Notes from the Underground: Legislative Hearing on UC Protests

Notes from the Underground: Legislative Hearing on UC Protests

By Joe Kiskis, assisted by Eric Hays December 14, 2011 Joint informational hearing Senate Committee on Education and Assembly Committee on Higher Education-- UC and CSU policies, Procedures, and Responses: Campus police and on campus Demonstrations Chairs Senator Lowenthal and Assemblymember Block The hearing was scheduled for two hours but lasted about four and a half...

We Don't Have Teachers at Western Governor's University

We Don't Have Teachers at Western Governor's University

...

Links for December 20--Special Grinch Edition

Links for December 20--Special Grinch Edition

Jerry Brown announced 100 Million cut for UC, 100 Million Cut for CSU and 102 Million Cut for Commuity College System.  President Yudof  offers his normal stirring response. UC Berkeley announces fabulous new financial aid plan where middle class families would contribute up to 25% of their gross family income to attend a public university. Cornell announces new campus...

Who’s Really Making Policy at Your Campus?

Who’s Really Making Policy at Your Campus?

By Jorge Mariscal My pessimistic intellect agrees with our colleague Rei Terada who recently wrote in this space: “A professor who agrees to be on a [Senate] committee thinking that from that position she’ll be able to limit damage and fearing that if she is not on it things will be even worse is not negating the legitimacy of the administration, so that should not be done.”...

Debt, Democracy, and the Public University

Debt, Democracy, and the Public University

by Bob Meister, Wheeler Hall, UC Berkeley, December 7, 2011: This panel has been asked to talk about how far we've come since the Fall of 2009--and where we're headed. I When I spoke in Wheeler Hall two years ago today, December 7, 2009, I asked Berkeley students to connect the dots between their ever-rising tuition, widening income gaps in California, and the then-dominant belief...

Two Totalities of Crisis

Two Totalities of Crisis

By Lyn Hejinian Two and a half years ago, in July 2009, the Regents of UC granted emergency powers to UC President Mark Yudof under the guise of freeing him to deal with an ostensible budget crisis. There are a number of ways to frame what has transpired—ways to plot the diverse elements and track the various trajectories set in motion by the actions undertaken in the name of...

Delegitimate UC Administration

Delegitimate UC Administration

By Rei Terada The moment we’re in right now is auspicious, fragile, and surprisingly well-defined. The thing that strikes me most about the moment is how much it is a particular moment, with specific characteristics and borders. It appears as the clearest-looking and most pregnant moment since students starting taking action in Fall 2009. It’s the moment we’ve hoped to attain...

When The Public University Can No Longer Afford Itself: The Impending Crisis in UC Graduate Programs

When The Public University Can No Longer Afford Itself: The Impending Crisis in UC Graduate Programs

By Wendy Brown Most recent concern with increasing tuition at the University of California has focused on undergraduate access–how the middle class is being squeezed out of quality higher public education, taking on preposterous levels of debt, or both. And most recent concern with retaining excellence at UC has focused on faculty compensation issues–how to maintain the salaries,...

Debt, Democracy, and the Future of the Public University: An Introduction

Debt, Democracy, and the Future of the Public University: An Introduction

By James Vernon The restructuring of higher education and the privatization of the public university has operated through a series of vectors: the push for online education, the challenges to access and diversity, the tremendous increase in studentfees and student debt, the growth of management bloat. It has been met—point by point—by a politics of protest. These protests have...

There Are Alternatives to the Yudof Privatization Story

There Are Alternatives to the Yudof Privatization Story

by Chris Newfield UC Berkeley Forum on Debt, Democracy, and the Future of the Public University, December 7, 2011 November was a good month for the free speech dimensions of the Occupy movement. Police brutality at UC Berkeley and UC Davis was denounced on an international scale, the outrage forced formal investigations to be convened, administrators at Davis suspended several...

Debt, Democracy, and the Future of the Public University: A Series

Debt, Democracy, and the Future of the Public University: A Series

Last Wednesday (December 7) qui parle, Reclamations, and Representations organized a public forum on the present crisis, ongoing protests, and future prospects of the public University.  Each Journal has recently put out a special issue on the topic: qui parle's "Higher Education on its Knees," Reclamations' "Generation of Debt," and Representations' "The Humanities and the...

Links for December 9

Links for December 9

Occupy Davis dismantling for winter break. Linda Katehi offers her take on the Context of Student Protests.  Of course, that doesn't address the fact that UC has a longer history of police violence. In California the middle class is shrinking.  Oh, by the way, so are corporate tax payments....

