Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Virtual Events
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    An AI-Driven Work Force
    AI and Microcredentials
Sign In
News

In New Budget Proposal, California Higher Ed Gets Modest Funding and a Big Online College

By Eric Kelderman January 10, 2018
The budget proposal of California’s governor, Jerry Brown, lays out modest funding increases for public colleges and establishes a fully online community college.
The budget proposal of California’s governor, Jerry Brown, lays out modest funding increases for public colleges and establishes a fully online community college.Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled a cautious budget proposal for California on Wednesday, proposing modest increases in state dollars and tuition freezes for the state’s two university systems, even as they struggle to meet the demand from applicants.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

The budget proposal of California’s governor, Jerry Brown, lays out modest funding increases for public colleges and establishes a fully online community college.
The budget proposal of California’s governor, Jerry Brown, lays out modest funding increases for public colleges and establishes a fully online community college.Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled a cautious budget proposal for California on Wednesday, proposing modest increases in state dollars and tuition freezes for the state’s two university systems, even as they struggle to meet the demand from applicants.

But one thing the governor, a Democrat, is willing to spend more money on is a fully online community college. The proposal is meant to provide flexibility for an estimated 2.5 million adults who want to improve their job skills by earning certificates or other nondegree credentials. The online courses will use a competency-based approach that advances students based on their knowledge, not on time spent in the classroom.

“California community colleges are serving 2.1 million students each year, but we are still not meeting the needs of 2.5 million others who for a variety of reasons cannot attend classes on our campuses,” said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of the state’s community-college system, which already has 114 campuses.

In fact, Governor Brown asked the community-college system in May to “take whatever steps are necessary” to develop an online college that would serve the whole state. The new entity will be administered through the system’s central office.

The idea is similar to at least two other systems: the University of Wisconsin system offers a limited number of degree and certificate programs through its UW Flexible Option, which also caters to adults and uses a competency-based approach. The State University of New York offers online degree programs through its Open SUNY platform, allowing a student to take any online course offered by the system’s 64 campuses.

Governor Brown has been a frequent critic of the state’s university systems for not pursuing new, and potentially less expensive, online courses to hold the line on their costs and the price of tuition. Leaders of those systems have, on occasion, dismissed the idea that expanding online education could be a remedy for what ails their institutions.

And on Wednesday, the leaders of those systems expressed some disappointment in the governor’s budget, which still must be hashed out by the state legislature. Janet Napolitano, chancellor of the University of California system, said in a written statement that she was pleased with an increase. But she noted that the proposed 3-percent hike fell short of an agreement she had negotiated with the governor in 2015.

Timothy White, chancellor of the California State University system, was more direct, calling the governor’s budget proposal “both concerning and surprising.”

“This budget proposal could reverse any progress made in the last decade – diminishing student access, success, limiting degree attainment and depriving California’s industries of skilled professionals,” Mr. White said in his written statement.

Eric Kelderman writes about money and accountability in higher education, including such areas as state policy, accreditation, and legal affairs. You can find him on Twitter @etkeld, or email him at eric.kelderman@chronicle.com.

A version of this article appeared in the January 19, 2018, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Leadership & Governance Finance & Operations Law & Policy Political Influence & Activism Innovation & Transformation
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
Eric Kelderman
About the Author
Eric Kelderman
Eric Kelderman covers issues of power, politics, and purse strings in higher education. You can email him at eric.kelderman@chronicle.com, or find him on Twitter @etkeld.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Content

Confronting a ‘New Normal,’ Berkeley Considers Cuts
In California, Tensions Over Growth Divide a Campus
U. of California Leader Advises Patience as the Trump Era Dawns

More News

Photo illustration showing internal email text snippets over a photo of a University of Iowa campus quad
Red-state reticence
Facing Research Cuts, Officials at U. of Iowa Spoke of a ‘Limited Ability to Publicly Fight This’
Photo illustration showing Santa Ono seated, places small in the corner of a dark space
'Unrelentingly Sad'
Santa Ono Wanted a Presidency. He Became a Pariah.
Illustration of a rushing crowd carrying HSI letters
Seeking precedent
Funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions Is Discriminatory and Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Argues
Photo-based illustration of scissors cutting through paper that is a photo of an idyllic liberal arts college campus on one side and money on the other
Finance
Small Colleges Are Banding Together Against a Higher Endowment Tax. This Is Why.

From The Review

Football game between UCLA and Colorado University, at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., Sept. 24, 2022.
The Review | Opinion
My University Values Football More Than Education
By Sigman Byrd
Photo- and type-based illustration depicting the acronym AAUP with the second A as the arrow of a compass and facing not north but southeast.
The Review | Essay
The Unraveling of the AAUP
By Matthew W. Finkin
Photo-based illustration of the Capitol building dome propped on a stick attached to a string, like a trap.
The Review | Opinion
Colleges Can’t Trust the Federal Government. What Now?
By Brian Rosenberg

Upcoming Events

Plain_Acuity_DurableSkills_VF.png
Why Employers Value ‘Durable’ Skills
Warwick_Leadership_Javi.png
University Transformation: a Global Leadership Perspective
Lead With Insight
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin