In 1960, the California Master Plan for Higher Education set a goal of providing access to every Californian who could benefit from it. As a result of the commitment, California has developed one of the largest most successful public postsecondary education sectors in the nation. State fiscal constraints have combined with exploding population growth, however, to call the state's ability to sustain that goal into question. Several studies have looked at this issue, including two reviews by the State Legislature. This report examines the state's prospects for meeting the goal of the master plan in the context of its future demographic and fiscal environment. The research uses a dynamic simulation model to estimate the target level of education envisioned in the master plan and the levels likely to be attained under a range of scenarios. It finds that the state will not be able to meet nearly half of the target-level demand overall. The study also finds that the prospects of closing this gap through increased revenues, increased fees, and increased productivity are not feasible. It concludes that the state must take two actions: (1) it must reevaluate the access goals of the master plan and focus on ways to maximize the return on its education investment; and (2) the three public systems should focus their resources on restructuring the way in which they deliver the education product to maximize the ability of the state to serve as many citizens as possible.

Summarizes research published in The future of public undergraduate education in California by Michael A. Shires, 1996.

Contains recommendations concerning access, affordability, and accountability.

This document presents questions and answers to some frequently asked questions concerning enrollment growth funding limitations and its implications at California's public universities. These questions include: (1) What is "enrollment growth funding" and what actions has the Legislature taken that would impact the funding of future enrollment growth at the State's public universities?; (2) How many additional students had been expected to enroll in the State's public universities in 2004-05 relative to the current year?; (3) What are the characteristics of these 19,000 additional students who were projected to enroll in the State's public university systems in 2004-05?; (4) How much additional State funding would typically be required in order to educate these 19,000 additional students at California's public universities next year?; (5) If the State fails to provide the estimated $140 million in enrollment growth funding needed to support the projected 19,000 additional students does this mean that these students will not be able to enroll in the University of California and the California State University?; and (6) Doesn't California's Master Plan for Higher Education require the University of California and the California State University to admit and enroll all eligible students? Won't the university systems be violating State law if they place limitations on student enrollments?