Berkeley Enrollment Cap Overturned

BERKELEY, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed emergency legislation to overturn UC Berkeley’s court-ordered enrollment cap.

The California Supreme Court earlier this month ruled against the school in response to a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lawsuit filed by community members, citing the ongoing housing shortage.

The move figures to open the door to 3,000 students who otherwise would have received rejection letters and spare the university millions of dollars in lost tuition costs.

Newsom signed the emergency legislation after the state lawmakers unanimously backed modifications to CEQA that will give public universities 18 months to address issues associated with enrollment growth.

Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) authored SB 118.

The measure ensures that student enrollment at a college campus is not singled out as a project under the CEQA, while preserving requirements that campus long-range development plans are comprehensively reviewed for environmental impacts.

“I’m grateful to the Legislature for moving quickly on this critical issue – it sends a clear signal that California won’t let lawsuits get in the way of the education and dreams of thousands of students, our future leaders and innovators,” Newsom said in a statement.

— Bay City News contributed to this report