Students for California's Future: News - November 8th - 22nd, 2009

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Tuition Hikes: Protests in California and Elsewhere - Facing reductions in state funding, public universities from Michigan to Arizona to North Carolina have slashed budgets and hiked tuition. The most extreme case is California where University of California regents voted this week to increase tuition a whopping 32% to more than $10,000 annually — a three-fold increase in a decade. The move was greeted by student demonstrations. TIME

Haves vs. Have-Nots at Public Universities - The University of California, which has already received $716 million in federal stimulus funds to offset a $1 billion budget gap, announced on Friday that it is raising student fees by 32%. That works out to about $2,500 per student a year. New York Times

State colleges accepting more nonresidents to keep up revenue - This was a particularly tough year for Virginians seeking entry to William and Mary and several other prestigious public universities because of machinations in the admissions cycle that favored applicants from outside the state. Washington Post

Public universities looking more private - Fifteen years ago, state money accounted for nearly half of the University of Georgia's funding. During the past two years, that piece of the pie has shrunk by $65 million, from 39 percent of UGA's $1.3 billion budget to just 34 percent. Athens Banner-Herald

Calif. college student fees on the rise - California's mission of providing residents with access to affordable, high-quality public education suffered a setback this week as University of California officials sharply increased student fees, driven by economic realities that are forcing similar steps at public university systems across the country. Washington Post

Budget cuts will cripple California colleges and universities - From the 1960s to the 1990s the education system in California was second to none. People flocked to this great state so that their children not only had access to the K-12 system, but to a public university system that rivals the Ivy League. Examiner.com

Higher education master plan getting ignored - California's Master Plan for Higher Education - which set academics ablaze with the promise of a nearly free college education for all who qualified - is limping toward the half-century mark largely ignored by lawmakers who don't even pretend they can live up to its expensive commitment. San Francisco Chronicle

State betraying own higher ed dream - For nearly six years, I have served on the board of trustees of the California State University system — the last two as its chairman. This experience has been more than just professional; it has been a deeply personal one. With my term ending soon, I need to share my concern — and personal pain — that California is on the verge of destroying the very system that once made this state great. Modesto Bee

Public colleges get high marks among Californians, poll finds - Despite damaging budget cuts at the state's community colleges and public universities, Californians still have high esteem for the schools, according to a new survey. Yet most are not willing to pay higher taxes or student fees to protect the campuses from financial troubles, the poll found. Los Angeles Times

UC regents approve steep tuition hike - The University of California regents voted Thursday to raise tuition by 32 percent as angry students pounded drums and blocked exits to the UCLA building where the regents were meeting. San Francisco Chronicle

The End of an Affordable College Education - California's public colleges and universities used to be the envy of the nation. For a half-century, they provided an excellent education at an affordable price. But not any longer. East Bay Express

UC plans to raise fees for graduate programs - The University of California is expected to raise fees next week for 24 graduate programs in violation of its own policy against boosting prices higher than competing public institutions. San Francisco Chronicle

Third day of fee protests at California universities - Demonstrators entered their third day of a building takeover at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday in protest of a tuition increase, an undertaking that a school spokesman called futile. CNN

Students storm UCLA building to protest expected UC system fee increase - About 30 students stormed UCLA’s Campbell Hall and barricaded the doors with chains and bike locks early this morning to protest a student fee increase that is expected to be endorsed by the University of California’s Board of Regents today. Los Angeles Times

Fresno State students 'study' in library protest - About 60 Fresno State students stayed in the Henry Madden Library as long as they could Friday in protest of the library's reduced hours due to recent budget cuts. Fresno Bee

CSU seeks $884M fund rise next year - The California State University system, which has seen its budget slashed by 21 percent over the past two years, on Wednesday asked state elected leaders for an $884 million funding increase in 2010-2011. Contra Costa Times

Students call on CSU board to end cuts - SJSU students participated in a phone campaign Wednesday in the Student Union to show the California State University board of trustees that students will not tolerate budget cuts. The Spartan Daily

Numbers Don't Lie - Forty thousand spots to be cut in three years. 266,152 total applications for the 2010-11 academic year. A 230-percent increase in transfer applications. The numbers of the ongoing crisis at the California State University are staggering. The Daily Californian