An open system
Re “In-state students may be out of luck,” Jan. 4
As a parent of a son at UC Santa Barbara, I have as much personal interest as anyone else in UC’s consideration of greater admittance of out-of-state students. I applaud the initiative.
An influx of high-achieving out-of-state students will directly increase UC selectivity and thus the national standing of both the UC system and each individual campus.
What is a boon to a university cannot be a bane to its students. Rather than being out of luck, every UC student and alumni will find the value of a UC degree enhanced. If UC is to attract these full-freight-paying out-of-staters, it will need to be more customer-focused, and all UC students will benefit.
Finally, though the students attracted to UC may now be out-of-staters, many will remain to become Californians. If the UC system attracts energetic, high-achieving young people to California, the state can only benefit.
William E. von Kaenel Jr.
Clovis
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