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For richer or for poorer

Broke in Berkeley

They came to me in the middle of the night. They were young and beautiful and dressed up like they were about to go out. I had about an hour’s warning, and their knock on the door was light so as to wake no one who wasn’t already up. When Read More…

Meeting on middle ground

HIGHER EDUCATION: Legislators are realizing the importance of keeping higher education accessible to the middle class with a new scholarship program.

A new middle class scholarship program in the state budget passed June 14 is an encouraging step by lawmakers toward funding higher education, though the program pales in comparison to a similar bill which failed in the state Senate last August. The new program aims to reduce the cost of Read More…

Nonsensical tuition increase

CITY AFFAIRS: A bill passed by the California State Assembly which raises tuition during shorter intersessions at state community colleges is not realistic.

A bill recently passed in the California State Assembly allowing community colleges to charge nonresident tuition during summer and winter sessions just doesn’t make sense. AB 955 will raise tuition during the community college system’s summer and winter intersessions from $46 per unit to the nonresident rate of $200 per Read More…

Birgeneau Press Conference

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau

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

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…

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…

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…

Common cents

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Gregory Arena/Staff

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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…

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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…