California Campuses Cut Jobs and Courses

As a new academic year begins, California’s public universities are feeling the effects of budget cuts imposed earlier this year and in some cases finding they have to cut more. The University of California at Berkeley announced on Wednesday that it would lay off about 300 nonfaculty employees and drop about 8 percent of its its courses, among other new cost-cutting measures, the Associated Press reported. At San Francisco State University, which is offering 354 fewer classes than last year, students are trying to “crash” their way into needed courses they couldn’t sign up for, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Students in similar predicaments at Fresno State and California State University at Northridge have been videotaping their complaints during “vent at the tent” events this week.