UC to set limits on freshmen enrollment

University of California officials today proposed reducing freshmen enrollment for next fall by 2,300 students, or about 6%, to cope with what they said was insufficient state funding.

Enrollment would not be cut at UCLA and UC Berkeley, the most popular campuses, and expansion would continue at UC Merced, the newest school, according to the plan that is to be reviewed by the UC regents next week. The other six undergraduate campuses would see some freshman reductions.

"I have always been reluctant to constrain freshman access to the university, but the absence of state funding for enrollment growth and continuing budget cuts have left us no choice if we are to protect the quality of the instructional program we offer,” UC President Mark G. Yudof said in a statement.

UC leaders say impacts would be softened by an expected demographic shift as the number of high school graduates starts to decline this year. However, some other experts suggested that the current financial crisis and higher unemployment may be pushing more students to UC rather than more expensive private schools. Applications to UC are running about 3% higher than last year.

Yudof described the proposed cuts as “modest” and stressed that students whose high school grades and test scores meet UC eligibility standards would not be denied admission to the system, but that more will be denied a spot at their first-choice campus. 

The number of graduate students would not change under the proposal, and the number of students who transfer from community colleges would increase by about 500, or about 3%. Yudof said that during the economic downturn, “we need to keep open cost-effective paths to UC, such as the community college transfer route.”

The UC Board of Regents have scheduled a special telephone conference meeting on Jan. 14 to debate and vote on the plan.   

--Larry Gordon

Photo: Students pass through UC Berkeley's Sather Gate. Credit: Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Crash Burn]

By some of the comments here I can see how seriously the California education system is failing, this is much worse than I thought.

[Crash Burn]

Does this mean more money is going to go for state schools and community colleges or is this an inter-collegiate shell game?

The UC should get off its butt and focus on its primary mission which is education and make the cuts to non-grant funded research and other non-essential projects.

When times are hard why do we throw our kids (who are especially the ones who didn't cause this mess) under the bus first?

[Parent of Future (hopefully) UC student]

How sad is this! After all the hard work these kids are going through to gain admission to a UC, and then to be discouraged by this possibility. It's an outrage, and once again a distorted attempt by a governor to "fix" California.

[Brian]

Yes, cut education. The world needs more ignorant people so that they vote less, don't ask difficult and well informed questions of their leaders and spend more time watching daytime TV.

Education is all there is for the future. Denying access to people who can ill afford such cuts at the hardest time in our economy is one of the dumbest things I've heard yet.

Congratulations, we've hit bottom.

[Felipe P]

Let the UC/CSU system become a hybrid or public private entity that will outsource nonessential classroom services hence saving money for students and the public. It is time for all of public education including k-12 to become more efficient. Do what the private sector is experiencing: Lay-off staff and reduce benefits.

[J Reece]

Will UC administrators continue their campaign to give illegal aliens admission with resident tuition status while American citizens are waitlisted? Enquiring minds (but doubtless none at the LA Times) want to know.

[Mt Washington Dude]

The current economic situation will lead to this kind of eventuality. It's sad to see UC systems decreasing enrollment instead of getting rid of outdated academic paradigms (libraries!). Perhaps a more proactive solution would be to close a Merced?

[John Brodey]

How sad to see the decision made to weaken what is unquestionably the best and most comprehensive state university system in the country.
It stands as a model for what can be accomplished when a real committment is made to nurturing our greatest resource. Dario is entirely correct. Sadly, the citizens of this country would be more outraged by cuts in military spending than by reducing this all important opportunity for our children to become productive members of our society.

[Ed C.]

Let's hope CSU won't face the same cuts the UCs will be facing, because CSU will be the next step for the many qualified undergrads who are coming up empty before UC's doors.

[Gustavo Corral]

At last!! At last a cut in education spending! At last some doubt as to whether Anthropology majors do any good! At last a time to restore that education-economy connection and get rid of 4 yrs. of partying!

Next up for execution: the MBA

[Dario Silverlake]

Grotesque !!! Cutting access to higher education while increase budget for law inforcement and prisons, all while jobs are disappearing. This is a clear message California is sending to young people; you will be funneled from schools to prison. With no jobs youth will turn to selling drug, desperate to feed their families and pay bills. Police start cracking down on drug dealers by throw them in jail ( Crime Universities) only to be released are hardened angry men.With a criminal record, no education, tight job market they go back to dealing or worse. When does it all end?

California has the educational infrastructure to expand equal opportunity quality education. Education is an investment in all of our collective futures, prison and law enforcements are failures on the part of the older generation.

Increase funding for community colleges and trade schools, since high schools are not doing their job. Allow student to enroll in alternative learning communities, such as business/medical magnets.
These are just some ideas but we have to be open and creative.
We are literally waging war against our youth with this BS.
California is a wealthy state, it need to gets its priorities straight and invest our resource in our future; namely the youth.