3 First-Class Students Make History, Los Angeles Times
The newest university in the Cal State system graduated its first class Friday. All three students. Because Cal State Northridge has been operating a satellite campus at Channel Islands as the new university got off the ground, about 400 students graduating from the extension program also participated in Friday's ceremony.

CSUCI presents first degrees to students, Ventura County Star
They were the first students to enroll in classes at California State University, Channel Islands. Friday, the teaching credential students also were the first CSUCI students to cross the stage at the school's inaugural commencement ceremony.

Classy guy gives his take on graduation, Ventura County Star
Four-thousand people gathered on the South Quad lawn of California State University, Channel Islands, on Friday to mark one of humanity's few purely joyous occurrences.

Father and son among today's SJSU grads, San Jose Mercury News
They did all the things that fathers and sons do -- they fished together, camped together, learned about martial arts together. And today, Art Ordonio and son Andre did something else together -- they graduated from college.

For most CSU graduates, their degrees took much longer than four years, Sacramento Bee
Barr was among the nearly 4,000 students Friday who participated in commencement ceremonies at California State University, Sacramento -- the largest number ever.

Peter Yarrow delivers commencement address at SFSU, San Luis Obispo The Tribune/AP
Peter Yarrow, one-third of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, serenaded and inspired the graduating class at San Francisco State University Saturday, delivering a commencement address that evoked memories of 1960s peace protests.

Graduation party ends in death on 19th Ave., San Francisco Chronicle
Thrilled at graduating from San Francisco State University on Saturday, Dalton and a group of fellow graduates celebrated Sunday night at a home nearby.

Teen earns college degree, Fresno Bee
He plans to transfer to California State University, Fresno, in the fall and study computer science, specifically Web design. His goal is to graduate from college and get his drivers license in two years.

CSUMB graduating seniors apply their education in special projects, Monterey County Herald
CSU-Monterey Bay has long been in love with the idea of "learning outcomes," its fuzzy New Age term for "applying what you know."

Spirited Discourse, Monterey County Herald
CSU-Monterey Bay graduated its seventh class on Saturday in a ceremony that focused on the school's multicultural mission and the state's ailing budget.

1,300 CSU students graduate, Chico Enterprise-Record
Highlighting the day was the presentation of an honorary doctorate degree to local business leader Steve Nettleton, who also gave the commencement address.

Graduation day is also a day of reflection, Chico Enterprise-Record
Nearly 1,400 students tossed their tassels Sunday and said goodbye to Chico State University. The school's president also said farewell.

Send-off under oaks, Press-Democrat
About an hour after his name was called and he stepped forward to receive his diploma, Aaron Junior Turner caught sight of Theo Brident, his technical theater instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College. Next week Turner will pick up another diploma, for his bachelor's degree from Sonoma State University, where he majored in technical theater.

CSUN grads sought out challenges, Los Angeles Daily News
One student spent four years serving her country before going to college. Another delayed his education so his brothers could follow in his footsteps. The pair are among a record 8,260 CSUN students who will receive their diplomas this week in a series of graduation ceremonies starting today!

Kennedy's brief shining moment at college in 1963 stirs memories, San Diego Union-Tribune
The Nobel laureate physicist who was first choice for San Diego State's commencement speaker in 1963 didn't mind deferring to second choice: John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States.

Jobs remain elusive for grads, Long Beach Press-Telegram
With CSULB conferring more than 5,000 bachelor's and master's degrees at ceremonies Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, graduates said they are having a tough time finding work at the salaries they desire.

Today's grads can't find easy street on a map, Los Angeles Daily News
The university's most recent job fair attracted 145 employers -- up from 120 last year, said Patricia Gaynor, CSUN's employer relations coordinator. But some employers who were contacted declined to attend, citing recent layoffs.

CSULB dean dies from cancer, Long Beach Press-Telegram
Glenn Nagel, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Cal State Long Beach, has died.

Children nutrition project tops at CSUSM, North County Times
A project aimed at turning children from junk food to good eating is among those taking top honors this spring as part of a program that gives Cal State San Marcos business students real-world consulting experience.

Controversial $140M Home Depot Center at CSUDH in Carson ready for first event, Long Beach Press-Telegram
If it wasn't homeowners in Carson trying to stop the project with lawsuits, then it was financial analysts questioning the center's profitability. If it wasn't educators wondering about the dynamic of having the project built on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills, then it was the media questioning the lure of Carson.

Poor job market raises concerns among students, Ventura County Star
Robert Holland may still be a junior at California State University, Channel Islands. But he's so nervous about finding work in his field after he graduates, he's already scoping out job fairs.

SDSU athletic director saw empire collapse when betrayed by staffing, San Diego Union-Tribune
He never got that far, opting for the other R-word - resignation - Thursday after SDSU President Stephen Weber threatened to fire him in the wake of an 11-month audit by the California State University Chancellor's Office that was highly critical of the athletic department.

