University of California

Three young adults sit on front of a white table while looking down at their phones or paperwork. A fifth yound adult stands at the end of the table while speaking and holdinga small stack papers.

Education

Does lobbying at the Capitol work? These UC students say yes, and they’ve got receipts

Over 250 college students spent a day lobbying at the California Capitol recently, holding over 100 meetings with state leaders and their staff. The students are backing several bills aimed at increasing basic needs support, including one to streamline CalFresh applications and another to reform the process for building student housing. They also are leading the push to add more student voting power to the UC Board of Regents.

By

Khadeejah Khan

• March 24, 2026

People walk past an “End Overdose” outreach table with informational materials and QR codes set up in a public plaza.

Education

This new California law will offer college students rehab before discipline for overdosing

College students who seek help for substance use after an overdose face disciplinary action by their campus. A new California law, written in part by students themselves, will require public universities to offer rehabilitation services to students rather than discipline.

By

Alina Ta

• March 19, 2026

A bearded person wearing a black “Chico State” T-shirt and cap sits on a low concrete planter holding papers, posed in a courtyard framed by tall concrete columns and rows of windows, with a library entrance visible behind them and a few people walking through the background.

Education

1 in 10 Cal State students face homelessness. This emergency housing program helps

California spent $31 million last year helping students facing homelessness with emergency housing and other services through Rapid Rehousing. The program operates at most public universities and about a quarter of community colleges, helping thousands of students who are either homeless or housing insecure, such as one student who was sleeping in a garage.

By

Khadeejah Khan

• February 24, 2026

The front door of a police deparment's building. The door includes the words "police department" along with the seal of the University of California police.

Education

Overtime pay and night vision binoculars: UC San Diego is among agencies helping patrol border

Local police forces get money every year from the Department of Homeland Security to assist with border patrol operations. This includes the UC San Diego Police Department, which helps monitor for smuggling along the coastline.

By

Phoebe Huss

• February 10, 2026

A graduate in a black cap and gown walks through rows of seated graduates holding a diploma, with a large crowd filling the stadium stands in the background

Higher Education

Bachelor’s degrees at community colleges: Lawmakers say yes, UC and CSU say slow down

The latest bill would allow Southwestern College to create up to four additional bachelor’s programs aimed at workforce needs in south San Diego County.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• January 28, 2026

A teacher, wearing a pink shirt and brown khaki pants, stands in between rows of students sitting at their desk inside a classroom.

Commentary

Don’t blame California’s teachers for inflated grades. Look at school officials

UC-San Diego reports declines in freshman math skills despite rising grades in K-12 schools. Teachers say they're pressured to inflate grades.

By Glenn Sacks • January 16, 2026

Students walk across a walkway near a tree in front of a geometric-shaped building on a college campus on a cloudy day.

Higher Education

A year of cuts and court orders for California’s colleges and universities: 2025 in review

In their approach to higher education, Trump and Newsom shared one thing in common this year: reducing funding for colleges and universities. The federal government pulled back research funds while the state, facing a deficit, imposed austerity measures on the UC and Cal State University systems.

By

Adam Echelman

• December 25, 2025

The entrance to a large office building with a sign reading “University of California” above glass doors, as a person walks along the sidewalk in front of the building casting a long shadow.

Commentary

University of California’s $28 million system for pension payouts produced chaos and complaints

Like other California state officials, UC's managers failed to adopt its new information tech program, resulting in a lawsuit against the vendors.

By

Dan Walters

• December 16, 2025

A person stands in a wooded outdoor area with tall trees behind them, wearing a light ribbed turtleneck, a dark jacket, and a backpack strap over one shoulder. They look off to the side with a serious expression. A small building with colorful mural panels is visible in the background.

Education

Fewer international students are coming to the U.S. What this means for California

The number of new international students enrolling in college in the U.S. is dropping. Their losses will be felt beyond classrooms, as foreign students in particular drive scientific research and advancement. As the state with the most international students, California will likely feel the biggest impact.

By

Aliza Imran

and

Kahani Malhotra

• December 1, 2025

A group of students marches down a campus walkway on a sunny day. Several wear red shirts with protest messages about tuition, holding signs and a megaphone. A few campus police officers on bicycles are visible to the right, and leafy trees surround the scene.

Higher Education

UC continues annual tuition hikes despite student appeals. Here’s how much it will increase

The model regents approved allows the system to increase undergraduate tuition and systemwide fees by as much as 5% annually, depending on inflation, and locks in that rate for students enrolling that year for up to six years.

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• November 19, 2025

University Of California