Larry Gordon
Larry Gordon was a higher education writer at the Los Angeles Times, where he covered colleges and universities in California and nationwide. He won the first place award for education reporting in 2014 from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Larry previously was a reporter and editor at the Bergen Record in his home state New Jersey. He was a mid-career Fulbright Fellow, teaching journalism at the American University in Bulgaria. He earned a master’s degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor’s at Georgetown University. He is co-author of the hiking guide “Stairway Walks in Los Angeles.” He is based in Los Angeles.
All articles by Larry Gordon
Colleges offer micro grants to get cash-strapped students across finish line
California colleges join others nationwide offering mini-grants to help needy seniors finish their studies and graduate.
Larry Gordon
February 25, 2018
Pushing for more state funds, Cal State threatens tuition hike but delays vote
Trustees of the 23-campus Cal State system will delay until May a vote on a possible $228 tuition hike to allow time to lobby Gov. Jerry Brown and the State Legislature for more funding. Brown is resistant to giving the university any more. This year's negotiations will be his last.
Larry Gordon
January 30, 2018
University of California postpones decision on $342 tuition hike after Brown criticism
UC leaders delay the vote until May to give extra time for lobbying in Sacramento for more state funding. They had said that the 2.7 percent increase was needed to increase enrollment, hire faculty, maintain buildings and improve mental health services. But Gov. Jerry Brown said regents should "reject outright" the plan to raise tuition.
Larry Gordon
January 24, 2018
Bed, books, meals & cell phone: New study to tally real costs of college in California
The upcoming survey by the California Student Aid Commission will be the first of its scope since 2006. It will seek information from about 100,000 students in all the public and private higher education sectors about housing, food, books, transportation, technology and other costs. Officials hope it could lead to improved financial aid.
Larry Gordon
January 23, 2018
California higher education leaders urge Dreamers to reapply quickly for DACA protection
A recent court ruling gives undocumented California students a window to renew their DACA applications, officials said. Meanwhile, they urge the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress to protect the 700,000 or so undocumented young people nationwide who previously had protection against deportation.
Larry Gordon
January 17, 2018
Cal State must improve online education across campuses, study urges
A new study found that the online catalog is difficult to search and that the lack of a common computer platform discourages students.
Larry Gordon
January 4, 2018
Racial minorities feel like outsiders at some colleges, USC diversity expert says
USC professor Shaun Harper will lead a national survey that seeks to explore what college students think about their experiences about race, gender and other factors.
Larry Gordon
January 3, 2018
What's that on my California college bill? Fresno's vote may signal a wider rebellion
State universities can not use tuition or state funds for student unions or many other services. So they turn to extra campus fees to pay for those. But now some students and faculty say those fees are getting too high. A referendum at Cal State Fresno defeated an annual $400 levy to build a new student union.
Larry Gordon
December 6, 2017
Some California state colleges focus on getting students through risky freshman year
With Cal State freshman-year dropout rates ranging from 5 percent to nearly 30 percent, six campuses joined a national effort to help students persist into sophomore year.
Larry Gordon
November 21, 2017
University of California should be more lenient about late transcripts, stop withdrawing admissions, panel says
The move to more leniency about transcript verification came in response to the controversial withdrawal of admission to nearly 300 incoming students at UC Irvine last spring. They were reinstated and the university apologized.
Larry Gordon
November 15, 2017
Cal State trustees leave intact remedial education reforms while officials warn of tuition hike
Cal State faculty wanted a one year delay in education reform plan but got little support from the system's Board of Trustees. CSU Northridge got a one-year delay to work in its ethnic and cultural diversity courses.
Larry Gordon
November 7, 2017
Wildfire victims get more time, financial help to apply to California public universities
Both the University of California and the California State University systems are giving students affected by the wildfires extra time, fee waivers and help with financial aid.
Larry Gordon
October 30, 2017
California community college tuition still the lowest nationally; UC above average, study finds
At $1,430 for a full-time student, the tuition and fees at California's community colleges are less than half the $3,570 national average, the College Board survey found.
Larry Gordon
October 24, 2017
To help those who need to stay close to home, state tells CSU to favor local students in admission
The new state budget requires CSU to develop by May new preferences for qualified applicants from the local regions around campuses. The action grows out of concerns that more CSU campuses and majors are becoming overcrowded and are turning away students.
Larry Gordon
October 17, 2017
Californians favor more college aid for both low- and middle-income students, poll finds
The poll by Berkeley IGS/EdSource found nine out of ten respondents think that more aid for low-income students is very or somewhat important. Republicans show less support than Democrats.