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California, by far the most populous state in the country with 36 million residents, naturally boasts the most full-time faculty, with more than 95,000 instructors, of any state, according to U.S. Department of Education data. And California’s three public higher ed systems — the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and California Community Colleges (CCC), together currently enroll approximately 1.4 million full-time students.
California’s three-tiered public higher education system has long been considered a source of pride for the state, creating the nation’s largest and arguably the most distinguished system of higher education. The California Master Plan for Higher Education, adopted by the state in 1960, helped integrate the missions of UC, CSU and CCC. UC schools were designated as the state’s primary academic research institutions, awarding doctoral and professional degrees, in addition to undergraduate degrees; CSU provides undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree and limited doctoral degrees, some joint with UC; and the California Community Colleges were to provide academic and vocational education to high school graduates and returning adult students.
But, despite the state’s impressive higher education system, it is not immune from the problems and challenges that many other public university systems are facing in terms of reduced budgets; how to accommodate undocumented students; and other access and equity issues.
