With an original proposal cutting Early Academic Outreach Program funding by more than 80 percent while allocating an additional $200,000 to Preuss School rejected by the UC Office of the President, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Joseph W. Watson last week submitted a revised and final outreach budget plan. The new budget will give EAOP approximately $630,000 and cut Preuss School funding by $30,000.

“We’re working quite hard to try to get adequate funding for as many programs as possible, and one of the unfortunate aspects of the public discussion is that it’s pitted one program against another, rather than emphasizing our efforts to get additional money,” Watson said.

The original proposal submitted to UCOP had allocated $250,000 to EAOP, less than 20 percent of the program’s $1.5 billion budget last year. The new proposal allocates $380,000 to the program, with additional money coming from temporary campus funding for a final working budget of roughly $630,000, according to Watson.

Most other EAOP programs on UC campuses were allocated approximately $700,000 for the year, according to Student Affirmative Action Committee chair Emily Leach.

“The money is still a little less than other campuses are receiving, but it’s still wonderful and a great improvement over the $250,000 initially proposed,” EAOP director Rafael Hernandez said.

Due to funding reductions, the campus EAOP staff level dropped from 26 members to four this year. With the possibility of more money to work with now, the program will look into increasing its staff and services, Hernandez said.

Under the new plan, Preuss School funding will be cut from $530,000 to $500,000, and student-initiated outreach funding will decrease from $60,000 to $20,000. Community college outreach will also be cut almost 50 percent, with additional revenue to come from temporary campus funding. Money for test preparation and dual admissions programs was removed completely from the budget.

“This is a complicated process, and we negotiated and had discussions with the Office of the President about priorities and needs,” Watson said. “As a result, we were able to work out an arrangement, which I think meets all of the needs and priorities of the campus, as well as those of the Office of the President.”

A. S. President Jenn Pae said that, while there were disproportionate cuts across the programs under the new budget proposal, the new allocation for EAOP is better than the one previously submitted.

“I’m glad to see that EAOP has been allotted more money than before, because UCSD EAOP has consistently exceeded expectations,” Pae said. “Our commitment to the Preuss School is important, but we should look into additional sources of revenue for our charter school rather than tapping into our outreach funds.”

Hernandez also commended the administration for including all campus outreach entities in the budget proposal.

“It seems to me that we’re all still running short, but given the fact that no one was eliminated … it’s a positive sign,” Hernandez said.

The submitted budget is still pending final approval from UCOP.