Links for December 7

Links for December 7

There is now a petition demanding the withdrawal of UCR's recently announced protest guidelines.  You can sign it here. Mr Yudof Goes to San Francisco:  Addresses Chamber of Commerce on the logic of his liberal privatization scheme.  Still doesn't recognize that it is making the University worse. CSU applications at record levels.  Aren't they cutting back...

Links for December 5

Links for December 5

UCSD Students reclaim closed Library. Yudof names Task Force to investigate Davis police violence. UCR Dean of Students issues proposed guidelines telling students, staff, and faculty the proper etiquette for protest.  FreeUCR responds. The Occupy movements are expanding into new areas and tactic...

Protest: Only the Pro, Not the Test

Protest: Only the Pro, Not the Test

The Dean of Students at UCR has distributed a draft for new rules concerning protest on the Riverside campus.  They are actually quite remarkable.  Under the tag line "Your voice matters. Make an Impact" the Dean is proposing a system where only the most regulated protest activities are allowed on campus.  Not only is Riverside proposing the usual "time, place,...

Links for December 2

Links for December 2

As the UC Turns Ignore those raises behind the curtain: Regents manage to find money to raise salaries of high administrators. On Tuesday, Students and Faculty at Davis debated what is to be done.  242 Davis Professors Sign Letter in Support of Katehi. Birgeneau canceled his scheduled appearance at the Graduate Student Assembly on Thursday. Occupy Cal presses UCPD Review...

November's Steps toward Democracy

November's Steps toward Democracy

The many UC crises this November have prompted challenges to longstanding prerogatives of unilateral governance among UC's senior managers. In the aftermath...

Links for December 1 (Updated Below)

Links for December 1 (Updated Below)

More questions about Bratton.  He urged Brown University to arm its police.  And in case you missed it here is the CUCFA letter to Yudof opposing the hiring of Bratton.  Oh, and the Atlantic weighs in. Rei Terada and Michael Meranze point out the larger problems exemplified in the Bratton, Robinson, and Edley appointments. CSU Trustees postpone decision on executive...

Protest Links-Delayed by Our Day Jobs Edition (Updated Below)

Protest Links-Delayed by Our Day Jobs Edition (Updated Below)

At Monday's Regents meeting, Mark Yudof holds a giant copy of the ReFund California Pledge. It is apparently too big for the UC Regents to sign. But...

Democracy in 60 Seconds

Democracy in 60 Seconds

Students Protesting at UCLA Despite the Regents' absurd attempt to limit speakers to 60 seconds each (and the even more absurd rule penalizing people...

Live blogging regents as best we can

Live blogging regents as best we can

9:18 president yudof speaking. Claims that due to ucop cuts and efficiencies if the state gives back some funding there will not be tuition. Not sure how he figures that. Then assures us all that we are all on the same side and he wants to protect dissent. 9:20 student regent speaking. Wanted part of meetng at davis so students could be heard. But there were few regents...

Links: National Security Edition (Updated Below)

Links: National Security Edition (Updated Below)

Uncivil Procedure has posted Behind the Curtain:  their analysis of the history of police violence at Berkeley over the last several years. Here is the final version of the proposed Berkeley Senate Resolution condemning the recent police violence on campus. When Altegrity hired Bill Bratton.  A little context. A Petition has been started demanding that President Yudof...

Breaking the Cycle of Violence

Breaking the Cycle of Violence

by Catherine M. Cole, Professor of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies, UC Berkeley Violence breeds violence. And that's why we must never tolerate violence at the university. UC Berkeley’s recent pattern of violence started on November 20, 2009. The perpetrators were heavily armed police who assaulted unarmed bystanders located in a zone of free speech. These bystanders--unlike...

UC Trunchon and Pepper Spray Response Roundup (Expanded 1)

UC Trunchon and Pepper Spray Response Roundup (Expanded 1)

SOME DAVIS FACULTY GROUPS CALL FOR CHANCELLOR'S RESIGNATION English Department  (Wa Po coverage) Physics Department (partial) Davis Faculty Association Board The overall petition for Chancellor Katehi's resignation is  nearing 100,000 signatures. The Davis Enterprise has an Occupy Davis timeline UC FACULTY STATEMENTS UC Academic Council (Robert Anderson to Mark...

