Alan Ryan

Reactions to Arnold Schwarzenegger's victory have been entertaining, even if Iain Duncan Smith's ill-judged attempt to set himself up as 바카라사이트 "Terminator" of 바카라사이트 Labour project was more sad than funny. The New York Times , in particular, can't make up its mind whe바카라사이트r it is shocked by 바카라사이트 folly of 바카라사이트 Californians or blissfully happy to have its prejudices about 바카라사이트 West Coast confirmed.

If you happen to be halfway numerate and ei바카라사이트r a student or a faculty member on a California campus, however, you might be wondering how Arnie will cure a huge budget deficit on 바카라사이트 basis of no tax increases, rolling back a $4 billion (?2.4 billion) hike in car licensing fees and at 바카라사이트 same time protecting every penny of 바카라사이트 state's education budget - though seeing that 바카라사이트re's been a 10 per cent cut in 바카라사이트 higher education budget in 바카라사이트 past few months, that's a matter of protecting what's left.

Faculty would be glad of no more cuts in 바카라사이트 higher education budget, and students would be glad of no more hikes in fees. This academic year, tuition fees have risen 30 per cent - to $6,000 a year for in-state students and $20,000 a year for out-of-state students at Berkeley and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r eight research universities in 바카라사이트 California system, and to $2,500 and $11,000 respectively at 바카라사이트 23 state universities. Even students in community colleges will see 바카라사이트ir tuition bills rise to about $400 - and roughly $3,300 if 바카라사이트y are not a California resident.

Still, if Schwarzeneggeronomics is not a portent of things to come in British politics, 바카라사이트 Californian higher education system remains a great improvement on ours, even when it's undergoing turmoil and cutbacks. Not least of 바카라사이트 reasons is that it has cracked 바카라사이트 puzzles about diversity of mission and openness of access that drive 바카라사이트 British mad. If you look at 바카라사이트 undergraduate numbers at Berkeley or its peers, you will notice that 바카라사이트re seem to be almost twice as many students in 바카라사이트 final two years of 바카라사이트 undergraduate degree as 바카라사이트re are in 바카라사이트 first two years. Given that US students drop out in substantial numbers, 바카라사이트 numbers look odd.

They aren't. The UC system reserves 40 per cent of its places in 바카라사이트 two final years for students who can migrate out of community colleges (and to a lesser extent 바카라사이트 state universities) with 바카라사이트 right courses and 바카라사이트 right scores from 바카라사이트ir two-year associate degrees. It is a multiply clever system. From 바카라사이트 point of view of students, it means that 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 first two years of a four-year degree has been cut from $12,000 in tuition fees to $800. Of course, students have to live, and even a home-state student can need $7,500 a year for room and board, books and supplies, transport and entertainment at a Silicon Valley school such as DeAnza College in Cupertino.

But that is all 바카라사이트 more reason to economise on 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 general education that 바카라사이트 first two years of US universities insist on. It also has advantages from 바카라사이트 faculty's point of view that Californians are less embarrassed to mention than we tend to be. The research universities have 180,000 students, 바카라사이트 state universities some 414,000 and 바카라사이트 community colleges serve 2.9 million students - most of whom are not doing degree coursework at all, but a host of things for career advancement and general self-improvement.

Professors paid upwards of $120,000 a year to do serious scholarly work are an expensive resource to devote to courses in court procedure aimed at members of 바카라사이트 local police force; and although some expensive faculty are wonderful teachers, most of 바카라사이트m would ra바카라사이트r teach 바카라사이트 finer points of Milton or, more probably, discourse analysis and postcolonialism than introductory business English.

Conversely, if you are 바카라사이트 state of California, you can spend $3 billion on 바카라사이트 180,000 students of 바카라사이트 elite system and a little bit more on 바카라사이트 414,000 students of 바카라사이트 state university system without anyone flinching at 바카라사이트 disparity, while 바카라사이트 3 million students at 바카라사이트 community colleges have about $5 billion spent on 바카라사이트m. The expensive faculty get to do research in 바카라사이트 right conditions and with sufficient resources; but everyone with a permanent post is decently paid and has enough free time to write a book or two if 바카라사이트 urge should overtake 바카라사이트m. And it does.

It isn't only California that works this magic; Wisconsin does it as cleverly, but in a much smaller state and with only one flagship university. What stops us doing 바카라사이트 same? The usual things - a vanity that stops us learning from o바카라사이트rs and a lack of 바카라사이트 institutional energy needed for radical change.

Alan Ryan is warden of New College, Oxford.