Economic conditions push more students to community colleges

Facing yawning budget gaps,California's public universities are shifting thousands of applicants into a community college system already swamped by newly unemployed adults and students priced out of other schools. By holding down enrollment, the shift would help balance budgets at University of California and California State University campuses. But officials say the move seems likely to worsen problems at the state's 110 two-year campuses, many of which already face budget shortfalls that have them chopping courses, laying off part-time faculty and cramming classrooms so full that students have to perch on windowsills.

To read The Los Angeles Times article, click here.