A lot can happen in a few months.
When well-liked University of California President Richard
Atkinson announced his retirement in early November 2002, the
search began for a replacement.
Nearly a year later, that replacement, UC San Diego Chancellor
Robert Dynes, is set to take the reins of the country’s most
prestigious public university system and inherit a variety of
challenges in the coming months.
These difficulties have increased since Atkinson announced his
resignation, but the former president has confidence in his
replacement.
“The future holds many challenges, and the university must
plan effectively to meet these challenges. My successor, Bob Dynes,
is superbly qualified to lead this effort,” Atkinson said in
his farewell statement.
Last November, many of the issues confronting the UC system were
speculations and projections. Now, those problems have become
bitter realities.
The state legislature cut $410 million from the UC’s
budget last year, which resulted in program cutbacks and denial of
additional faculty or salary raises. This summer, the UC Board of
Regents also raised student fees by 30 percent, nearly $1,200 for
resident students, and have had to deal with an ever-growing
enrollment.
Dynes, a Canadian-born physics expert realizes the gravity of
this situation but is confident in his ability to lead the UC.
“This university has faced pressures throughout its
history. It has always endured. It has always emerged
stronger,” Dynes said after his appointment at the regents
meeting in June.
But the UC’s troubles have not ended just yet.
At their Sept. 16 meeting, the UC Regents discussed a bleak
budget situation for 2004-2005, in which the state is confronting
an additional $8 billion deficit next year.
To deal with this shortfall, Gov. Gray Davis has asked all state
agencies to consider an additional 20 percent in cuts, amounting to
$600 million for the UC.
In addition, the university is experiencing a growing
enrollment, with 18 percent more students coming into the system
over the past three years, burdening the UC further with more
students seeking state-funded educations.
Undoubtedly, the effects of these cuts will resonate with UC
students and faculty, but officials have not yet made a decision as
to exactly how the budget will affect the university community.
Regents have considered slowing enrollment (not accepting as
many students into the system), as the state pays about 75 percent
of the actual cost of education for every resident student.
If enacted, these proposed enrollment caps could mark the first
time in its history the UC has denied students admission for
financial reasons.
The university also has considered raising student fees to make
up some of the difference, either for out-of-state students,
resident students, or both.
The future of the UC’s frequently forgotten three national
laboratories is also uncertain, as the UC has to decide whether to
bid on the facilities, which it has administered since World War
II.
This laundry list of tasks greets the new president, but support
for him from his friends and colleagues has been extremely
positive.
“I don’t think there’s any question (Dynes)
can do this job very well,” said UCSD history professor
Michael Bernstein.
Still, questions abound as to how to help the UC survive its
troubles. Dynes’ answers remain to be shown.