No huff yet over new puff rule, Salinas Californian
Before you light up at California State University, Monterey Bay, you might want to take a few extra steps away from campus buildings.

Students go out to rein in fees, Sacramento Bee
More than 400 at CSUS join campuses around the state in protesting the governor's plan to hike their costs for the third time in 18 months.

Study says Cal Poly has $1 billion impact on county's economy, San Luis Obispo Tribune
More than $1 of every $9 earned or spent last year in San Luis Obispo County can be tied to Cal Poly, according to a new study by a finance professor at the university.

Cal Poly's limited summer program curtailed further, San Luis Obispo Tribune
Cal Poly has shelved a plan to offer a limited summer school program through its Continuing Education program.

Sac State's ex-hockey team probed, Sacramento Bee
Talk about thin ice: The captain of Sacramento State's hockey club was arrested last week on a grand theft charge, and the team itself was disbanded after administrators found that only three of its 28 members were students.

Poly dorm project hits bump: Snails, San Luis Obispo Tribune
Endangered species found on site, but construction stays on target.

Ground broken on alumni center, Salinas Californian
Facility should be ready by January 2005.

Chico State student dies from crash injuries, Chico Enterprise-Record
Scott D. Melton, a senior at Chico State University majoring in business, died Friday following a crash in Shasta County Feb. 27.

Residents take on UC plan to raze village, Contra Costa Times
A plan to demolish hundreds of housing units at University Village and build hundreds more has prompted strong criticism from residents wanting to keep housing costs low, as well as save a 14-acre plot of land used for farming and university agricultural research.

Cal pledges to work with city on hotel, Berkeley Voice
In a double coup for Mayor Tom Bates, UC Berkeley has hired a developer for Bates' pet project, a downtown hotel and conference center, and agreed to make the project subject to the city's review process. The upshot: more taxes for the city coffers and more control for city officials.

Transfer students turn late start to advantage, Contra Costa Times
Transfer students at UC Berkeley have had to build their own world. They have a student association. They hold potlucks. Next month they're going to have their own talent show. So while they are a part of the campus, they are also apart from it.

Tribal gift of $4 million to UCLA sets record, Contra Costa Times/AP
Flush with casino wealth, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians gave $4 million Wednesday to the law school at UCLA to support American Indian studies.

UCSD gets $7.5 million to establish institute to research mind, brain, San Diego Union-Tribune
UCSD has been awarded $7.5 million to advance brain research, the university announced yesterday.

Algebra standard softened, Sacramento Bee
State lets districts apply for waivers so seniors can graduate.

School to keep ethnic studies, Chico Enterprise-Record
Student leaders who asked the district to dump what they called divisive ethnic studies courses at Berkeley High School lost their battle this week when the school board approved a plan to continue the classes this fall.

Deficit-Plagued School District Trims 480 Jobs, Los Angeles Times
The L.A. board's action is a major step toward closing a $500-million gap. But $61.3 million still needs to be chopped.

Alumni are getting more generous, USA Today
Alumni donations to U.S. colleges and universities increased 11.9% last year, a rebound from the sharp declines of the previous year, a survey reports today.

Lawmakers at Hearing on College-Sports Scandals Urge Presidents to Take Control, Chronicle of Higher Education
Responding to reports that the University of Colorado and other institutions have used sex to recruit athletes, members of Congress at a hearing on Thursday demanded that college presidents take control of their athletics programs, and suggested the National Collegiate Athletic Association consider requiring presidents to sign accountability statements.

Colleges Fear IRS Plan Could Make More Students Liable for Social Security Taxes, Chronicle of Higher Education
Tax officials at many colleges fear that a rule change proposed by the Internal Revenue Service could cost colleges millions of dollars by making nearly every student employee subject to Social Security taxes.

Debate: Improving Public Schools, USA Today
To more and more states across the country, many of the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act defy logic.

Dan Walters: Politics as usual? Governor creates economic commission, Sacramento Bee
Last year, with the state budget bleeding red ink, the Legislature finally closed down the Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency and canceled some of the least defensible economic development programs, including those ridiculous trade offices

Editorial: Speak out loudly against stupidity, Chico Enterprise-Record
If there's anything positive that can be drawn from several recent race-related incidents on the Chico State University campus, it's the community's reaction to them.

Editorial: Dishonoring the Dead, Los Angeles Times
What's perhaps most shocking about the arrest of a UCLA official accused of trading in parts of donated human bodies for his own profit is that it should have proved so shocking to university officials.

Assembly panel seeks ways to curb costs, Sacramento Bee
Lawmakers want more from U.S. to maintain programs for disabled.

Workers' comp deadlock may end, Sacramento Bee
New numbers lead governor to say he might compromise.

State big-time loser as landlord, Los Angeles Daily News
Saying California is losing billions of dollars in potential revenue, two Republican lawmakers on Thursday proposed requiring the state to determine how much property it owns, sell off any surplus and ensure it gets fair-market value on leases.

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

CSU Newsline
Here's the latest news from the CSU's 23 campuses.

CSU Leader
For breaking news and upcoming events, subscribe to CSU Leader, the weekly e-news publication of the CSU.