<p>The plan to curtail undergraduate enrollment will reduce enrollment of new California resident freshmen by 2,300 students systemwide for the 2009-10 academic year (from a total of around 37,600 new freshmen in 2008-09 to around 35,300 for 2009-10). In view of large increases in applications from California community college students, however, transfer enrollments will be allowed to increase by 500 students (bringing new transfer enrollments to around 16,300 for 2009-10). Graduate enrollment will remain at 2008-09 levels...</p>
<p>This is a sad but much needed corrective measure, both for the sake of the university system and for sake of UC students. Year after year the state has not done its part to fully support the university system, and the students have suffered. In this scenario, it limits a small amount of students from attending but will more or less temporarily stabilize and ensure undergraduates will receive a good education.</p>
<p>One point that I do like is how they will be lowering the acceptance numbers at all UCs except for Berkeley and UCLA (which both will remain constant), and increase the number at UC Merced. I think this will strengthen the overall quality of students at the mid-tier UCs, while helping UC Merced start to establish its own reputation.</p>
<p>Another point I missed when I first read the press release is that the reduction will only affect new CALIFORNIA resident freshmen. I suspect there will be an increase of international and out of state student acceptances to bridge the budget gap, as evidenced by Berkeley's enrollment figures for the class of 2012. Of course the Chancellor had justified that by saying along the lines of undergraduates needing more exposure to international culture.</p>