Cardboard, string and a stylish place to sit, San Luis Obispo Tribune
Cal Poly's annual cardboard design competition will be more grounded this year.

College fee bill nixed by state committee , Desert Sun
Legislation would have required schools give notice of planned hikes. [CSU testimony]

Genuine remorse was good first step, San Jose Mercury-News
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after being pulled over by San Jose State University police near campus early Wednesday morning.

Lean budget plans dismay universities, San Jose Mercury-News
University of California regents began grappling Wednesday with a new political reality -- a governor asking California students to pay a larger share of the cost of their education to help close the state's gaping budget deficit.

Regents plan for tight budget, Oakland Tribune
University of California, struggling with a possible $372 million in state budget cuts, hasn't ruled out raising undergraduate fees above 10 percent next school year and has ordered campuses to begin planning for an immediate 10 percent reduction in enrollment next fall.

UC girds for state cuts, San Francisco Chronicle
Up to 8,200 students who would have been admitted to the University of California as freshmen this fall instead would be offered spots at community colleges -- free of charge -- under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget, UC's budget director said Wednesday.

Regents Advance UC's Chance at Lab Contracts, Los Angeles Times
The University of California Board of Regents took steps Thursday to allow the university to compete for the contracts to continue managing three national energy laboratories, including nuclear weapons facilities.

Transfer plan may be hard sell, UC officials say, Sacramento Bee
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his money-saving pitch to initially divert some of the state's brightest high school graduates to community colleges, University of California officials Thursday debated whether the proposal could work.

2 UC regents push for in-depth talks on bidding to manage labs, San Francisco Chronicle
Two members of the University of California Board of Regents called Thursday for a serious discussion about whether UC should compete for contracts to continue its longtime job running the nation's nuclear weapons laboratories.

Regent Huerta asks for reappointment, San Francisco Chronicle
Huerta was appointed by Davis in September to fill an unexpired term that ends on March 1. Some viewed the appointment as a move by the embattled Davis to shore up the Latino vote.

State's cuts to colleges frustrate students, Contra Costa Times
UC regents expressed skepticism Thursday at their meeting in San Francisco that any students headed for a four-year university would agree to change their plans.

Regents skeptical about UC, CSU enrollment plan, San Diego Union-Tribune
A proposal by the governor to cut costs while easing the impact of severe enrollment reductions at the University of California next year has several skeptics among UC's governing board of regents.

UC prepares for lab contract bid, Contra Costa Times
University of California Regents gave President Robert Dynes broad powers Thursday to prepare for stiff competition in the system's bid to continue running three national research labs.

Denham bid to stall university fee hikes defeated, Modesto Bee
For seven years, fees stayed the same at California's public universities. But when state money started drying up, fees jumped 10 percent in 2002-03, then 30 percent, and Gov. Schwarzenegger is proposing an additional 10 percent increase next year.

Acalanes parents, teachers brainstorm funding ideas, Contra Costa Times
Anticipating a $2.3 million deficit for 2004-05, the Acalanes school district got good news from Sacramento last week: It's only $1.7 million in debt.

Schools count on $12.3b bond measure for repairs, building, Fresno Bee
Community and education leaders urged support of a $12.3 billion statewide school-bond measure Thursday in Fresno, saying California schools and colleges are overcrowded and in disrepair.

College? Sorry Kid, You're on Your Own, Wall St. Journal
Is it so wrong to expect your kids to pay for at least some of their own college education?

Reading, writing and revenue, CNN/AP
Cash-strapped schools turn to marketing deals.

How 'Qualified' a Teacher Is Varies by State, Wall St. Journal
When Congress passed the ambitious new education law two years ago this month, one of its goals was to improve instruction by ridding classrooms of teachers who didn't know enough about the subjects they taught.

Students Protest for Right to Vote, Los Angeles Times/AP
Hundreds of students at Prairie View A&M University marched to county court Thursday to protest efforts by a local official to keep them from voting because of questions about their residency.

Study Cites Lack of Female Professors, Los Angeles Times
Women have a difficult time getting faculty jobs in science-related fields, the report finds.

Universities Seek Steady Funding, Washington Post
Md. Considers Curbing Tuition.

Teachers face new hurdle, San Bernardino Sun
They must show they're 'highly qualified' under new federal rules.

Editorial: Fund colleges before opening UC Merced, Visalia Times-Delta
It's difficult to see what sense it makes to continue building a university whose hopes of opening in 2005 are dubious at best while making it more difficult for existing students to receive an education.

Editorial: Preserve Chula Vista land for a four-year university, San Diego Union-Tribune
Establishing a four-year university on land set aside in Otay Ranch is not a pipe dream. It may be more difficult than Chula Vista city leaders first envisioned, but it's a goal well worth a long-term commitment.

Editorial: Failure of $15 billion bond would be disaster, North County Time
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will need to use all his charm and powers of persuasion to persuade voters to pass the $15 billion deficit-recovery bond on the March 2 ballot. Two polls released Thursday show voters are dead set against it.

Governor to Mold Bond Campaign Around Fear, Los Angeles Times
To overcome weak public support for his $15-billion bond measure on the March ballot, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning a bipartisan campaign to unify Californians of all backgrounds and ideologies around one emotion: fear.

State's Swing Voters Cut the Governor Some Slack, Los Angeles Times
The Democrats and independents who backed him seem to be in a forgiving mood.

State budget ax won't fall on lawmakers, San Diego Union-Tribune
Governor spares his own office, Legislature from spending cuts.

Borrowing called a necessity, Contra Costa Times
Even if voters reject Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's $15 billion bond issue on the March 2 ballot, the state must borrow heavily to get out of its fiscal mess, a top administration official said Thursday.

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

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