California’s community colleges are experimenting with a new model, known as competency-based education, but at Madera Community College, it’s created a divide between faculty and college administrators.
Higher Ed
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UCSC faculty mourn loss of feminist studies department
Members of UC Santa Cruz’s feminist studies faculty say they are disappointed to see the pioneering department closing after 50 years, but say they had little choice amid dwindling faculty numbers and heavy workloads.
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Nearly one year later, three students in UCSC bus crash file lawsuit accusing UC regents of negligence
A bus crash on the UC Santa Cruz campus in December 2023 led to the death of driver Dan Stevenson and injuries to five passengers. Three of the students recently filed a lawsuit accusing the University of California regents of negligence.
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Black California students want more support. A new law names colleges that serve them best
A new law taking effect Jan. 1 creates a Black-Serving Institution designation for colleges and universities in California that excel in supporting student success. Campus presidents say the designation will help them recruit Black students and give them an HBCU-like experience in their home state instead of having to leave California for college.
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Appeals court sides with UCSC over water access dispute with City of Santa Cruz
A California appeals court ruled that the City of Santa Cruz must provide water access to UC Santa Cruz property located beyond city boundaries. The ruling, the latest in a years-long legal dispute, overturns a 2022 judgment by a Santa Cruz judge that found the city wasn’t required to provide the service unless a local commission approved it.
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Cabrillo College plans cuts amid $4.3 million budget deficit
Cabrillo College is trimming its budget as pandemic-era funding ends and costs rise. President Matt Wetstein said there are no immediate plans for layoffs, but the college will cut about 70 of its 1,394 classes as it opts not to replace some retiring faculty.
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UC Santa Cruz chancellor exploring addition of medical school
Santa Cruz County could one day have a medical school. UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive is in early discussions exploring if the university could help fill a void and relieve a local and statewide primary care physician shortage. While no specific timeline has been determined, officials say the planning process could take more than a decade.
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Conservative professors and students are suing California’s community colleges, and winning
In numerous lawsuits, conservative professors and students allege that California’s community colleges are hindering their right to free speech under the First Amendment.
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UCSC workers begin two-day strike over health care, wage issues
UC Santa Cruz dining, transit and patient care workers began a two-day strike Wednesday morning as part of a systemwide labor action. Workers have accused the University of California of negotiating in bad faith over pay increases and health care costs.
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Judge denies injunction request in lawsuit over banning Gaza protesters from UCSC campus
A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge denied a request by UC Santa Cruz protesters Tuesday morning to stop the university from banning people from campus without due process. A preliminary injunction would have paused the practice as the protesters’ lawsuit against the bans proceeded in the courts. In the meantime, UCSC updated its policy on the bans.