Cal Poly receives "D" grade for handling antisemitism again

Author

Carly Heltzel
March 12, 2026

Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m wondering how on Earth this car ended up on top of a parked car like that. Onto the five Cal Poly, SLO and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Cal Poly once again received a “D” grade for its handling of antisemitism from a national Jewish organization. Last year’s “F” grade, which was later changes to a “D” grade due to a few policy updates, lead to President Jeffrey Armstrong being dragged to Congress to testify about antisemetic incidents on campus. Less than 10% of universities received an “F” grade. And this year, the Jewish organization said the Cal Poly had reverted to its “prior inaction.”

2.

Parking permits are expensive, and they don’t even guarantee that you’ll find a parking spot when you get to campus. Due to construction, Cal Poly lost 735 parking spots this year, exacerbating the issue. It’s hard enough to win the permit lottery — of the roughly 3,700 people who entered, only about 2,800 got the chance to buy a permit. Cal Poly’s parking services earned nearly $1.7 million from permits and parking fees alone, about 30% of its total budget.

3.

Federally subsidized housing vouchers could soon exclude undocumented and mixed status families from being eligible, which would cause at least 70 families, including 154 children, to lose their homes in SLO County. The vouchers cover a portion of peoples’ rent where they choose to live, and the agency that controls it proposed a new rule that would require people to submit proof of citizenship. One undocumented mother of three said the agency should reconsider the policy “for the sake of the children.”

4.

California is adding “civics” to the state’s education dashboard, which seeks to hold K-12 schools accountable for their teaching outcomes. Civics have historically taken a backseat to reading and math, so the move aims to reinforce education about the Constitution, public policy and democracy during a tumultuous time on the national political stage. “Who’s responsible for making sure the next generation upholds democracy?” one former superintendent said. “It’s something that has to be taught.” 

5.

A California startup wants to bring sunlight to the nighttime— for a price of $5,000 per hour. The company is seeking approval to develop a satellite with a giant mirror that will reflect the sun’s rays back to Earth in a three-mile-wide circle to light up solar farms, agricultural fields, city streets and more. Almost everyone who has weighed in hates the idea. Biologists say the light would be dire for plants, animal and humans who rely on natural light-coded rhythms to function. “This seems like a truly terrible idea,” one professor said.