"Recent articles in the Sun-Star attest to troubling times for public higher education due to the state's budget problems.
Our troubles were summed up in an alarming commentary, 'Save the community colleges' by Merced College President Benjamin Duran.
Another commentary, 'Provocative ideas for higher education' by California State University, Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani proposes delivering higher education with fewer resources. His article was followed by a vote of no-confidence by a majority of the faculty at that university.
There was a notable contrast in the views of these two administrators, as Duran pointed out that California's system of higher education is second to none, and he appealed for sustained funding. Shirvani, on the other hand, blamed educators for creating inflexible organizations that he equated to troubled automobile manufacturers."