According to this recent news item in the LA Times, that’s what some citizens in California are charging, in reference to an upcoming ballot initiative this November.
At issue is Proposition 30, which if approved would authorize an increase in state taxes in hopes of avoiding funding cuts to California’s state system campuses.
At the center of the controversy is this paragraph from a letter scheduled to be sent to CSU applicants on October 1:
Because enrollment capacity is tied to the amount of available state funding, the campuses will be able to admit more applicants if Proposition 30 passes and fewer applicants if the proposition fails.
The draft letter goes on to note that the CSU board has endorsed the measure, and that CSU system would benefit significantly if Proposition 30 passes. University officials insist that they’re simply providing the public with useful information, while critics charge that they’re using taxpayers’ money to support a partisan position.
I may have missed something, but it sure looks like a pitch to induce prospective undergraduates to vote for Proposition 30 if they want to bolster their chances for admission.
