With the tremendous attention directed toward the recall
election, many other important state issues have been placed on the
back burner of media attention. Amid the recall frenzy, University
of California, San Diego, Chancellor Robert Dynes has just become
UC President Dynes. He succeeds the visible and vocal Richard
Atkinson.
Dynes will face many obstacles during his tenure as president
because a great number of contentious issues have arisen in recent
years. These issues include the dramatic growth in
California’s population and resulting influx of students into
the UC, the way that continuing state budgetary difficulties will
impact the UC, decreasing money for outreach, and substantially
lower minority enrollments at top UC campuses. Dynes must serve as
a forceful advocate, a creative problem solver and a consensus
builder on these issues.
While there is a net outflow of U.S. citizens from this state,
strong immigration into California has more than compensated for
this trend. Furthermore, these immigrant populations are
disproportionately concentrated among young people, which will only
increase demand for the state’s UC campuses.
Of course, state officials were aware of this trend, and sought
to ensure that more spaces were available by opening UC Merced.
Unfortunately, however, due to budget cuts, Merced will not
actually be opening until fall 2005 ““ one year later than
originally scheduled. It will be a major tragedy if UC-eligible
students are denied an education at a school for which they are
qualified. That would deprive the university of valuable talent,
students of their right to an education, and the state of
qualified, educated individuals. Yet, that is very likely to
happen.
Budget cuts aside, the current lack of space at UC campuses
combined with the rising population only creates more problems.
What Dynes must do is serve as an effective advocate before state
officials ““ making it clear that officials must view
education as a worthwhile investment and not just another spending
item. Also, he must not hesitate to look for outside assistance
““ whether through federal block grants or private fund
raising ““ to ensure the opening of more campuses. These
problems require creative solutions and innovation.
Another issue closely tied to the increasing populations and
shifting demographics is the issue of diversity at UC campuses.
While the overall enrollment of minorities has rebounded somewhat
after Proposition 209, this largely ignores the fact that many
qualified minority students are being turned away from UCLA and
Berkeley and forced to enroll in less selective campuses. While
there is little Dynes can do about Proposition 209 besides openly
opposing it, he can certainly help obtain more money for outreach
programs that reach middle and high school children throughout
California and seek to prepare them for higher education.
Outreach money has suffered tremendously due to the current
budget situation. Again, Dynes can serve as an effective advocate,
presenting education as the vital investment that it is, and also
working with state politicians to advocate for such funding. Dynes
should also not hesitate to look to outside sources for funding. An
effective fund-raiser, as current UCLA Chancellor Carnesale has
been, would be an excellent asset to the UC at this critical
juncture.
The third, and perhaps most pressing area, relates to cuts in
services, combined with an increase in student fees. This
disastrous combination leaves the UC at a competitive disadvantage
relative to many other public and private universities. Cuts in
services make prospective students less likely to come here, and
decrease the attractiveness of the university for research grants.
All of this harms the quality and long-term reputation of the
university, and in the end, students suffer.
The same can be said for the increases in student fees. The
increase threatens the ability of many students to obtain an
education by placing often-unmanageable financial burdens upon
them. With another $600 million in cuts expected for next year,
Dynes will have to pursue inventive strategies to avoid the
continuing problems.
One potential strategy is to structure fees like the federal
income tax, on a progressive scale rather than as a
“flat” rate, the current structure. Certainly, this
system is less than desirable because it places an added financial
burden on some people, but it is better than depriving qualified
people of an education. Most importantly, however, Dynes must
aggressively advocate against budget cuts, and help mobilize the
educational community against it.
Clearly, Dynes faces a wide variety of challenges as he begins
his term. Certainly, he has the experience and determination to
make a difference in the UC. I do not doubt his commitment;
however, I hope he will keep in mind the relevant issues of our
time, and not hesitate to serve as a forceful advocate and devise
solutions on all these issues.
Whatever changes are made during the coming years will affect
each student’s education ““ and in a larger sense, the
rest of each student’s life. The task will not be easy. But
it is vital, for our education depends on it.
Bhaskar is a third-year political science student. E-mail
him at sbhaskar@media.ucla.edu.