Links--November 25

Links--November 25

Chancellor Katehi insists that the police were told not to use violence.  Many remain unconvinced.  Occupy UC Davis remaining over Thanksgiving Break. The Agenda is up for Monday's now you see us now you don't Regents meeting.  The Committee on Finance will be shaping the future in under 2 hours...

Links--Thanksgiving Edition

Links--Thanksgiving Edition

Dave Zirin in the Nation lays out further intersections between the scandals at Penn State and at Davis.  It turns out that President Spanier and Chancellor Katehi were both involved in the "National Security Higher Education Advisory Board, which 'promotes discussion and outreach between research universities and the FBI.'” David Simpson writes on the recent events at...

Davis Drama Continues (Updated Below)

Davis Drama Continues (Updated Below)

Crank up the damage control: UC President Mark Yudof appoints William J. Bratton, former chief of NYPD and LAPD to review UC police procedures and to report in a month. Yudof also appointed a systemwide policy review panel, to be headed by UC General Counsel Charles Robinson and UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Christopher Edley Jr. UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi now says police...

Links for November 22

Links for November 22

DAVIS: THE CRISIS CONTINUED Pepper Spray Off Campus: Letter Calling for Chancellor Katehi to resign. And Facebook page.  Katehi addresses campus as outrage grows.  Audience unconvinced. UC Davis Student Leaders condemn use of pepper spray. UC Davis Strike Call....

UC Davis Continued: the Links

UC Davis Continued: the Links

UCLA Faculty Open Letter on Police Violence.  The Daily Bruin has more. "The Turning Point": On the example of UC Davis Students. Cynthia Carter Ching: An Open Letter to Students and Faculty. Civil Libertarians and experts on Campus Policing appalled by recent UC Behavior. "An Internet Meme": UC Davis's Lt. Pike plays various  Masters of the Universe. Is the First...

Links--Special Sunday Edition (Updated Below)

Links--Special Sunday Edition (Updated Below)

UPDATE: Yudof to convene Chancellors. Academic Council Letter to President Yudof STRUGGLES OVER FREEDOM OF SPEECH AT UC CAMPUSES CONTINUE After expressions of outrage, Chancellor Katehi begins to walk back her statements on Police Pepper Spray.  The SacBee has more details. Students impose silent criticism.  More here. Robert Haas points out that UCPD has given...

Links--Special Weekend Edition (updated below)

Links--Special Weekend Edition (updated below)

DAVIS DECIDES TO COMPETE WITH BERKELEY NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS BUT IN POLICE VIOLENCE Uc Davis Police Pepper Spray Peaceful Students.   The Sac Bee has the story.  So does the SF Chronicle.  So does the Huffington Post.  Not to mention Salon. Chancellor Katehi tries to Justify Police Actions.  Nathan Brown points out that her response doesn't make...

Downed Tents and Eyewittnesses

Downed Tents and Eyewittnesses

Nicole LIndahl, Berkeley Law, describes her first direct experience with police brutality at Occupy Cal. The petition calling on senior officials at UC Berkeley to resign has over a thousand signatures.  UC police attack more tents, the revolutionary symbol of our time, in a pre-dawn raid at UCLA. President Mark Yudof "unequivocally support[s] students' right to protest...

Links for November 17

Links for November 17

Cal State Trustees flee meeting room: still vote to increase Fees by 9%. Student Regent speaks out against the postponement of this week's Regents meeting. LAO predicts low revenue:  Huge budget cuts are on the way.  LAO estimates up to 2 Billion in cuts.  Dan Mitchell looks down the road at the likely effects...

Links for November 16

Links for November 16

Huge Protests at UC Berkeley.  Here is a slideshow.  General Assembly votes to rebuild encampment.  Here was a live blog.  Protests across the CSU and UC systems: UC Davis with a slideshow.  Occupy Northridge. Robert Reich: "The Days of Apathy are Over." With Video.  Even NPR realized it was important...

Links for Tuesday November 15th (Updated Throughout the Day)

Links for Tuesday November 15th (Updated Throughout the Day)

Day of Action Live Blog November 15th (Daily Cal) Regents' cancellation coverage: LA Times; San Jose Mercury News (with UCPD chief quote that the protesters "chose physical confrontation") Regents Cancellation doesn't slow protests at UC and CSU. NBC LA says "leave the powerless Regents alone" Occupy Student Debt Decade-old decline in Illinois college attainment, which once...

