THIS IS KPBS MIDDAY EDTION I'M MAUREEN CAVANAUGH. TRY TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO CALIFORNIA'S HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM AND PERHAPS STOP THE PROPOSED STUDENT TUITION HIKE AT UC SCHOOLS BEING PROPOSED IN THE STATE SENATE. THE PLAN COMES AT A TIME WITH UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT JANET MATTIA -- NAPOLITANO HAS PROPOSED DRASTIC MEASURES IN ORDER TO KEEP THE SYSTEM FINANCIALLY SOUND. SHE SAYS THE SYSTEM WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS TO NEW IN-STATE STUDENTS NEXT YEAR IF IT DOES NOT GET ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM SACRAMENTO. ON TOP OF THAT, UC REGENTS HAS AUTHORIZED TUITION HIKES OF 28% OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THAT IS THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THIS NEW PLAN TAKES SHAPE PROPOSED BY SAN DIEGO STATE SENATOR. MARTY BLOCK. SUPPORTERS SAY IT WOULD PUMP EXTRA MILLIONS INTO THE UC AND CSU SYSTEM AND ENCOURAGE MORE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THEIR COLLEGE DEGREES IN FOUR YEARS. JOINING ME IS CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR. MARTY BLOCK, CO-AUTHOR OF SB 15, PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA. SENATOR. BLOCK, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM PEER ________________________________________ GREAT TO BE HERE, MAUREEN. ________________________________________ AND RYAN HILER IS ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT ADVOCACY AT UC SAN DIEGO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. ________________________________________ THANK YOU. ________________________________________ SENATOR. BLOCK, JANET MATTIA -- JANET NAPOLITANO HAS PAINTED A GRIM PICTURE OF THE NEEDS OF THE UC SYSTEM. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT ? ________________________________________ I AGREE THE NEEDS ARE THERE. I DISAGREE WITH THE WAY THAT UC SAID THEY WILL ADDRESS THE NEEDS WHICH IS ON THE BACK OF THEIR STUDENTS. AT THAT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE STATE, ME MY COLLEAGUES AND THE GOVERNOR TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR THE UC AND CSU. AND WHAT WE ARE OFFERING IT SB 15 ARE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, MUCH MORE THAN THE TUITION INCREASE WOULD BE BUT IT IS CONTINGENT UPON YOU SEE REJECTING THE PROPOSED FEE INCREASE . ________________________________________ I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT BUT FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT THESE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE FUNDING FROM THE STATE ? ________________________________________ DURING THE RECESSION, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER STATE SERVICE FUNDING FOR THE HIGHER EDUCATION ENTITIES UC CSU COMMUNITY COLLEGE WERE CUT AND WE ARE BUILDING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2007-2008. FUNDING WAS CUT AND DEMAND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SENEGAL STATE HAS GROWN TO MEDICALLY. IT'S A DOUBLE WHAMMY. NOT JUST FUNDING CUT BY DEMAND INCREASE. SO WE WILL GET BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. ________________________________________ READING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE HOPING TO ACHIEVE WITH SB 15 IS RATHER AMBITIOUS. WHAT ARE THE GOALS AS YOU SEE THEM OF THIS LEGISLATION ? ________________________________________ THERE ARE MULTIPLE GOALS IS AN AMBITIOUS OMNIBUS BILL. ONE THING THAT PUSHES GETTING STUDENTS IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL IN JUST FOUR YEARS. WE FIND THAT THE CSU IN PARTICULAR STUDENTS WERE TAKING SIX, SEVEN YEARS TO GET THERE FOR YOUR DEGREE. NO LONGER AFFORD YOUR DEGREE. BY PROVIDING MORE CAREER COUNSELORS TO HELP STUDENTS DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WHEN THEY FINISH, BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC ADVISORS TO GUIDE STUDENTS THROUGH THE COURSEWORK THEY NEED, PROVIDING MORE FACULTY TO TEACH THE BOTTLENECK COURSES THAT EXISTS IN EVERY UNIVERSITY, WE ARE FACILITATING STUDENTS PROGRESS SO THEY CAN GET IN AND OUT IN FOUR YEARS. AND WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING THEM WITH AN INCENTIVE GRANT OF $4000 IF THEY DO FINISH IN FOUR YEARS. ________________________________________ IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS AN OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS LEGISLATION AND THAT IS TO GET MORE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE GRADUATES. