The expected surge in enrollment in the University of California
system is not limited to the undergraduate level ““ through a
combination of the UC’s efforts and a tumbling national
economy, graduate enrollment has grown significantly in the past
year, far exceeding target figures.
Along with a seven percent increase in general campus graduate
enrollment for the 2002-03 school year, which excludes health
sciences, the university has also successfully increased overall
financial support for its graduate students.
The Commission on the Growth and Support of Graduate Education
reported that the state needed to increase the number of graduates
in order to “remain economically competitive.”
Charles McFadden, press aide for the UC Office of the President,
said California’s knowledge-based economy necessitates
expansion in the educated work force.
The surge in enrollment is particularly noticeable in the
sciences and engineering disciplines, more so than in the arts and
humanities, according to data for the 2001-02 school year.
Jim Turner, UCLA assistant vice chancellor in the graduate
division, attributed this increase to a state-driven initiative to
increase the number of graduates in engineering and pure
sciences.
“Over the past few years, the state has noticed a lack of
graduates with degrees in these disciplines,” he said.
The problem is compounded by the disproportionate number of
non-U.S. citizen graduates in these disciplines, leading to severe
shortage in the domestic pool of potential employees.
Faced with such limitations, many companies choose to import
needed personnel from countries like China or India, he added.
General enrollment growth might also be credited to the current
national economic downturn.
Turner said observation of similar situations in the past seems
to indicate that periods of economic downturn coincide with
increased applications to graduate schools.
“A rising unemployment rate turns people with
undergraduate degrees away from the job market to their other
option: graduate schools,” he explained.
Along with enrollment growth comes a boost in financial support
for graduate students, which the UC has come to realize plays a
large role in an applicant’s decision to attend a particular
school.
One of the recommendations the commission came up with regarding
financial support is to advocate for tax exemptions on academic
fellowships and scholarships.
The university has been playing a leading role for the past few
years on this issue, said Chris Harrington, a UC press aide who
works with university lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C.
“We have been prepared and ready that should a legislative
opportunity present itself, we would try to work with members on
(Capitol Hill) to incorporate language that will provide tax
exemptions for graduate students,” he said.
On a national level, the Coalition of Graduate Students for an
Affordable and Accessible Graduate Education is organizing a Lobby
Day on Feb. 20 in Washington, D.C., and graduate students from all
over the country are encouraged to participate.
About 40 schools are expected to attend and each will be meeting
with legislators or staff of their districts to press for their
support on the bill for tax exemptions, said Alik Widge, campaign
coordinator and legislative concern chair for the National
Association for Graduate-Professional Students.
Widge hoped the bill would be introduced within the next
month.
“If not, we expect the upcoming lobby to push it
through,” he added.
If successfully passed, the bill would also benefit
undergraduate students.
It would apply to all previously taxed fellowships and
scholarships, said Hanish Rathod, vice president external for the
Graduate Student Association and board member of the University of
California Student Association.