Pursuing higher education is something that most young people dream about, but actually getting that college degree can be hard. Going to school is expensive which is why some students decide to opt for less costly community colleges and state universities.

Facing tight budgets, even that path may now be in jeopardy.

The University of California is facing an $800 million budget shortfall. In a press conference, University of California President Mark Yudof talked about his plan to address this budget crisis by increasing student fees, implementing furloughs for staff and faculty, and cutting programs on 10 campuses.

 • A quarter of the $813 million gap will be filled in the form of a previously approved student fee increase.
• Another quarter will be gained through what Yudof termed a modified furlough plan. To be implemented Sept. 1, the furloughs will be administered systemwide, with some exceptions, and progressively scaled to ease the burden on those who earn less. This course was chosen after UC employees indicated a clear preference for furloughs rather than across-the-board pay cuts.
• Through the refinancing of debt and further administrative cost controls, the university will gain another $100 million offset against the $813 million shortfall.
• The remainder of the gap to be closed -- $300 million in all -- will come from cuts spread across the university's 10 campuses. The specifics of those cuts will be left to individual chancellors, who will make presentations to the Regents at the July 15 meeting. Read more

In the press conference, Yudof said "we're going to have to look at everything, at where the revenue is coming from and how to enhance it, and how to reduce expenditures without closing the door to student opportunity and research."

With unprecedented budget woes, the state broke, and the city broke-- what can the new superintendent do to fix Oakland public schools?

On Forum, a look at the upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor with guest, Vikram Amar, professor of law and associate dean for academic affairs at the UC Davis School of Law. Also, an interview with American Bar Association president H. Thomas Wells to discuss Sotomayor and other legal news. The ABA ranks all nominees for federal judgeships. They unanimously awarded Sotomayor the highest ranking of "well-qualified". The evaluation includes interviews with lawyers who have worked with Sotomayor as well as a thorough reading of her case writings. The three factors the ranking is based on are: integrity, judicial temperment, and professional comptenence. At YMI, we've been following the politics surrounding Sotomayor's nomination as the first Latina to the Supreme Court. YMI commentators have been inspired by the nomination and have written about the general feeling that change has come to America. The confirmation hearings will be aired live on KQED staring Monday. We'll be listening...

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On California Money, a new poll finds that 73% of likely voters would support a tobacco increase to address the state's budget crisis. The polling found that support was strong across party lines. However, Gov. Schwarzenegger has vowed to veto any piece of legislation that includes a tax increase. Democrats in the state legislature also don't seem that interested in this particular tax. They've recently dropped their push for a tobacco tax increase.

At YMI, Jennifer Obakhume discusses her own first smoke and the recent bill Obama signed into law. The bill cracks down on the marketing of cigarettes to youth. As he signed the measure into law in a Rose Garden, Obama said it would help stem the “constant and insidious barrage of advertising” that each year draws millions of teenagers into a lifelong struggle to quit. “I know,” Obama said. “I was one of those teenagers. I know how difficult it is.”

As Obama calls for limiting youth marketing of cigarettes, the military is raising questions about its own smoking culture. Pentagon health experts are urging Defense Sec. Robert Gates to call for a ban on the use of tobacco products by troops and an end to its sale on military property. While many soldiers cite smoking as a stress reliever, proponents of the ban say that tobacco use is extremely costly for both the Pentagon and the Department of Veteran Affairs.

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On Forum, guests discuss the state of foreclosures in California and pending legislation in Sacramento. With foreclosures on the rise in California, the number of loan "rescue" scams is increasing throughout the state. Desperate homeowners trying to stay in their homes are increasingly being ripped off by companies promising - and then failing to provide - loan modification help. YMI's Denise Tejada reports on mayors discussing foreclosure solutions. Mayors from New York City, Los Angeles, and St. Louis praise one strategy that has been helping people stay in their homes in Philadelphia. Read more...

In 2003, the Oakland public schools were taken over by the state. Last week, they were given back. On KQED, we hear from Tony Smith, Oakland's new superintendent. Smith, 42, was an administrator in San Francisco and previously ran schools in Emeryville. Smith has a daughter currently enrolled in an Oakland public school. Smith plans on rebuilding the school system and has been praised for reaching out and connecting to different groups. YMI will be following this story in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

The idea is, if you knew how many calories were in a venti Frappucino, then maybe you wouldn't buy one. Starting today, California is requiring that fast food and restaurant chains list how many calories are in each item. The eventual idea is that those numbers will be right on the menu you order from.

Can you imagine not having a computer or no high-speed internet? It's 2009—a year where people are geared up with the hottest gadgets, but despite that there are those who still live in the shadow of technology. A recent study by the  Public Policy Institute of California shows that more than half of Latino households have no computer and more than half have no high-speed internet. Read more...

Michael Jackson continues to dominate headlines. On the California Report and on Forum, music columnist Steve Hochman talks about the enduring legacy of pop star Michael Jackson. Hochman says that while Jackson isn't linked to one era like The Beatles were, people still feel a personal connection to his music. According to Hochman, Jackson forced MTV be more open to African-American viewers interested in R&B and soul and to cultivate a more multicultural audience as a whole. Listeners share their own memories of listening to Michael Jackson.

Here at YMI, staff and students reminisced as well through audio, video, and personal commentary.

The world is still reeling from the death of Michael Jackson. Leaders including Hugo Chavez, Imelda Marcos, Nelson Mandela, and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy have all weighed in. Programming from The Newshour with Jim Lehrer  to  So You Think You Can Dance? dedicated portions of air time to tribute the star last night.
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