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
Leaders selected in California’s unprecedented searches will help shape future of higher education
The efforts to replace UC’s president Janet Napolitano and CSU chancellor Timothy P. White by summer have raised worries about competition between the two systems for academic talent.
Larry Gordon
January 17, 2020
Newsom proposes funding boost for colleges and universities but education leaders wanted more
Higher education leaders say they will make their appeals to the State Legislature.
Larry Gordon And Michael Burke
January 10, 2020
Too Far Away: Distance is a barrier to bachelor’s degrees for rural community college students
Transportation challenges keep many community college students from going to college. Barstow commuter students face long, mountain drives to university.
Larry Gordon
December 19, 2019
California considers building new CSU campus
Population centers have an edge, despite hopes of rural students.
Larry Gordon
December 19, 2019
Lawsuits seek to end University of California's SAT or ACT test requirement for freshman admission
Lawsuits challenge freshman admissions process for the University of California which requires students to take the SAT or ACT standardized test
Larry Gordon
December 10, 2019
Student satisfaction is slipping at University of California, survey finds
Overcrowded classes are major complaint in survey: 21 percent of UC undergraduates dissatisfied with college experience.
Larry Gordon
November 14, 2019
California State University proposes to delay extra year of high school math to 2027
After much controversy, the revised admissions proposal would start with students now in the fifth grade.
Larry Gordon And Michael Burke
November 8, 2019
A novel idea for California: requiring students to fill out financial aid forms
Three other states already require aid applications. Proposed legislation to do that in California awaits action.
Larry Gordon
November 5, 2019
University of California must drop admissions tests, civil rights groups urge
UC should not wait for a study on standardized testing, group says.
Larry Gordon
October 29, 2019
How to make room for 100,000 more college students in California without major construction
The Central Valley and Inland Empire especially need to accommodate more students, a report finds.
Larry Gordon
October 24, 2019
California State University chancellor to retire, touts graduation gains
Hired in 2012, White pushed CSU efforts to drop remedial courses and raise graduation rates. His departure and that of UC’s Napolitano leave two big vacancies.
Larry Gordon And Michael Burke
October 22, 2019
CSU graduation rates improve but still far from some goals
CSU shows progress but work remains to hit graduation targets. Up two points, only 27.5 percent of students who entered as freshmen finished in four years.
Larry Gordon
October 17, 2019
Debate underway whether University of California should require SAT and ACT for admissions
A UC faculty group is studying whether to drop SAT and ACT, overhaul them or substitute other tests as application requirements.
Larry Gordon
October 7, 2019
University of California aims to improve graduation rates by 2030
Over then next decade, UC wants significantly more low-income, Latino, African American and first generation students to finish.
Larry Gordon
September 20, 2019
UC President Napolitano expanded enrollment, student services and faced critical audit
Janet Napolitano will leave the UC presidency in August 2020 with a generally positive legacy.