Little Effect From Tuition Hike?, Imperial Valley Press
Students attending San Diego State University-Imperial Valley campus here will face a 30 percent increase in tuition when they return to school Sept. 2.

SDSU trolley stop wows members of transit board, San Diego Union-Tribune
Sixty feet under San Diego State yesterday, transit directors were gratified they hadn't gone cheap on the university segment of their trolley extension.

Academic stance shifts, Fresno Bee
Fresno State announces it no longer will admit academic non-qualifiers.

Wall Street views state as a risky investment, San Francisco Chronicle
Budget impasse hurting its status on bond market.

State's budget impasse dislodged, San Diego Union-Tribune
Leaders in Senate plan bond sale, avoid new taxes.

Senate offers no-taxes budget plan, San Francisco Chronicle
While two veteran state senators worked together this week on a deal to get the Legislature out of its budget quagmire, the state Assembly broke out in a partisan food fight over what one top state official characterized as "fringe Democrats having a goofy conversation."

Budget deal thrashed out, Sacramento Bee
Senate pact would avoid tax increases, erase most of deficit.

UC students file suit to reverse fee hikes, Sacramento Bee
Students sued the University of California regents Thursday to reverse a series of fee increases enacted by the governing board since late last year.

Budget may delay UC Merced debut, Sacramento Bee
The much-anticipated 2004 opening in Merced of the University of California's 10th campus -- billed to serve 1,000 students in its inaugural year -- has become little more than a long shot.

UC hopefuls get start at community colleges, Contra Costa Times
Despite a 3.9 GPA and high test scores, she didn't get into UC Berkeley. She didn't get into UC Santa Barbara. And she didn't get into UCLA. So Michelle McGoon did what many excellent students like her are doing: she decided to attend community college and try to transfer to UC in two years.

8 Students Sue University of California Over Fee Increases, Los Angeles Times
The lawsuit alleges that the hikes came without fair warning. Educators say they had no choice but to raise the fees.

Man accuses UCR of gender discrimination, Press-Enterprise
The former spokesman for UC Riverside says the university denied him a promotion because he is a man and, in a rare move, has filed a gender discrimination complaint with the federal Department of Labor.

Many UC students to get financial aid, Hayward Review
Grants, loans meant to offset recent fee increases.

Third of schools pass U.S. muster, Long Beach Press-Telegram
Only 32 percent of California's public schools made adequate progress last year on English and math exams in accordance with federally approved guidelines for improvement, figures released Thursday revealed.

Schools Serving the Poor Miss Goals, Los Angeles Times
State educators say the overwhelming majority of campuses with low-income students failed to meet last year's academic targets.

Illinois Enacts Plan to Freeze Tuition Rates at Its Colleges, New York Times
A new law in Illinois will freeze tuition for public university students at the level they pay when they enter as freshmen.

Education Department Begins Crackdown on Colleges That Don't Complete Key Survey, Chronicle of Higher Education
The U.S. Department of Education has sent letters warning some 80 postsecondary institutions that they could lose their eligibility for federal student-aid programs and face fines of $10,000 or more if they do not submit institutional data for the 2002-3 academic year.

Study Questions Effectiveness of Popular Approach to Reducing Student Drinking, Chronicle of Higher Education
An increasingly popular approach to curbing student drinking -- called "social norms" -- does not work, according to a new study by Harvard University's School of Public Health.

Fewer States Link Appropriations to Colleges' Performance, Report Says, Chronicle of Higher Education
Tight budget times have made states reluctant to tie financial support for public colleges to their performance, according to an annual report released this month by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government at the State University of New York at Albany.

House Votes to Give Some States Control Over Head Start, Los Angeles Times
The Senate has yet to address the preschool program serving kids from poor families.

Editorial: Governor Moonbeam, Wall St. Journal
California Governor Gray Davis will now officially face a recall vote, but he's still in denial about the reason.

Editorial: Courage of convictions, Sacramento Bee
California Democrats, as a rule, have never been known for their support of school vouchers.

Editorial: A date with uncertainty, Sacramento Bee
Bustamante settles some issues, at least.

Dan Walters: Bustamante embraces -- then shuns -- a bold grab for power, Sacramento Bee
It started with an e-mail message last week to this column from a reader, asking whether strict interpretation of the state constitution would automatically make Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante the governor should Gov. Gray Davis be recalled.

Opinion: Is GOP's Dream Action Hero Ducking a Political Battle?, Los Angeles Times
Just when it looked like we might be in for the ride of our lives in California, Arnold Schwarzenegger appears to be getting cold feet.

Racial data initiative will get an early vote, San Jose Mercury-News
As if a wild and uncharted campaign to oust a sitting governor weren't enough, the upcoming California recall election will feature a divisive dose of racial politics as well.

Davis To Face Recall Election, Washington Post
California Secretary Certifies Signatures Of 1.3 Million Voters.

Early support for race measure, Sacramento Bee
Half of California's most likely voters support Ward Connerly's ballot measure to ban government agencies from collecting racial data, according to a Field Poll.

11-Week Countdown to California Recall Begins, New York Times
California embarked today on an 11-week election campaign unlike any ever seen here, as the lieutenant governor set Oct. 7 as the date for a recall vote on Gov. Gray Davis and Republicans and Democrats, many still in disbelief, ratcheted up the political rhetoric.

S&P Lowers California's Ratings, Wall St. Journal
Political Turmoil is Factor in Downgrade that Leaves Debt Just Above Junk Status.

Recall Vote Set for Oct. 7, Los Angeles Times
Names of potential successors will be on the ballot too. Candidates have only 16 days to decide whether to enter the historic race.

State schools superintendent raises concerns about recall, Ventura County Star
Removing Davis would 'destabilize state.'

Davis Admits Mistakes but Says He Remains Confident, Los Angeles Times
The governor predicts voters 'won't replace my progressive agenda with a conservative agenda.'

Court Challenges Could Enter Uncharted Territory, Los Angeles Times
The scheduling of an election Oct. 7 isn't likely to end the legal wrangling over how and when the vote on the recall of Gov. Gray Davis should take place.