HSU unveils master's degree in social work program, Eureka Times-Standard
Children, American Indian tribes, government agencies and the community at large will benefit from Humboldt State University's new Masters in Social Work program, supporters say.

At CSU, remedial studies lingering, Sacramento Bee
High percentage of freshmen still lack English, math skills.

Most Freshmen at Cal State Still Lack Basic Academic Skills, Los Angeles Times
Fewer than half are proficient in English and math, although fewer are being kicked out as a result.

Exam to flag proficiency needs, Orange County Register
With more than half of CSU freshmen failing to master English, math or both, optional test will show problem areas.

CSU tries to spot remedial woes earlier, Contra Costa Times
A sizable majority of California State University's incoming freshmen, woefully unprepared for college, still need remedial math and English.

CSU falling short of goals, Long Beach Press-Telegram
System sees virtually no improvement on freshman test scores.

CSU freshmen still need help with beginning math and English courses, North County Times/AP
Nearly half of California State University's freshmen needed help with beginning college English courses last year while about 40 percent were unprepared for introductory math, a report released Wednesday shows. [Also: Chico Enterprise-Record]

Slight gain noted in math, English skills of CSU frosh, North County Times
Entering freshmen at Cal State San Marcos are improving in both math and English, but remain somewhat behind their colleagues throughout the CSU system in total scores, according to a report released Wednesday by the CSU system.

Cal State freshmen miss goals, Press-Enterprise
Math and English proficiency targets are not being met, according to test results.

Cal State freshmen faltering, San Bernardino Sun
Students' math, English proficiency fail to hit Board of Trustees goals.

Most CSU freshmen aren't up to speed, Oakland Tribune
In 2003, 37 percent needed remedial courses in math while 48 percent needed them in English.

Many CSUCI freshmen below par, Ventura County Star
Less than half the freshmen who enrolled at California State University, Channel Islands, in the fall met CSU proficiency standards for mathematics. Barely half of them met the proficiency standards in English.

CSU remedial plan falling shy of goal, San Francisco Chronicle
Many new students still lack proficiency in English, math.

Proficiency far below CSU board standards, Daily Bulletin
Proficiency in mathematics and English of first-time freshman who entered a California State University this past fall teetered close to last year's numbers, but remained well under the benchmark set by the CSU Board of Trustees.

Poly player indicted in 2001 Hawaiian fatality, San Luis Obispo Tribune
Cal Poly baseball player Nick Tudisco was indicted by a Hawaiian grand jury Wednesday on a charge of manslaughter in connection with a 2001 fatal crash in which he was racing with another vehicle at the time of the crash, a prosecutor said.

CHP warns drivers to watch out for cows, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Monday afternoon, a university spokeswoman [for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo] said all the escaped cattle were back in custody by Sunday morning, except for the four steers who died in the wrecks and another that broke its leg and was euthanized.

Freshman applications to UC system fall 4 percent, San Diego Union-Tribune
For the first time in more than a decade, freshman student applications to the University of California system have dropped, particularly among international and out-of-state applicants.

Budget issues delay UC-MIIS merger plans, Monterey Herald
The austerity of California's budget is forcing University of California administrators to delay a proposed merger with the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

UC president says UCSC needs more grad students, Santa Cruz Sentinel
University of California President Robert Dynes, visiting UC Santa Cruz for the first time since taking office, said he would like to see a higher percentage of graduate students on campus.

Fewer freshmen have applied to UC schools, Los Angeles Times/Daily Pilot
The decline, the first in 10 years, comes as the UC president is asking campuses to admit fewer students.

$1 million award reversed in lab case, Oakland Tribune
A state appeals court threw out a $1 million jury award Wednesday and ordered a new trial in a labor case at Lawrence Livermore weapons lab that earned notoriety for the University of California in Congress.

LBCC official sues Academic Senate over vote, Long Beach Press-Telegram
A Long Beach Community College administrator has sued the school's Academic Senate, saying the faculty body acted illegally and inappropriately when it passed a "no confidence' vote against her last September.

Fresno Unified decides against retirement plan, Fresno Bee
Officials studied incentive packages but declined to act because of cost.

Prop. 55 key to expansion of SRJC Petaluma campus, Petaluma Argus-Courier
Proposition 55, a March ballot measure that would provide $12.3 billion in bond money for California schools, is an important factor in the plan to expand Santa Rosa Junior College's Petaluma campus, officials say.

After-school events said to cut crime, Contra Costa Times
A state anti-crime group, in a report to be released today, is calling for expansion of federal and state after-school programs for teenagers to help prevent violent crime that occurs in late afternoon.

Community colleges told to adapt, Oakland Tribune
Community colleges will have to be creative and bold if they are to weather the foreboding future challenges of decreasing state funding and more competition for students, a national expert on junior colleges said Tuesday night.

Ways to finance your higher education, San Diego Union-Tribune
During the 2003-04 academic year, community college enrollment fees increased from $11 to $18 per unit, a 64 percent increase. Now, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing raising fees again, this time to $26 per unit.

State's debt a snag for college-bound, Contra Costa Time
Go to college so you can have a great future! our parents tell us. Then we read the newspaper headlines: "UC to turn away 3,200 eligible students." Or "Fewer admissions, (even) higher fees."

Chancellor Urges Broad Changes in Way Teachers Are Paid, New York Times
Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein called yesterday for sweeping changes in the way teachers are paid in New York City, advocating bonuses based on student achievement and higher salaries for teachers who agree to work in troubled schools and for those in fields where there are staff shortages, like math and science.

Learning trend: Kindergarten becomes an all-day affair, Christian Science
Monitor Armed with studies showing the importance of early education in lifelong academic success and the testimony of schools that have long been providing it, more and more states are embracing full-day kindergarten as the antidote to a host of educational ills.

Reading choices narrow for schools with federal aid, Christian Science Monitor
Districts from Boston to San Diego have had to weigh whether winning a chunk of the $900 million set aside through Reading First - President Bush's national literacy initiative and part of the 2001 education reform act No Child Left Behind - is worth ceding local control of reading curricula.

Colleges must act to serve Latinos, Modesto Bee
With Latinos graduating from high school in numbers that will keep increasing for years, the head of a higher education group that released a new report on the trend says colleges need to step up efforts to accommodate the nation's largest minority.

Editorial: Our View: Tuition hikes are reasonable, North County Times
A proposal to triple university fees in England nearly set Prime Minister Tony Blair's government tottering this week, even as California college students grumble about similar fee hikes here.

Daniel Weintraub: Governor is breaking his promise on public records, Sacramento Bee
Aides said Schwarzenegger, if elected, would propose reforms making public virtually every document in the government's possession, from the governor's calendar of meetings to drafts of proposals from his advisers, even internal e-mails.

Letters to the Editor, Modesto Bee
Stan State students don't get guidance

Prison watchdog office told it will shut soon, San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this week began shutting down part of the independent agency that acts as watchdog over state prisons, despite legislative calls to beef up the investigative unit.

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

Proficiency of CSU Freshmen Holds Steady, CSU Public Affairs
Proficiency in mathematics of first-year freshmen who entered the California State University in fall 2003 remained steady at 63 percent, and English increased from 51 to 52 percent.

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