A California state legislator hearing was held in Sacramento yesterday regarding the California Master Plan for Higher Education. The overall focus of the hearing was to brain storm ideas on how more students can get into college and graduate faster. One idea that came up last month in the state, was to allow California community colleges the ability to offer bachelors degrees for certain subjects. Ultimately the master plan is intended to help ensure that any California student who wants to attend college and earn their degree, has the access to make this happen. Unfortunately there have been massive budget cuts at the CSU and UC systems, which has forced some to choose community college or a private college instead. Many of the colleges have limited enrollment this year and graduating high school seniors for 2010 need somewhere they can pursue their higher education.

The leading Assemblyman on this push for California community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees is Democrat Marty Block, who represents the San Diego district. He cited how SDSU had to pause admitting all CSU-qualified freshmen for fall 2010, due to budget issues. Not all bachelors degrees could be earned at a community college under the upcoming bill from Assemblyman Block. Most of the bachelors degrees offered will be in high demand industries like nursing or technology. Another support of this change is Richard Dittenbenner of the San Diego Community College District, who is pushing for something to be changed to help keep the CSU and UC systems at the top of mind for California students. There are already a handful of states that do offer bachelors degrees at their community colleges, but making this shift in California is a big change that needs serious evaluation.

There are thousands of students in California at a CSU or UC college working to earn their degree, but the new fall 2010-2011 tuition increases might be too much for some to handle. It is extremely important for recent graduates of high school in the state, to move onto college and earn a California degree. However the undergraduate fees have made it increasingly difficult for students to enroll in college, or complete their degree. The budget issues across the UC and CSU systems, have resulted in classes being offered less frequently which makes it tough for a student to graduate on time. If a student cannot get the classes they need, when they need them, then they will be forced to attend school for a 5th or 6th year which can be very tough to afford for most since they expected to be in college for four years.

The University of California has 10 campuses throughout the state with about 220,000 students, for which fall 2010 fees are set at just over $10,300. There were similar raises in the California State University system, which has 23 campuses with over 450,000 students is the largest public university system in the nation. While not final yet for fall 2010, the fees are expected to go up 10% from the current $4,026 in fees. Over the last few years the increases have been dramatic and significantly bumped up the cost of an education in a CSU or UC school for California residents. Overall the feeling from students is that they are continually asked to pay more for school, but getting less in return as things are only getting worse at the CSU and UC school systems.

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.

The California State University system is currently working on plans that would raise the graduation rate by 8% over the next 6 years. Despite drastic budget cuts through the state, the CSU system looks to push forward and take control of the their students graduating. No longer will it be only the students to blame, as the CSU system looks for ways to improve graduation rates, without touching the budget. While nothing is final yet, an example given by Cal State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed was that, “There are simple things we can do, like having faculty take class attendance and if a student misses a second or third time, call or e-mail to find out why and get on it before they get so far behind, get a failing grade and give up hope”. With roughly 450,000 total students, the CSU system is the largest university system in the country, producing about 90,000 graduates every year. If this new program to increase graduation rates is successful, it could mean closer to 100,000 could graduate every year. A big portion of this graduation plan involves closing the gap between white students and underrepresented minority students.

This attitude may scare some people as it could mean more streamlined general education, with less choices so students can focus on their major and graduate. Since no formal plans have been laid out, it is still unclear the exact route that the CSU system will take for their students. The idea of students, faculty, and administrators coming together as a team is a great idea that can only help the future of education. Not all of the 23 CSU schools would have the same plan, as they work to put the final touches on their plans for the upcoming fall term. The bottom line is that students will have a more clear path to graduation, with academic advice along the way to ensure that all questions or concerns are addressed.

Stanford University is one of the top universities in California, and applications for the freshman class of 2010 have already surpassed last year’s record of 30,428 total applicants. Acceptance rate is another story, as less than 10% of applicants were admitted to Stanford. Harvard and Yale were the only two colleges last year which ranked as being more difficult to be accepted. Despite rough economic conditions in California and the U.S., student continue to flock to colleges and universities across the state. Most colleges in the California State system are fairly affordable, and some of the UC schools are as well. Stanford is not cheap, as the recent boost in fees will now cost students just over $48,800 for tuition, room, and board. Education is so important that people continue to attend college as they know it is one of the best ways to succeed during rough economic times. Many students conclude that now is the perfect time to invest in a higher education, because the economy may be in a better state when they graduate.

Students are very concerned about the very high cost of some private colleges like Stanford, but many are choosing to commit to education and have confidence it will help them earn more in the long-run. Most students at Stanford do receive some sort of financial aid, so it is not as if they have to pay the full cost, however it is still expensive. As more people push to become educated in California, it will help make our work force stronger so that we can generate more income and jobs for the state. There are still many businesses in California today that are hiring, but they cannot easily find the right individuals without a better qualified and educated work force.

Fall of 2010 seems to be very popular for students in southern California as Cal State Fullerton received just over 56,000 applications for admission. Over 95% of the applications were for undergraduate students, some of which are just out of high school and other college students looking to transfer. More students are also looking to get advanced degrees while the economy is down so they can be prepared when things recover. Cal State Fullerton also had a 97% increase in graduate applications going from 1,225 to 2,419. All of these students looking to go to college comes at a rough time since the California State University system is reducing their overall enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years. This comes as the state of California gave the CSU system a $564 million budget cut that they are trying to deal with.

