I am very excited to hear the Gov. Jerry Brown is working to improve Cal State's and UC. There is so much work to be done! And yes, I am a proud graduate of a Cal State - Cal Poly Pomona. The UC's and Cal States have issues.

16% of Cal State graduate within 4 years!

Number of senior administrators has increased by 125% since 1997, while the number of students increased 33%.

 Jerry Brown pressing for efficiencies at California's universities - State Budget - The Sacramento Bee

LA Times - Gov. Jerry Brown challenges UC, Cal State to make big changes - LA Times

My 10 Suggestions for Fixing Cal States / UC's

1. Force UC's and Cal States to accept relevant AP Courses. Why does my daughter who got a 5 on US History AP, not have the count for a history class at here college? It only counts for an elective. The answer on why is smart politics by the history department, to keep their employment up.
2. Require each Cal State and UC to put their average graduation rate on the front page within 4 years and, starting salary. Require this also for the home page of each major.
3. If a program is not ranked in the top ___ and has limited enrollment, close it. It used to be Cal Poly Pomona has a Masters in Philosophy. Why?
4. Put on the home page the amount the college the ratio of teachers to students, and administrators per student.
5. Simplify the credentialing needed to be a teacher for K-12. And if you go to a Cal State, the requirements are even higher. Focus on what creates great teachers, instead of just what creates more jobs for teaching teachers.
6. Allow more High School students to take College Level classes. My cousin's kids both got their AA degree, while in High School. This reduces the amount of college needed by 2 years theoretically! Theoretically, since most community college students lose units when they transfer to a 4 year.
7. Commuter Students are fine! It seems that many colleges anti commuter students, and have increased their on campus housing and are even forcing students who live outside a certain area to live on campus. Cal Poly Pomona was. Why? Did they build too many dorms?
8. Team up with industry for a combination of Interns  and college at a Community College Level. This way technical industries can get trained workers they need. Something like a vocational training / apprenticeship.
9. Allow students to take classes at other UC's and Cal States at the tuition they pay at their school. During the summer my daughter would have liked to take classes at a local Cal State, but the fees were much higher than her school. Instead, she went to a community college.
10. Set a goal as Texas has done for a $10,000 degree!
    
    Bonus Suggestions:
11. For each major on the department home page, and for each level, BS/ BA, MS/MA, and PhD, put the avg. starting salary and employment 1 year after graduation.
12. Make changes to the tenure system. There are too many part time instructors, who are A+ teacheres, who can't get tenure. Is the tenure system helping provide A+ teaching? Should there be more of a separation of research and teaching?

Labels: college, college admissions