<p>Arizona Universities (U of A, ASU, NAU) have implemented serious state budget cuts, resulting in substantial tuition increases, elimination of classes, laying off employees/professors, and services. My son attends U of A, so I am only concerned with how it affects me and I really have not been paying attention to other state universities.</p>
<p>My son has even thought of transferring, but I find it difficult to believe that other state universities are not feeling the same pinch. Can anyone please give me what they know of financial problems other schools are facing in areas such as Florida (U of F, Fl State), the California schools, Texas, etc - so I know if my son transfers he won't be in the same predicament!</p>
<p>There is a move to cap TOPS awards at 1600 a semester. Bad move on Louisiana’s part, but not surprising. Now that we’ve won the Super Bowl bid, they’ll need more hotel workers.</p>
<p>Be careful to consider CA schools. Fees/tutions are going up while the Cal-grants are falling by the wayside.</p>
<p>But not to worry, since there are some CC posters who seem to think that a mere 10% budget reduction at the UCs is so easy to absorb it won’t be noticed. :eek:</p>
<p>Me thinks such posters have little experience in running such an operation. Yes, we could adjust college spending back to an earlier model with less frills (think: no study abroad, climbing walls, “lavish” dorms) but you can’t get there overnight and it will exact some pain.</p>
<p>I have been following colleges and budgets for about 35 years now. I have been there for 10% cuts and the world went on pretty much as normal. You leave vacant positions open longer, fire some staff support, have some faculty pick-up an extra class. cut the maintenance, buy less equipment and fewer books and journals, turn off the lights and turn the heat down, etc. UVa had a 25% cut a few years ago. Did you notice any slump in their ranking or attractiveness to top students? Probably half of the state U’s in the country have had to deal with 10% cuts in the last 10 years. Can you even tell which ones??
Yudof is one of the biggest putz’s in higher education. At every school he has been at when a cut comes he cries and gets another job. I don’t think anyone was sorry to see him go.</p>
<p>Compare the reactions of the UF President linked above and the Wisconsin and Oregon heads to similar cuts. </p>
<p>The projected cuts in CA are potentially massive and devestating. The LA Community College District is only doing 1 session this summer instead of 2, for example. This affects cc students finishing timely as well as UC students who often take cc courses in the summer as well as many hs students who use the cc’s to finish requirements for hs. In addition, Cal Grants are projected to be slashed cutting off funding for lower-income students making the UC’s and CSU’s less affordable. For those of us with kids entering the UC’s this fall, we better be planning for more than 4 yrs. To put it bluntly, it’s a mess from top to bottom!</p>
<p>We have not heard anything yet about our colleges in Oklahoma. No word on tuition/fee increases, no talk of eliminating classes (that I am aware of). My daughter’s school did say they were freezing dorm prices but she lives off campus anyway. She was still awarded a State need based grant ($1000 - every little helps) and her State Scholar scholarship (a full tuition waiver from the school plus a cash scholarship from the State) appears to be safe (as far as we know). Keeping fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Maybe the Cali CCs need to charge more per credit so students value what they are getting a bit more. Currently very few people who start at a CC finish anything.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what % of cc students in Ca finish, but the cc’s provide a fabulous transfer opportunity for many students into the UC system. Many offer specific programs so those intending to transfer are in the appropriate classes, etc and the transfer acceptance rate is high. With current $$$ issues, these programs become even more important. Additionally, there are actually rising seniors in hs who may be in big trouble because they were counting on classes at cc this summer to complete requirements for hs/college entrance.</p>
<p>I believe the rate is around 8%. For the 8% that finish it’s great. It might have been even greater if the schools were not clogged with so many “students” who have no serious purpose or interest. If only 8% of entrants graduated high school it would be a reason for investigation. Yet these schools go on eating up taxpayer money for next to nothing in results. California is BROKE. Time to make some real choices. Waste is no longer acceptable.</p>
<p>^^Ditto the University of California campuses. Perhaps if they increased the student quality, the three biggies wouldn’t have such a poor 4-year graduation rate. The 3.0 kids would probably be better off at a Cal State anyway, where it is much less expensive to teach them. And, of course, the Cal States could also raise standards such that they could reduce the money they spend on remedial education, which at some campuses is 90% of incoming Frosh.</p>
<p>In case you haven’t inadvertently engaged Barrons before on cuts to education in CA, welcome to the party. </p>
<p>There have already been posts on CC from both HS students and CC transfers who were very much counting on two sessions of CC to meet college entrance requirements. They may be in quite a bind now.</p>
<p>Barrons, please consider giving some respect to CA residents like Crzymom and I who know it’s different when you’re on the ground here in CA and having to live with it. Rest assured, you would not be wishing this upon yourself.</p>
<p>I’m holding on to my wallet because I fully expect California to try to push their problems on to the national taxpayers. Othe states have had to make tough cuts. Time to deal and move on with a smaller set of state services that will still exceed what most other states offer.</p>
<p>I had heard that the % that transfer to a 4 year college is closer to 5%–I found the number quite shocking. But then not all who take classes at the CCs are not “typical” high school students looking to transfer to a 4 year college.</p>
<p>Absolutely true. My wife has been taking the same conversational language class for several years and every so often a “real” student enrolls. The rest are just retirees showing up to maintain some sort of fluency. Why the state is paying a tenured faculty member to run this meeting at a juco is beyond my comprehension.</p>
<p>bluebayou, this suggests that there are areas which could be/should be cut way back and the priority should be for those classes/students who are serious about either obtaining the AA degree or transferring to the UC/CSU systems. (As an aside, I don’t understand why our local hs district offers interior decorating through the adult classes–there MUST be a better use of the money!)</p>
<p>I’m an older adult taking a language class at my CC this summer. Why shouldn’t I? Isn’t the goal to educate the local population??? Nope, I’m not going to graduate, since I already have a MLIS degree - but the education I will be getting at the CC will not be 'wasted" since it will make me more effective at my job. Why does this bother you, Barron?</p>
<p>Feel free. Just pay what it costs or at least a reasonable portion. I pay around $600 for one week CE classes to keep my professional license. If you need the language to keep your skills fine–pay for it.</p>