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Candidates for state governor present different higher education plans
published on : 11-04-2014
Category : Higher Education
Two candidates will face off for the governor’s seat in California this election — each with a different view of how to organize and fund the state’s higher education system. Republican candidate Neel Kashkari is challenging incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown. Though both have lauded online education, the candidates differ in their approach to funding public higher education and keeping college accessible to lower- and middle-income residents. So far in the race, Brown has focused much of his campaign on rallying support for Propositions 1 and 2. Kashkari has invested at least $3.1 million of his personal funds into his campaign, running with a slogan of “Jobs and Education. That’s it.” Kashkari — who lags behind Brown by 21 points in the latest field poll — plans to mandate that the UC system put 20 percent of its courses online within the next four years and proposes a funding model based in part on performance metrics such as the number of degrees conferred and graduation rates. He also plans to pioneer a new financing program for science, technology, engineering and mathematics students in which the state would provide free tuition in exchange for a share of the students’ future earnings. “Here at UC Berkeley, most students will admit that they suffer being wait listed for major requirement classes semester after semester,” said Claire Chiara, president of the Berkeley College Republicans and a former Daily Californian staffer, in an email. “I could not agree more with the motive to reward the universities that value their students’ needs and ensure that their students can graduate in the timeframe expected and promised.” Although the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank, does not comment on political races, associate director of communications Linda Strean said the mandate that the university place 20 percent of its courses online raises questions. It is not clear what the university would need to accomplish this goal or what could be done to enforce it, Strean said. Brown has also supported online education and funding reform, although on a smaller scale. Last year, Brown vetoed his own proposal to earmark $20 million in funds for online education at the UC and CSU systems, saying he was confident that the systems would pursue online education on their own. He also signed legislation last year that created the Middle Class Scholarship program, which allows resident students with family incomes between $100,000 and $150,000 to be eligible for additional financial aid. “This legislation will ensure that California maintains a healthy middle class and an educated workforce to keep our economy strong,” said Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, who authored the bill, in a statement. Cal Berkeley Democrats could not be reached for comment. Kashkari, however, says in his education plan that Brown has overseen tuition increases and a “tuition shock” for middle-class students. “The current model actually incentivizes colleges to hoard students rather than graduate them,” Kashkari said in his higher education plan. “The incentives must change to focus on student achievement.” Although tuition increased in the early years of Brown’s tenure, tuition at the UC system has been frozen at 2011-12 levels for the last three years. Brown made a deal with the university in which he agreed to 4 or 5 percent increases in state funding each year in exchange for keeping tuition constant until 2016-17. The regents are currently facing a $125 million shortfall in funds. Brown has cautioned the UC Board of Regents that if it doesn’t reform its approach to long-term financial planning, students will be in for more large tuition increases. The regents will be considering tuition increases at their meeting in November. Kashkari, however, says the university will have to learn to do more with less. “It is incumbent upon the UCs, CSUs, and California Community Colleges to deploy current resources in a manner that can reach more students, move them along, and help them finish more quickly and affordably while maintaining high quality standards,” Kashkari said in his plan.
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