Monday. Thousands of layoffs could result from delaying construction of projects ranging from school buildings to highway improvements, Lockyer said in a rare joint session of the Senate and Assembly to discuss the fiscal crisis. Sacramento Bee article; LA Times article; San Francisco Chronicle article

California fiscal officials try 'Scared Straight' approach with Legislature -- In a rare joint session of the Assembly and Senate, officials depict the dismal consequences if Democrats and Republicans fail to address the state's projected $28-billion budget gap -- and soon. Jordan Rau and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Mike Zapler in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/9/08

DeSaulnier: Constitutional convention would fix state's problems -- The one issue that has broad consensus in the Capitol is that state government isn't working. Everything else is up for debate, subject to hard ideological boundaries and harsher structural realities such as strict funding formulas and near-impossible legislative hurdles, such as a two-thirds vote requirement for budgets and taxes. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/9/08

Dan Walters: Worst deficit news waits around the corner -- Thousands of words were spoken Monday during an unusual joint session of the Legislature on the state's budget crisis, but the two most important were uttered by the state budget director, Mike Genest, when he quietly told lawmakers that the deficit will be "substantially worse" than the current figure, as staggering as it may be. Walters column

Students for California's Future: News - December 6-8, 2008

*Please feel free to share information with your fellow leaders, friends and family and post content on your social networking profile, blog and website.*

State may see shortage of educated workers, group says – California could run short of college graduates needed to keep its economy humming by 2025, a think tank warned in a report to be issued today. As a result, the state may not have enough teachers, computer programmers, scientists and other key workers to meet escalating 21st century demands. LA Times article

Alexander Gonzalez: Proposed cut threatens CSU quality – The president of CSU Sacramento writes that if California fails to support higher education during this time of incredible need, we risk losing entire generations of talented workers and innovators. We are dangerously close to seeing that happen. Gonzalez op-ed

Jim Boren: State investment in education repays great dividends – There is no doubt that education will lose money this year because the Democrats and Republicans that we have elected are incapable of balancing a budget. They do it year after year, and then when we get into a recession, the problem is magnified. Now the state faces a $28 billion deficit over the next 18 months, and it's growing because lawmakers can't face reality. It's time to go back to the old ways. Invest in our young people and they'll invest in California. Boren column

College application plans change as family budgets shrink – As they face looming college application deadlines in a soured economy, many families are grappling with how personal resources and financial aid could affect decisions on college. The economic downturn, with parents' job losses and investment declines, is adding an extra layer of anxiety to what can be a stressful chapter of family life even in a booming economy. LA Times article

Paid to leave, then rehired -- University of California employees Ingrid H. Schmidt and Karl Michael Engelbach may well remember 2008 as the year they received sweet severance packages, without really being severed. In January, each applied for and received five-figure severance packages to voluntarily leave jobs in the UC President's Office. Andrew McIntosh in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/6/08

California legislature is rare joint session today – California's top government finance experts are scheduled to brief a rare "joint convention" of the state Senate and Assembly Monday afternoon. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, state Controller John Chiang, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor and Director of Finance Michael Genest will lay out where California stands financially and answer questions posed by legislators. Central Valley Business Times article; San Francisco Chronicle article

November job losses could set off new wave of foreclosures – Evidence that the recession is feeding on itself grew Friday as the U.S. Labor Department reported the worst monthly job losses in a generation, and economists warned of a resulting wave of foreclosures from homeowners now out of work. Sacramento Bee article

California may be out of cash by February – California is on track to run out of cash in February or March and faces a $15 billion cash shortage by the end of its fiscal year in June unless officials plug an $11.2 billion budget gap, according to the state's budget director. Additionally, if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers fail to close the current fiscal year's budget shortfall soon, California, the most populous U.S. state, may in March delay payments to its vendors or hand them notes promising payment, according to a Dec. 1 letter to top lawmakers from the director of the Department of Finance, Michael Genest. Reuters

Who will sit on Senate budget subcommittees? – Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg named the membership and chairmanships of the upper house's five budget subcommittees late Friday. Capitol Alert

Obama Pledges Public Works on a Vast Scale -- President-elect Barack Obama committed Saturday to the largest public works construction program since the creation of the interstate highway system a half-century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy. PETER BAKER and JOHN M. BRODER in the New York Times Michael D. Shear in the Washington Post MIKE ALLEN & JONATHAN MARTIN Politico -- 12/6/08

