Wednesday, September 19, 2012

We Are Toxic Assets



Fantastic interview on austerity at the UC. Covers all the bases: Bob Meister's "They Pledged Your Tuition," construction bonds and rating agencies, pepper-spray cop, the Davis Dozen, student debt...

1 comment:

  1. The public’s University of California harvests family savings, Alumni donations, supporter’s money and taxes. Cal. ranked #1 public university total academic cost (resident) as a result of the Provost’s, Chancellor’s ‘charge resident’s higher tuition’. UCB tuition is rising faster than other universities.

    Cal ranked # 2 nationally in faculty earning potential. Spending on salaries increased 29% in last six years. Believe it: Harvard College less costly.

    University of California negates promise of equality of opportunity: access, affordability. Self-absorbed Provost Breslauer Chancellor Birgeneau are outspoken on ‘charging residents much higher’ tuition.

    Birgeneau ($450,000) Breslauer ($306,000) like to blame the politicians, since they stopped giving them their entitled funding. The ‘charge instate students higher tuition’ skyrocketed fees by an average 14% per year from 2006 to 2011 academic years. If they had allowed fees to rise at the same rate of inflation over past 10 years fees would still be in reach of middle income students. Breslauer Birgeneau increase disparities in higher education, defeat the promise of equality of opportunity, and create a less-educated work force.

    Additional state tax funding must sunset. The sluggish economy, 10% unemployment devastates family savings. Simply asking for more taxes (Prop 30, 32) to spend on self-absorbed Cal. leadership, inefficient higher education practices, over-the-top salaries, lavish bonuses, is not the answer.

    UCB is to maximize access to the widest number of residence at a reasonable cost. Birgeneau Breslauer’s ‘charge Californians higher tuition’ denies middle income families the transformative value of Cal.

    The California dream: keep it alive and well. Fire Provost George W Breslauer. Birgeneau resigned. Cal. leadership must accept responsibility for failing Californians.
    Opinions? UC Board of Regents marsha.kelman@ucop.edu Calif. State Senators, Assembly members.

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