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Students walk on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2022. Photo by Raquel Natalicchio for CalMatters

College Beat

Covering higher education from the ground up

College students with Hollywood dreams see industry strikes as key to livable careers
With the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild on strike, Hollywood has shut down. As workers demand fair compensation and regulation over the use of artificial intelligence, college students hoping to break into the entertainment industry are caught up in the historic moment.
By Ryan Loyola
Cyn Gomez (he/they) photographed outside of their home in Berkeley on April 30, 2023. Gomez is a student at UC Berkeley who waited three weeks to get their accommodations for a disability approved. Photos for Shelby Knowles for CalMatters
UC disability services understaffed, students say
The UC Student Association is calling for California to spend millions more on disability services at the university, as disabled students report long wait times to access the academic accommodations they say they need to succeed. On some campuses, students say they have waited months for accommodations — such as recorded lectures and extra time for assignments — to be approved by university disability specialists, who are responsible for as many as 600 students at a time.
By Megan Tagami
Fabiola Santiago, an undocumented UCLA student with a masters degree in Public Heath, attends a graduation ceremony for UCLA "Dreamers", or Dream Act students, at a church near the campus in Los Angeles in 2012. Photo by Jonathan Alcorn, Reuters
Undocumented students qualify for financial aid in California. Why aren’t more of them using it?
Tens of thousands of undocumented students in California are potentially eligible for financial aid from the state and public universities. But only 14% of undocumented students actually receive it, according to a recent report by the California Student Aid Commission. Students, counselors and the commission itself are calling for improvements in the application process and greater support for undocumented students trying to navigate it.
By Carmen González
Marisa Silvestri listens to her student Oscar de la Torre during her Ethnic Studies Class at Santa Monica High School in Los Angeles on March 28, 2023. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters
California high schools are adding hundreds of ethnic studies classes. Are teachers prepared?
California high school students will be required to pass an ethnic studies class to graduate, starting with the class of 2030. That means the state needs lots of new ethnic studies teachers. But do educators need a special credential to teach ethnic studies? Some ethnic studies advocates say allowing any social science teacher to instruct the subject will lead to watered down and ineffective courses, while school districts argue that flexibility is important if they’re going to fill the roles.
By Megan Tagami
About

College Beat is produced by the CalMatters College Journalism Network (CJN), a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. Our mission: to elevate student voices in California higher education coverage, provide high-quality training to student journalists, and help diversify the state’s news media.

Get involved: Find out how to join our team, attend our trainings, or run our stories in your campus newspaper.
Click here to learn more →

Ask CJN: What questions do you have about college in California?
Let us know here →

INSIDE THE NEWSROOM

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Meet the Team
Jennifer Burger
Editor
Matthew Reagan
Assistant Editor
Amelia Wu
Cal Poly SLO
Atmika Iyer
UCSB
Briana Mendez-Padilla
Cal State Long Beach
Christina Chkarboul
USC
Christopher Buchanan
UCLA
Elizabeth Wilson
Cal Poly SLO
Haydee Barahona
Cal State Bakersfield
Helena San Roque
UCI
Hugo Rios
Cal State Fullerton
Jacqueline Munis
Stanford University
Jada Portillo
San Joaquin Delta College
Li Khan
Laney College
Students walk through the Fresno State campus in Fresno, on Feb. 9, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters
College Beat
Cal State student workers get the OK to hold a union vote
Student workers at the 23-campus system say their pay is low, their hours are restricted and they get no sick pay. They are hoping to join the employees union to fix that.
By Helena San Roque • October 3, 2023
Elise Byun, student athlete and member of the Cal Womens Gymnastics, at the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley on June 30, 2023. Photo by Semantha Norris, CalMatters
College Beat
Should universities share athletics revenue with players? California bill sparks backlash.
A proposal to set up degree completion funds for California student athletes has met with stiff opposition from universities and the NCAA. College athletes could earn a share of the revenue they generate under the bill — as much as $25,000 for each year that they played their sport. But the bill’s author has delayed it until 2024 after opponents charged the fund would draw money away from less lucrative sports like gymnastics and swimming.
By Ryan Loyola • July 10, 2023
Illustration generated via artificial intelligence program Midjourney, and finalized with Adobe Photoshop (Beta)
College Beat
California professors test out AI in the classroom, even as cheating debate continues
While some California college professors remain concerned about students using generative AI such as ChatGPT to cheat in class, a growing number are choosing to encourage its limited use in classroom assignments. From analyzing films to writing research proposals, the assignments seek to convey the benefits of AI as a research tool while acknowledging its limitations and propensity for error.
By Rocky Walker • June 14, 2023
College Beat
Taking a pass on college? California apprenticeships offer another path
What should I do if college isn’t for me? We tackle that question in this installment of our ‘Ask CJN’ column, in which student journalists answer readers’ questions about California higher education. One option for those eschewing college: apprenticeships, which often offer a living wage and a guaranteed job upon completion.
By Andrea Madison • June 2, 2023
Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters; iStock
College Beat
California private colleges fear affirmative action ban as Supreme Court prepares to rule
With a conservative Supreme Court expected to rule this summer in favor of ending or restricting affirmative action in college admissions, California’s private universities are worried about the potential impact on campus diversity. College administrators are revamping admissions and doing more high school outreach, while student activists are campaigning against a potential ban.
By Itzel Luna • June 1, 2023
Kelda Quintana, an academic advisor at Cal Poly Humboldt, speaks with a student on campus on May 8, 2023. Photo by Briar Parkinson for CalMatters
College Beat
Is academic probation working at California’s colleges?
In the latest of our ‘Ask CJN’ series, Cal State Northridge student Isabella Warren asks what colleges are doing to support students on academic probation. That probation status is supposed to be a wake-up call for students, but campuses vary in their approach. Some, we found, are experimenting with new ways to reduce the stigma and retain students.
By Rocky Walker • May 12, 2023
Delilah Mays-Triplett, 19, works from her work station as a student assistant inside the Love Library Edition at San Diego State University in San Diego on April 12, 2023. Photo by Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters
College Beat
Cal State undergraduate workers seek union representation
Undergraduate student assistants at California State University are mounting a union organizing campaign, calling for more work hours, paid sick time and higher wages.
By Rocky Walker • April 14, 2023

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