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY ? ________________________________________ THAT'S RIGHT. PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA SAYS WE NEED 1 MILLION MORE GRADUATES BY THE YEAR 2025 THAT WERE CURRENTLY ON TARGET TO HIT. FOR CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY, WE -- WE NEED TO PUMP THESE PEOPLE INTO THE WORKFORCE BY GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF FOUR YEARS INSTEAD SIX, IT NOT ONLY GETS THEM INTO THE WORKFORCE MORE QUICKLY BUT OPENS UP SPACE FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFERS, BEHIND THEM. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR CALIFORNIA'S TO DO THIS. ________________________________________ I'M SPEAKING WITH STATE SENATOR. MARTY BLOCK FROM SAN DIEGO AND HE HAS CO-AUTHORED A BILL SB 15 A PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA. THE PROPOSAL WOULD INCLUDE -- INCREASE STATE GENERAL FUND INVESTMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY $158 MILLION NEXT YEAR, BUT THE OVERALL PROPOSED INCREASE NEXT YEAR IS $342 MILLION. SO WHERE IS THE REST OF THE MONEY COMING FROM ? ________________________________________ THE BILL IS ACTUALLY SILENT ABOUT FUNDING SOURCE. I THINK IT SHOULD COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. I THINK THERE IS MONEY THERE. WE HAVE A SURPLUS THIS YEAR. THE GOVERNOR IS KNOWN TO BE TIGHT WITH HIS MONEY. AND HE SHOULD BE. BUT TO ME THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT THE STATE NEEDS TO MAKE. THERE ARE OTHER POOLS OF MONEY THAT CAN BE USED. THERE'S A MIDDLE-CLASS SCHOLARSHIP A PORTION OF THAT MONEY MY VIEWS. THERE'S OTHER POTS OF MONEY. I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE STATE TO FUND THIS FULLY. WE CALL IT SB 15 BY THE WAY BECAUSE IF STUDENTS TAKE 15 UNITS EVERY SEMESTER, THEY WILL GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS. ________________________________________ ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AT LEAST HAS BEEN FLOATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH SB 15 IS THE IDEA OF REALLY RATCHETING UP OUT-OF-STATE TUITION. FOR STUDENTS AT UC AND CSU'S. ________________________________________ THAT'S RIGHT MY CONSTITUENTS TELL ME THAT WHILE THEY APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE FINE UNIVERSITIES WE HAVE IN CALIFORNIA, THERE A MAGNET FOR STUDENTS FROM OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES AND UNFORTUNATELY STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE PLACE OF CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN CITY HEIGHTS MAY NOT FIND ROOM AT SAN DIEGO STATE FAMILIES AND LINDA VISTA CANNOT GET INTO UC SAN DIEGO. THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. SO WE ARE GOING TO RATCHET UP ITS WISH AND FOR OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS BY 17% QUARTER TO OUR PROPOSAL. IF THEY PAY THAT MUCH MORE, THEN THEY CAN FUND ADDITIONAL IN-STATE STUDENTS IF THEY WILL NOT PAY THAT MUCH MORE, THEN THERE'S MORE SPACE FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS. ________________________________________ AS YOU MENTIONED, ONE WAY OF FINANCING THIS MIGHT BE TO BASICALLY ELIMINATE THE NEWLY CREATED MIDDLE-CLASS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. WHY IN ELIMINATE THAT PROGRAM ? ________________________________________ WELL, WE ARE LOOKING AT VARIOUS POTS OF MONEY. THAT IS ONE THAT IS JUST STARTING OUT AND WE ARE NOT SURE HOW SUCCESSFUL THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS AT USED TO ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. I FRANKLY WOULD RATHER NOT TOUCH THE SCHOLARSHIP I WOULD RATHER SEE US TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. ________________________________________ YOU WOULD RATHER SEE A WHOLE CHUNK OF MONEY BEYOND THE $58 MILLION GO INTO THIS NEW PROGRAM PEER ________________________________________ ACTUALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND IT IS HARD FOR ME AS A MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON, BUT FOR THE STATE ONE EDGE AND $58 MILLION IS BUDGET DUST. IT IS JUST CHANGE. WE CAN EASILY GET ANOTHER $300 MILLION OUT OF THE STATE GENERAL FUND IF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR ARE WILLING TO GO LONG. ________________________________________ I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THIS PROPOSAL MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THESE PROPOSED -- REALLY AUTHORIZED TUITION HIKE THAT CSU REGENTS HAS AUTHORIZED THIS TUITION HIKE PLAN, 28% HIKE OVER FIVE YEARS AT UC SCHOOLS. IS ONE -- HOW DOES ONE WORK WITH THE OTHER? WOULD THIS BE CONTINGENT UPON THE UC REGENTS VOTING THAT TUITION HIKE OUT ? ________________________________________ YES, IT WOULD. WE MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. THIS REJECTS THE TUITION HIKE. IT IS UP TO YOU SEE THEY CAN RAISE TUITION 28% AND GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING OR THEY CAN REJECT THAT SB 15 PASSES AND GET FAR MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND. ________________________________________ BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO NULLIFY THOSE TUITION RATE HIKES ? ________________________________________ NO. WE COULD JUST GIVE THEM THE CHOICE 51 A LOT OF MONEY FOR -- FROM US OR LITTLE BIT OF MONEY FROM YOUR STUDENTS PEER ________________________________________ SB 15 INCLUDES AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AN INCENTIVE FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS TIME. WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL ? ________________________________________ THE OVERALL GOAL TO BE IS TO GET MORE STUDENTS OUT IN THE WORKFORCE. WHEN A STUDENT TAKE SIX YEARS TO GRADUATE, HE OR SHE IS LOSING ABOUT $130,000. THE AVERAGE CSU STUDENT MAKES 40,000 PER YEAR EACH YEAR THERE OUT THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT'S $80,000 THEY USE IF THEY TAKE TWO EXTRA YEARS TO GRADUATE AND THEY SPEND AN EXTRA $26,000 PER YEAR ON SCHOOL. SO THAT'S ANOTHER 50. ALTOGETHER $130,000 CAN BE SAVED BY STUDENTS FINISHING IN FOUR YEARS GIVE A GET IN THE WORKFORCE IT HELPS CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY AND THEY START PAYING TAXES AND AGAIN AS I SAID EARLIER, STUDENTS BEHIND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES COMING COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFERS TAKE THEIR PLACE. IT WILL DRIVE THE ENGINE OF CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY. WE NEED THESE BACHELOR GROUP GRADUATES AS WE MOVE TO 2020 . ________________________________________ LET ME GET, RYAN HILER INTO THIS CONVERSATION. AS I SAID HE'S ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT ADVOCACY AT UC SAN DIEGO. RIGHT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT YOU WILL BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR ? ________________________________________ YES IN JUNE. ________________________________________ HAVE YOU MANAGED TO GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS ? ________________________________________ YES. I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO DO THAT. ________________________________________ IS COMPLETING SCHOOL OF FOUR YEARS A PROBLEM FOR SOME OTHER STUDENTS THAT YOU KNOW ? ________________________________________ IT DEFINITELY IS. FOR -- IN MY EXPERIENCE IT DEPENDS ON YOUR MAJOR AT UC SAN DIEGO MORE. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WHO ARE MORE OF THE ENGINEERS, THEY WILL BE HERE AT LEAST ONE OTHER YEAR OR A COUPLE QUARTERS. ________________________________________ IS THAT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET THE CLASSES OR WHAT ? ________________________________________ YES. FOR A LARGE PART OF IT IT IS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF CLASSES THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE. SO THOSE CLASSES FILL UP REALLY QUICKLY. OR IF YOU DO BAD ONE OF THOSE CLASSES, IT IS A PRE-WORK FOR ANOTHER CLASS AND YOU HAVE TO RETAKE THAT CLASS THE NEXT YEAR SO YOU ARE JUST BEHIND THAT WAY. ________________________________________ SENATOR. BLOCK, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME DO WE KNOW THAT IT TAKES A STUDENT TO GRADUATE FROM THE UC OR CSU SYSTEM ? ________________________________________ IN THE CSU IS THE BETWEEN 5 TO 6 YEARS. STATISTICS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO SET 6.2 YEARS. UC IS PUSHING BACK ON THE EVENT BUT THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT GRADUATE. IT MAKES IT TOUGH STATISTIC TO CALCULATE. UC IS BETTER. QC PROBABLY TAKES ABOUT 4 1/2 YEARS FOR THE AVERAGE STUDENT. ANYTIME OF THE FOUR YEARS IS A WASTE OF TIME AND TAXPAYER MONEY. ________________________________________ WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT IT WOULD TAKE LONGER THAN FOUR YEARS ? ________________________________________ WAS WHAT RYAN SAID, BASICALLY CUTBACKS HAVE IMPACTED THE