California sets carbon-free goal, youth football tackle ban back in play, UC campuses among the best colleges and transportation remains an obstacle for low-income Californians.
Resources Secretary John Laird is making a final attempt to negotiate a deal with major water users to reduce use before a separate state agency forces the issue by imposing regulations.
The tuition decrease University of California regents are set to vote on amounts to only $60 per year—about the cost of a used textbook. More significant, perhaps, is that student leaders learned about it on a conference call with university budget staff, a sign of new collaboration between UC officials and student leadership.
Some Native American tribes accuse the University of California of delaying the legally required return of Indigenous people's remains, and are pushing state legislation to force UC to speed its efforts.
As California rents have increased, so have calls to strengthen rent control laws across the state. Voters this fall will have the chance to weigh in on a potential first step.
As state funding has decreased and enrollment has soared, University of California campuses are struggling to deal with many instances of overcrowded lectures, deteriorating buildings and delayed construction. Now the governor's offering $100 million for upgrades. UC says it's not nearly enough.
At most University of California campuses, Latinos comprise less than 10 percent of faculty—in a state where Latinos make up nearly a quarter of UC undergrads and more than half of graduates from public high schools.