Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs state budget, restores funding to UC and CSU systems
By The Numbers
$637.1 million
State funding to UCs that was cut during the 2009-2010 academic year
$305 million
Funding restored to UCs under new state budget
$3 billion
Approximate operating budget for UCs this fiscal year
SOURCE: UC Office of the President
By Devin Kelly
Oct. 11, 2010 1:50 a.m.
Proponents of higher education breathed a sigh of relief Friday when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ended a record 100-day budget lock and fulfilled his May pledge to restore funding to the University of California and the California State University systems.
The new budget restores $200 million previously cut from the UC budget. Add that to federal stimulus funds approved in September, and UC regains almost half of the $637.1 million cut in 2009-2010.
“(The UC) is very thankful to the governor and legislature for the investment the state is making in higher education,” said UC spokesman Ricardo Vazquez.
In signing the new budget, the governor cut an additional $1 billion from the plan. Social welfare programs such as child care and special education were hit hardest by the governor’s vetoes.
At the May UC Board of Regents meeting, UC President Mark Yudof called cuts to welfare “tragic” but emphasized the vision of UC students as investments for the state.
In addition to full funding for Cal Grants, $51.3 million will support enrollment growth. The money will support about a third of UC’s 16,000 unfunded students. UCLA currently has upwards of 750 unfunded students, according to Daily Bruin archives.
UCLA will also receive state support to proceed on a renovation of the old UCLA Medical Center, a project stalled by funding reductions. A university statement in June said construction could start within months of budget approval.