AMOUNT OF CLASSES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS ? ________________________________________ ABSOLUTELY. I TAUGHT HERE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS AND MY CLASS WAS ALWAYS FULL. WE WOULD HAVE WAITING LIST FOR STUDENTS TO SHOP THE FIRST DAY IF THEY COULDN'T GET IN, IT WAS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD I WILL COME BACK AGAIN AND TRY NEXT SEMESTER WHICH WASTES TIME AND OUR MONEY. SO BY PROVIDING MORE FACULTY TO TEACH BOTTLENECK CLASSES, MORE SECTIONS OF THESE CLASSES, WE CAN GET STUDENTS THROUGH IN A TIMELY FASHION. ________________________________________ BRIAN, AS I WAS TALKING TO SENATOR. BLOCK, IT UC PRESIDENT. JANET NAPOLITANO HAS PROPOSED THIS MULTIYEAR TUITION INCREASE. HOW ARE STUDENTS REACTING TO THAT ? ________________________________________ THEY ARE PRETTY AGAINST IT. UNSURPRISINGLY. ________________________________________ ARE THERE SOME KIDS SAYING I CANNOT DO THIS? I WILL HAVE TO DROP OUT. ________________________________________ YES THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO FEEL THAT IF WE DO GET THAT 5% INCREASE THAT IT BECOMES THAT MUCH MORE UNAFFORDABLE AND IS THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO ATTEND. ________________________________________ YOU FINANCE YOUR EDUCATION PARTLY THROUGH COW GRANTS IS THAT RIGHT ? ________________________________________ CORRECT. ________________________________________ HOW IMPORTANT WOULD YOU SAY THAT THEY ARE TO STUDENTS TRYING TO FINANCE A COLLEGE EDUCATION ? ________________________________________ I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. ESPECIALLY SPEAKING FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I KNOW I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO UC SAN DIEGO WITHOUT THE COW GRANTS. I DON'T HAVE ANY ASSISTANCE FROM MY FAMILY SO THAT IS WHERE I GET A LARGE PART OF MY FINANCIAL AID. ________________________________________ AND YOU WILL STILL HAVE DEBT WHEN YOU GRADUATE ? ________________________________________ YES I TO TAKE OUT LOANS ON TOP OF IT. ________________________________________ SO ON TOP OF THE GRANT YOU HAVE DEBT TO PAY BACK BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE COW GRANTS BACK ? ________________________________________ CORRECT. SENATOR. BLOCK YOUR PROPOSAL ALUMINATE CUTS TO COW GRANTS. ________________________________________ RYAN IS SMART. IT MAKES SENSE MAY BE COUNTERINTUITIVE BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO TAKE OUT LOANS WHILE YOUR STUDENT SO THAT YOU CAN GO FULL-TIME BECAUSE WHATEVER RYAN HAS TO PAY BACK IS FAR LESS THAN THE ONE EDGE AND $30,000 EXIT HE WOULD LOSE IF WE WOULD STAY TO EXTRACT YEARS. THAT'S A GOOD PATH FOR RYAN TO BE TAKEN. AS FAR AS COW GRANTS, SB 15 CREATE 7500 MORE COMPETITIVE CAL GRANTS FOR STUDENTS. IT REJECTS THE 11% CUT TO CAL GRANT AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS THAT WOULD HURT PLACES LIKE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THAT HELP THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH ACCESS AND DEMANDS OF STUDENTS. ________________________________________ NEITHER CSU NOR THE UC SYSTEM HAVE COME OUT PUBLICLY IN SUPPORT OF SB 15. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS ? ________________________________________ WE THINK THAT CSU WILL COME OUT PUBLICLY IN SUPPORT BEFORE THE FIRST HEARING, WHICH IS COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE UC POLITICALLY, THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO SAY THEY WILL NOT RAISE THEIR TUITION. ________________________________________ AND WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT HAVE YOU GOTTEN FROM THE BILL ? ________________________________________ OH, WE HAVE GOTTEN STRONG SUPPORT FROM DIFFERENT STUDENT GROUPS AROUND THE STATE. FAMILIES, A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CATER TO STUDENTS WHO ARE FROM LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS HAVE COME TO US AND SAID THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL. WHEN WE -- BY THE WAY, THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS LETTERS OF SUPPORT TEND TO COME IN AT THE FIRST HEARING AND THAT'S A FEW WEEKS AWAY. WE THINK WILL HAVE A LONG LIST OF SUPPORTERS AND WE DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WILL ACTUALLY BE IN OPPOSITION OF THE BILL. ________________________________________ THE MAIN BUDGET REVISES COMING UP. AS YOU SAID, GOVERNOR. BROWN TENDS TO BE A LITTLE