While this may very well mean that tuition and fee increases will stop (or freeze momentarily), as promised by the University of California Regents and by the Califonia State University Trustees, it is still a mystery how the money generated from this tax will be put to use by the respective university systems.
In an interview with the L.A. Times, UC Regent Sherry Lansing showed excitement about the new tax, "I am thrilled that California voters have passed Proposition 30. This victory will certainly help us in our battle to restore fiscal stability to the University of California.” Lansing, however, never mentioned what "fiscal stability" means in respect to the University of California's budget.
Likewise, UC Regents' President, Mark Yudof commented, "This is an opportunity of great importance, not only to the University of California and other higher education segments, but also to the state as a whole, and we cannot afford to let it slip away", but did not address what "great importance" the "opportunity" addresses. While the UC Regents' President seems to emphasize a feeling or urgency, we can only imagine what his urgency is.
Similarly, the statement issued by current Cal State Chancellor, Charles B. Reed failed to pinpoint any specific uses of the tax revenue, "The long-term benefits of additional revenue can only be realized if higher education is once again a priority. The state needs to start making up for the devastating budget cuts of the past several years and focus on higher education as a driver of California’s economic future."
So far, the freezing of tuition hikes and the Cal State System's reinstatement of the admissions process are the only results that we can see from this tax increase.
On Facebook, some University of California and Cal State University department heads have already praised the fact that proposition 30 has passed, but have also expressed ambivalence as to how the tax revenue will impact their departments.
One such person was Alexandro José Gradilla, Chair of the departments of Chicana and Chicano Studies and African American Studies at Cal State Fullerton, who posted, "So what does [proposition 30] mean for CSUF??? We were planning for a 20 million cut to our campus...my department lost 55% of our planned classes for the spring of 2013. Now we 'ONLY' face a 7 million cut...so back to the drawing board and I think we can add classes again....I think..."
As the L.A. Times article mentions, "the regents are already looking at the budget for the 2013-14 school year and are scheduled to vote next week on a proposal that would raise fees for graduate and professional school students in a variety of programs such as nursing, business, social work, dentistry, medicine and architecture.
Depending on the campuses and the programs, more than 50 degrees could be increased in ranges between 1.2% and 35%. Most would be no more than 7%, according to the plan."
In the past years, moneys have been allocated to many UC capital projects that critics have called expensive and less important than the pressing needs for expanding departments and course offerings as well as retaining Teaching Assistantships for graduate students. Some of these have included the building of a Medical School at UC Riverside, the construction of many administration buildings across the UCs, and of course, salary increases for administrators and university law enforcement.
Will the revenue from this new tax initiative do the same?
We hope not.
UPDATE:
Since the publication of our article yesterday, Professor Alexandro José Gradilla has already confirmed that the "55%" of courses cut in his department at Cal State University Fullerton will "NOT" be restored.
