UC, CSU students brace for budget cuts fallout

It’s yet another blow to Bay Area public college students who have already felt the negative effects of budget cuts spurred by California’s fiscal crisis – if university administrators have their way, educators say.

University of California and the California State University officials are in the process of raising tuition fees to offset the budget cuts. On Thursday, UC Board of Regents will discuss a $662 undergraduate fee increase during a meeting, while the CSU Board of Trustees will meet to consider raising fees by $306.

Swine flu: No cause for alarm, officials say

As swine flu claimed its first U.S. victim and a total of six Bay Area cases were confirmed, a San Francisco public health official told reporters during a press conference this week that people should not be overly alarmed about the disease.

“The disease is very similar to seasonal influenza,” said Director of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Susan Fernyak to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday at a hearing on the role supervisors would play during a city emergency.

While there are still no confirmed cases of swine flu in San Francisco, there is indication that the public is very aware about the outbreak.