CSU offers 3,800 freshmen a detour, Sacramento Bee
Students could go to two-year schools and transfer as juniors. [Also in Fresno Bee.]

Eligible students rejected by CSU to get transfer option, San Diego Union-Tribune
Thousands of students who were eligible for admission to the California State University system but rejected by one of its most selective campuses will be offered this spring a guaranteed transfer through community colleges.

SDSU names dean for two campuses, San Diego Union-Tribune
Longtime San Diego State University science professor Stephen Roeder will be the next dean of SDSU's Imperial Valley campuses in Calexico and Brawley, the university announced yesterday.

Cuts force CSU to turn 3,800 away, Contra Costa Times
The California State University system will turn away 3,800 eligible applicants, promising them a spot in two years if they first attend a community college.

Santa Paula, CSUCI offer help to small businesses, Ventura County Star
Santa Paula small businesses may receive some help with a micro-loan program jointly sponsored by California State University, Channel Islands Small Business Institute and the city of Santa Paula.

Stanislaus State takes jobs hit, Modesto Bee
When administrators outlined steps being taken in the wake of budget cuts at California State University, Stanislaus, employees were advised to keep morale up.

State fiscal crisis cuts deep at SFSU, Oakland Tribune
Reductions seen as sign of things to come for public university system.

Challenge of new canvas drives UC Merced faculty, Sacramento Bee
Against huge political, legal and financial odds, the school finally is taking shape - both literally and figuratively - against a stunning Sierra Nevada backdrop that on a clear day includes the snowy peaks of Yosemite National Park.

Black students at Cal irked by lack of diversity, San Francisco Chronicle
Underrepresented minorities steadily declining on campus.

UC outreach: How it began and how it has changed, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Outreach programs for minority groups date to 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson used the words "affirmative action" to describe what should be done to remedy past discrimination.

UCSC workers, students plan budget fight, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Employees have united with students to demand administrators look at how they spend their shrinking pot of state money.

Bonded by school ties?, Los Angeles Daily News
Analysis reveals contractors' $upport of district's ballot measure.

Tax on wealthy pushed by higher ed advocates, North County Times
Leading Democrats in the state Legislature called Friday for a temporary tax on the rich to lift the state from a budgetary morass they say is hurting public higher-education far too much.

Fewer U.S. students training for science careers, report says, San Francisco Chronicle
Some fear America is losing its dominance to foreign competitors.

Storm clouds for first-in-the-nation college voucher plan, USA Today/AP
State lawmakers say the $2,400 voucher each student is expected to receive next fall will have to be cut to $1,600 unless voters ease fiscal restraints embedded in the state Constitution or agree to use millions of dollars Colorado gets from the national settlement with the tobacco industry.

When Students' Gains Help Teachers' Bottom Line, New York Times
In March, Denver's teachers became the first in a major city to approve, by a 59 percent majority, a full-scale overhaul of the salary structure to allow "pay for performance," a controversial approach that rewards teachers for the progress of their students.

2 Universities Reinstate Men's Sports They Cut to Comply With Title IX, Chronicle of Higher Education
Two universities that have dropped men's sports in recent years to comply with a federal gender-equity law are bringing them back.

New York U. Adjuncts Would Get Health Coverage and Other Benefits Under Tentative Contract, Chronicle of Higher Education
About 2,300 part-time instructors at New York University would receive pay raises, and, for the first time, health benefits, pension contributions, and some job security under their tentative first contract with the university.

Daniel Weintraub: How Arnold may finesse budget with no tax hike, Sacramento Bee
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to release his revised budget proposal this week, and for the first time in several years, the news from this annual rite of spring will not be all bad.

Dan Walters: Kids with tool belts also deserve educators' respect, Sacramento Bee
The state's educational and political overseers have a very evident disdain for the notion of training high school students for jobs and have reworked state policy to reflect a wholly fallacious, if popular, assumption that every high schooler is headed to college.

Dan Walters: Will we ever acknowledge reality of population growth?, Sacramento Bee
California's population growth slowed a bit last year, according to the latest official estimates, probably because of the sluggishness of the state's economy - but one should quickly note that even slower growth still meant a half-million-plus more human beings.

Opinion: 'Cutbacks' aren't schools' problem, Los Angeles Daily News
It's hard to pick up a newspaper these days without reading stories about cutbacks in our public schools.

Editorial: PhDs, and Plumbers Too, Los Angeles Times
It's good to see the problem of school dropouts entering the political debate.

As We See It: Partnership between UC, city could be lucrative, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Local leaders ought to consider help from new chancellor.

Editorial: UC's invisible regents, San Francisco Chronicle
Four months ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came up with a package of tough measures for the University of California, including raising fees, reducing financial aid and increasing class size.

Governor faces tough choices on lawsuit initiative, Sacramento Bee
A hotly contested initiative headed for the November ballot puts California's new governor in a position he's yet to face - taking sides in a fight between two powerful constituencies that are convinced he's on their side.

Pension jackpot, Sacramento Bee
Prison cooks, plumbers, groundskeepers, teachers, dentists, business managers, and "audiovisual specialists" - all are among the 70,000 state workers considered police or firefighters, eligible to retire with better benefits than other state workers.

Schwarzenegger, courts make deal to halt cuts, Sacramento Bee
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is reversing his proposal to cut state trial court funding, in exchange for judicial leaders' support for state authority over contract negotiations with court employees, the administration announced Friday.

On-Time Budget Is Expected, Los Angeles Times
Schwarzenegger is likely to deliver on his promise to provide a spending plan without new taxes. Critics say that will just put off needed reforms.

Governor's big revamp is delayed, San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged in January to "blow up boxes" by completely overhauling state government, but the dynamite is being stuck in a drawer and major changes may be on hold until next year.

A fading dream?, Contra Costa Times
As Gov. Schwarzenegger vows to renew the California vision, a changed landscape presents a tougher path than Pat Brown had.

Debate Over State's Energy Supplies Heating Up Again, Los Angeles Times
Governor, lawmakers and business are weighing in on how best to revamp the power system. [Trustee Foster cited.]

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

CSU Offers Deferred Admission to Students Redirected to Community Colleges, CSU News Release
The California State University is offering guaranteed transfer from the California Community College system to 3,800 eligible applicants who were denied admission as first-time freshmen at eight CSU campuses for fall 2004 due to budget reductions imposed by the state.

Governor Signs Golden Handshake for CSU Faculty, CFA News Release
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an executive order providing a “golden handshake” for CSU faculty.

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