Budget drafts may hurt UC schools

By Kelly Rayburn
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

As California enters into the second week of the fiscal year
without a budget and state lawmakers work out some kinks in
Sacramento, funding for the University of California hangs in the
balance.

The current draft of the budget, which has not been approved by
the state assembly or senate, falls short of what the UC had
requested to help compensate for the expected influx of 60,000
students over the next 10 years, said UC spokesman Brad
Hayward.

As of now, $90 million ““ roughly half of the UC’s
requested core budget increase ““ has been cut out of the
budget.

Hayward said the UC had also asked for the increase in core
budget to account for inflation and an increase in enrollment and
hiring, and to help pay for employee’s salaries and health
benefits.

Scott Svonkin, spokesman and chief of staff for Assemblyman Paul
Koretz, D-West Hollywood, represents the district which includes
UCLA. Svonkin stated the UC is not the only entity receiving less
than it asked for, since the energy crisis has left the state
strapped for money.

“It’s doubtful that any of the (UC) initiatives will
be fully funded, but that’s because almost no state programs
will be fully funded,” he said.

During the May UC Regents meeting in San Francisco, Larry
Hershman, UC vice president for budget, said legislative support
for a “basic partnership” between the state government
and the UC to take on the expected influx of students was
waning.

Additionally, Hayward said the state can’t fulfill its
role in this partnership entirely because the energy crisis has in
part limited the funds.

Before the budget can go to the governor, it must pass the
assembly and senate by a two-thirds margin.

Under the state constitution, the assembly was supposed to have
the budget approved by June 15, and the budget was to take effect
July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year.

This year, education cuts will likely occur not only at the
university level, but across the boards.

Funds for programs to promote educational opportunities for
“at-risk” high school students, for example, had to be
cut down as well, said Assemblywoman Virginia Strom-Martin, D-Santa
Rosa, who chairs the assembly’s education committee.

“There are programs near and dear to our hearts that we
had to cut back on,” Strom-Martin said during a telephone
press conference.

State Education Secretary Betty Yee confirmed that the assembly
finance committee would not have gotten the budget to the assembly
floor without significant cuts in education and other state-funded
programs.

But Svonkin, noting that the UC may endure budget cuts, said
Koretz and his colleagues have the UC’s needs in mind, even
during the energy crisis.

“(Koretz) recognizes that UCLA is the breeding ground for
future leaders in all industries,” Svonkin said.

Svonkin added that Koretz has spoken with Chancellor Albert
Carnesale to obtain an insider’s viewpoint about what
programs are most important to UCLA.

While the UC’s core budget increase request will most
likely not be met, some UC programs are expected to be funded. As
of now, funds for the four UC science institutes, including
UCLA’s Nanosystems Institute, are contained in the budget,
Hayward said.

But all that could change.

Svonkin said until the assembly can get four more members to
approve the budget, “nothing is solid.”

Even then, Gov. Gray Davis, who is working with a much decreased
budget reserve, can veto certain parts of the budget and until he
signs it, nothing is assured, Hayward said.

Concern that the state government will not be able to fund UC
programs is nothing new.

Four months ago when UCLA students, staff and alumni lobbied
before elected officials to push for UC funding, both UC
representatives and elected officials realized the energy crisis
might restrict the state’s funds for the University’s
programs.

Hayward said the energy crisis has left state funds for UC
programs insufficient.

“In May, it became increasingly clear that the
state’s fiscal situation was darkening,” Hayward
said.