Editorial: Cuts to UCs loosen foundation of the system and may force privatization

By now funding cuts are, unfortunately, nothing new to the University of California. But Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement of $500 million in cuts to the UC means that for the first time in California’s history, students will contribute more to the university than the state.

The state has had an ongoing, uphill battle with a ballooning deficit, and the newly elected governor’s promise to reduce the deficit made it inevitable that the public’s $3 billion annual contribution was going to be reduced. This round of cuts marks a significant turning point in the story of California’s well-regarded public university system.

The increased reliance on student fees raises the troubling possibility that the university is moving away from the California Master Plan for Higher Education toward the quasi-privatized University of Michigan model, a road that could eventually end in full privatization. The board considers this an unacceptable outcome.

When the Master Plan was developed in 1960, its foundation was that students pursuing higher education would be constrained only by their proficiency, not their wallets. As fees have risen over the past decade, however, this vision has been severely compromised. Now the UC is considering changes similar to those Michigan adopted in the ’90s. That would mean admitting more out-of-state students, who pay more tuition, in order to cover operational costs, as well as transitioning to a primarily student fees-supported budget.

But the harder and more expensive it gets for in-state students to attend the UCs, the faster the public will question remaining state support.

Furthermore, the UC system is meant to be a driver of economic innovation. Instead, these cuts will require Chancellor Gene Block, among others, to spend the next few months figuring out where to slash spending instead of how to help the UC solve the challenges of the 21st century and keep California a leader in innovation.

And while the board supports Gov. Brown’s decision to shield funding for K-12 education, it makes little sense to protect primary education while neglecting the UC, a model institution.

A high-school diploma is no longer enough for a job in the modern economy; California needs the graduates of its K-12 system to go to college. These cuts will make that harder than ever before.

The board understands that the current financial climate necessitates drastic cuts. But California will only emerge from the current crisis on the backs of an educated workforce.

Now, more than ever, it is necessary that the governor keep students’ and the state’s contributions more equal and preserve the UC’s existence as a public, accessible institution for all.