ABSTRACT
A way to illustrate the connection between master planning and state leaders is to look closely at the California Master Plan for Higher Education. The Plan is unique in its provision for virtual open access. This concept expanded higher education beyond the top high school graduates to the top one-third of all high school graduates, regardless of financial status. The Plan was fully implemented in 1959, and reviewed and updated in 1972 by a select committee. A structural adjustment was possible by realigning the tiers to better reflect the original plan and to meet the new student challenge. The reason for a tiered system in the original California master plan was to accommodate students with varied preparation and rank in class. By following changes in the California Master Plan for Higher Education and noting the problems and solutions posed, one can follow the unfolding challenge of public higher education in the state and mark when decision-makers abandoned it.
