HSU students to lobby this week, Eureka Times-Standard
Students from Humboldt State University and its 22 sister campuses are heading to Sacramento this week to urge legislators to keep higher education affordable.

College students unite to fight budget proposal to raise fees, Fresno Bee
Fresno State's Associated Students president and like-minded supporters announced Wednesday that they will try to marshal up to 23,000 student votes and pressure state government not to raise university fees or cut course offerings further.

Schwarzenegger's budget worries students, Daily Breeze
Dominguez Hills rally draws dozens. Because of the school's apolitical reputation, organizers are pleased.

CSU considers units cap, Chico News & Review
Now, state legislators and the California State University Chancellor's Office want to crack down on what they're calling "excess units."

SDSU, others sued by strength coach, San Diego Union-Tribune
Another lawsuit has been filed stemming from the California State University auditor's investigation into improprieties in the San Diego State equipment room.

Higher learning, Fresno Bee
McLane High students try college atmosphere through a class partnership with Fresno State.

CSUSM assures locals they'll have access in the fall, North County Times
Cal State San Marcos assured North County high school and community college students Thursday that there will be room for them at the university this fall despite increasing demand for classroom seats and diminishing financial resources.

CSUB administrator alleges threat, Bakersfield Californian
Senator denies allegation that he said he would ruin career of university official.

Vaccine step closer to human testing, Bakersfield Californian
A potential valley fever vaccine that is proving successful in lab animals could be tested on humans as soon as next year, researchers announced Wednesday at Cal State Bakersfield.

OSU provost will take the helm at U. of Idaho, Corvallie Gazette-Times
Oregon State University Provost Tim White will shake his last Corvallis hand and beam his last Corvallis smile in late June, and will turn his attention to Moscow, Idaho, where he'll take up the role of president of University of Idaho on July 1. [CSU Alumnus]

Decapitation victim died from other injuries, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
The Cal State Los Angeles professor found murdered and mutilated in her home Monday morning had been stabbed more than 30 times and suffered a severe blow to the head, according to autopsy results.

UC Berkeley plaza gets a makeover, Chico Enterprise-Record
UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza, where history was made during the Free Speech Movement and the campus' focal point for student rallies, political demonstrations and even drumming circles, will close for three months for a much-needed face-lift.

UC Merced funds teetering, Fresno Bee
Lawmakers should slash proposed funding for UC Merced in half, leaving the campus with $10 million in 2004-05, the state legislative analyst said Wednesday.

Push back UC Merced opening, report says, Modesto Bee
In a report issued Wednesday, the Legislature's nonpartisan budget adviser again urged lawmakers to push back the opening of the University of California at Merced to save money.

Water, sewer lines to be in place long before students, Modesto Bee
People will be able to flush the toilets this spring at the University of California at Merced campus, although the first students aren't expected to arrive until at least August 2005.

Local school districts hope for passage of Proposition 55, Desert Dispatch
"We are hoping it will pass," Velarde, the assistant superintendent of business services for Silver Valley Unified School District, said, "but the other propositions might hurt its chances."

FUSD could receive $100 million if Prop. 55 is backed by voters, Fontana Herald
Voter approval of Proposition 55 on the March ballot could result in the Fontana Unified School District receiving $100 million for school construction projects, according to district officials.

Officials tackle need for college classes in South Valley, Fresno Bee
Local educators, politicians and business leaders, frustrated in their attempts to get a public four-year university to the area, are trying to increase the hodgepodge of public university classes and programs offered in the area by becoming partners with community colleges and other institutions.

Chapman film school on a roll, Orange County Register
After movie-loving O.C. couple donate $20 million, funding goal is nearly met.

L.A. Teachers, Fearing Spring Cuts, Voice Concerns at Rallies, Los Angeles Times
An estimated 1,600 Los Angeles public schoolteachers and their supporters rallied Thursday to protest layoffs they fear will be coming this spring to close the school district's $500-million deficit.

Feds ease requirements for limited-English students, USA Today/AP
Schools are getting more flexibility in how they test and measure the progress of students with limited English skills as the Bush administration again tries to address concerns over the government's education overhaul.

Sordid culture in college sports?, Christian Science Monitor
Alleged incidents of sexual misconduct at Colorado and elsewhere point to possible crisis in college athletics.

More States Are Fighting 'No Child Left Behind' Law, Washington Post
Complex Provisions, Funding Gaps In Bush Education Initiative Cited.

Changes Made in Test Rules of School Law, New York Times
Amid growing opposition to the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind, federal officials announced on Thursday that the test scores of recent immigrants who do not speak English would no longer be considered in determining whether a school was meeting annual targets for academic progress.

National Group Issues Guidelines for Improving Access to College, Chronicle of Higher Education
The Pathways to College Network, an alliance of 34 national organizations dedicated to improving college access and success for underserved populations, released a report on Thursday outlining nearly 100 recommendations designed to make a college education attainable for all students.

Editorial: Vote yes for Proposition 55, Visalia Times-Delta
California is making some progress in improving education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and it is also moving toward catching up in building crucial infrastructure for higher education. This is no time to interrupt that progress.

Opinion: Truly higher education, Modesto Bee
For more than 100 years, America's colleges and universities have steadily pushed religion and spirituality off the campus. Recent evidence suggests, however, that U.S. college students are deeply interested in such matters and universities that emphasize faith in learning are growing by leaps and bounds.

Editorial: More Than College Football, New York Times
Every few years, some outrageous news from the world of college sports reminds us of how badly the present system serves the players, the schools and the communities that hope for something better from their academic neighbors

Dan Walters: Question still hangs in the airwaves: Is California governable?, Sacramento Bee
Fifteen years ago, when Pete Wilson was thinking about giving up his U.S. Senate seat and running for governor of California, a very prominent political strategist privately chastised him for considering such a move because "California is ungovernable."

Opinion: The Athlete on the Sidelines, New York Times
Today, more than 200,000 high-school and college students attend cheerleading camps each year; at least 15 percent of them participate in competitions.

Editorial: Proposition 55, San Bernardino Sun
School bond best investment we can make.

Opinion: 'Old college try' isn't about trying to get a piece of paper, Modesto Bee
Now that the spring semester is in full swing, college students are hitting the books. Homework is being assigned every week and study groups are invading coffee shops. Quizzes and tests come with regularity. It's a good time to consider why students walk through the door of a college classroom.

Bond still faces fight, poll finds, Sacramento Bee
With the release of a new poll showing voters still not sold on his March 2 bond measure, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger leaves Saturday for the East Coast to meet with fellow governors and help raise money for his campaign.

Schwarzenegger Selling Bond Act, and Himself, New York Times
Mr. Schwarzenegger is traveling the state and appearing in a $10 million advertising campaign urging passage of the bond measure. He has warned of "Armageddon cuts" and "fiscal chaos" if it fails.

NOTE: For additional political coverage, visit the Rough & Tumble website.

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