Employee alleges more SDSU vices, San Diego Union-Tribune
Indignant over conduct he considers corrupt, and frustrated by the university's response to his complaints, Montes de Oca has elected to take his whistle-blowing public. The 49-year-old equipment manager does not claim responsibility for the demise of athletic director Rick Bay, but his recent allegations can only widen the scope of SDSU's internal inquiry.

Birding Group May Rescue Sanctuary, Los Angeles Times
Angry that Cal State Fullerton has closed and failed to maintain a Modjeska Canyon bird sanctuary, the Audubon Society is threatening to take it back from the university foundation to which it was entrusted.

The city hopes to create a vibrant area around CSUS, Sacramento Bee
The trend hasn't gone unnoticed by city leaders. They have taken several steps toward creating a college town around California State University, Sacramento. Over the next two decades, they envision a campus integrated with the surrounding community, much like the college town atmosphere in Davis or Chico, or even mini-versions of Berkeley or Westwood.

Cal State Hayward lauded for recycling, The Daily Review
California State University, Hayward, has won a top award from the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Recycling Board for its recycling efforts.

Retired Couple Returns to College, Then Donates $25,000 to SFSU, Chronicle of Higher Education
Most students need to borrow money to go to college, but a husband and wife in California have given money away while they are in college.

A celebration of song, Sacramento Bee
Lynn Stevens, who gave birth to the chorus as her master's project at California State University, Sacramento, has nurtured it into a regional institution and shepherded it to national prominence. This week, the current crop of youthful singers and their director will celebrate the first 10 years with two special concerts.

Summer students slugged with fee hike, Oakland Tribune
University President Richard Atkinson has directed campuses to raise fees for the summer session classes, some of which begin this month, in anticipation of a tuition increase that will be voted on in coming weeks.

UC Raising Fees by About 25%, Los Angeles Times
The University of California will raise summer school fees by about 25% at its nine campuses, and it anticipates more possible increases in the upcoming school year, officials announced last week.

UC raises price of summer school sessions, San Jose Mercury News
At UC-Berkeley, 8,000 students who already had registered for summer classes and paid their fees learned Friday that they will have to pay more. The first of Berkeley's four summer sessions begins Tuesday, while the other UC campuses start summer school in June.

Rosalynn Carter honored, The Daily Review
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter was awarded Thursday the highest honor bestowed by the University of California, San Francisco for her work on mental health issues.

Mondavi dream coming up short, Sacramento Bee
Despite a $25 million gift, University of California, Davis, officials will be hard pressed to squeeze out enough donations to complete a landmark wine and food science center as quickly as planned.

Chancellor Tackles Image Problems, Los Angeles Times
Chancellor Tackles Image Problems The new head of UC Riverside wants respect for her school -- and the way she sees herself.

UC Riverside is Fed Up With Being the Consolation Prize for Students, Los Angeles Times
This spring the University of California at Riverside accepted more than 22,000 high school seniors for the coming fall's freshman class.

NEA president says area teachers' gripes common across country, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Based in Washington, D.C., Weaver heads the a 2.7-million- member teachers union that has members from pre-school through university graduate programs. Weaver travels nationwide speaking to various groups as an advocate for education.

State ready to take over schools, Oakland Tribune
Gov. Gray Davis is expected to sign off on a state takeover of the Oakland schools as soon as next week, following a close vote in the state Assembly Friday to approve a $100 million bailout for the near-broke school district.

L.A. District Weighs Furloughs to Save Jobs, Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Unified School District is proposing to furlough its 80,000 employees for up to five days without pay next year to help cope with a $381-million budget shortfall and avoid layoffs. For teachers, that would mean losing some vacation and preparation days but would not reduce students' instruction time.

Exam scores show a gulf between white, Latino students , North County Times
That was the order handed down to students several years ago in the form of the California High School Exit Exam, the standardized test that will decide which students walk out of North County's high schools next spring with a diploma and which ones just walk out.

Schools' lottery share no jackpot, Contra Costa Times/San Jose Mercury News
Maybe it was hyperbole; maybe it was just frustration. But at a recent town hall meeting at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, state schools chief Jack O'Connell uttered a surprisingly stark pronouncement. The California lottery, he said, "has done more to hurt public education than almost anything."

Hispanic Students Glance , Contra Costa Times/AP
The President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, based on 18 months of review, made the following recommendations.

The revived Belmont Learning Center is the curse of the LAUSD, LA Daily News
With their decision to complete the Belmont Learning Center, the flip-flopping Los Angeles school board and Superintendent Roy Romer have committed the ultimate betrayal of parents, students, teachers and taxpayers.

Charters: Searching for schools that work, Long Beach Press-Telegram
That's because as the state slashes funding to school districts, and as school districts lay off teachers and expand class sizes, parents who can afford it are seeking refuge in private or parochial schools.

