Brown Administration Divided Over California Higher Education Budget

The Daily Californian reports California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is also a member of the UC Board of Regents as well as the California State University Board of Trustees, refers to Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed cuts to higher education as "disastrous." At issue are not only budget cuts but also changes to Cal Grant eligibility formulas. What are the details?

How much funding has been cut from California's higher education funding?

The proposed budget summary for the 2012-13 fiscal year -- published on the governor's website -- showcases that from the 2008-09 fiscal year to the 2011-12 fiscal year, some $2.65 billion of higher education general fund moneys were cut. Further cuts to grants and loan programs are hoped to result in savings totaling $308 million, which would help to close the $9.2 billion budget shortfall.

Who is affected?

The institutions relying on the general fund moneys are the California State University (approximately 412,000), the University of California (about 237,800 students), the Hastings College of the Law and the California Community College system (an estimated 2.6 million learners). Eliminated funding might lead to an uncertain future for UC's Drew Medical Program, summer school for sciences and math, AIDS research, and the Institutes for Science and Innovation.

How have these institutions offset the cuts?

Student tuition and fees have increased. Schools have reduced the number of courses offered. For example, the CSU Budget Office shows that while in the 2002-03 fiscal year the undergraduate fee was $1,572, by the 2011-12 year this fee had increased to $5,472.

Why is the governor's budget under criticism?

Although Brown proposes to increase general fund moneys by 4 percent for the 2013-14 and 2015-16 fiscal years, these promises are contingent on the voters' passage of the administration's proposed tax hikes. If the electorate does not approve tax increases, this funding will not materialize. Another point of contention is the change to the Cal Grant program, which assists students in need of financial aid to help defray the costs of their education.

How is the Cal Grant award program going to change?

Brown intends to decrease the Cal Grant award for students attending for-profit private colleges to $4,000. An estimated 14,900 learners will be affected by this change. Cal Grant awards for students attending nonprofit independent colleges will also be decreased; this is going to affect another 30,800 learners. Availability of the Cal Grant A will cut for students with a grade point average below 3.25, while Cal Grant B will only be available for learners with a GPA of 2.75 or better. This change might affect 26,600 students.

Are other officials working to help students and their families?

The USC Guardian reports California Assembly Speaker John Perez proposes to cancel corporate tax breaks to fund yearly $8,200 tuition breaks for CSU and UC students whose families have an income exceeding Cal Grant program limits but who still earn less than $150,000. If his proposal is accepted, it would benefit approximately 42,000 UC students.

Sylvia Cochran is a Los Angeles area resident with a firm finger on the pulse of California politics. Talk radio junkie, community volunteer and politically independent, she scrutinizes the good and the bad from both sides of the political aisle.