Resolution to Be Presented to the Berkeley Academic Senate in Response to Recent Acts of Police Violence

Resolution to Be Presented to the Berkeley Academic Senate in Response to Recent Acts of Police Violence

The following is a resolution--drafted by members of the Berkeley faculty--to be presented for a vote at the Berkeley Academic Senate Meeting November 28t...

Links for November 14th

Links for November 14th

REGENTS POSTPONE THIS WEEK'S MEETING    Skepticism is expressed about the official explanation of cancellation Occupy Cal call for Tuesday's strike and other actions.  Further Information can be found here.  CFA on the CSU November 17th Strikes. UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau describes November 9 video of police attack on protesters "very disturbin...

Why I Got Arrested with Occupy Cal--and How

Why I Got Arrested with Occupy Cal--and How

By Celeste Langan I participated in the Occupy Cal rally on Sproul Plaza on November 9 (my sign, "We're Afraid for Virginia Woolf," made it to the Daily Cal’s top 10) and stayed for the general assembly. The organizers of Occupy Cal asked those who were willing to stay and link arms to protect those who were attempting to set up the encampment; I chose to do so. I knew, both...

Account of UCLA Protests; ACLU Complaint to UC Berkeley; Call for General Strike

Account of UCLA Protests; ACLU Complaint to UC Berkeley; Call for General Strike

Toby Higbie's account of UCLA's November 9th protest is below.   With additional links 1. Video on Occupy Cal and the General Assembly.  Good discussion, very large crowds. The Occupy Cal General Assembly called for a general strike (education sector) for this Tuesday, November 15th.  The strike is " in opposition to the cuts to public education, university...

Another Reality (Remarks at UC Irvine Protest, 11/9/11)

Another Reality (Remarks at UC Irvine Protest, 11/9/11)

By Rei Terada In March 2010, about a thousand people at UC Irvine marched here and on the street, on University Avenue. I was amused that a couple of commentators wrote afterward that UCI students were “protesting reality.” Someone headlined a blog for The Atlantic, “Students Protest University Cutbacks, Reality”. This remark assumes that once reality has been determined, you...

Officer 14 Tweaks on the Line- Occupy Cal 11/9 (UPDATED ACROSS THE DAY)

Officer 14 Tweaks on the Line- Occupy Cal 11/9 (UPDATED ACROSS THE DAY)

Penn State students riot for football coach fired in coaching staff molestation scandal (grand jury report).  The Nation follows up with a comparison of Berkeley and Penn State. Crowds at Occupy Cal - Daily Cal Coverage.  Mercury News coverage with photos. SF Chronicle story and slideshow.  The AtlanticWire has a digest of news coverage. . Occupy Santa Cruz. ...

Links for November 9

Links for November 9

Students, staff, and faculty engaged in protest across the UC and CSU systems today.  So far I've tracked reports from Berkeley, Channel Islands, Davis, Fresno,  Irvine, Long Beach Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma State.  I'm sure there will be more news as time goes forward. Protests in London.  Surprise, Surprise, the Police were...

Links for November 8

Links for November 8

Yudof announced no mid-year tuition hikes.  I wonder if he is nervous about protests at the Regents' party next week? UC Davis plows ahead with plan to increase out-of-state and international students. Bob Samuels discusses the rising inequality at UC here and here...

The Story that Needs Changing

The Story that Needs Changing

In the last few weeks I've given a number of talks on college campuses about the self-feeding devolutionary spiral in puliic university funding.  I've tried to describe the mechanisms that are continuing to accelerate decline, and identify points of resistance that could help with rebuilding.   The goal must remain mass quality rather than limited access to premium content. ...

Links for November 4

Links for November 4

In Oakland, Occupy supporters and city officials debated at a public meeting.  And you can get more information here. Assembly Budget Committee expects 5-8 Billion dollar deficit next year....

Links for November 3rd

Links for November 3rd

#OccupyOakland closes down nation's 5th biggest port.  UCOP appears to have asked its employees to stay away from the office, located near the occupation, and to work from home. Colorado votes down a tax-increase measure for education.  The state governor wants to balance the budget by cutting higher education but much of the legislature is resisting.  The governor...

Links for Wednesday, November 2

Links for Wednesday, November 2

Occupy Oakland Schedule for General Strike.  Live updates.  Other information.   Video.  Colorado Voters say no to increasing taxes to pay for education. Texas Board of Regents invests in company that trolls for course grading data; mandates that campuses sign on to it. Regional Public Universities are lessening research commitments. Universities...

