UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Pérez and UC President Janet Napolitano today (January 10) issued the following statement on Gov. Newsom’s budget plan:
The University of California welcomes the higher education investment in Gov. Newsom’s 2020-21 budget. The budget proposes a funding increase of $217.7 million to our core educational budget as well as one-time funds for select programs. The governor’s spending plan is an important step toward covering the funds necessary to meet UC’s tripartite mission of delivering world-class education, conducting cutting-edge research and providing public service that benefits California and beyond.
Among other support, the governor’s spending plan provides critical, continued funding for the UC Riverside School of Medicine and the UCSF Fresno branch campus, helping to expand medical care access to underserved communities in California. Moreover, the proposal also invests in much-needed research on wildfire preparedness as well as crucial legal services for UC’s immigrant students.
The governor’s budget reflects an ongoing commitment to higher education by building upon last year’s budget increase to UC. The University will continue to look for opportunities to collaborate with the governor and Legislature to expand access and affordability for California undergraduates, boost graduate student enrollment, support on-time graduation and close achievement gaps among first-generation and underrepresented students. UC appreciates the governor’s strong continued support of higher education and looks forward to our ongoing partnership.