August 2020

Dr. Melina Abdullah, an advocate for overturning Prop. 209, says that human resources barred her department from saying that they were looking for people who could specifically serve Black students in a job listing. Photo by Alexis Hunley for CalMatters

Education

A ballot prop that could boost racial equity among university faculty

Repealing the ban on affirmative action will make it easier for public colleges and universities to target underrepresented groups for faculty positions.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• August 20, 2020

Commentary

Reclassify hydropower now – as renewable energy

If we are going to meet California’s urgent power needs, we cannot relegate hydropower, our most affordable and reliable clean power, to second-class status.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 20, 2020

CalMatters en Español

Opinión: Las universidades estatales y los colegios comunitarios de California necesitan mejores herramientas en línea para orientar a los estudiantes a cursos de matemáticas óptimos.

Un nuevo estudio demostró que las universidades de California no están haciendo un buen trabajo para orientar a los estudiantes hacia opciones óptimas y actualizadas para los cursos de matemáticas.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 20, 2020

Timothy P. White, Chancellor of the California State University system, prepares to testify on the failure to fully disclose a $1.5 billion surplus in a joint hearing of the Joint Legislative Audit, Senate Education, Assembly Higher Education and Assembly subcommittee on Education Finance committees on August 12, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Education

Cal State in the COVID era: No tuition cuts, 4 other takeaways from chancellor chat

In a virtual town hall event hosted by CalMatters, Cal State Chancellor Tim White answered questions about COVID-19 testing, tuition, faculty preparedness, and more.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• August 20, 2020

Events

Watch: Will the kids be all right?

How will this continued state of isolation during the pandemic affect the long-term mental health of children in California? We explored this question and discussed the impact of this unprecedented time on our state’s youth. CalMatters mental health reporter Jocelyn Wiener moderated the conversation about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health, what […]

By

Vanessa Richardson

• August 20, 2020

Retrato de la Dra. Melina Abdullah, expresidenta del departamento de estudios panafricanos de Cal State Los Ángeles y cofundadora del capítulo de Los Ángeles de Black Lives Matter el 18 de agosto de 2020. Abdullah dice que la prohibición de la acción afirmativa ha sido "enormemente problemática tanto en términos de reclutamiento como de retención de profesores afroamericanos". Fotografía de Alexis Hunley para CalMatters

CalMatters en Español

Una propuesta electoral que podría impulsar la equidad racial entre el profesorado universitario

La derogación de la prohibición de la acción afirmativa facilitará que los colegios y universidades públicas se dirijan a grupos insuficientemente representados para ocupar puestos de profesorado.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• August 20, 2020

Commentary

Solving California’s heat-induced rolling blackouts with clean energy innovation

The solution to rolling blackouts is to shift industrial demand to when our grid can handle it and rapidly expand our clean energy resources.

By

Guest Commentary

• August 20, 2020

The Skyline fire burns near Foothill Parkway and Skyline Drive in Corona on Aug. 13, 2020. Residents cheers each time a drop is made. Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG

WhatMatters

Crises collide as fires rage

Disasters abound in California right now. Fires raging across the state have forced thousands to evacuate, put a severe strain on firefighting crews, and contributed to poor air quality amid a scorching heat wave that led to blackouts. Oh, and there’s also the global pandemic. Lightning struck California more than 10,849 times in the last […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• August 20, 2020