UC Berkeley

COVID-19 testing at San Francisco Department of Public Health laboratory. Photo by Tyrone Jue courtesy of San Francisco Department of Public Health

Coronavirus

Frustrated Newsom calls on task force to fix coronavirus testing shortfall

California Gov. Gavin Newsom takes ownership for California's backlog of tests for the novel coronavirus — and announces new plans to fix it. The effort will include five to seven testing "hubs" throughout the state in partnership with UC San Diego and UC Davis.

By

Rachel Becker

• April 4, 2020

Pedestrians walk through an empty parking lot at Venice Beach on March 28 — a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom barred 40 million residents from going outdoors except for essentials. Some evidence suggests that may be helping California "bend the curve" of rising coronavirus casualties. Photo by Mark J. Terrill, AP Photo

Coronavirus

As California’s coronavirus curve bends, Newsom’s not ready to be the bearer of good news

Some evidence now suggests that California’s early decision to adopt aggressive social distancing policies may be helping to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus compared to other key states. But the governor said it’s still too early for optimism. “We are not out of the woods yet—by no stretch of the imagination,” he told […]

By

Ben Christopher

• March 31, 2020

Higher Education

A’s for all? Universities debate how to grade during a pandemic

The coronavirus is disrupting college grading in California, as students stressed out from sheltering in place and transitioning to online classes push for schools to adopt flexible grading policies that account for the upheaval in their school year.

By

Vanessa Arredondo

• March 31, 2020

Health

Here’s what happens to science when California’s researchers shelter in place

California’s scientists are sheltering in place because of coronavirus restrictions, shutting down research, or switching to study the novel coronavirus.

By

Rachel Becker

• March 26, 2020

California Divide

No face masks so California’s farmworkers are left unprotected

Salinas farmworkers Juan Manuel Virgen and Daniel Lopez Aviles circled the field in a white pickup, a coworker behind the wheel. It was about 10 a.m., and the sun was starting to warm the air. All of them had tied bandannas neatly around their necks, tucking them into the front of their shirts. “No hay […]

By

Kate Cimini

• March 26, 2020

Laney College has cancelled all classes through April 6 in the wake of coronavirus concerns, while faculty train to teach online. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Higher Education

California colleges are going online. How ready are they?

California is about to embark on an enormous, unplanned experiment in remote learning — and no one knows how long it will last.

By

Vanessa Arredondo

,

Felicia Mello

and

Janelle Salanga

• March 17, 2020

Homeless survey volunteers gather survey information from homeless people living in the Lowell neighborhood of Fresno during the January annual point-in-time homeless count. Photo by Craig Kohlruss, Fresno Bee

Homelessness

California just finished counting its homeless — a tally sure to be inaccurate, and politically weaponized

It's easy for volunteer counters to miss unsheltered people, especially when law enforcement clears camps just before counters arrive. And they're not even trying to count people living doubled up, or renting cheap motel rooms. So why is so much riding on a count so bad?

By

Manuela Tobias

and

Matt Levin

• January 30, 2020

UC, SAT, University of California, Varsity Blues

Higher Education

If the University of California drops the SAT, what would take its place?

From within and without, the University of California is under pressure to stop requiring the high stakes test in admissions. Here's what could happen next.

By

Felicia Mello

• December 10, 2019