New AD will report to VP of finance, San Diego Union Tribune
On the day his interim athletic director, Gene Bartow, reported to work for the first time, San Diego State President Stephen Weber confirmed a major change will be instituted for Bartow's successor.

Three agencies share alcohol enforcement grant, Times-Standard
The Arcata, Eureka and Humboldt State police departments will be sharing a $39,900 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to assist with alcohol education programs.

California budget cuts start to sting, Christian Science Monitor
The state's fiscal crisis affects everything from day-care centers to physicians' offices.

Budget clash may mean lasting state debt, San Francisco Chronicle
No one wants to give any ground -- or any more ground -- in the 2003- 04 state budget impasse, which means it's likely California will roll over billions of dollars in debt into future fiscal years, an outcome no one wants.

Budget closer, leaders say, San Francisco Chronicle
Governor, legislative chiefs meet behind closed doors to negotiate.

Sacramento budget crisis tests Prop. 98's school-funding guarantee, San Diego Union-Tribune
Proposition 98, the measure that guarantees schools a certain level of funding, has long been a sacred cow, largely off-limits to state budget-cutters.

GOP makes new proposal to break budget stalemate, Oakland Tribune/AP
Republicans say plan involves a modest cut.

GOP Budget Plan Decried, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles officials say proposed cuts would hurt programs that help women and children.

California Postpones Exit Exam, New York Times
Faced with failure rates that could bar tens of thousands of students from graduating, the California State Board of Education voted yesterday to postpone the consequences of its high school exit exam for two years.

Exit Exam Is Postponed, Los Angeles Times
High school students in the Class of 2006 will be the first required to pass the state's test to receive their diplomas.

No Schools in State Overly Dangerous, Los Angeles Times
California education officials declared Wednesday that not one public school in the state should be called "persistently dangerous," a federal designation that would have allowed students to transfer to new schools to escape crime.

Sign up for college now, but look to pay more later, San Bernardino Sun
Today, community college students begin registering and paying for fall classes. But no one knows how much those classes will cost except that it will be more than the current $11 per unit.

White House, Hispanic groups partner for education, CNN/AP
The White House and leading Hispanic organizations have teamed up to try to improve the educational performances of the largest U.S. minority group.

Magazine Makes Changes to College Ranking System, Washington Post
After years of being blamed for colleges' feverish and sometimes rushed competition to sign up their best applicants, the editors of U.S. News & World Report have decided to stop counting the success of such campaigns in their influential "America's Best Colleges" rankings.

College Rating by U.S. News Will Now Skip a Key Factor, New York Times
Perhaps the most influential survey of American higher education is changing the way it ranks the nation's top colleges and universities, dropping from its ratings a statistic that many institutions had sought to manipulate in hopes of raising their ranking in the survey.

U.S. House Approves Bills on Teacher-Training Accountability and Loan Forgiveness, Chronicle of Higher Education
The U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills on Wednesday that would create stricter accountability requirements for teacher-education programs and increase student-loan forgiveness for some schoolteachers.

Oracle CEO cranks up the rhetoric, Contra Costa Times
Oracle Corp.'s flamboyant chief executive officer Larry Ellison pledged in colorful language Wednesday to buy rival PeopleSoft Inc. even if he has to wait until next summer.

Opinion: Breaking Away, New York Times
Ms. Jhingory had come face to face with the dilemma that many black youngsters encounter as they try to improve their lives by studying, going to college and making other efforts to escape the swarming tentacles of poverty and ignorance. Old friends and sometimes even relatives may see those courageous efforts as a threat, and react bitterly.

Opinion: For Good of All, Hike Fees at CSU, Los Angeles Times
California State University trustees will vote next week on a 30% fee increase, hoping to ease the pain of state funding cuts. This, coupled with increased financial aid for low-income students, makes sense. For many CSU students, the current fees are not high enough.

Editorial: Exit strategy, San Diego Union-Tribune
To no one's surprise the state Board of Education – to its everlasting discredit – has bailed out on the high school exit examination, postponing its consequences until the class of 2006.

Big Names Warn of Chaos in a Davis Recall, Los Angeles Times
Former Secretary of State Warren Christopher and other leaders of California's business and labor establishment on Wednesday denounced the proposed recall of Gov. Gray Davis as a threat to the state's economy.

For state elections boss, it's total recall, Sacramento Bee
This week, the movement's backers declared they had enough signatures of voter support in hand to force a historic election to remove Davis. Now Shelley, a fellow Democrat, finds himself the lightning rod in what could be the nation's most contentious election issue since the Florida presidential vote recount of 2000.

Recall Vote Promises to Add to California Chaos, New York Times
One day this fall, Californians could wake up with a throbbing political hangover and a new governor.