California Assembly Approves Nursing Doctorate for the CSU
The California Assembly overwhelmingly approved AB 867 on June 3, that authorizes the California State University to offer a doctorate degree program in nursing practice.
The bill was drafted in response to a serious shortfall in nursing faculty, a problem that has led to nursing schools wait listing or denying thousands of qualified applicants. The nation faces a shortage of up to one million nurses over the next decade. According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, California’s share of that shortage will be more than 40,000 full-time-equivalent nurses.
CSU’s programs will provide an affordable DNP education and will prepare new faculty to teach in CSU and community college nursing programs, training new registered nurses that will help address the state’s nursing shortage. Press Release.
Also see the Merced Sun-Star’s editorial “Our View: California State University should pursue nursing doctorate plan”.
CSU Receives First Award of Federal Stimulus Money for Competitive Research Grants
Two professors at San Diego State University are among the first stimulus grant recipients at the California State University–bringing in more than $1.5 million in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to enhance existing research in the fields of biomedicine and bioscience.
The CSU has been actively pursuing additional funding under the highly competitive NIH grant programs that were recently enhanced by $10.4 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To receive an award, grant applications must go through a rigorous peer review process consisting of panels comprised of some of the best scientists in the nation. Press Release.
CSU Budget News: Updates from Around the System
CSU and Labor Unions Discuss Budget Reductions
The CSU has begun meeting with its labor unions to discuss ways to mitigate the impact of the projected $584 million budget reduction on the university and its employees. The cut, which represents a reduction of 16 to 20 percent of state General Fund support to the CSU for 2009-10, is part of the Governor’s May revision of the state budget which aims to close a $24.3 billion deficit.
Chancellor Reed has directed negotiators to operate under the guiding principles to serve as many students as possible without sacrificing quality and to preserve as many jobs as possible. The CSU is considering introducing furloughs for all CSU employees, including management and executives, to protect the maximum number of jobs while generating essential salary savings in fiscal year 2009-10. Full Employee Update.
Cal Poly Pomona’s Summer '09 Forum Highlights Serious Budget Issues
At a forum to address students' questions and concerns about summer quarter, Cal Poly Pomona President Michael Ortiz painted the big picture of a deteriorating state budget. Cal Poly Pomona recently cancelled state-supported summer classes; however cancelling state-supported summer classes alone will not close the university's budget gap. Ortiz said the move might save $6 to $7 million and that the budget cuts will continue to affect the entire campus in the upcoming academic year. To support student graduation requirements, the university will offer fee-based summer courses through the College of the Extended University beginning July 13. Full Story.
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