Assemblyman Proposes New California College System

Assemblyman Proposes New California College System
By Jared Feldman
Yahoo News

A California assemblyman has an ambitious plan to found a fourth system of higher education in California. The New University of California is proposed in addition to the existing University of California, California State University, and California Community College systems. This New University would not actually offer classes but instead, would award degrees based on one's abilities in a skill or subject.

Details of the Bill

Bill AB 1306 was proposed by Republican Assemblyman Scott Wilk from Santa Clarita, who wants to make college more accessible to Californians. The goal of the proposed university would be to allow students to gain the required knowledge via online courses or any other source before taking a university-administered exam. Upon passing, the student would receive credit for the course, and with enough credit, the appropriate degree could be conferred. "This bill would allow students to use whatever approach works best for them to obtain the knowledge needed to receive a college education, whether that is online courses, paid courses, or self-directed study," said a statement from Wilk's office.

Possible Effect on Education Costs

The cost of education under this proposed plan would be greatly lowered, as students would only be required to pay an examination fee, as well as a few minimal administration fees in order to receive credit and a degree. The costs of public education have risen in California, with UC in-state tuition topping $13,000 per year, CSU tuition at $7,000, and even California Community College tuition above $1,000 per year for the first time in history. The New University of California system could significantly lower the cost of obtaining a college degree.

The New University of California would be organized in a manner similar to the University of California, with a board of 11 trustees and a chancellor. Exam development would likely be contracted to other organizations and would hopefully follow other pre-established exam criteria. The bill was introduced in February and will go before the Committee on High Education for hearings on April 23.

Ignoring Bigger Problems in Education?

Although no definitive statements have been made by lawmakers or prominent educators, several students at the University of California have expressed their trepidation over the creation of such a university system. ASUC Senator and CalSERVE external affairs vice presidential candidate Nolan Pack told The Daily Californian, "I think the problem is that, while there may be arguments saying that it is cheaper, it circumvents the problem that we are not currently funding our higher education system to where it should be."

While it would provide cheap education, the New University potentially circumvents the problems the current California education system is having. Underfunding and misappropriation of funds are just some of the many issues plaguing the various higher education systems in the state.

Well why does a regular degree cost so fucking much anyway? Are you telling me that the cost to actually educate is up THAT much over the last 20 years? No, but now that unis have to offer healthcare and now "free" healthcare, and STILL rolling in bank. Just another quasi-socialist cozy relationship between higher learning and the gubment. I mean shit, were alrdy letting them down k-12

Pun wrote:Well why does a regular degree cost so fucking much anyway? Are you telling me that the cost to actually educate is up THAT much over the last 20 years? No, but now that unis have to offer healthcare and now "free" healthcare, and STILL rolling in bank. Just another quasi-socialist cozy relationship between higher learning and the gubment. I mean shit, were alrdy letting them down k-12

California's higher education system contains some of the best universities in the world, such as UC Berkeley (only rivaled by Stanford across the Bay), UC Davis, and UCLA. Even the lower tier California State University system, of which Fresno State is a part, attracts students from all over the world. The policies in place outlining the function of the CSU and UC system is tried and proven.

The problem confronting the UC, CSU, and community college systems is not the inflation of the price of offering these services (state subsidy+student tuition), but the fact that California has dramatically scaled back funding for the system over the last five to six years. The state decided it would be wise to balance its budget on the backs of the students (the idea presumably being that we can take out more student loans ). This has little to do with health care, it has to do with draconian budget cuts.

You didn't even mention two of Cali's best.

Pepperdine and Cal-Poly are both excellent. I wish I woulda listened to my dad and applied to Cal-Poly. I will never truly regret attending Bayou Tigerland, but Cal-Poly has always had a world class mechanical engineering school.

Pun does have a valid point though. Since I left school, tuition has far outstripped inflation. It is past the point of being outrageous. Most grads will be slaves to tuition payments for 20 years or more.

As a comparison, both my wife and I paid ours off in less than 10. About 7 1/2 actually.

It is, just a new wave of debt and entrapment. Efore you even get out of the gates

And these unis are kind of like the old logging company communities where your rent came out of your pay, everything you needed from the company store came out, and whatever the hell else. It ALLLL went back to the company/school.

And then txtbooks so expensive youd think they were original shakespeare manuscripts...

And k-12 all we're worried about are standardized tests, and filling their heads with things most will forget half of, so when we send them off to college and actually expect people to think, youre having more and more kids having to take remedial courses, which is also quite convenient for the schools

Marconius wrote:As a comparison, both my wife and I paid ours off in less than 10. About 7 1/2 actually.

Come to Ireland, we have free 3rd level education, you pay a registration fee/services charge to the college every year of about €2,500, you pay for your own books and stuff, and you generally have to find your own accommodation (no such things as dorms over here) but the education part itself is free. Was tempted when I was looking at colleges to head states-side, but the fees you guys pay over there frankly just scared the shit out of me....

Pun wrote:And k-12 all we're worried about are standardized tests, and filling their heads with things most will forget half of, so when we send them off to college and actually expect people to think, youre having more and more kids having to take remedial courses, which is also quite convenient for the schools

That's any school though no? Any time you have a set of standardized tests you're going to end up with schools that try to cram enough rote learning knowledge into the kids head to pass the tests, and that's it. Is pretty much the same over here.

I just think of all the things i studied in primary school, and aside from english and basic math, i never needed any of it

Miles1 wrote:

Marconius wrote:As a comparison, both my wife and I paid ours off in less than 10. About 7 1/2 actually.

Come to Ireland, we have free 3rd level education, you pay a registration fee/services charge to the college every year of about €2,500, you pay for your own books and stuff, and you generally have to find your own accommodation (no such things as dorms over here) but the education part itself is free. Was tempted when I was looking at colleges to head states-side, but the fees you guys pay over there frankly just scared the shit out of me....

Yeah, it has become the first step in serfdom to the bankers.

Miles1 wrote:

Marconius wrote:As a comparison, both my wife and I paid ours off in less than 10. About 7 1/2 actually.

Come to Ireland, we have free 3rd level education, you pay a registration fee/services charge to the college every year of about €2,500, you pay for your own books and stuff, and you generally have to find your own accommodation (no such things as dorms over here) but the education part itself is free. Was tempted when I was looking at colleges to head states-side, but the fees you guys pay over there frankly just scared the shit out of me....

Thats about what we pay per-year in in-state tuition at the CSU system. I believe the UC is a bit more expensive.

Miles1 wrote:

Pun wrote:And k-12 all we're worried about are standardized tests, and filling their heads with things most will forget half of, so when we send them off to college and actually expect people to think, youre having more and more kids having to take remedial courses, which is also quite convenient for the schools

That's any school though no? Any time you have a set of standardized tests you're going to end up with schools that try to cram enough rote learning knowledge into the kids head to pass the tests, and that's it. Is pretty much the same over here.

The new common core standards that most states are beginning to implement are supposed to shift most of the emphasis from answering multiple choice questions to argumentation and critical analysis. At least this new method should force kids to think, not just memorize.