At the meeting, held via teleconference on four UC campuses, the Regents passed a budget that will seek $2.7 billion from state government — an increase of nearly $400 million from 2011-12.

“We must send an expenditure-only budget to Sacramento,” Yudof said. “If there is no increase in state funding, we will find other ways to increase revenue.”
Yudof told students and faculty during the UC Regents meeting — held at the UC Merced, UC Davis, UCLA and UCSF campuses via teleconference — that a tuition increase would only be possible if lawmakers in Sacramento are unable to close a $3-billion budget gap. He also said that if state government does not fulfill the requested funding, the UC system would increase enrollment by 1 percent and increase lobbying efforts in Sacramento.

“Raising tuition is not critical,” Yudof said. “No increase was ever on the agenda for this meeting.”

A crowd of UC students, alumni and faculty used the opportunity to protest against police brutality and higher fees. According to “Student protests disrupt meeting of UC regents,” published Nov. 29 in the Los Angeles Times, protesters in attendance on three campuses shouted loudly and chanted, “We need to make UC public again,” forcing the
Regents present to relocate to continue the meeting.

UCLA graduate student Cheryl Deutsch, who is president of the statewide union that represents teaching assistants accused the Regents of having purely financial goals.

“You are not representatives of the people of California, and you are not representatives of the students of the UC,” Deutsch said. “You are the one percent…You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”

As part of a systemwide one-day strike in response to the Nov. 18 pepper spray incident at UC Davis, People’s Assembly at UCSD organized a “Study Out” encampment in front of Geisel Library. Marshall College senior Kevin Quirolo, a member of People’s Assembly, said that the approximately 25 students who were participating were demonstrating for a number of issues, including an end to police brutality and an increased student voice in university decisions.

“Our position right now, even though tuition fees have been tabled, is that we need more student representation on the [UC] Board of Regents,” Quirolo said. “We don’t have much say in how the university is run, regardless [of] how much we’re paying.”

Quirolo also said that while student leaders at UC Davis had only called for a one-day strike, the “Study Out” will likely remain functional for the rest of the week.

Chairman of the UC Board of Regents Sherry Lansing moderated the UC Regents meeting. Lansing allowed over an hour of public comment.

UC Berkeley graduate student Charlie Eaton criticized UC administrators for their “poor judgment” in financial decisions.

“It’s a sign that the bankers and millionaires on the Board of Regents are out of touch with what Californians want from our university system,” he said.
Lansing announced that the regents will be visiting each campus over the next few weeks to meet with student leaders.

“We can use our voices and your voices,” Lansing said.

A date has not been set for the UC Regents’ visit to UCSD.