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Destroying Public Education in California

So let's say you're in charge of one of the most successful university systems in the country. You're state is in a budget crisis, held hostage by a small but strategically vocal minority that are so against taxation (while their "free market" has caused the crisis) that they'd rather see the entire state go bankrupt than to actually do something to solve the problem. As a result, the state has cut funding to your university system by a record amount, thereby creating some serious economic issues that you have to manage.

So, how do you deal with this crisis? Do you:

a) Utilize your $5-6 billion in emergency reserves as a means by which to stay afloat during this rather tumultuous economic period.

b) Demand that the Regents act in their position to protect the university system as a public trust as dictated by your state's constitution, reject the governor's proposed budget and demand that the state's leaders provide the necessary funding to keep the education system intact.

c) Hire new high level administrators at a salary that is 27% higher than what their predecessors made (along with an $100,000 relocation fund), raise tuition by over 9% with the promise of an additional increase in January, furlough or lay-off staff and faculty (thereby causing students to pay more for less services), and give the state a $200 million loan to fund buildings on various campuses.

If you answered "c", please send your resumé to:

President Mark G. Yudof
University of California
1111 Franklin St
Oakland, CA 94607-5201
(510) 987-9029

For more information on the crisis in leadership affecting the University of California, visit http://www.option4.org

Full post as published by Law and Letters on August 06, 2009 (boomark / email).