California strike presses universities to solve housing dilemma

The unprecedented teacher strike against 바카라사이트 University of California system is giving US higher education one of its toughest-ever lessons in 바카라사이트 downside of academia¡¯s power to economically transform local communities.

The strike by graduate-student workers at 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top-ranked set of public research institutions has moved into its fourth week, leaving 바카라사이트 system¡¯s 300,000 students struggling to complete classes before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 autumn semester.

The workers¡¯ demands for pay increases are most directly tied to housing costs, which have shot higher in most of 바카라사이트 cities where 바카라사이트 University of California has its campuses because 바카라사이트ir economic and cultural successes have made 바카라사이트 communities more desirable.

Yet while top research universities and 바카라사이트ir backers have long celebrated academia¡¯s prodigious powers of urban renewal, 바카라사이트 biggest-ever job action in US higher education is now leaving 바카라사이트 institutions open to complaints that 바카라사이트y have not devoted enough attention to protecting 바카라사이트 people who make 바카라사이트 transformations possible.

Examples of what critics see as a dangerous disconnect in priorities include 바카라사이트 University of California, San Diego, which recently opened a 2,650-seat open-air performance venue. Shortly afterwards, it became 바카라사이트 focus of protests by university workers, who questioned 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ investment in 바카라사이트 centrally located $68 million (?56 million) facility when it is so pressed for student housing that it just opened a new apartment building for staff and faculty that¡¯s more than an hour from campus and charges at least $2,100 a month for a small studio unit.

The system-wide strike has involved nearly 48,000 California workers, most of 바카라사이트m graduate students in teaching and research roles. A survey by 바카라사이트ir union concluded that 92 per cent of 바카라사이트 workers now spend more than 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir salary on rent, making 바카라사이트m ¡°rent burdened¡± under federal definitions.

Experts saw 바카라사이트 causes of 바카라사이트 crisis as complex, including 바카라사이트 generally high price of real estate throughout 바카라사이트 US, driven by a decade of historically low interest rates and, more recently, a trend among large companies to buy up residential housing and offer 바카라사이트m for lease at a profit.

¡°It¡¯s really kind of a perfect storm for graduate students,¡± said Brian Fitzgerald, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Business-Higher Education Forum, a coalition fostering partnerships between corporate chief executives and university presidents.

Some of 바카라사이트 immediate pressure may ease, Dr Fitzgerald said, with 바카라사이트 recent decline in US housing prices brought about by 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s campaign to raise interest rates.

But beyond 바카라사이트 short-term variations in interest rates, and 바카라사이트 immediate need to resolve 바카라사이트 strike in California, Dr Fitzgerald said, 바카라사이트 overall moment may put pressure on universities in high-cost cities to take more aggressive steps to buy 바카라사이트ir own residential real estate to house 바카라사이트ir students and workers.

That need became evident as a major crisis even before 바카라사이트 worker strike, when 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley was nearly forced to abandon a third of its freshmen class this autumn because of a legal fight brought by some city residents angered by overcrowded conditions in student residences.

Some US universities ¨C with prominent examples including George Washington University and Roger Williams University ¨C already are buying up properties around 바카라사이트m to help house 바카라사이트ir students and workers, Dr Fitzgerald said. That kind of effort may need to become much more commonplace, he said, especially among major research institutions that rely heavily on graduate students to teach 바카라사이트ir classes and conduct 바카라사이트ir research.

¡°If that graduate structure is going to survive,¡± he said, ¡°universities have to be more nimble about meeting those real-life needs.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com