Election fallout on higher ed still unknown
BY MARINA DUNDJERSKI AND CYNTHIA LEE
UCLA Today Staff
As Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger prepares to take office, many are
pondering what his recall election victory will mean for public education
and the University of California, in particular.
Schwarzenegger, the candidate who led a successful ballot initiative
to fund after-school programs for elementary and middle school students,
said his top budget priority would be to protect K-12 education, words
that Susan Way-Smith, president and CEO of Urban Education Partnership,
a nonprofit organization that works with high-need urban schools, applauds.
“He has said he wants to give school districts more control over
their funding,” said Way-Smith, who also serves as a senior fellow
with the School of Public Policy and Social Research (SPPSR) for 2003-04.
“He says he opposes school vouchers and wants to eliminate red tape.
He encourages parents to take a more active role in their children’s
studies, wants to provide all students with the same level of opportunity
and steer more money into the classroom. ... It is our hope that Mr. Schwarzenegger
follows through on these budget priorities.”
But on higher education, the governor-elect’s stated vision is
less clear, although he has expressed disdain for this year’s student
fee hikes. “What message does it send to parents of the students?”
Schwarzenegger asked CNN’s Aaron Brown during the campaign. “We
want to promote education. We want to promote higher education. And what
I would do is that if they need an increase, it should be a gradual increase,
a cost-of-living increase — or something like that — so we
don’t have to hit the students or the parents with that one shot.”
Professor Barbara Sinclair, who is the Hoffenberg Professor of American
Politics, said she fears that UC may be vulnerable to more cuts if Schwarzenegger
fulfills all his campaign promises of “no pain” in a number
of areas, including K-12 education.
“This is just speculation, but one possibility is that if his
promise of no cuts to education only applies to K-12, then we’re
going to stick out there in the budget,” Sinclair said.
Assistant Professor of Political Science Jeffrey Lewis agrees. “He’s
promised not to raise taxes and not to cut education. But when you look
at the budget and ask where is there a big chunk of money they can come
after, I think we’re it.”
Aside from speculation, however, there are few solid clues. “At
this point, it’s unclear what his priorities are for higher education,”
said Keith Parker, UCLA’s assistant vice chancellor for Government
and Community Relations. “That will probably emerge with time as
he rolls out what his priorities will be for his administration. For now,
the university is in the process of developing contacts with people who
will be close to the new governor and can advocate on our behalf with
the new administration.”
Among the 65 bipartisan members on Schwarzenegger’s transition
team are UC Regent Gerald L. Parsky and 20 UCLA alumni, donors and friends,
including two former SPPSR senior fellows, Eloise Anderson, director of
the Program for the American Family at the Claremont Institute, and Matt
Fong, former state treasurer. Anderson Forecast Director Ed Leamer, holder
of the Chauncey J. Medberry Chair in Management, and Professor Bill Ouchi,
who holds the Sigoloff Chair in Corporate Renewal in the Anderson School,
advised Schwarzenegger during his campaign on economic and educational
issues.
Those on the transition team who have been supportive of higher education
include former California Assembly Speaker and UC Regent Robert M. Hertzberg.
Beyond developing a stable fee-increase policy, Hertzberg said UC should
work with the state to create a stable four-year state-funding contract
that would eliminate the need for last-minute fee hikes and give faculty
and staff more job security.
“The most critical thing for the university is stability and predictability,”
said Hertzberg, a UC Hastings College of Law graduate. “If UC doesn’t
get off this financial roller coaster, it will not be able to compete
with the other world-class universities, period.” The state’s
higher education system must convince the governor and the Legislature
that it is key to the state’s future economic success, the attorney
said.
Other speculation hinges on the question of whether Schwarzenegger can
sell President Bush — who met with the governor-elect in California
last week — on the idea of a federal bailout.
“The White House would dearly like to help out the state because
it’s a potential beachhead for Bush,” said Matthew Baum, assistant
professor of political science. “But if they bail out California,
all the other Republican governors will be knocking on the door.
“Another concern: Bail the state out with what? The federal budget
is in clear disaster,” Baum continued. “I bet one of their
top priorities is making Schwarzenegger popular, but it’s unclear
how. We’ll see if they can pull a $20-billion rabbit out of their
hat.”
In the meantime, the UC Office of the President is coordinating a budget
forum to be held at UCLA on Dec. 1. “The university is convening
some of the leading thinkers around the state to help analyze the problem
and develop possible solutions,” said UC President Robert C. Dynes
in a statement. “We hope this budget forum ... will be useful to
both the governor and the Legislature as they grapple with this complex
issue.” |
