University of California officials urge 6% cut in freshmen for fall

[JteH]

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The 2,300-student reduction would not affect UCLA, UC Berkeley or UC Merced. The number of applicants denied their first-choice campus would rise, but transfer slots would increase.</p>

<p>University of California officials on Friday proposed reducing freshman enrollment for next fall by 2,300 students, or about 6%, to cope with what they said is insufficient state funding.</p>

<p>Enrollment would not be cut at UCLA and UC Berkeley, the most popular campuses, and expansion would continue at UC Merced, the newest school, according to the plan that is to be reviewed by the UC regents next week. The other six undergraduate campuses would have some freshman reductions, while overall slots for transfer students would rise.</p>

<p>In November, Cal State took more dramatic action to limit enrollment than the UC plan. With earlier deadlines and some changes in entrance standards, Cal State seeks to cut its overall 450,000 student body by about 10,000 next fall.</p>

<p>Later this year, they will have to decide on a tentative plan to raise basic fees 9.4%, or about $662, for most in-state undergraduates. That would bring the average UC bill to $8,670, not including housing, books and other expenses. Graduate and professional school fees would rise more steeply.

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<p>[University</a> of California officials urge 6% cut in freshmen for fall - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucfreshmen10-2009jan10,0,3862072.story]University”>6% CUT IN FRESHMEN AT UC IS URGED)</p>

<p>Discuss. I say UCs’ admissions rate will decrease drastically, and students’ stats at the universities would probably increase as well. And obviously more paranoia everywhere…</p>

[nooob]

<p>question: what does this 6% decrease in freshman enrollment mean? are they accepting fewer students? if so, are OOS students affected as badly as in-state students are? What about a proposal to accept more out of state students?</p>

[augieb1992]

<p>this sucks</p>

[nw09]

<p>the admissions rate won’t decrease drastically, that’s too extreme. it’s just that the UCs will face similar cutbacks to what the CSUs faced earlier this year. fewer ppl admitted, more restrictive on stats, poss higher tuition.</p>

<p>yes, nooob, this means they’re accepting fewer students. I would expect that out of state students will fare worse than the in-state students b/c the UCs and CSUs have an obligation to california residents first. there is no proposal to accept out of state students b/c it’s a public institution, california comes first. out of state students add diversity and a wider range of talents to the campus. in lean economic times such as these, if those out-of-state students want a good, public/cheaper education, those students can go to their own state’s public institutions. i’m sorry to say this, but that’s how it is with the economic downturn.</p>

[bclintonk]

<p>^ The other thing OOS students bring is more tuition revenue and for that reason there was serious discussion among US administrators this year about increasing OOS admissions to make up for the revenue shortfall. But that idea was rejected, probably out of concern about the political fallout. But given their dire fiscal situation, I can’;t imagine the UCs going out of their way to REDUCE the number of OOS students they’re admitting becuase that would only compound their revenue woes.</p>

<p>I find it interesting that they’re planning to increase community college transfers at the same time they’re sinking freshman enrollment. I don’t see a direct and immediate cost advantage to the University, but over time it could save them a lot of money. If they can graduate as many people but offload the cost of their first two years of education onto the community college system, it could produce considerable cost savings over time.</p>