Sports venue a plus after all, Long Beach Press-Telegram
Cal State Dominguez Hills is sometimes forgotten among the higher-profile Southland universities. It's not uncommon for the unfamiliar to ask: Where is the city of Dominguez?

The waiting is over, The Daily Breeze
When the Home Depot Center in Carson opened the doors to its new soccer stadium Saturday at California State University, Dominguez Hills, two predictions came true.

College loan site flourishes, Fresno Bee
Inspired by a television commercial for the United Negro College Fund, O'Brien typed the words "Financialaide.com" into his computer early one morning in 1998. That led the California State University, Fresno, graduate to start a company that this year has 75 employees and is expected to generate as much as $1.4 billion in loan volume.

Adversity And Opportunity: The Class of 2003 and the schools they leave behind face challenges, Modesto Bee
They can choose their direction, vocation or profession. They can get involved in their communities. They can, as urged by former state Sen. Patrick Johnston of Stockton, the keynote speaker last week at the graduation at California State University, Stanislaus, give back to the world and make a difference in people's lives.

Students' Peru trip offers education on U.S. image, San Bernardino Sun
About 14 advanced Spanish students at Cal State San Bernardino spent four weeks in May taking and teaching classes at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima and traveling around Peru as part of a new university program. They learned as much about perceptions of America as they did about Peru.

Fresno State launches program for executive degrees, Fresno Bee
Fresno State is launching a new degree, designed to equip working executives with the knowledge and skills they need to move into higher management.

Stanislaus State dean gets down to business, Modesto Bee
Amin Elmallah has wasted little time as dean of the College of Business Administration at California State University, Stanislaus. Students and faculty -- along with business leaders in the region -- are praising him for effective leadership.

Three plans to balance the state budget, San Francisco Chronicle
Here is a look at the differences among the three versions of the state budget. All three are premised on paying off $10.7 billion of the state's deficit over five years and more than $8 billion in higher taxes, including a temporary half-cent sales tax boost to retire the deficit. A budget conference committee is working this weekend to reconcile the Senate plan and Assembly Budget Committee plan.

Democrats' budget surpasses governor's, North County Times
As serious negotiations began this week on the state budget, Democrats in the Legislature dropped a pair of proposals on the table that would increase Gov. Gray Davis' revised spending plan by $2 billion.

Red ink will likely dog state for years, San Bernardino Sun
Even if the Legislature approved Gov. Gray Davis' budget tomorrow, the state would still face a four-year deficit of an estimated $27.7 billion.

Leading with Brulte force, Mercury-News
He once tipped the scales at 369 pounds, but he's 100 pounds trimmer now. Jim Brulte, the Senate's Republican leader, thinks that it's time for California to cinch its fiscal belt just as tight.

With 6 Days to Go, Budget Talks in Chaos, Los Angeles Times
Republicans have locked themselves into an antitax position while Democrats say they refuse to make more cuts in social programs.

Budget deadline bearing down, Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gray Davis and his supporters are mounting campaigns to press lawmakers to come to a quick budget deal, with seven days remaining until a constitutional deadline for the Legislature to adopt a budget agreement and no apparent consensus in sight.

State strains to find budget solution, San Francisco Chronicle
Lawmakers may use accounting tricks to balance books.

2 Students Charged in Fish Death, Los Angeles Times
Two members of a UC Santa Cruz fraternity currently being filmed for an MTV reality series were charged with misdemeanors Friday after a prank that has left many on the campus reeling.

UC Set to Announce Appointment of New President, Los Angeles Times
The University of California is expected next week to announce the appointment of a new president, seven months after UC President Richard C. Atkinson said that he would step down from the post in the fall.

UC Berkeley ethanol study sparks discord, Oakland Tribune
The ethanol industry sharply rebuked a study by University of California, Berkeley freshmen concluding it takes more energy to produce ethanol than the amount of petroleum saved when the additive is combined with gasoline.

Regents consider green-building policy, Oalkand Tribune
A policy under consideration next week by a UC regents committee would require that all new buildings constructed on UC campuses meet nationally accepted environmental and clean-energy standards.

