A California legislator wants the state to create a new public university focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).
Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a Democrat from Glendale, Calif., has introduced legislation that would establish a new branch of the University of California focused on so-called STEAM subjects. Gatto envisions the new campus as "a public version of Caltech," the private university in Pasadena that focuses on science and engineering.
In his announcement about the proposal, Gatto points out that tuition at a University of California campus is about $13,000 a year compared with $43,000 at CalTech.
The proposed legislation calls for a feasibility study that would identify potential sites for a new campus. It also would appropriate $50 million for land acquisition and building costs.
“Tech and creative jobs are the future, yet too many California students are unable to get the education they need here in California,” says Gatto. “It is time for the legislature to prioritize higher education with bold moves, ones that will make a meaningful difference in the educational levels and skill-sets of Californians for generations to come.”