We Can Restore California's Higher Education...If the Leaders Lead

We Can Restore California's Higher Education...If the Leaders Lead

By Stanton Glantz cross-listed from KQED Conventional wisdom says the UC and CSU funding crises are the inevitable result of recession-driven budget shortfalls, and the only solution is to soak students and their families. But it's bunk. Shifting costs from the public to students is a deliberate act of public policy...

Links for Monday: Trick or Treat Edition

Links for Monday: Trick or Treat Edition

Is that a costume you're wearing? Gov. Jerry Brown comes as the Honest Republican, proosing that California seek another Bottom-5 ranking, this one for oldest workforce unable to retire on their pensions. The relevant UC Senate committee comes as the Partner in Reform, responding that the many good parts of Brown's proposal are the same as recent UC pension changes. UCLA Management...

Links for Friday, October 28th

Links for Friday, October 28th

Student Regents speak out on rising tuition.   Daily Cal has an interview.  And here is a presentation. Brown Proposes reducing pensions for public employees.   LAT can only discuss it in terms of politics. Gavin Newsom vows to change the narrative on higher education cuts.  Do you think the Regents would even understand the concept...

Links for Wednesday, October 26

Links for Wednesday, October 26

There are more concerns being raised about the proposed Negotiated Salary Program. Surprise! Higher Ed costs continue to rise.  More data can be found here. An even bigger surprise:  California leads the nation in tuition increases...

Links for Monday October 24

Links for Monday October 24

Not to worry: Dan Greenstein and other proponents of UC online assure us that it will maintain quality and not be used to downsize faculty. Students are confused by UC's new admissions guidelines. Task Force recommends changing the priorities of California's Community College System...

NSP: Eroding the Salary Scales, Undermining Faculty Governance

NSP: Eroding the Salary Scales, Undermining Faculty Governance

By Joe Kiskis A previous post here provided a brief description of the proposed APM 668 Negotiated Salary Program (NSP) and comments from Professor Stan Glantz on the detrimental consequences of the similar Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP), long used in the UC health system enterprises. In this post, I offer comments directly related to language of the proposed NSP policy...

Links for Friday, October 21

Links for Friday, October 21

Opponents of California's Dream Act begin collecting petitions in favor of a referendum to overturn it. As minority enrollments in California have gone up, state funding has gone down....

Links for Wednesday October 19

Links for Wednesday October 19

UC Riverside Students grade the State on its commitment to Higher Ed and it isn't a good one. And it looks like it is going to get worse.  The Triggered Cuts seem to be on their way....

Links for Monday October 17

Links for Monday October 17

Today in Links: The Costs of Athletics; the Destructiveness of Austerity; and the Foolishness of Managerial Ideology plus much more And don't forget Stan Glantz' post on UCOP's proposal to further erode the salary scales immediately below...

Problems with UCOP's Proposed Salary Supplements for Grants

Problems with UCOP's Proposed Salary Supplements for Grants

Officials at UC and other universities have been scrambling to replace resources lost to public funding cuts.Most seem still to see extramural research funds as net positive cash flow for the institution, which they are not (one news link from our ample coverage plus one previous post).  But grants do provide funds for salaries, including partial salaries for faculty investigators,...

Links for Friday October 14

Links for Friday October 14

Looks like Goldman Sachs has moved from the housing bubble to predatory recruiting for online ed. Protesters heckle Rupert at his Education Summit with Je...

Links for Thursday, October 13

Links for Thursday, October 13

Jerry Brown is going to propose a constitutional amendment on Pensions. New report from Berkeley argues don't blame budget problems on public employees...

Links for October 12

Links for October 12

Jerry Brown signs California Dream Act.  Vetoes Bill to allow diversity to be considered in admissions. Dan Greenstein joins Jeb Bush and the President of US University at a cliché hurricaine in Dallas TX on the Future of State Universities.  As you know, it has been decided that the future of state universities is distance learning.  Greenstein, assured all and...

Links for Monday October 10

Links for Monday October 10

The Chilean police responded violently to student protesters; students' leaders targeted. The LAT has realized that UC may no longer be affordable for middle-class kids.  Yet they don't actually oppose doubling tuitio...

Links for Friday, October 7

Links for Friday, October 7

Occupy Wall Street (courtesy of Casey Blake) More today on Banks, protests, international activity on higher education, and even some California news. ...