Elite regents dictate policy for UC system, Contra Costa Times
The University of California board of regents isn't your average school board.

Former homeless UC Berkeley student speaks at graduation, Monterey Herald/AP
Duane De Witt, a 48-year-old army veteran who overcame homelessness and repeated rejection from the University of California, Berkeley, went on to graduate from the prestigious university with top honors and to deliver a keynote speech at commencement ceremonies.

CLU receives grant totaling $1.6 million, Ventura County Star
The $1.6 million grant entirely funds the program, which prepares low-income, first-generation high school students for higher education.

Trustees hold long closed meeting; no decision yet on top job, Ventura County Star
The Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees interviewed finalists for the chancellor's position Friday but came out of a marathon closed session without making any decisions on filling the job.

Oracle makes hostile offer, The Mercury News
Oracle made a hostile $5.1 billion offer Friday to buy rival PeopleSoft, setting the stage for a dramatic battle between the strong-willed chieftains of two of the Bay Area's leading software companies.

Firms have history of bad blood, Contra Costa Times
For years under company founder David Duffield, PeopleSoft Inc. took Oracle Corp. to task for everything from its boss Larry Ellison's cutthroat management style to his swinging social life.

Oracle renders $5.1 billion offer for PeopleSoft, Ventura County Star
SAN FRANCISCO -- Oracle Corp. mounted a $5.1 billion hostile takeover bid Friday for business software rival PeopleSoft that the target's chief executive angrily rebuffed as a blatant attempt to derail his own merger plans.

Teachers chief faces tough test, Press-Enterprise
The Riverside elementary school teacher assumes the helm of the powerful teachers union as the state confronts an estimated $38.2 billion budget deficit, the largest in its history, with hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to education possible.

Stiffer audits irritate schools, Sacramento Bee
For many years, school districts, cities and counties have gotten away with "guesstimating" how much the state owes them for doing a wide array of day-to-day services and programs mandated by law.

Dream Ends for Oakland School Chief as State Takes Over, New York Times
On Monday, Gov. Gray Davis approved a $100 million emergency loan for Oakland, the biggest school bailout in California history. The state also appointed an administrator, Randolph E. Ward, who will begin running the 48,000-student district on June 16.

Union vote on college pay cut may save budget, San Diego Union-Tribune
Members of a labor union representing Southwestern College employees will vote this week on whether to give up 2 percent of their pay, a decision college officials say would help balance the school's budget.

One-third of juniors have yet to pass exam, Daily Bulletin
Officials say class of 2004 is making progress on exit test.

States Take the Lead on Policies for Immigrants, Los Angeles Times
With federal immigration reform at a standstill, state governments are moving ahead on issues that have practical but profound consequences in the daily lives of millions of undocumented migrants.

Court Report Faults Chief Judge in University Admissions Case, New York Times
The chief judge of the federal appeals court in Cincinnati, which narrowly upheld the use of the race-conscious admissions program at the University of Michigan last May, acted improperly in handling the case, an internal court report has found.

Ivy Envy, New York Times Magazine
If you want to make yourself the world's first global university — and New York University does — start with your economics department and try a Yankees-like acquisition of talent.

Graduates encounter grim job prospects, San Diego Union-Tribune
"This spring's college graduates are entering the worst job market in 20 years," said Robert Reich, an economist and the secretary of labor in the Clinton administration.

Low rates enticing for graduates, Fresno Bee/Los Angeles Times
Student loan rates will hit a new low in July, and some lenders are crowing that now is the time for both graduates and indebted parents to consider consolidating outstanding loans in order to lock in the new rates.

Opinion: Golden Handshake, Press Democrat
While many school districts are offering retirement incentives, the California State University (CSU) system drags its feet on this cost-saving measure.

Opinion: A dose of truth for graduates, San Bernardino Sun
Listen up. You can work hard, never quit and still fall short because of serendipity that has nothing to do with your character or abilities. Or maybe you trip up and it has everything to do with your character or abilities. No matter. Think of all the people who wanted to, but didn't grow up to be Sally Ride, William Rehnquist, Bill Gates or J.K. Rowling, and not for lack of trying.