CLOSE WITH THE CASH. SO TO SPEAK. SO I'M WONDERING WHAT ROLE THE STATE SENATE CAN PLAY HERE. GIVEN THE GOVERNOR'S POWER OVER THE BUDGET ? ________________________________________ WELL, I SHARED THE -- CHAIRED THE EDUCATION BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE SO I WILL BE PROPOSING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. MY COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WILL MOST SORTED THAT CERTAINLY SUPPORT SB 15. AND THE GOVERNOR WILL HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH KEVIN WL, R PRO-TAP AND TONI ATKINS, THE SPEAKER AND DECIDE ON WHICH OF THE BUDGET -- IF THE GOVERNMENT -- GOVERNOR DOESN'T GET HIS WAY. IT'S THREE PEOPLE THAT DECIDE KEVIN, TONY AND THE GOVERNOR. AND WE WILL PUSH FOR THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO GO TO UC AND CSU. ________________________________________ IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING GOVERNOR BROWNED IS NOT A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THIS UC TUITION HIKE IS THAT RIGHT ? ________________________________________ DEFINITELY DOESN'T LIKE THE TUITION HIKE AND THIS GIVES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT. ________________________________________ HOW FAR ALONG IS THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS? THESE ARE THE FIRST HEARING IS A GREAT ? ________________________________________ WERE JUST STARTING THE PROCESS NOW. THE BILL AT THE END OF THE NIGHT -- NINE-MONTH PROCESS. SEVERAL COMMITTEE HEARINGS. THE BILL WILL LOOK DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY. THEY ALWAYS DO. BUT WE ARE PUSHING IN THE DIRECTION WE HAD TALKED ABOUT. I THINK THE GOVERNOR WILL EVEN WHILE HE IS SKEPTICAL WILL LIKE THE BILL ULTIMATELY BECAUSE IT WILL GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT MORE QUICKLY. THE GOVERNORS ABOUT EFFICIENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION. THE IDEA OF A STUDENT TAKING SIX YEARS TO GET FOR YOUR DEGREE APPALLS THE GOVERNOR. ________________________________________ WE WILL CHECK IN WITH YOU AND SEE HOW THAT GOES. I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR. MARTY BLOCK, LEAD AUTHOR OF SB 15. AND SO PLEASED TO HAVE BRIAN HILER JOIN AS ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT ADVOCACY AT UC SAN DIEGO. THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. ________________________________________ THANK YOU. ________________________________________
A state senator from San Diego has proposed a plan to put more money into California's higher education system and perhaps stop a proposed student tuition hike at University of California campuses.
Democrat Sen. Marty Block's Senate Bill 15 will be heard by the Senate Education Committee on April 8. Block is proposing to use money from the general fund to provide $25 million to the University of California and the California State University systems to offer more classes. He wants another $50 million for each system to provide more student support services to ensure students graduate within four years.
On top of that, Block is proposing to offer incentives to students who finish in a timely manner. If a student graduates in four years, he or she will be given an incentive grant of $4,000.
“There are multiple goals,” Block told KPBS Midday Edition on Wednesday. “One of things is it really pushes is getting students in and out in four years. The overall goal is to get more students out into the workforce.”
Block said more funding is needed because most students are graduating in five to six years. More Californians are also needed in the workforce, he said.
“To me, it’s an important investment the state needs to take,” Block said. “We can easily get another $300 million out of the general fund.”
Block’s staff estimates that the proposal would cost $342 million in fiscal 2016.
The bill comes at a time when University of California President Janet Napolitano has proposed drastic measures in order to keep the system financially sound. She said the university system would cap the number of in-state enrollments if state money is withheld. On top of that, the UC regents, the system's governing board, also have authorized a tuition hike of 28 percent over the next five years.
Block has served on the San Diego County Board of Education and the San Diego Community College District board of trustees. Last year, his bill that allowed community colleges to begin a pilot program to offer four-year degrees was passed.