Biggest one-month job loss in U.S. since 1974 -- Employers cut 533,000 jobs in November in the biggest one-month drop in U.S. payrolls since 1974, clobbering every occupation except health care and putting more pressure on the incoming Obama administration to reverse the nation's economic slide. Tom Abate in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/6/08

As the unemployment rate rises, so does job competition -- Norma Varela has been looking for work for three months. She has sent out dozens of résumés to doctors' offices and hospitals, hoping to find a position as a medical receptionist. Recently, she finally landed an interview, and it went well. But she didn't hear back, and now she's desperate. Hiram Soto in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/6/08

Sacramento Bee: Big thinking needed on categoricals – Well, California's budget truly is in crisis. It's time to look at everything afresh, with an eye to doing things differently. One area of the $50 billion that California spends to educate kids from kindergarten through 12th grade is ripe for change.That's the $15 billion-plus that California ties up in restrictive programs referred to as "categorical aid." Sacramento Bee editorial

Students for California's Future: News - December 5, 2008

*Please feel free to share information with your fellow leaders, friends and family and post content on your social networking profile, blog and website.*

Promise of college shrinking - In 1959, as California enjoyed the fruits of more than a decade of post-World War II prosperity, state leaders created the Higher Education Master Plan to make sure every Californian had access to college. - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Gov. Declares State Fiscal Crisis - UC President Mark G. Yudof has repeatedly warned that continuing drops in state financial support will result in larger class sizes and a smaller number of tenured faculty positions, ultimately impacting the quality of education for UC students. - UC San Diego The Guardian

Big raises for CSU, UC executives prompt bill - Fed up with large pay raises for executives of California's public universities, the chairman of the Assembly's higher-education committee introduced legislation yesterday that would freeze salaries of state employees who make more than $150,000 a year. - San Diego Union Tribune

Humboldt State President Rollin Richmond Appointed to CCST Board of Directors - Rollin Richmond, president of Humboldt State University, has joined the CCST Board of Directors. The appointment follows a decision to expand representation from the California State University System on the Board. - California Council on Science and Technology

Economic distress is opportune time to bridge political divide - President-elect Obama met with governors from blue states and red states to discuss their economic challenges on Tuesday. Governor Schwarzenegger was there, and I hope he was listening. California is currently facing a dire financial crisis and education is again on the cutting block. - CalPoly San Luis Obispo, The Mustang

UC professor under fire for White House memo -- Berkeley's City Council will delve into national policy again next week when it votes whether to demand the United States charge Berkeley resident and former Bush adviser John Yoo with war crimes. Yoo, a tenured professor at UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, wrote the memos offering legal justification for torture while he worked for the White House from 2001 to 2003. Carolyn Jones in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/5/08

Legislature to convene Monday for Budget 101 – The entire Legislature will meet in a joint session Monday in the Assembly chambers to discuss the state's cash situation and overall budget dynamics with state fiscal leaders, according to Jim Evans, spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. Capitol Alert

Villines against majority budget vote – Assembly GOP Leader Mike Villines isn't too keen on a Democratic proposal for a simple majority vote on budget bills. The budget now takes a two-thirds vote, meaning at least a few Republicans must vote "aye." Democrats say the change is needed to avoid lengthy budget impasses, like last summer's record-long showdown that caused state vendors and others to miss payments. But Villines, R-Clovis, called it a "power grab." Fresno Bee political notebook

Students for California's Future: News - December 4, 2008

*Please feel free to share information with your fellow leaders, friends and family and post content on your social networking profile, blog and website.*

College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S. -- The rising cost of college — even before the recession — threatens to put higher education out of reach for most Americans, according to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. TAMAR LEWIN in the New York Times -- 12/4/08

State Barely Makes College Affordability Grade - A recent report by an independent research institute says that college is unaffordable in every state except California-and higher education costs everywhere are on track to escalate as the nationwide recession sets in. - UC Berkeley, Daily Californian

Community colleges need our support - Community colleges are already being asked to do the impossible. They face their own, proportionally even larger budget cuts and a recession-driven surge in enrollment for which they aren't being compensated. - Woodland Daily Democrat

COD students having to delay graduations - California's worsening fiscal crisis is taking a toll on two- and four-year college campuses in the Coachella Valley and across the state that rely on state funding. Programs and scholarships are being trimmed and student fees are expected to rise. - The Desert Sun

State budget cuts will affect BC come spring - The governor is seeking to make cuts in several areas to help California deal with its financial situation and has proposed taking $332.2 million away from community colleges. The Kern Community College District would, then, stand to lose an estimated $6.1 million, $4 million of which goes directly to BC.- Bakersfield College, The Renegade Rip

