University of California

SDSU PARTNERS WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO TACKLE WILDFIRES AND PRESERVE INDIGENOUS LAND

By Susanne Clara Bard

 

September 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- A striking black and yellow beetle called the goldspotted oak borer has been decimating oak trees in Southern California for more than 20 years, including on the ancestral lands of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians on Palomar Mountain. The insects’ larvae burrow into bark, increasing drought stress on the trees. 


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NATIONAL EDUCATORS, DOCTORS AND TEACHERS FORMALLY OPPOSE TRUMP THREAT TO FORCE SCHOOLS TO REOPEN

By Miriam Raftery 

 

Photo: Student in mask and face shield; Creative Commons-NC via Bing 

 

July 12, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – The nation’s largest organizations representing teachers, principals, children’s doctors and parents have issued statements strongly criticizing President Donald Trump’s push to reopen schools and his threat to defund schools that don’t fully reopen or rely on online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Trump fueled the controversy when he tweeted“Virtual Learning has proven to be TERRIBLE compared to In School, or On Campus, Learning. Not even close! Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!” The President’s Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, during news shows today, backed the president’s call to financially punish schools that don’t fully reopen.   

 

On Friday, the American Academy of Pediatrics responded by issuing a joint statement with the American Association of Teachers, the National Education Association and the School Superintendents Association.  Withholding funding from schools that do not open in person fulltime would be a misguided approach, putting already financially strapped schools in an impossible position that would threaten the health of students and teachers.  


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UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA TO DIVEST FROM PRIVATE PRISONS AS BILL ADVANCES TO END ALL USE OF PRIVATE PRISONS STATEWIDE

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 17, 2017 (San Diego)  –  The University of California has announced that it will halt its investments in private prison companies, removing $25 million in investments from Corrections Corporation of America, G4S, and GEO Group Inc., the Los Angeles Times reports.


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COCKROACH ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE

 

By Tasha Matthews

February 9, 2016 (Berkeley, CA) --Tiny insect superheroes are providing inspiration to scientists seeking better ways to find people trapped in collapsed buildings after a disaster such as an earthquake. 


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UC SYSTEM DIVESTS OF HOLDINGS IN PRIVATE PRISON CORPORATIONS

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: A private detention facility run by Corrections Corporation of America at Otay Mesa for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

December 26, 2015 (San Diego) – The University of California has divested over $25 million of its holdings in private prison corporations, in response to a resolution by the Afrikans Black Coalition, a student advocacy group.

“The goals of the private prison industry are to profit from the incarceration, labor and rehabilitative treatment of black and immigrant lives,” said Kamilah Moore, organizer with the coalition.  In an e-mail statement, she added  that by selling the shares, the UC system has sent a message that it is “against human rights abuses,” the Daily Bruin reports.

The rise of private prisons in modern times began in 1984 and has mushroomed since then. According to the U.S. Justice Department, by 2013, private prisons were housing 19.1% of all federal prisoners and 6.8% of state prisoners, reaping billions of dollars in revenues.  Private prison corporations also operate immigrant detention facilities, with over 23,000 immigrants currently behind bars. But serious questions have been raised about both racial injustice and failure to live up to promised cost savings.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

September 23, 2015 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

STATE

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.


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UC TO REQUIRE VACCINATIONS FOR INCOMING STUDENTS

 

Photo credit: iStock courtesy UC news service

By Miriam Raftery

February 8, 2015 (San Diego)--The University of California  has announced that it will require incoming students to be  vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, meningococcus, tetanus and whooping cough.  Students must show proof of these vaccinations and also be screened for tuberculosis, starting in 2017. However individual campuses can choose to begin implementation earlier, a press release issued by the UC system states.


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SENATE AND ASSEMBLY LEADERS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO HALT UC TUITION HIKES FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

December 2, 2014 (Sacramento)—Today Senate Democrats announced a plan to prevent a tuition hike approved by University of California Regents from taking effect for California students. However out-of-state students’ tuitions would increase by 17 percent. 

