Research cut due to lack of state funds

Research at the University of California is being slashed by
another 10 percent, which comes on the heels of another 10 percent
cut already enacted in the 2002-2003 budget.

These reductions are a result of the budget adopted this past
week by the state Legislature, which will lead to deep cuts in
non-instructional programs at the UC.

Research will undergo a $28.8 million reduction in state funds,
which consists of an $18 million reduction this past year, and
another $10.8 million for 2003-2004.

Not all research programs are going to be cut equally, since it
is only those which are primarily sponsored by state money that
would take the burden of the reductions.

These programs consist, for the most part, of humanities and
social science research.

UCLA Vice Chancellor of Research Roberto Peccei said medical and
scientific research would be unaffected by the cuts.

“Most research at UCLA is funded by federal money, while
the state supports humanities and social sciences, which
consequently get much less federal funds, and will be primarily
impacted,” Peccei said.

He added that research in the area of ethnic and international
studies would be most impacted, such as the International Institute
at UCLA.

Carlos Haro, assistant director of the Chicana/o Studies
Research Center, said the research programs of the center would be
gravely impacted by the budget cuts, something with which the head
of the department would have to contend.

The budget shortfall might be quite severe for the center, but
other UCLA research programs will not even feel the research budget
cuts.

Colleen Cantwell, development director at the UCLA Center for
Community Health, said her center would not be affected by the
slash in the research budget.

“We are mostly federally funded, and have only one state
contract that will not get affected since it is sponsored by the
(Center for Disease Control), which is a federal institution, and
the state cannot touch those funds,” she said.

The reductions hinder UC’s ability to compete against
other schools for the best talent.

But Peccei said there is nothing to worry about.

“We might feel some impact, but it is important to
remember that most research money is not coming from the state, and
thus the impact should not be too great,” Peccei stated.

He added that UCLA looks to other sources of funds like private
donors and corporations.

Haro said his center would try to collect additional resources
from private donations to try and overcome the cuts, but that this
might not be an entirely satisfactory solution.

“Private parties donate money strictly for research
activities, but that is not the core budget of our center. We will
need money for staffing and administrative use, and this we cannot
collect from outside donors,” he said.

He also said that even though the Chicana/o Studies Research
Center has no problem attracting graduate students, the budget cuts
might make it more difficult to attract faculty.

Brad Hayward, a spokesman from the UC Office of the President,
said the UC is working hard to make the budget cuts as bearable as
possible.

He added that the UC would continue to be very attractive to
both graduate students and faculty because of its international
appeal and its renowned faculty and students.

“State budget cuts can be very difficult to (absorb), but
we will do our best to take the cuts in the least damaging way
possible, and will do our best to attract the very best possible
faculty and students,” Hayward said.

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