OT: NPR Story on UCLA and UC Budget Cuts
by bruinbabe2000 on Jan 28, 2010 11:47 AM PST
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PrintMr. BB and I were listening to NPR on our way home last night, and we heard a story about the budget cuts to the UC System. Being that we are currently exiled, we have not heard many of these stories. NPR went to UCLA to hear from faculty and students about the budget cuts first hand. Overall, I have to say the story made me angry and depressed, but what saddened me most was to hear stories about students living out of their cars and having to use a food pantry to help make ends meet. No UCLA student should ever have to do that.
That's where you come in. I think this is an opportunity for all of us on BN to help our fellow Bruins. I contacted the student mentioned in the story about the food pantry to see how I could help. I am still waiting for a response, but I told her that I would like to share this story with my fellow alums so that we can all pitch in.
If you would like to hear or read a transcript of the story, click here. I will share any information with you as soon as I can.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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At least the California prisons are well funded. [snort]
It is truly despical what is happening to the UCs. Soon they won’t have a choice but to go private, which they essentially already are.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Is there a liquidity issue for students?
Is it more difficult to get loans than in the past? If tuition is being met for the students with least ability to pay, and living expenses are the only problem, is there a reason (financial crisis) that students can’t take out loans to be able to afford to eat?
Sadly, the decimation of the UC system is entirely the product of the voters of California through initiatives, along with a system of gerrymandering that puts ideologues from both sides into seats in Sacramento. The UC system has its hands tied.
Also bad – middle class kids marching to demonstrate against the combination of ‘fee hikes’ and targeted aid designed to maintain quality in the university without disenfranchising students from genuinely disadvantaged backgrounds.
California doesn’t want rich people to have to pay high property taxes, has a huge number of non-discretionary programs in the budget due to ballot initiatives, wants to lock up huge numbers of people for drug crimes, and then gets upset when the education costs rise from way below market value to somewhat below market value for students from the middle and upper class.
BB, your comments on these middle class kids
is right on point. (I am a middle class kid, and can openly thank my parents a million times over for the gift of a college education, although I did have to take out about $8K total in student loans).
You can only run a system with expectations of such excellence under market price for so long. At some point, financial collapse is inevitable. Secondary education is. Not. Free. Even with the fee hikes, the UC education is still cheaper than the other elite “public” schools in the nation. Both UVA and Michigan still cost more.
by inhowlandwetrust on Jan 28, 2010 2:49 PM PST up reply actions
I also found it amusing
to see University workers’ unions rallying against a fee hike that would help their wages!!!
What kind of reasoning is that?
by inhowlandwetrust on Jan 28, 2010 2:51 PM PST up reply actions
After rereading that I sound pretty unthoughtful,
so I apologize. But the fact is, for whatever reason you want to pin it on, this state doesn’t have enough money to keep things the way they’ve been.
It’s really sad.
by inhowlandwetrust on Jan 28, 2010 2:53 PM PST up reply actions
I thought you made a great point
I had written something similar then my FireFox crashed >.<
Sad to say, but higher education at UCLA quality made not be attainable by all. Economic reality. The political will doesn’t exist to eradicate hunger in California, much less access for all. The UC system has to raise fees and possible restrict admissions by raising standards. A lot of quality applicants are going to find themselves forced by economic nessecity to go to JCs & other lower-tiered school, possibly forcing out lower quality applicants from those institutions.
Nearly every school system in the country is going through this.
Scarier? The LAUSD just had another $200mil(?) cut from their budget…
I Heard It, As Well
and it made me so sad and disgusted.
’babe…I would like to be able to help these students, too. I certainly hope you hear back from her…maybe we can up the ante from Cup ’o Noodles, at least, and contribute to arranging these commuting students a safe place to sleep during the school week?
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