$350-Billion Tax Cut is Expected to Have Mixed Effects on Colleges, Chronicle of Higher Education
The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate last week sent a $350-billion tax-cut bill to President Bush, who is expected to sign it. The bill is expected to limit federal spending and does not include a controversial provision that would have decreased the tax deduction individuals and corporations receive for donating intellectual property, such as patents, to colleges.

For Many College Savings Plans, a Year of Lost Savings, New York Times
Most investors in state-sponsored college savings plans have found that the performance of their portfolios bears much resemblance to the returns of the overall stock and bond markets.

Harvard May Spurn Gift on Grounds of Prejudice, Los Angeles Times
Most investors in state-sponsored college savings plans have found that the performance of their portfolios bears much resemblance to the returns of the overall stock and bond markets.

Paying the President's Spouse, Chronicle of Higher Education
Not much has been written about presidential spouses. This is a curious fact in light of the extremely important role that she or he plays on every college or university campus in America. But then most of these spouses are used to going about their daily work without much fanfare.

Congressman's company makes large donation to recall effort, Modesto Bee/AP
A company owned by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa gave $445,000 to a campaign to recall Gov. Gray Davis, according to papers filed with the Secretary of State Friday.

Davis wants agenda mandate, not its costs, Ventura County Star
Hit by criticism from open- meeting advocates, Gov. Gray Davis is rethinking a plan to save about $9.3 million a year by dropping a mandate that requires local government boards to post their agendas.

Despite questions, state continues to add new overseas offices, Orange County Register
Legislators have criticized the state trade offices and their parent agency for failing to provide measurable results, but that hasn't stopped lawmakers from voting to add new foreign outposts.

SDSU seeks to fix its athletic department, San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego State University President Stephen P. Weber sent a needed message to the Aztecs athletic department when he announced Rick Bay's forced resignation. Weber's signal was clear: Shape up or else.

PUSD on road to literacy success, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Contrary to frequently identified culprits, this is not a reference to drugs or school violence, but rather the growing numbers of students across the state and in the Pasadena Unified School District who are reading significantly below their grade level. Students who, without immediate and radical intervention, will struggle through every textbook, unable to comprehend the words on the page and the meaning those words transmit.

Education excellence has its prize, Long Beach Press-Telegram
This month the Broad Foundation is recognizing the top five finalist districts, out of over 16,000 school districts nationwide who have proven to be the most inventive, successful school districts with their annual Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize is awarded annually to urban public school districts demonstrating the greatest gains in student achievement and making the greatest strides toward closing the achievement gap.

Editorial: A budget map, Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gray Davis made the rounds of newspaper editorial boards in recent days, urging papers to put the heat on anyone in the state Capitol, Democrat or Republican, who gets in the way of passing a state budget on time. Name names, the governor urged us.

Governor tries to shear Brown Act, Chico Enterprise-Record
Davis says he can save the state money by no longer requiring governmental bodies to post meaningful meeting agendas. He said if local entities aren't required to post agendas listing meeting times and items to be discussed, it could save the state $9 million next year. (He apparently doesn't take into account all of the litigation costs that would follow.)

Weintraub: In state's time of need, the governor fails to lead, Sacramento Bee
Everyone is talking about California's $38 billion budget gap. But the state has another shortfall that's even bigger: the leadership deficit.

The 'Budget Nun' Earns Her Pay and Bipartisan Respect, Los Angeles Times
Think there are no taxpayer bargains in Sacramento? Here's one and it's a steal: the $5.5 million we shell out to operate the office of Legislative Analyst Elizabeth G. Hill.

Senior policy analyst in the office of Gov. Gray Davis State fiscal situation hardly unique, Orange County Register
Since the release of Gov. Gray Davis' budget last January, the Register has printed numerous commentaries critical of the governor and his administration, particularly regarding fiscal policy. Those commentaries have often been laced with assertions that simply aren't true. As Ronald Reagan liked to say, facts are stubborn things.

Tribe committed to furthering educational aims, San Bernardino Sun
The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians' recent donation of $3 million to Cal State San Bernardino is a milestone for the tribe and the campus and symbolizes a longtime valuable partnership.

Keep public informed, Contra Costa Times
One of the things that Gov. Gray Davis wants to cut to save money would considerably weaken the state's law mandating notification of the public of the meetings of city councils, school boards and other local government agencies.

Note: On Monday, May 26, The Press-Telegram reprinted Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters' column, "Hypocritical Charge of Wasteful Spending," which did critize the CSU for its CMS project, but more directly took the legislators to task for their own inability to get things done.

Heightened alert puts new strain on budget, San Diego Union-Tribune
The extra measures prompted by the orange terrorism alert, mainly overtime for the increased duties of the California Highway Patrol, add $500,000 a week to the state's expenses, according to Gov. Gray Davis.

Legislators set for budget vote, Contra Costa Times/AP
Committees in both the Senate and Assembly will vote on their versions of the state budget today, setting the stage for negotiations that will try to erase a deficit that could hit $38.2 billion.

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