University of California going private

California taxpayers will soon drop all support for theThe UCLA Anderson School of Business. The Financial times points out that "Thirty years ago, 10 percent of California's general budget was spent on the UC and California state higher education systems and 3 per cent went to prisons. Prison spending has since risen to 11 percent, while higher education's share has slipped to 7.5 percent." this is not the first but certainly a more visible step toward "freeing" the University from public oversight. What right do the legislature and taxpayers have to influence a university they don't pay to support? Ramifications will include: more out of State (and international) students who pay full fees, more research paid by private companies with their own agenda, but also more freedom to find money to keep valued faculty.
Will a UC that has to be self-sufficient keep as many graduate programs in Classics, allow philosphy graduate students to hang around for ten years if they are not paying tuition? For the few dollars the taxpayers continue to pay out of inertia, what will the UC agree to provide??? will the State Constitution get changed to diversify the Board of Regents selection if the taxpayers aren't paying the bills?

Finishing the JMT!

We FINALLY hiked over Pinchot Pass as the last segment of our ten-year "plan" to hike the John Muir Trail. Expansive granite vistas north and south of the pass. Going down Taboose Pass was not quite as grueling as seven years ago--certainly not because we were in better shape. It was easier to just accept the knee-jarring descent over talus the second time.