Goodbye to California's Master Plan for Higher Education

The financial crises is making it a difficult time for higher education in California. But even more ominous for higher education is the slow demise of the vaunted California Master Plan for Higher Education.

In 1960 the California Legislature approved a far-reaching higher education plan, commonly referred to as the Master Plan. The plan involved a three-level higher education system for all students wishing to attend college. The plan consisted of two-year community colleges open to all high school graduates, the four-year California State University System for students graduating in the top third of their high school classes, and the undergraduate, graduate and research University of California System open to approximately the top 12 percent of high school graduates. The community colleges would have very low tuition and would provide both technical training and transfer courses to both the CSU and UC systems. The CSU and UC higher education systems would have higher tuition than the community colleges but low enough to permit any qualified student to attend.

I was a proud beneficiary of the Master Plan, being both a graduate of the University of California and an administrator and instructor in the community college system. My education was inexpensive and academically outstanding. My profession at Fresno City College is rewarding. I worry, however, about the future of higher education in California.

Financial support at all three levels of higher education from the state legislature has dramatically decreased. Cooperation between the three levels has decreased as everyone fights for survival. And students, who so desperately need an education to find gainful employment, are facing significant tuition increases and fewer classes.

Instead of being a model for higher education with its 1960 Master Plan, California higher education is looking more and more like other states with far less progressive systems. Innovation is gone. The Plan is coming apart.

And the future looks even more grim. How many students will California be able to serve next year with its financially vulnerable higher education system? What about five years from now? Twenty-five years? Fifty? The future of California--and to a certain extent the United States due to the size and influence of California--is at stake.

Even though California is in the depths of a prolonged financial downturn, we must not disappoint those educators and legislators from the 1950's that believed that the future of the Golden State depended on a strong higher education system and had the vision to create California's Higher Education Master Plan.

I challenge today's educators, business, agriculture and legislative leaders to convene a summit to reassess the Master Plan. And if the Plan can't be fixed and needs to be replaced by something better for the 21st Century, so be it.

I entered the University of California as a freshman in 1961, the dawn of the Master Plan. I would be so-o-o-o-o thrilled to move into my sunset years knowing that the Golden State was taking care of the higher education needs of the next few generations.

Coming Soon. . .

1. Why not buy a house? We taxpayers are paying for it.
2. Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey?
3. Fresno police should stay out of county islands.

Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail .com.