Links for Thursday, October 6

Links for Thursday, October 6

More in today's links about protests and occupations, economic inequality, the defense of higher education and why it is that Harvard's economic influence may not be good for the country....

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Wrongness

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Wrongness

A number of former University of California chancellors met at the end of June to discuss the state of UC, and recently released a statement we linked yesterday, one called Former University of California Chancellors Urge New Funding Models for UC.  The main result is another call for a high-fee UC, this time set at $24,000 for in-state students. The word "new" has no place...

Links for Tuesday October 4

Links for Tuesday October 4

McKenzie Wark offers up some thoughts on how Occupy Wall Street is offering an allegory to counter an abstraction.  And how that is a good thing.  (H/t to Casey Blake) The AFT and Bob Samuels offer an update on Occupy LA.  And here is another view. And there is emerging information about plans for college occupations. Former Chancellors call for new funding...

Links for Monday October 3

Links for Monday October 3

Lots concerning Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots, student costs and debt, and the economic crises facing California in today's links.  Just check below the fold:...

Links for Sptember 30

Links for Sptember 30

Sorry for the lack of links the past couple of days--it has been a very busy week.  Anyway, we have a bunch for you below the fold. And don't forget Stan Glantz's post on UC privatization immediately below...

The Problem is Privatization, and it Can be Reversed

The Problem is Privatization, and it Can be Reversed

by Stanton A. Glantz, Professor of Medicine, UCSF     UC (and CSU’s) ongoing financial problems are not a result of the fact that alumni are not generous, they are the result of the failed policy of privatization that UC has been following since shortly after Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor.  Schwarzenegger pursued an aggressive policy of privatization...

Links for Sptember 27

Links for Sptember 27

English Academics respond to the Government's plans.  They have done so by offering an alternative vision of higher ed. In a bold bid for the future, Texas may eliminate 1/2 of its undergraduate physics programs. The recession has made income inequality in California even greater than it was before. Faculty group releases proposal to change undergrad education at Berkeley. Protest...

Links for September 26

Links for September 26

More on the Irvine 11 case. Bob Samuels Reports from Washington. Bob also comments on the President's "jobs bill." Brown considering second part of California's Dream Act.  There is a lot of pressure over the question of financial aid. It looks like David Crane's time on the Board of Regents is coming to an end. But Crane is still continuing his fight to bust Public...

Links for September 23

Links for September 23

Important developments in the Irvine 11 case and Berkeley protests, Jerry signs the amazon bill, UC Davis is expanding, and nostalgia for shared governance.  That and other news and analysis below the fold....

Links for September 22

Links for September 22

Lots of Links today so I have put them below the fold to save front page space.  Don't forget Chris' recent post on the Regents immediately below this one....

Regents Budget Strategy: Stuck Between Stations

Regents Budget Strategy: Stuck Between Stations

At the session of their Finance Committee on September 15, the UC Regents had their most intense and serious discussion of UC's budgetary crisis in recent memory.  The immediate cause was the Office of the President's first multi-year budget framework, and the reason it stirred so much debate is because it pulls a tuition trigger if state funding comes up short.  I'll...

Links for September 20

Links for September 20

John Judis offers a very thoughtful overview of the ways that the present economic crisis repeats that of the 1930s.  There are some differences though including the changed nature of the world economy.  And given the ongoing policy mistakes of international economic and political leaders those changes mean that things might end up worse than the 30s.  Contrary...

Links for September 19

Links for September 19

To distract yourself from the California meltdown, read UK Universities Minister David Willetts take to the Guardian defend the multi-year elimination of nearly all direct public funding, among his other measures.  See Willetts sophistically claim that government investment has not been cut because student loans are really the same as grants. This weekend the New York Times...

Links for September 16

Links for September 16

Even the Regents don't seem to buy UCOP's Magic Tuition Machine   But they are happy to raise executive salaries. Regent David Crane thinks UC should become more like a private university. Berkeley Public Education Coalition responds to Tuition increases. Regents discuss Graduate Funding. And the LAO is skeptical that UC needs so much money. (h/t Dan Mitchell) Is...

Links for September 15

Links for September 15

The LAT has more info on UCOP's Magic Never-Ending Tuition Machine. CA Republicans have filed suit to block the redistricting plan because it didn't turn out the way they hoped. The Trial of the Irvine 11 continues. Nearly 1/4 of California's Children are living in Poverty.  It is a problem for the future as well as the present. But apparently Texas (home of the "miracle")...