The UC Board of Regents tabled any rulings on student fee hikes until March, and instead discussed the possibility of taking a united stance against the state government’s lack of sufficient funding for the university.
The regents postponed discussion of slashing their own budget as a possible solution to the recent 10 percent loss in state funding, insisting instead on the need to force the state to take responsibility for the maintenance of affordable and accessible higher education for everyone. Many regents also proposed marching on Sacramento to demand greater state support for public schools.
UC Students Association President Louise Hendrickson said that while she understands the regents need more time in order to make a well-informed decision, she felt frustrated by the delay.
“It would be nice to have a sense of what is really going to happen, and it would also have been nice to talk about the resolution,” Hendrickson said.
But, both Student Regent Ben Allen and Student Regent-designate D’Artagnan Scorza said they were encouraged by the postponement.
“It seemed today as though most of us were on the same page about the need to approach Sacramento and coordinate for the whole of education for the state,” Scorza said. “This is a new direction and was a bit surprising.”
The current UC budget crisis comes on the heels of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2008-2009 state budget which cut $331.9 million in funding to the UC, resulting in a net loss of $109 million and leaving the university with a current operating budget gap of almost $418 million.
The regents presented a list of worst-case scenario options which included student fee hikes, slashed programs, limited enrollment and the elimination of faculty and staff compensation increases.
The university is currently over-enrolled by 3,600 students, but the regents said they wish to avoid halting enrollment growth considering that 2008 has the largest graduating high school class in California history.
Provost Wyatt Hume said the regents feel strongly that limiting future student enrollment and raising fees would be devastating to progress in increasing diversity within the student body, and that they would prefer not to renege on their historic commitment to the people of California under the Master Plan for Education.
Instead, many regents endorsed the idea of banding together with other educational institutions such as the California State University, community colleges, and the K-12 system in order to force the state to increase educational funding.
“We have been absolutely losing the battle in relation to our portion of the state budget,” said Regent George Marcus. “If we have to get our families together and march on Sacramento, we should. It’s time to take a stand.”
Lt. Gov. John Garamendi said he was thrilled by the regents’ interest in demanding more funding from the state, stressing only the need to move quickly in order to address the growing affordability crisis for students and ensure the university remains accessible to qualified students of all economic backgrounds.
During the public comment period, student protesters waved signs that read, “Where is the money going?” with various answers that included, “Not to lowering students fees,” “Not to academic prep,” and “Not to the workers.”
Kevin Mann, a fifth-year ethnic studies and urban studies and planning student at UC San Diego, insisted student-initiated outreach must be prioritized across the UC, particularly because it is so cost effective.
“We are trying to break out of our La Jolla bubble, our Berkeley bubble, our Beverly Hills bubble and make our education relevant by involving ourselves in the community.”
Justin Reyes, a second-year Asian American studies student at UC Santa Barbara said he was frustrated by his mounting debt and the lack of support for his immigrant, working-class parents.
“I have been at the last four regents meetings, but you probably don’t know who I am. … I am your salary, I am a number, I am ignored,” Reyes said. “Please keep the dream alive, Please keep the promise alive.”
Additionally, Norman Pattiz was selected to replace current chairman Gerald Parsky on the board of governors of both Los Alamos National Security LLC, and Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC, according to a press release from the UC Office of the President.
Also, Patrick J. Lenz was appointed as the UC’s systemwide vice president for budget, and Assistant Vice President Debora Obley was approved as associate vice president for budget operations, according to another UCOP press release.