While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and officials from the
University of California and California State University systems
were hammering out an agreement on funding levels for the
state’s public universities, many state legislators who were
not consulted are up in arms over being kept out of the
loop.Â
Many state legislators, including members of the state Assembly
and Senate, were outraged by both the terms of the deal struck
between the governor and UC and CSU, as well the fact that they
were not given input in the process.
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, chairwoman of
Assembly Education Committee and chairwoman of the Budget
Subcommittee, said the deal was done behind closed doors and
isn’t being advertised as a tax increase for students and
their parents.Â
She added that the budget deal was a “sellout” and
that she would try to undermine it in any way possible.
Under the agreement struck between UC, CSU and Schwarzenegger,
the UC can expect to absorb approximately $372 million in cuts next
year and then experience gradual funding increases starting in
2005-2006.Â
Undergraduates would see fee increases averaging 10 percent for
the next three years, and graduate students would experience a fee
increase of 20 percent for 2004-2005 and 10 percent increases the
following two years.
The proposal does not include funding for the thousands of
students who met UC admissions requirements but were turned away
and funneled into the community college system.
Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena and chairman of the Senate Education
Subcommittee on Higher Education, said the Legislature will
carefully go over the governor’s budget proposal. He added
that there would be no way to cut the Legislature out of the
process and that it would not be a “slam-dunk” to have
the Legislature approve the proposal.Â
Scott went on to say he was less concerned about being kept out
of the process than he was worried about the poor deal students are
receiving under Schwarzenegger’s proposal.
“The fact that students are being redirected, that’s
the tragedy involved in all of this. … There is no way we will be
cut out of the process. As chair of the Budget Committee on
Education, I guarantee we will react,” he said.
In a statement, Scott said, “Somebody has to fight for
these students. … The state Legislature was not party to this
agreement; therefore I intend to explore options for preserving
access for all eligible students this year.”
Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose and chairman of the Senate
Education Committee, was angered by both the terms of the deal and
the fact that the state Legislature was not consulted.
“I don’t honor people who don’t honor me.
“¦ If they think they can make do without us, I find it to be
naive and insulting.”
“What I do know about the deal I detest. “¦ It
sacrifices thousands of students this year for some pie-in-the-sky
promise,” he added.
The deal does include funding increases after 2005 for an
increase in lagging salaries, as well as funding for additional
students, which will put the university back on track for
accommodating enrollment growth over the remainder of the
decade.
As part of the agreement, the UC must meet enrollment objectives
put forth in the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education in
California and report on efficient use of resources and student
success, among other obligations.
Not all members of the state Legislature were angered by the
compromise.
Assemblyman Bob Pacheco, R-Walnut, said, “The governor had
to make some agreement in order to avoid confrontation. … I think
it’s a move in the right direction; my only concern is to
make sure that the community colleges are taken care of.”