blog post Video: A Conversation with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis By Stephanie Barton Feb 10, 2021 Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis talks with PPIC’s Mark Baldassare about state efforts to combat COVID-19 and address the economic impact of the pandemic.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: California’s Higher Education Funding Landscape By Kevin Cook, Jacob Jackson, Iwunze Ugo, Chansonette Buck May 15, 2024 As California looks to establish a more stable post-pandemic funding model for postsecondary institutions, significant challenges lie ahead. Multiple factors could contribute to reduced state revenues and greater reliance on tuition especially for four-year colleges, making costs higher for students.
blog post The Rise and Fall of Enrollment at For-Profit Colleges By Hans Johnson Jun 28, 2016 For-profit colleges have seen dramatic growth in enrollment in California. But in recent years, this trend has begun to reverse.
blog post For-Profit Colleges Face an Uncertain Future By Sara Adan Jan 30, 2017 Hundreds of US private for-profit colleges may be forced to close, leaving thousands of California students with difficult decisions.
Report Measuring Institutional Costs at California’s Public Universities By Patrick Murphy, Kevin Cook, Talib Jabbar Mar 15, 2017 California has recently increased its investment in higher education after many years of reducing state support. At the same time, the state’s four-year public systems, the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU), are currently poised to raise tuition for the first time in several years. If the past is any indication, intense discussions lie ahead about the need for additional higher education resources. We offer a constructive starting point for those discussions by introducing a straightforward and objective assessment of institutional costs. We rely on a measure that connects institutional costs to the number of degrees UC and CSU produce. This measure provides a clear understanding of trends in California’s institutional costs and allows comparisons with colleges and universities in other states. It also offers higher education institutions the opportunity to demonstrate progress toward their goals in an accessible, transparent way. Applying this measure to California’s public four-year institutions, we find that: Institutional costs per degree across UC and CSU fell significantly—17 percent—from 1987 to 2013. This is an important savings in a state that will need to amp up its number of college graduates to meet future economic demand. At UC, the cost per degree fell 6 percent over the period—from $116,000 to $109,000. UC’s institutional costs in 2013 were lower than a comparison group that included both public and private institutions across the nation. But UC’s costs were higher than a national comparison group of public schools only. At CSU, the cost fell 33 percent—from $67,000 to $45,000. CSU’s 2013 costs were lower than both types of comparison groups—one that included public schools only and one that included both public and private institutions. We recommend that policymakers and higher education leaders use the cost per degree measure as a way to frame higher education finance discussions. It provides a consistent, reliable, and objective measure of institutional costs and performance. For the measure to be most effective, accurate data reporting will be essential. We also recommend the reintroduction of a state-level higher education authority to add validity to the process of gauging institutional performance. Using the measure within a larger framework of agreed-upon goals would go a long way toward improving higher education finance policy in California.
Report Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Oct 10, 2022 Traffic stops have emerged as a key driver of racial disparities in law enforcement and an area of potential reform. Our new report examines whether certain types of traffic stops could be enforced in alternative ways that reduce racial disparities and risks to officers and civilians without jeopardizing public safety.
Fact Sheet Water and Energy in California By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Gokce Sencan, Andrew Ayres Dec 5, 2022 Water and energy are closely entwined in California: the energy sector relies heavily on water for electricity generation, and statewide water use consumes a lot of energy. Our new fact sheet illuminates the connections between these two sectors, and explores ways to make both systems more resilient in the face of climate change.