California’s budget cuts hit state's college admissions

California is looking to cut state college admissions at all its junior colleges and universities. The UC system just announced today that it cut its freshman admissions by almost 7 percent. These cuts are part of a larger effort to try to balance California’s $24-billion budget shortfall. The University of California and California State University systems are faced with $2 billion in cuts for this school year alone, and the state’s community college system is facing an $800 million shortfall in state funding. All three have been asked to trim even more out of next year’s budget, and so freshman class sizes have been one of the first items on the chopping block.

UC President Mark Yudof, according to the UC Newsroom, outlined the consequences of these cuts to the state’s budget committee. The UC system will not be able to hire the faculty and offer all the classes needed for their existing student body. He said they will also look increasing student fees in addition to the cuts to freshman admissions.

“The long-term solution for our economy is to heighten investment in UC, the CSU and the Community Colleges,” Yudof said. “In the near term, unfortunately, the utter severity of the cuts proposed leaves us only difficult options to consider.”

These budget cuts also come at a time when enrollment is increasing at these campuses. Community College’s Chancellor Jack Scott said that enrollment hit a record-breaking 2.8 million at the state’s 110 junior college campuses this year, according to the Sacramento Bee.

"This is the time when California community colleges are most needed, and it's demonstrated by our enrollment," Scott said.

If these budget cuts continue, admissions to all of California’s universities will become much more competitive than they already are. The original plan for California’s K-12 students was that there would be a spot for each at one of the junior colleges or universities. That guarantee may no longer be the case.

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