Another sign of economic times: Bakersfield College enrollment surges – In these tough economic times, with job options few and far between, more people are heading back to school, these ones to Bakersfield College, pushing enrollment there to record highs. Some plan to complete degrees started long ago, others looking for specific vocational training. Bakersfield Californian article

College of the Sequoias develops marketing strategy for enrollment – Faced with the possibility of a $2.6 million budget hit next year, College of the Sequoias officials are counting on an enrollment surge to help bridge the gap. The more full-time students at the college, the more money comes in from the state. If COS were able to break the 10,000-full-time-students threshold — and it's close to that point now, officials said — it would mean an extra $1 million for the budget. Visalia Times-Delta article

Fresno Bee: Students need more job skills – Preparing students for life after high school has always been the main task of public schools. But in recent years, the emphasis has shifted heavily toward college preparation, at the expense of those students who aren't interested in college and want to go right to work. Redressing that imbalance is essential, and that's why we're enthusiastic about the formation by the Fresno Unified School District of a new group of community members. Fresno Bee editorial

Part-time teachers shuttle from campus to campus -- Physical education teacher Jory Segal has become an expert in juggling — commuting 18 miles daily between Evergreen and West Valley community colleges, with her eyes on traffic but her mind on her students. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/4/08

Will new Capitol dynamics fix the legislative system? -- Four years ago, Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson held a party for himself to say goodbye to the Capitol Press Corps. During the gathering, the newly elected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dropped by to throw his arm around Wesson and wish him well. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 12/4/08

Can new Senate leader bring change to Capital? -- Maybe the new guy can figure it out. Freshly sworn-in Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, is the new guy, and "it" is the dysfunctional Capital, where crises seem the norm and lawmakers' inability to resolve them help perpetuate an endless cycle of frustrations. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/4/08

Voters show little faith in governor, legislators – California voters are worried sick about the state's economy, but they don't believe Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature can work together to solve California's fiscal problems, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. More than 70 percent of those surveyed listed the economy and the state budget as the top problems facing California, but two-thirds were unhappy with the way the state's leaders have faced the state's policy woes, including an $11.2 billion budget deficit for the current year. San Francisco Chronicle article

Dems propose simple majority to OK budget – Democratic lawmakers, who hold a majority in the state Legislature, introduced a bill Wednesday to change the two-thirds requirement for approving state budgets to a simple majority vote. The move, which would allow Democrats to approve a spending plan without Republicans' support, came as members of both parties were locked in battle in a special session to solve the state's growing budget deficit. San Francisco Chronicle article

Students for California's Future: News - December 3, 2008

*Please feel free to share information with your fellow leaders, friends and family and post content on your social networking profile, blog and website.*

College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S. - The rising cost of college — even before the recession — threatens to put higher education out of reach for most Americans, according to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. - New York Times

California passes college affordability test – An independent research report gave failing grades to every state but California on keeping college affordable -- and the problem will get worse as the full weight of recession bears down on American families, researchers at the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education said in a report to be released today. LA Times article; AP article

UC chief changes buyout policy -- The new president of the University of California system pledged Tuesday that employees in his office no longer will be allowed to collect full severance checks and then be rehired at other UC locations. Jim Doyle in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Top Stanford execs to take 10% pay cut -- Stanford University, the nation's third-wealthiest educational institution, announced Tuesday that several top administrators will take pay cuts as part of a two-year cost-cutting plan that will likely include layoffs. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

More funds urged for California's school meal program -- The poor economy is hitting the bellies of 3.1 million California school children. State Superintendent of Public Schools Jack O'Connell warned Tuesday that, because of increased demand, state funding for the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program could run dry before the end of the school year. He urged lawmakers to increase state funding for the hot meal service by $31 million. Melissa Nix in the Sacramento Bee Mary MacVean in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

State's kids struggle to get fit without school gyms -- State law says elementary school students are supposed to get three hours and 20 minutes of physical education every two weeks. But that can be difficult at a campus without a gymnasium – when it's raining or so cold that kids' fingers go numb. Robert Faturechi in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

More than 60 percent of California's eligible voters went to polls – More than 60% of Californians who were eligible to vote cast ballots in the Nov. 4 presidential election, the highest turnout since Richard Nixon and George McGovern competed for the office in 1972, elections officials reported Tuesday. The total includes all qualified citizens, including those who had not registered to vote. The percentage of registered voters who cast ballots statewide was 80.6% -- 81.9% in Los Angeles County. LA Times article