College Beat

A crowd fills a dimly lit auditorium, many wearing red and white baseball caps. Near the center, one person stands with arms raised, holding a small American flag on a stick above their head. Others remain seated, some looking forward and others holding up phones, as the group focuses on something happening off-camera.

California colleges are seeing a rise of conservative voices. Some classes are tense

Turning Point chapters continue to grow on California campuses months after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Campuses are seeing tensions rise as conservative students become more vocal both in and out of the classroom.

By Kahani Malhotra

A collage-style illustration in yellow and green tones with various cut-out images, including historical photos of traditional Native American baskets, a photo of a person on a canoe, a side-view of elderly person and a graphic of the California state outline with dots of various locations.

Tribes want Cal State to return Native remains and artifacts. Here’s why it’s not so easy

Cal State campuses have mixed records in returning Native remains and artifacts to tribes. Campus officials say they are working diligently to follow legal mandates but the process can be arduous, especially for non-federally recognized tribes.

By Brittany Oceguera

A collage-style illustration that shows the silhouettes of four students in different gradient colors as a couple of butterflies float around them while they walk down the hall of a college campus.

For asylum seekers, the path to a California education is costly

Asylum seekers going to college in California can pay much higher nonresident tuition and are often excluded from financial aid, at great cost to them and their families as immigration cases spend years in limbo.

By Andrea Baltodano and Chrissa Olson

A side-view of the silouhette of four people as they walk pass a sign that reads "Cal Poly" along with text and photos of students.

Cal State struck a deal with OpenAI. Some students and faculty refuse to use it

California State University’s $17 million contract with ChatGPT’s maker OpenAI is up for renewal. Some students and faculty say equal access to AI is important for preparing students for the workforce. Others say the implementation of AI tools has been confusing and opens the door to cheating. Some faculty have banned AI from their classes altogether and even started a petition to end the contract deal.

By Angel Corzo

A sign at a farmers market reads “Double Your CalFresh Dollars / Duplique su dólares de CalFresh – Get More Fruits & Vegetables / Obtenga más frutas y verduras,” next to an image of a Golden State Advantage card. In the background, shoppers stand at a vendor’s booth under a white canopy.

Economy

The feds want to know more about the people on food stamps. How Newsom responded

The governor has signed a law that will walk back data sharing meant to increase CalFresh recipients. The new limitations are in response to the federal government’s attempts to collect private data.

By Phoebe Huss • October 17, 2025

A person stands at a podium in a classroom, speaking to students seated at desks with laptops. A projection screen is visible to the side, displaying presentation slides.

Education

California colleges lost millions in humanities purge. Their projects might not recover

Nineteen California campuses are still missing over $5.2 million in canceled humanities grants. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is issuing millions of dollars in new grants, many of which are in celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of America’s founding.

By Lylah Schmedel-Permanna • September 25, 2025

People walk by a building with a mural painted on it featuring gear wheels to depict mechanics.

Education

Does another education bond stand a chance with voters? California colleges hope so

Lawmakers are considering putting a bond measure before voters in 2026 to fund billions of dollars in building repairs and student housing projects for California’s colleges and universities.

By Mercy Sosa • September 24, 2025

Education

Free AI training comes to California colleges — but at what cost?

Google, Microsoft, Adobe and IBM will offer AI-related tools to California's schools and universities in an effort to prepare the state’s students for a changing economy.

By Adam Echelman • August 11, 2025

A person wearing glasses, a dark blue button-up shirt, and black pants leans against an office chair in a workspace, looking slightly to the side. Behind them is a desk with a large computer monitor, a coffee mug, framed photos, and various papers and decorations, including posters and newspaper clippings pinned to the wall.

Education

Fearing deportation, international students go silent at California’s universities

After hundreds of international students lost their status this spring, then regained it following lawsuits, the uncertainty of it happening again has created fear. Some students say they’ve changed the routes they take on campus, the topics they research, and what they post on social media.

By Emewodesh Eshete • August 8, 2025

FAFSA fact sheets at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. Photo by Juliana Yamada for CalMatters

Education

Why these families are willing to risk deportation for college financial aid

Despite fears the federal government will use personal information from financial aid applications to identify immigrant parents who lack legal status, the number of high school senior applicants from mixed-status families has not decreased as much as some thought it would, according to the California Student Aid Commission.

By Mercy Sosa • July 21, 2025

Students walk and bike along a sunny path on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, surrounded by trees and campus buildings, with a mountain visible in the background. Green banners read “CAL POLY” and “CELEBRATE DIVERSITY.”

Education

Congress is targeting these California universities in antisemitism hearings

The House Committee on Education and Workforce has included two California universities so far this year on its invite list for hearings on antisemitism. In May, the president of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, outlined several steps the university is taking in response to antisemitism complaints. The chancellor of UC Berkeley will address the committee at its next hearing.

By Jeremy Garza • July 7, 2025

A woman stands on a balcony, resting her hands on a metal railing and looking at the camera with a slight smile. She wears a dark olive-green sweatshirt with a cutout neckline and blue jeans. Behind her is a lush green tree, slightly out of focus, creating a calm and natural background.

Education

These LA community college students are getting paid to go to school. Here’s how

A pilot program by the Los Angeles Community College District pays $1,200 a month to students pursuing health fields. By helping with living expenses, the district hopes the guaranteed income will help more students complete their health care workforce development programs.

By Amy Elisabeth Moore • June 23, 2025

Education

A safety net for struggling colleges is expiring. Why the Bay Area will be hit hardest

A cost-of-living increase meant to help community colleges adjust to a new funding formula is expiring, leaving some districts to cut positions and classes.

By Desmond Meagley and Lylah Schmedel-Permanna • June 6, 2025

A colorful food locker station labeled “Rooted in Community!” stands against a wall inside a Contra Costa College building. The locker, decorated with illustrations of fruit, is a partnership with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. A person with a knee brace sits at a nearby table eating, while another person uses a laptop against the wall. Bulletin boards and hallway doors are visible in the background.

College Beat

5 creative ways California colleges are feeding students beyond food pantries

A majority of California’s college students experience food insecurity. Some campuses are stepping up with innovative free meal programs.

By Amy Elisabeth Moore • May 23, 2025

College Beat

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