Editorials

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau

CAMPUS ISSUES: As UC Berkeley prepares to welcome a new chancellor, students should respect the legacy that Chancellor Birgeneau leaves behind.

Birgeneau Press Conference
Derek Remsburg/Senior Staff

During Robert Birgeneau’s nearly nine years as the chancellor of UC Berkeley, he led the campus as it weathered an unprecedented challenge. While the state slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from the University of California’s budget, he fought to maintain the quality of education at this institution against all Read More…

Editorials

Bite the surcharge bullet

UNIVERSITY ISSUES: The regents’ decision to extend a $60 tuition surcharge is painful, but necessary to pay for the outcome of old lawsuits.

UC students shouldn’t be surprised that they are shouldering the burden of administrators’ financial mismanagement. The university has a history of solving its fiscal problems by turning to the student body. But in the case of the recently extended tuition surcharge, there appears to be no viable alternative. Students have Read More…

Op-Eds

Republicans want to freeze your tuition

In Sacramento, Republicans are fighting for students' interests

In November 2012, for the first time in more than two decades, Californians elected to directly raise taxes on themselves by passing Proposition 30 by a healthy 10-point margin. By passing Prop. 30, Californian voters affirmed their commitment to fully fund public education by sacrificing more of their paycheck with Read More…

Editorial Cartoons

Common cents

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Gregory Arena/Staff

Contact the opinion desk at [email protected]

Editorials

The state of student activism

UNIVERSITY ISSUES: As made clear this week, student activists are right to continue putting pressure on Sacramento, but need to refine their message.

For the most part, student activists got it right on Monday. Unlike last year, the demonstration in support of higher education in Sacramento passed without major incident, allowing focus to remain on students’ lobbying efforts. At the same time, though, the event may indicate that student activism is facing something Read More…

Op-Eds

theslug.graham_haught

The cost of college must decrease

Affordable higher education is essential to a strong middle class

Editor’s Note: This is a general op-ed sent from the White House to address a college audience. In my State of the Union address, I laid out ways Democrats and Republicans can work together to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth — a rising, thriving middle class. We Read More…

Editorial Cartoons

California’s reality

JB

Contact the opinion desk at [email protected]

Editorials

Reinvesting, strings attached

UNIVERSITY ISSUES: Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget rightfully gives more money to the UC system, but seeks too many restrictions.

Sacramento is finally starting to seriously reverse its divestment from higher education. With the state beginning to emerge from a deep slump of deficits and spending cuts, Gov. Jerry Brown earlier this month announced a budget plan for the next fiscal year that proposes sorely needed increased funding to the Read More…

Editorials

Yudof’s complicated legacy

UNIVERSITY ISSUES: UC President Mark Yudof, who will step down at the end of August, led the university through a tough financial climate.

Mark Yudof became president of the University of California at an incredibly difficult time. Just a few months after he took office in June 2008, the nation suffered its worst financial catastrophe since the Great Depression, and, in the years that followed, state funds for higher education were slashed significantly, Read More…

Editorials

Raising concerns for Dirks

CAMPUS ISSUES: UC Berkeley chancellor-designate Nicholas Dirks should not have been given a pay increase above his predecessor’s salary.

The UC Board of Regents has forced UC Berkeley’s next chancellor into an awkward position. Earlier this week, the regents inappropriately awarded Nicholas Dirks, who will replace Robert Birgeneau as chancellor in June, a $50,000 pay increase above his predecessor’s salary. While the extra funding for Dirks’ pay will not Read More…