There are more and more high school students graduating in California each year who are looking to go to college in state and save money on tuition. In addition there are still numerous students from out of state who are continually looking to go to one of the schools in the California State University or University of California systems.  All of the budget cuts are hurting prospective students who are excited and motivated to go to college to further their education. The budget situation has also resulted in talks of raising fees and tuition to help cover the money not being provided by the state of California. 2010 is expected to see a lot of activity in the college and university scene of California as students fight for their education and the government works to fix the economic problems of the state.

As the economy has struggled, California has looked for ways to help boost revenues and cut costs for the state. Anything that can make the local economy run more efficiently is being reviewed right now as Governor Schwarzenegger looks to close the massive $20 billion plus gap in the California budget. Therefore, California lawmakers are looking to possibly give community colleges in the state the right to offer certain bachelor’s degrees. This trend has been happening in other states for the past decade for a variety of reasons, which are mostly economic. There are hundreds of community colleges in California for students to choose from, many of which are nowhere near a college where they can earn a bachelor’s degree or better. As a result, many students are not furthering their education beyond community college, or students are opting to attend online schools to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The big question on the minds of the administration at many California community colleges is if they can really take on more programs and still stay focused on their mission. Only offering associate degrees and certificate degrees allows the community colleges to stay streamlined and efficient. Some professions like nursing or teaching are hard to get online because they require hands on learning and on going education. These are the type of programs that lawmakers are thinking about allowing the community colleges to offer to their students. Tuition at a community colleges is also much cheaper than four year schools so it will allow more people to get a higher education. President Obama has had a big interest in the success of community colleges across the U.S., so it will be interesting to see how things play out in California for our college system.

There are a wide variety of reasons why many Asian Americans in L.A. are choosing to join the Army instead of college. Some Asian Americans in the L.A. area already have college degrees, but are looking to the U.S. army as a new way to help them get a quality job that utilizes their education. Other people are choosing to join up with the Army because it will allow them to earn their U.S. citizenship, while helping them earn money and skills to get a job after they finish their duty. According to a demographic study of LA college students, many of the Asian-Americans in the area want to attend the best California colleges which can be very expensive, especially if you factor in graduate school. Receiving college aid is a huge draw for many who are looking at paying over $100,000 for a four year degree from some of the top public and private California colleges.

The study suggests that, traditionally, Asian Americans have not been apt to join the Army, but the rough economy and potential of massive debt from earning their college degree has shifted this trend.  In general Southern California has seen strong overall growth in Army recruitment from all of the major counties in the area. This year there is a new program which offers citizenship to certain individuals with the right health care education or language skills. Since many Asians in California are bi-lingual and also speak their native language, it is no wonder why so many are making the choice to join the Army. Most do not realize how much the Army will work with applicants to have them work in an area which they have a college degree or focus on an area which they intend to study further upon completion of their duty. As the economy improves it will be interesting to see if this trend continues in the Southern California area.

The bay area of California is buzzing this week as President Frank Chong of Laney College left his position to move to D.C. to work as the deputy assistant secretary of education for the United States. Basically this position on President Barack Obama’s team and all of the duties that it entails, equate this job to Chong becoming the chief of community colleges. Now that Chong has left Laney College in California, the Vice President Elnora Webb will serve as the interim president of the school while they search for a replacement. President Obama is a big supporter of community colleges in the US and view them as key to helping the economic problems of the country. This is because about half of college students in the US attend two year community colleges so they can learn a skill or trade to enter the workforce. Approximately 3 million students in California attend these two year schools and the more support they get will result in more qualified people in the workforce contributing to the economy.

There are a few key items which Chong is looking to address in his new leadership role. The first will be to improve the transfer rates to 4 year colleges where students can earn their bachelors degree, and to address poor writing and math skills for those just entering college. High school students need to be better prepared so they can jump right into college and help the US compete in the ever evolving global economy. Having more qualified individuals in the US will reduce the amount of outsourcing to other countries who want the talented workforce that certain businesses desire. Students not only need to be prepared for college so they do not get frustrated and quit, they also need the tools and information necessary so they transfer upon graduation and earn a bachelors degree. Obama’s goal is to significantly raise overall college graduation rates over the next ten years and Chong looks to be instrumental in making this change happen.

During World War II thousands of Japanese-Americans were made to report to internment camps where they were forced to live starting in 1942, under the presidency of FDR. This shift to pushing the Japanese-American citizens into internment camps was a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which was performed by Japan. The internments were not equal across the US as the west coast had some of the strictest camps where every Japanese-American in the state was detained. Across the US, other states did not detain citizens to such an extent.Though the internment camps did not last long, the fact that they existed at all is a piece of US history that many are ashamed of, which is why this sad part of US history is rarely discussed in current public forums.  In the state of California, one of the stipulations of the internment camps was the requirement for many Japanese-Americans to leave school and either enter a camp with their family or join the military. Suddenly thousands of very smart and talented students were now displaced from their college education, many of whom were never able to make it back to finish their California degree.

Now over 60 years later, in an effort to show support to those internees whose college education was halted due to World War II, UC Berkley officials offered honorary degrees last weekend to dozens of former students displaced by the war. Now in their late 80’s or early 90’s, these honorary California degree recipients are very happy to now receive this acknowledgment from UC Berkley. While these internment camps were a terrible thing for Japanese-Americans during the war on the west coast, it was also viewed as a way to protect them from mad or scared citizens. The bond that was created by those who were forced to live in these internment camps in California will never be broken. Luckily now many of those former students still living were able to bond again while receiving their honorary California degrees from UC Berkley.