As if UC's move to recruit out-of-state students so the university can get more tuition wasn't bad enough, now we have CSU raising tuition again -- for the second time in less than a year. Nanette Asimov in the Chronicle tells the tale.
"California State University trustees voted Tuesday to raise tuition by 12 percent this fall over the objections of protesters who said middle-class and undocumented students will be priced out of a college education."
"It is the second increase in less than a year, making this year's tuition 23.2 percent more than last fall's: $5,472, up from $4,440. And with mandatory campus fees averaging $950, the price for a year at CSU will come to about $6,422, not counting room and board."
"That's twice what it cost in 2007."
"About 100 students and faculty members protested at the meeting in Long Beach, where the trustees voted 13-2 for the increase. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and student trustee Steve Dixon opposed the hike."
At the same time that CSU raised tuition, it also approved giving the new San Diego State president $100,000 more than his predecessor -- despite the objections of Gov. Jerry Brown, who urged trustees not to take the step.
From the Bee's Laurel Rosenhall: "Trustees voted 12-3, with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Margaret Fortune and Steve Glazer voting against the
compensation package for Elliot Hirshman, who began earlier this month as the president
of San Diego State. The package called for a salary of $400,000, with $50,000
of it paid for with private funds from the university's foundation."
"Hirshman's predecessor, Stephen Weber, earned an annual salary of $299,435 at the end
of his 14-year tenure at the helm of San Diego State."
"Newsom argued that CSU shouldn't
approve such a large pay increase on the same day it raised tuition for
students. Before voting on Hirshman's compensation, the board approved a second tuition increase for the fall that will
make undergraduate education about $1,000 more than it was last year."
Democrat Janice Hahn easily won the election in the 36th Congressional District to replace Jane Harman, defeating GOP businessman and "tea party" backer Craig Huey by more than nine percentage points, 54.6 to 45.4 percent. The good news for Hahn came early in the evening and the outcome was never in doubt.
From the LAT's Jean Merl: "Although Hahn was considered the favorite because of
Democrats' 18-point registration lead in the largely coastal district, the race
was believed to be tightening because Huey poured more than $800,000 of his own
money into his campaign to rally "tea party" members and others
discontented with Washington."
"Hahn's victory will prompt a special election to fill her
city council seat, which covers an area from Watts to San Pedro. At least one
would-be successor, firefighter Pat McOsker, made his candidacy official
Tuesday night."
Two felony voting-fraud charges have been reinstated against state Sen. Rod Wright, bringing to eight counts -- again -- the number of allegations facing the L.A.-area Democrat. The Times' Patrick McGreevy has the story.
"An appeals court on Tuesday reinstated two felony counts
in the voting-fraud case against state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood)."
"As a result, Wright once again faces all eight charges
that were part of a grand jury indictment last September -- two counts of
perjury, one count of filing a false declaration of candidacy and five counts
of voting fraud. The indictment was issued after a lengthy investigation into
whether Wright lied about where he lived when he ran successfully in 2008 for
the 25th state Senate District."
"A Superior Court judge in March had thrown out two counts
of voting fraud, saying Wright could not be prosecuted in connection with the
two elections he had voted in as an incumbent."
The practice of medicine can be a pretty good racket, especially if you work in a state prison. Surprised? Take a look at this tale by the LAT's Jack Dolan.
"The highest-paid state employee in California last year,
a prison surgeon who took home $777,423, has a history of mental illness, was fired once for alleged
incompetence and has not been allowed to treat an inmate for six years because
medical supervisors don't trust his clinical skills."
"Since July 2005, Dr. Jeffrey Rohlfing has mostly been locked out of his job —
on paid leave or fired or fighting his termination — at High Desert State
Prison in Susanville, state records show. When he has been allowed inside the
facility, he has been relegated to reviewing paper medical histories, what
prison doctors call "mailroom" duty."
"Rohlfing's $235,740 base pay, typical in
California's corrections system, accounted for about a third of his income last
year. The rest of the money was back pay for more than two years when he did no
work for the state while appealing his termination. A supervisor had determined
that Rohlfing provided substandard care for two patients, according to state
Personnel Board records."
