The longstanding budget crisis in California higher education is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.
Campus administrators came before the state’s board of regents to let the board know that the future is likely to be “grim.” According to an article by Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times:
[UC Santa Cruz Chancellor George Blumenthal] …was among several campus leaders who gave the board forecasts about reduced class offerings and staff layoffs that are likely next year. Among other areas, some key required courses may be offered only once a year, making it harder for students to graduate on time, Blumenthal said.
At the meeting in San Francisco, UC President Mark Yudof announced that the system’s Oakland headquarters and other centralized UC offices will cut their budgets $50 million, or about 17%, and use the money to ease reductions on campuses next year.
But such cuts will barely make a dent in the system’s resources. The governor, Jerry Brown, wants to cut about $500 million from the University of California’s budget. If Brown’s tax plans don’t pass, the system will have even less money.
This situation creates pressure on the system to raise tuition, yet again.
Regents discussed various financial plans for California’s future. Under one scenario, in-state tuition would double five years from now.
