California is a very large state in terms of population, and therefore the volume of students and number of colleges can make it challenging to work as a cohesive force. There are dozens of community colleges through the state in addition to the CSU and UC system colleges, providing students with a higher education. Economic troubles and budget cutbacks over the past few years have made it tough for California colleges to stay operating at an optimal level, which has forced the three college systems to scramble, making plans to survive. Without a unifying framework there is no way for the community college, CSU, and UC systems to operate in a way that will be optimal for all schools and the students. A recent study from the Legislative Analyst’s Office illustrates how there needs to be more statewide oversight in California across all three higher education systems.

One major example cited in the report called out the recent change that the CSU system decided to cancel spring admissions, which has forced many students to overload the junior colleges with applications. Another option is to try and get in a UC school, but they are more expensive than the CSU schools and in some cases harder to get accepted into. This lack of coordination causes a significant imbalance in the California college system, which ultimately hurts the students who we need to succeed and graduate so they can be productive contributors to the local economy. The state has evolved so fast that it has not had time to put a better master plan in place. Hopefully the report, “The Master Plan at 50: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts — Coordinating Higher Education in California,” will open up the eyes of administrators and legislators in the state so they can bring about change.

Tags: California Colleges, california degree, california education, California Universities

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