Despite a revised state budget
plan that includes $6.6 billion more
revenue than previously expected, the
University of California systemwide
budget cuts for 2011-12 will remain
at $500 million and could double if a
proposed tax extension fails.
According to a May 16 UC
Student Association press release,
Gov. Jerry Brown hopes to place tax
extensions on the November ballot in
order to close California’s remaining
$10-billion deficit, down from the
original $15 billion. With the revenue
generated from tax extensions, the
system-wide budget cuts would
stay at the originally proposed $500
million.
But, according to UCSA Executive
Director Matthew Haney, Brown does
not currently have the Republican
votes needed to propose the tax
extension. If the tax extensions fail,
the UC system cuts could double to
$1 billion for the 2011-12 academic
year, Vice President of External
Affairs Samer Naji said.
“Republicans are holding up
legislation to extend tax increases,”
Naji said. “If voters extend taxes,
the most that would be cut is $500
million.”
Gov. Brown’s 2011-12 budget
proposal includes a $1.4 billion
overall cut to higher education which
includes the UC, CSU and community
college systems. According to a press
release from UCSA representative
Christine Byon, a $1-billion cut to
the UC system could result in tuition
fees as high as $20-$25,000. The UC
Regents voted to raise tuition by 32
percent for the 2009-10 academic
year and by 8 percent for the 2010-
11 academic year. California resident
undergraduate students currently pay
$10,302 in educational and student
services fees in addition to campusbased
fees. Cost of attendance at
UCSD with both of these fees is
$11,330.
According to Byon, UC students
plan to hold a budget “Day of Action”
on Friday, May 20 to demand an end
to higher education cuts and a vote to
put tax extensions on the ballot. The
United States Student Association
organized a Day of Action for March
2 of this year in response to the
budget cuts. UCSD students did not
take part in this, despite last year’s
successful March 4 protest in which
800 people marched.
“Doubling the cut would reduce
the state’s contribution to the
university’s core funds —monies that
pay professors and staff members,
light the libraries, maintain the
campuses and all the rest — to
roughly $2 billion,” UC President
Mark Yudof said in a May 16 press
release.
According to Naji, the
administration plans to deal with
the budget cuts at UCSD by closing
CLICS and other campus libraries.
University staff and students
from the Student Worker Collective
and the local chapter of American
Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees union met May
12 on Library Walk and Hillcrest
Medical Center to protest the budget
cuts. According to senior custodian
Jose Puga, about 200 people attended
the protests.
“Instead of cutting workers or
increasing tuition, UC administrators’
benefits can be cut,” Puga said. “Their
perks are very expensive, and all of
us have to pay — both students and
workers.”
According to Puga, taking $1,000
off of UC administrators’ benefits
could save $20 million annually.
Naji is working with Student-
Organized Public Affairs
Committee head Arshya Sharifian
to increase on-campus student voter
registration and student presence in
California’s elections.
“Jerry Brown kicked off his
campaign at UCSB, which has the
highest percentage of registered
voters,” Naji said. “If we registered
40 percent of our students, he would
listen.”
According to Naji, 38 percent
of UCSB students are registered
voters, compared to only 6 percent
of UCSD students.
UCSD spokesperson Rex
Graham could not be reached for
comment.
