March 3, 2010

******The ethics of higher education . . . who pays?**

Funding for higher education will be the topic of the eighth annual ethics event sponsored by the School of Business and the Division of Humanities and Communication at California State University, Monterey Bay. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., March 17, in the University Center ballroom. It's free and the public is invited.

The topic is timely given the recent demonstrations on college campuses regarding budget cuts for higher education in California.

Steve Boilard, higher-education chief in the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office, will be the guest speaker. Mr. Boilard, who holds a Ph.D. in political science from UC Santa Barbara, was in the news recently, responding to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to shift state money from prisons to universities. The proposed constitutional amendment would place dangerous restrictions on a state budget already plagued by spending limits, Mr. Boilard said. Gov. Schwarzenegger raised the idea Jan. 6 in his State of the State address. The amendment would guarantee the California State University and University of California systems at least 10 percent of the state budget, gradually scaling back prison spending to reach that number. "We think the state needs flexibility every year to prioritize the areas with the highest needs," Mr. Boilard told the Sacramento Bee. "To say that not passing this would leave higher education vulnerable, well, passing it would leave other areas vulnerable." Rather than restricting state spending, he said, California should set college-enrollment limits and do a better job of planning for growth.

His 30-minute address will be followed by short presentations from a trio of CSU Monterey Bay faculty members - Brad Barbeau of the School of Business, Monica Bray of the Department of Health, Human Services and Public Policy, and Angie Tran of the Division of Social, Behavioral and Global Studies.

Professor of philosophy John Berteaux will join Mr. Boilard and the three faculty members in fielding questions from the audience.

The ethics panel is held annually to raise awareness of ethical issues in business and social contexts. The objective is to help people understand how to respond to ethical challenges in ways that will contribute to their future success and well-being.

For a map of campus and driving directions, visit csumb.edu/map. For disability accommodations or more information on the panel, call 582-4232.