As state legislators begin reviewing Gov. Gray Davis’
budget proposal, lobbyists representing all types of groups will
try to ensure that they get a larger piece of the pie.
As a state agency, the University of California does not have
lobbyists, but officials in its Sacramento office perform similar
functions.
State officials say the UC can be effective in lobbying, but it
has yet to do anything about this year’s proposed $300
million in budget cuts.
“I haven’t seen anyone from the UC office coming to
protest,” said Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, chair of the
assembly’s higher education committee.
The university is still analyzing the budget Davis proposed
Friday and has yet to set specific recommendations, according to UC
press aide Brad Hayward.
Five analysts are hired by the UC to determine how hundreds of
bills introduced in the Legislature, including the budget, would
affect different parts of the university’s operations.
The head of the UC’s Sacramento office then relates to the
legislators the bills’ proposed effects, which is among the
most common responsibilities of lobbyists for private
organizations.
One of the university’s main advantages in lobbying the
state is it’s academic reputation as one of the top public
institutions in the world.
“No one (in the legislature) wants to diminish the quality
of the University of California,” said Max Espinoza, higher
education consultant to the state assembly’s budget
committee.
The university, like every other state agency, is facing cuts,
but this does not mean UC’s lobbying efforts should be
labeled a failure.
“It’s impossible to judge the effectiveness of
lobbying because everyone is being cut,” said state Sen.
Shelia Kuehl, D ““ Santa Monica, who represents UCLA’s
district.
The UC suffered small cuts compared to other agencies, she
said.
The community colleges ““ which are facing the prospect of
student fees being more than doubled ““ are already lobbying
Liu’s office, but they have been the only group lobbying her
so far.
“I think they (the UC) are just taking it,” Liu
said.
The UC has not been more active so far because its cuts are only
a relatively small portion of the UC’s funding, she
added.
Only around 30 percent of the university’s funding comes
from the state. Corporate and private donations, the federal
government and student fees are some of the UC’s other
revenue sources.
“If there were significant cuts, they would be pounding on
the door,” Liu said.
That pounding by the UC would likely be successful ““
Espinoza said he has never seen the UC have problems in its
lobbying efforts.
When the university and legislature disagree, it is usually over
how to achieve its goals of maintaining quality and access and not
over whether these goals are worthwhile, he added.
The UC often works with student lobbying groups, such as the UC
Students’ Association, on common goals.
Both groups worked together last year in support of Proposition
47, which will support construction of new UC buildings, said UCSA
chair Stephen Klass.
This year, UCSA is going to try and persuade legislators not to
raise student fees by $795 per year, as Davis proposed.
The decision is made by the UC Regents, not the legislature, but
if the legislature gives the UC more funding, the Regents may not
raise fees.
Students are generally hampered in lobbying efforts because they
do not vote as often as other groups.
But Kuehl said more student voting and lobbying efforts would
not be enough to prevent a fee hike because the legislature is
trying to spread the pain so all groups are affected but none are
crippled.