COVID-19: Governor Proposes 10% Reduction in UC State Funding; Reallocation towards Pandemic Relief

Jacob Sutherland

May 14, 2020

SACRAMENTO, CA – OCTOBER 9: The California state Capitol building is shown October 9, 2003 in downtown Sacramento, California. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger won in his bid to replace California Gov. Gray Davis, who was recalled in a special election October 7. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

This article is a part of our news series on the COVID-19 pandemic. For information on how to prevent the spread of the virus, click here.

The University of California is set to take a 10 percent cut in state funding under Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2020-2021 budget, which was released on Thursday, May 14. The proposed change is in response to the redistribution of state funding to other sectors of the economy as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Newsom’s original budget, which was released in January, included an additional $217.7 million for the UC’s core educational spending ability.

This new budget reflects an approximately $338 million cut in funding to the UC, as well as a $398 million cut to the California State University system.

UC President Janet Napolitano issued a statement on the new budget shortly after its release, stating that she and the UC administration would support the Governor’s actions.

“The University of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges California is facing in the wake of COVID-19 and regrets that Gov. Newsom was put into a position to steeply reduce the University’s budget in response to the State’s dramatically diminished revenues,” Napolitano said. “Regardless, UC stands with the governor and the legislature to help lift the State out of this economic crisis.”

UC Student Association President Varsha Sarveshwar expressed in a public statement on the matter that he looks forward to continuing to work with the Governor to provide future funding for students in light of the pandemic.

“The UC has faced severe budget impacts of over $1.2 billion as a result of the COVID-19 crisis so far,” Sarveshwar said. “UC students will be looking to the federal government to meet its responsibility during these times to provide our state with vital aid to help support our state. We also look forward to our continued engagement with the Governor and the legislature in supporting our students and vulnerable communities in the path ahead.”

The new budget is expected to pass and be signed into law later this summer.

This is a breaking story, and the UCSD Guardian will continue to monitor it as it develops.

Photo by David Paul Morris for Getty Images.