The University of California faced criticism for sharing student and faculty information with the Trump administration, amid concerns over civil rights violations and fears among non-citizen members about potential repercussions, leading to lawsuits and protests from faculty and labor unions.
University of California officials rejected a $1-billion fine and extensive demands from the Trump administration related to allegations of antisemitism, warning that accepting such terms would devastate the university system. The proposal included fines, changes to campus policies, and oversight measures, but UC President James B. Milliken and others indicated they would not agree to it, emphasizing the importance of the university's role and the potential harm of the demands.
The UAW 4811 union, representing 48,000 University of California academic workers, is calling for strikes at UCLA and UC Davis in response to the universities' handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The union alleges that the UC system infringed on free speech and mishandled the situation, leading to arrests of union members. The UC system's request to stop the walkout was denied, and the strike announcement coincided with UCLA Chancellor Gene Block's testimony on campus antisemitism.
The University of California and California State University have extended the deadline for students to accept admission offers for fall 2024 due to delays in completing the new FAFSA form, affecting tens of thousands of California students. The delays and glitches in the FAFSA process have created challenges for high school students, particularly those from low-income and first-generation backgrounds. The U.S. Department of Education has acknowledged the problems and pledged additional resources to help schools and students complete the new FAFSA. Both UC and CSU are encouraging students not to give up on the financial aid process and are providing flexibility in response to the FAFSA delays.