California State University Employee Update

Record Number of Applications, Trustee Nominated for Ambassadorship

October 7, 2009

From the CSU Chancellor's Office

Record Number of Students Apply on First Day of Application Period

The California State University’s message to prospective students to apply early for fall 2010 admission is resonating as a record 25,563 applications were submitted online within the first 24 hours of the priority application period. The number of applications is more than double the number received on opening day last year.

The CSU’s application period for first-time freshmen and community college transfers began Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 30.

The CSU is expecting a surge in applications as the state’s high rate of unemployment is producing many laid-off workers looking to return to school. That, coupled with the CSU’s need to reduce enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years because of a $564 million budget cut means more students and fewer slots.

Students are being strongly encouraged to apply early to maximize their chances of being accepted at the campus of their choice. They also are being advised to have a back-up plan that includes applying to the campus in their local service area, as well as other CSU campuses, local community colleges and other universities.

Twelve of the CSU's 23 campuses are impacted for 2010 freshman admissions — twice as many as last year — and that means these campuses will not receive freshmen applications after Nov. 30 and may require higher admissions criteria for out-of-area students.

Impacted campuses include Fullerton, Long Beach, Pomona, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, San Francisco, Chico, Northridge, Fresno, San Marcos and San Jose.

There has been an increase in impactions at the transfer level as well. Full information is available at www.calstate.edu/SAS/impactinfo.shtml.

CSU Board Chair Nominated for Ambassador Post

Jeffrey Bleich, chair of the CSU Board of Trustees, has been nominated by President Barak Obama to be ambassador to Australia. Bleich made the announcement at the September trustees meeting. His nomination is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Bleich is a partner in the law firm Munger Tolles & Olson and has been on leave from his post to serve as special counsel to President Obama. He was appointed a CSU Trustee in 2004 and has served as chair since 2008. In making his announcement, Bleich reflected on the value of California’s public higher education system and how it has impacted him personally and professionally.

CSU Campuses Garner $35 million to Improve Student Learning

Six California State University campuses (Bakersfield, Chico, Dominquez Hills, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay and San Luis Obispo) have been awarded a total of $35 million in highly-competitive, five-year Teacher Quality Partnership grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants are aimed at raising student achievement and improving learning by changing teacher preparation programs.

A grant submitted jointly by Bakersfield, Monterey Bay and San Luis Obispo will focus on improving teacher preparation with emphasis in math, science and special education. The project is aimed at closing the achievement gap for students throughout Central California.

Individual grants submitted by Chico, Dominquez Hills and Los Angeles will be used to support teacher residencies–combination master's, credential and teaching apprenticeship programs. These programs will provide students with stipends as they complete course work and develop teaching skills.

CSU campuses were extremely successful in obtaining the Teacher Quality grants: of 17 applicants from California, only five grant proposals were selected, four of which came from the CSU.

An additional $100 million in Teacher Quality Partnership grants provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be awarded in a second competition. Proposals for that competition are being submitted this week.