Day 11

Before I begin, I would just like to acknowledge the significance of the day, and the fact that problems like a 6% salary cut in exchange for a forced two week vacation pale in comparison to the events of September 11, 2001, including the pain and loss for the families of those victims, as well as of all of the soldiers and civilians killed in subsequent "war on terror" activities overseas. A day like today kind of puts things in perspective. But one of the motivations behind the attacks was to cripple the American spirit and distract us from our daily lives. I was originally going to leave out any UC related commentary today, but then decided that I wasn't going to let terrorists make my less-important problems seem completely meaningless, and that I would push ahead as usual. So all honor, thoughts, and remembrance to those we've lost, and onward with my American day.

I have received a response from President Yudoff about the period of furlough during winter break that could have a negative impact on the admissions season. I am of course highly skeptical as to whether he wrote the message himself, but I suppose it doesn't much matter, so for argument's sake I will assume that he did. In the email, he does not address my specific concerns, but instead clarifies that the chancellors of each campus made the decisions about when to have furlough days. He has taken the liberty of passing my message on to Chancellor Birgeneau, which he hopes is alright with me. He then graciously thanks me and my colleagues for all we do for the university. He tells me (us, I guess) "You are a vital part of what makes this institution so great and your contributions to it are invaluable." Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting today that President Yudoff will make his tuition increase recommendations to the board of regents this week, and they will vote on the recommendation in November. Long story short, the increases would make in-state education fees (California's code words for "tuition"), including room, board, and other fees top $24,000, putting the cost of a UC education ahead of major public universities in Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, and New York for the first time. California citizens: the days of the bargain basement price of a world class education at the University of California are over. Finito. Done. They will exist no more. Frankly, I find it quite astounding that it lasted as long as it did. Of course, this price-tag is a bargain compared to our private competitors, and financial aid money is always boosted along with fee hikes, but California students are now going to have to start taking out student loans in ways they never have before. I can personally vouch for the fact that student loans are scary monsters that lurk in the closet and hover over you during times of financial stress, particularly for a public servant like myself. I don't realistically see myself paying off my own student loans in anything short of a decade, probably closer to two. By allowing these dramatic hikes each year--a trend that sees no end in the coming years--the state is doing its future work force, particularly in the non-profit and public service sectors, a great disservice.