Editorial: Heed local needs in search, Bakersfield Californian
It is with gratitude that the community wishes Cal State Bakersfield President Tomas Arciniega well as he moves into retirement.

Opinion: Botched UC campus choice still haunting Fresno, Fresno Bee
The question that haunts local leaders is how landing the University of California campus planned for the Valley would have changed Fresno's economic landscape. But in 1995, the UC Board of Regents selected Merced County for the 10th UC campus, rejecting bids from Fresno and Madera counties.

Opinion: UC, CSU tuition increases would bring hardships, Daily Breeze
As regents of the University of California and trustees of the California State University system get set to impose heavy and dramatic new fee increases on hundreds of thousands of students, they would be well-advised to look back 10 years.

Opinion: Don't create barriers to education, Fresno Bee
In an attempt to correct the state's huge fiscal problem, Gov. Gray Davis
has suggested a significant increase in tuition for California's community
colleges.

George Skelton: Surrogates Just Won't Do; In Budget Crisis, the State Needs Davis to Lead, Los Angeles Times
The most comical scene in the Capitol this year was at Gov. Gray Davis' announcement of his May budget revision.

Editorial : Wanted - focus on the exit exam, North County Times
It is reasonable for educators to breathe easier as a bill moves forward that delays the effective date of the California High School Exit Exam a couple of years, but it may not be in the best interest of this year's junior class or the ones coming in following years if this happens.

Dan Walters: Politicians jockeying as Davis recall drive gains steam, Sacramento Bee
A month ago, forcing Gov. Gray Davis to face a recall election appeared to be a long shot, at best, because recall organizers lacked money for a professional signature-gathering drive. Today, it's at least an even bet, thanks to an infusion of money from Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, who wants to succeed Davis.

Daniel Weintraub: Connerly's race initiative deserves some honest debate, Sacramento Bee
Ward Connerly has an idea. It is simple yet revolutionary. And it needs to be debated seriously. It is this: The government has no business asking individuals to report their race or ethnicity on official forms.

Opinion: State's budget woes leave cities in fiscal jeopardy, Daily Bulletin
California's fiscal collapse has interest groups protecting their funds from a desperate state capitol. The race to the July 1 budget deadline places a premium on political clout, not just legitimacy. But one group will have a harder time than others -- financially stressed cities with concentrations of low-income residents.

Opinion: Some Students Fear It's a Case of 'No Exit' Exam, Los Angeles Times
For a while, I had thought that there would be so many lawsuits, the state exit exam would just go away. So did many of my colleagues, but, like death and taxes, it seemed to be here to stay.

Editorial: California Loses in a Recall, Los Angeles Times
Is Gov. Gray Davis anyone's favorite politician? No. Not in this lifetime. But let's think for a moment about the potential consequences of the recall effort building against him.

Editorial: Get a government job, San Francisco Chronicle
First, there was the energy crisis that cost California billions. Then came the sinking economy that drained the public treasury. "I won't be the least bit surprised is the next thing is the pension crisis," said John Russo, Oakland's city attorney and president of the League of California Cities.

Dan Walters: Washington and Sacramento -- Capitals occupied by adverse forces, Sacramento Bee
The passage of time has not diminished California's sense of being different. If anything, the size of its population and economy, its cultural diversity and its global status have enhanced California's metaphysical separation from the rest of the nation.

Budget ills spark talk of tweaking Prop. 13, Mercury News
Twenty-five years later, supporters say that handcuffing the tax-and-spenders and making property taxes predictable was the best thing that ever happened to California. But talk of changing pieces of Proposition 13 is in the air.

Lobbyist Threatens Legislators Before Vote , Los Angeles Times
A lobbyist and Democratic political advisor threatened political retaliation Thursday against two members of the Assembly before a key vote on a bill backed by his client, the United Farm Workers.

Davis' recall tactic may be hailed as inventive, ingenious, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Desperate times can breed unique tactics. It's happened before with Gov. Gray Davis and it appears to be happening again.

Recall attempts old hat in state, Sacramento Bee
But Davis supporters worry because this one is backed by a rich congressman.

Board of Education targeted, Sacramento Bee
Democratic lawmakers are trying to gain some control over the panel.