California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), a nonpartisan fiscal and policy bureau, has voiced concern over a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the California State University and University of California systems at least 10 percent of the state budget while capping prison spending at seven percent. The LAO called the proposal “an unnecessary, ill-conceived measure that would do serious harm to the budget process” and suggested that the state “shouldn’t lock in arbitrary shares of the state budget into the Constitution for time immemorial.” The amendment, offered by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), has received a tepid response from state legislative leaders.

 

San Francisco Chronicle (Date posted: January 27, 2010)

 

This week Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) recommended an additional $100 million budget allocation to Florida's public higher education system. The governor’s announcement served as a starting point for the New Florida initiative, an effort that would rely on state public universities to boost Florida’s economy in key growth sectors, such as technology, health care and engineering. The appropriations increase is part of Crist's budget plan that is expected to be released today. Lawmakers estimate the state's revenue shortfall to range from $1.1 to $3.2 billion for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Tallahassee Democrat (Date posted: January 29, 2010)

 

The Louisiana Board of Regents has discontinued 14 programs at both the public university and technical college levels. The programs, identified last year as “low-completer” programs, were given an opportunity to try to improve performance. Since January 2009, the board has eliminated 245 academic programs statewide.

 

WXVT (Date posted: January 28, 2010)

 

The Montana Board of Regents has agreed to a request from Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) to cut the state higher education budget by five percent, or $7.6 million. A summary of proposed cuts was also approved, which includes a $5.2 million budget reduction to state college campuses. The regents' actions have not been finalized and will include input from the state legislature in coming weeks.

 

Billings Gazette (Date posted: January 28, 2010)

 

 

 

The California State University system has set an ambitious goal of improving its college graduation rates by 10 percent for underrepresented minorities and eight percent overall by 2016. If successful, the initiative would halve the gap in college completion for underrepresented minorities and bring the system’s total graduation rate to 54 percent. In order to reach this goal, the universities could enhance student support services, mandate advising sessions and offer tuition rebates for students who graduate on time. However, the change may also reduce the number of general education courses and students’ abilities to withdraw from classes or change majors. The goal is part of a nationwide project by a consortium of public university leaders, the National Assn. of System Heads and the Education Trust. California State University system is the nation’s largest university system, with 450,000 students and about 90,000 graduates each year.

 

Los Angeles Times (Date posted: January 27, 2010)

Mississippi’s state College Board has approved tuition hikes ranging from 4.5 to nine percent annually for the next two years for resident students attending the state's eight public universities. Nonresident student tuition will also increase by an average of 6.1 percent. Postsecondary officials estimate a $73 million increase in the cost of goods and services over the next three years, which is exacerbated by a projected $183.9 million funding gap during the same period. Statewide program cuts hope to alleviate $92.1 million of the shortfall. Gov. Haley Barbour (R) cut the state’s higher education budget by 8.2 percent for the current fiscal year to help balance the state budget.

 

The Clarion-Ledger (Date posted: January 26, 2010)