University Of California

WhatMatters

How the mentally disabled can languish in California jails

For almost nine years, Lorenzo Mays disappeared inside Sacramento County jail, charged with a murder he insists he didn’t commit. During that time, Mays was never brought to trial. He wasn’t allowed to leave. Instead, he remained in a kind of legal limbo, with most of his years spent in solitary confinement. The reason? Judges […]

By Emily Hoeven • December 15, 2022

WhatMatters

How will California handle the youth fentanyl overdose crisis?

Expect a lot of debate over how California should respond to the state’s mounting fentanyl epidemic when state lawmakers return to Sacramento early next year. Bills dealing with the super-powerful synthetic opioid are already piling up, many of them focused on youth in the wake of a stunning analysis that found fentanyl was responsible for […]

By Emily Hoeven • December 9, 2022

Commentary

Why University of California workers striking for better pay deserve it

University of California graduate students and workers who are on strike often face financial burdens that diminish the state's higher education system. They deserve a living wage.

By Guest Commentary • December 2, 2022

Commentary

Ongoing University of California strike hurts both students and the picketing workers

Fulfilling the demands from striking University of California workers could have negative long-term consequences for students and the employees on the picket line.

By Guest Commentary • December 2, 2022

WhatMatters

UC, CSU campuses in the hot seat

California’s public university systems, often ranked among the best in the nation, symbolize the state’s opportunities — and can also serve as a microcosm of some of its most pervasive challenges, such as bridging economic and racial divides. Monday marked the start of the third week of strikes at all 10 University of California campuses, […]

By Emily Hoeven • November 29, 2022

WhatMatters

Widespread strikes descend on California

It’s strike season in California, again. Today, fast food workers across the state are set to picket outside of Starbucks, Chipotle, Jack in the Box and other restaurants to protest the companies’ efforts to qualify a 2024 referendum to overturn a new state law. The first-in-the-nation law, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Labor Day, […]

By Emily Hoeven • November 15, 2022

Inside the Newsroom

CalMatters College Journalism Network program welcomes fall 2022 fellows

The College Journalism Network brings together student journalists from across the state to collaborate on group reporting projects, pitch and write stories for CalMatters and our media partners, and receive training.

By Sonya Quick • October 18, 2022

College Beat

For undocumented students, job opportunities are scarce. This state program could help.

California’s estimated 75,000 undocumented students don’t qualify for federal work-study or most job opportunities, and often struggle to make ends meet. A new state service program launched last week, College Corps, will give hundreds of them as much as $10,000 per year to perform community service in areas including K-12 education, food insecurity and climate action.

By Carmen González • October 12, 2022

College Beat

Dual admission program will give community college students an early taste of life at UC

The University of California aims to ease the transition from community college to university with a new dual admission pilot program launching this spring. High school graduates will be accepted simultaneously to a community college and nearby UC, with access to libraries and counseling on the UC campus. The program, however, excludes UC’s most selective campuses.

By Megan Tagami • October 3, 2022

College Beat

Campus advocates provide key support to sexual assault survivors — but ‘superheroes’ are in short supply

When Laura Swartzen saw the email from Sacramento State University’s Title IX office, it felt like her heart skipped a beat.  Swartzen, the Sac State confidential campus advocate, had spent the past nine months supporting a student who reported being sexually assaulted. Swartzen had listened to the student’s wrenching account, offered to connect them with […]

By Mallika Seshadri and Zaeem Shaikh • September 28, 2022