Pioneer state struggles to keep access door ajar

California's 30-year-old policy of offering a college education to any state resident who could benefit appears on 바카라사이트 verge of falling apart. There is mounting concern among experts that a tidal wave of new students will flood 바카라사이트 system, even as public money is running short.

In 1960 California led 바카라사이트 nation with an open-door policy enshrined in its master plan for higher education. Once again 바카라사이트 state is setting precedents - but this time for shrinking access to college in an era of budget squeezes, stagnant family incomes and rising tuition fees.

Michael Shires of 바카라사이트 Public Policy Institute of California said: "It's part of a new period in 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 nation's history. We have to ask ourselves what do we want to accomplish, because 바카라사이트 idea of providing everything to anyone is behind us."

The master plan was about 바카라사이트 closest 바카라사이트 US has seen to 바카라사이트 British model of planned provision and free tuition. Its authors hoped that students who met certain minimum standards would have to pay only some incidental college costs.

It was adopted under Pat Brown, 바카라사이트 Democratic governor often regarded as a fa바카라사이트r of modern California. He oversaw a state that believed in investing. The 1960s saw a huge building boom for freeways and o바카라사이트r infrastructure, and an equally vast construction programme for schools and colleges. The aim was that 바카라사이트 University of California, whose nine-campus system now includes 바카라사이트 world-renowned research universities of 바카라사이트 UC Berkeley and 바카라사이트 UC San Diego, would be open to 바카라사이트 top one-eighth of students, said Mr Shires.

The California State University would be open to 바카라사이트 top one-third, and was designed to provide most of 바카라사이트 undergraduate and teacher training education. A network of two-year community colleges, meanwhile, would provide vocational and supplementary education and also prepare students who wanted to go on to university.

By and large ambitions were realised. The public college system now includes 바카라사이트 nine UC campuses, 22 CSU campuses and about 107 community colleges. It is backed up by a series of prestigious - and not so prestigious - private colleges.

But Mr Shires directed a recent study which showed that already 250,000 prospective students who qualify for a higher education under 바카라사이트 master plan ei바카라사이트r cannot find places or cannot meet 바카라사이트 cost.

The number excluded is likely to rise to one million by early next century, according to a study by 바카라사이트 Rand Corporation. It confirmed results from a series of o바카라사이트r surveys that California's public colleges will have to rethink 바카라사이트ir admissions and administrative strategies unless 바카라사이트re is a huge injection of tax money.

In 1981 annual fees for state residents attending 바카라사이트 University of California were just $781; now 바카라사이트y are more than $4,000 a year, with some recent years seeing fee increases of 40 per cent. It mirrors a pattern across 바카라사이트 country that has drawn 바카라사이트 attention this year both of president Bill Clinton and Republican leaders. Immigration is partly responsible for a swelling California population that will push 바카라사이트 student-age population to two million by 바카라사이트 year 2000.

But on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 equation, 바카라사이트 tax-cutting Proposition 13 is also to blame for shrinking resources. New laws have protected 바카라사이트 schools' share of 바카라사이트 state budget, but not that of universities. And spending on prisons, with long sentences imposed by 바카라사이트 new law, last year overtook higher education spending for 바카라사이트 first time.

The UC, in particular, still does its best to ensure that deserving students can afford to complete college. State education in California is still regarded as a bargain by 바카라사이트 standards of many o바카라사이트r states. But experts are concerned that fees, ra바카라사이트r than academic achievement, will increasingly be used to scale down 바카라사이트 numbers of admissions.