The plan follows an earlier proposal by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). The two plans have similarities, but also differences in their approaches.


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EDITORIAL: STUDENTS AND PARENTS CAN’T AFFORD ANY MORE UC TUITION HIKES

 

By Miriam Raftery, Editor

University of California's Regents just voted to hike tuitions 25% over the next five years. As a graduate of the UC system and a parent of two recent UC graduates, I have seen first-hand the negative impacts of recent tuition hikes. I fear the latest hikes will make college an impossible dream for many students and an onerous burden for many more. 

As a student decades ago, I was able to graduate from UC by working during the summers, with some help from my parents.My husband, whose father died young, also managed to afford a UC education with help from family and later, I worked to help put him through law school at UC Davis. 

Later, as parents ourselves, we saved for over 20 years to set money aside for our children’s college funds, based on what financial experts advised would be enough when they were born. 

But it wasn’t even close, due to the staggering tuition increases at the UC campuses that have already occurred in recent years.  Our piggy bank, so to speak, was soon empty.


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UC REGENTS APPROVE 25% TUITION HIKE OVER 5 YEARS UNLESS STATE BOOSTS FUNDING

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 21, 2014 (San Francisco)—Ignoring protests from students, opposition from the Governor and legislative leaders, University of California’s Board of Regents voted Thursday to approve Tuition hikes.  The increase will be 5 percent a year over the next five years – 25 percent total—at all UC campuses .  For the 2015-2016 school year, tuition will be $12,804 and by 2019, students will be forced to pay $15,000 a year in tuition.

Some Regents indicated that if that state increases funding, they would vote to reduce tuitions. 

Assembly  Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego)  has pledged to introduce a measure to boost funding for the UC system.  She had urged the Regents to reject any tuition or fee hikes. Atkins, an ex-officio Regent with voting rights, called the fee hikes “unacceptable” adding, “California students and their families have faced too many fee increases already.”


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PROTESTS MOUNT AGAINST UC TUITION HIKES

 

East County News Service

November 18, 2014 (San Diego)—Students staged sit-ins at all 10 University of California campuses statewide Tuesday to protest a new tuition hike that regents are expected to vote on this on Wednesday, November 19th.  If the 5% increase a year over the next five years is approved, tuitions will have tripled since 2005.

Already, the average student is graduating with $26,000 in debts—and many have not found jobs in today’s challenging economy.

The tuition hike is supported by UC President Janet Napolitano, who cites cuts in state funding to support the UC system as the primary reason why she believes tuitions need to rise.

But Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newson, who sits on the Board of Regents for the UC system, has denounced the proposed rate hike and has launched a petition to oppose it. You can sign the petition here: http://www.gavinnewsom.com/petition/stop-tuition-increases/


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MORE CALIFORNIANS WORRIED ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS, HALF WOULD APPROVE RAISING TAXES INSTEAD OF HIKING STUDENT FEES

November 24, 2010 (San Diego) -- Californians are becoming increasingly worried about the cost of higher education. A new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 74 percent of those polled said the state does not provide enough money to its public colleges and universities.

 


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STATE’S TOP EDUCATION LEADERS RESIGN IN PROTEST OF CA CHAMBER ENDORSING WHITMAN


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SDSU LIBRARY COULD COLLAPSE IN QUAKE, STUDY FINDS

 

 

March 21, 2010 (San Diego) – An investigation by California Watch has found nearly 180 buildings on California public universities are too dangerous to occupy during a major earthquake. That includes San Diego State’s Love Library.

 


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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA REGENTS CUT FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT BY 6%; EAST COUNTY EDUCATION LEADERS ASSESS IMPACT ON LOCAL STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

By Miriam Raftery

January 15, 2009 (San Diego's East County) -- Grappling with cuts in state funding, regents at the University of California voted yesterday to cut freshmen enrollment by 6%, eliminating 2,300 spots for students throughout the UC system. The cuts occur at a time when UC is receiving more applications than ever before, as fewer students can afford tuition at private colleges and universities.


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