2007–2008 Budget Season Continues
The 2007–08 Budget season will begin in earnest near the end of February. As reported previously, the Governor’s Budget was released January 10. The next step in the process is for the Legislative Analyst, Elizabeth Hill, to release the Analysis of the Budget. This will happen probably the last week of February, and will contain the first look at which issues are certain to be raised when the Budget Sub-Committees start meeting in March and April to go over every line item in the proposed Budget. More »

Senate Hearing on Accountability
On January 31st Executive Vice Chancellor Gary Reichard testified before Senator Scott’s Senate Education Informational Hearing on Accountability. This hearing heard from national experts on accountability including Pat Callahan, President of the National Center for Public Policy in Higher Education. It also heard from some of California’s higher education policy groups including the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and the California Post Secondary Education Commission (CPEC); finally, they heard from California’s higher education segments, including the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) system. More »

Assembly Hearing on University of California’s Long Range Development Plan
Recently, the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee and /Budget Sub Committee on Education Finance held a joint hearing on the University of California’s (UC) Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). This hearing, which was Chaired by Assembly Member John Laird (D-27, Santa Cruz), Anthony Portantino, (D-44, La Canada) and Julia Brownley (D-41, Santa Monica) was well attended by the members of both committees. Many of the committee members indicated through their comments or questions, an affinity with local government and shared anecdotal experiences about a UC campus.

While this hearing was predominately focused on the UC, the CSU and its own process was mentioned. In fact after the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) staff made their initial comments on the report, Assembly Member Anthony Portantino asked if the UC was different than the California Community Colleges (CCC) or the CSU. LAO staff indicated that the systems were similar in the way they interact with local governments. More »