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Private Universities Are Looking at a Low Enrollment

If you've been keeping up Cal State's and other state universities are seeing an increase in their enrollment to the point that they're turning away qualified students in the thousands. Of course this is all about money. So how are the UC's and other private colleges around the country fairing?

Some like Beloit College in Wisconsin plan on cutting 40 positions because they will have 36 fewer students, stated an article in the New York Times.

In that same article Gail Sweezey, director of admissions at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania said that "one-sided" media coverage gave the perception that private colleges are unaffordable in the face of our dwindling economy and that in fact "a lot of private colleges have more financial aid available this year, but there’s lots of misinformation out there."

Whether or not this is true the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities reported that two-thirds of the 371 private universities it surveyed reported an almost 30 percent drop in regular enrollment applications this year compared to this time in 2007. To read the full report click here.

Here are some more stats from the report:

• 82 percent indicated that demand for student aid had been affected or significantly affected.
• 70 percent indicated that student/parent loan availability had been affected or significantly affected.
• 53 percent reported that institutional debt/cost of debt had been affected or significantly affected.
• 52 percent indicated that student enrollment had been affected or significantly affected.

Undocumented Students at CSUN

Undocumented students rejoiced back in 2001 after Assembly Bill 540 was enacted. The bill allowed undocumented students who attended high school in California to be eligible for in-state tuition.

As of last year it was estimated that there were 114 undocumented students, or AB 540 students, at CSUN. But that number cannot be confirmed as the CSU's don't keep track of AB 540 students.

Now these students are advocating for the California DREAM Act which would extend financial aid to certain undocumented students.

Nationally, of the 65,000 undocumented students that graduate high school, 25,000 are from California. They don’t have driver’s licenses, social security numbers or passports, which means they can't get a legal job or go into the military to pay for their higher education.

Last fall the DREAM Act came up for a vote in the Senate and many students traveled to the Nation's capitol to advocate for themselves, however it was shot down.

Compared to the 60's and 70's undocumented students protests are very mellow, but that's okay said Jorge Garcia the advisor for DREAM's to be Heard, an organization at CSUN that provides support to AB 540 students.

"Back when we were protesting in college it was very different because we grew up in a very different environment and we can't expect our current students to do the same," said Garcia, who is a Chicano Studies professor. "They're protesting in a way that fits the times."

Garcia recalls different methods that they used back in the 60's to shut down the CSU's. One example was when they threw a molotov at the CSU's main computer system. The governor, Regan at the time, shut down all of the CSU's immediately.

President of DREAM's to be Heard, Pedro, agrees that it's very difficult be an aggressive protestor because it not only jeoperdizes them, but their families as well.

"I'm undocumented and so are my family members so if I'm on everybody's radar I can put my family in danger," Pedro said.

While they do participate in protests, they're not going to bomb the CSU's computers system anytime soon said Pedro.

Pedro recently participated in a hunger strike in Downtown Los Angeles to draw President elects attention to the plight of the undocumented community.

"Every little thing we do counts and we're going to keep fighting until we pass the DREAM Act," Pedro said.

There are many people who are opposed to the DREAM Act, but Lizbeth Mateo AB 540 student and CSUN alumni doesn't deal with them. (Listen to Lizbeth's response HERE)

Still they continue to fight for the right to become functioning members of soc

How CSUN Will be Affected by the Budget Cuts

On the eve of the the CSU's announcement that 10,000 qualified students would be shown the door this year CSUN expects to see a decrease of 1,100 in its full-time student enrollment.

CSUN isn't going to see the worst of it though, according to a Daily News article, because under the CSU's plan students living near or around each campus will have first priority. CSUN in fact will end the enrollment period on Nov. 30, when it used to go into winter and at times spring.

CSUN provost Harry Hellenbrand said that for the moment the campus is not considering any tuition hikes, however they may be enacted in the nearby future.

The most impacted campuses, like CSUN, are looking for ways to help students graduate faster even at the expense of their education, which include lack course requirements as well as expelling students with a poor academic standing.

As far as the numbers go this is what the Daily News reported on:

"California's 2008-09 budget grants the Cal State system $215 million less than what officials say it needs to cover current enrollment growth and expenses. Now the CSU system is looking at a midyear cut of $66.3million in addition to a $31.3million one-time cut that was approved by trustees last month."

We can expect more packed classes and a lower level of education due to the increase in students and the decrease in funding.

I Don't Care if Your Eligible We're Packed!

At least 10,000. That's how many applicants will be denied entry to California State Universities, even if they are eligible. CSU Chancellor Charles Reed got the go ahead from the governing Board of Trustees, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

This is the first time 48 years that they plan on refusing eligible students. The reasoning behind this that CSU's don't have the funds to meet the demands of so many students.

"State legislators enacted $215 million in CSU budget cuts in September, and the chancellor agreed to $31 million in additional concessions last month. The governor has now proposed $66 million in midyear budget cuts, with the prospect of deeper cuts next year."

The CSU community argued that by investing in the state's higher education they are investing in the state of California, but it fell on deaf ears as the budget cuts continued to come.

But since classes are becoming more crowded and students are taking longer to graduate in part because of it the current priority is the 319,000 currently enrolled students.

What Students Expect from President Elect Barack Obama

ESHA MOMENI HAS BEEN RELEASED ON BAIL!!!!!!

Esha Momeni has been released from Evin Prison in Iran!!

I heard the news this morning and have no other details but are happy that she's safe and back home with her parents.

I am ecstatic to meet her and extremely happy that she is with her family.

This wouldn't have been possible without everybody's efforts and prayers...

Bless her heart for being so brave!