Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent proposal to tie state funding to graduation rates of public universities in California is another in a string of examples of his tendency to overstep his bounds when it comes to the UC.
Though we appreciate the governor’s attention to higher education, he has trod too far this past year in decisions that the UC Board of Regents should make.
Even by simply attending regents meetings, Brown is more involved with the UC than many governors are, said Daniel Mitchell, a professor emeritus at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Anderson School of Management.
In November, Brown tied Proposition 30, a tax measure that increased funding for the state’s education systems, to a yearlong tuition buyout. This buyout prevented the university from using its No. 1 strategy for raising more funds – tuition increases – despite the fact that the proposition included no guaranteed money for the system.
In January, Brown released a budget proposal that earmarked $10 million for online education. But the future of online education at the UC is still unclear, and it would be best to give the university discretion on how to implement and fund it.
The latest example of Brown’s heavy-handed attempt to improve the education system in California is his proposal to tie UC funding to performance targets such as graduation rates.
But making UC funding reliant on graduation rates is problematic. The UC already has high graduation rates, and hanging funding on those rates may mean the university devotes less energy toward other areas that need more work.
Further, if the UC failed to meet the set graduation rates and consequently forfeited state funding, it would be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Since Brown’s proposal also includes a four-year tuition freeze for students, the university may have a hard time making up for the lost funds.
Brown should instead work with UC officials to implement policies that are feasible and effective for the university and align with his goals for the UC.
In a Daily Bruin article published on April 26, Patrick Lenz, vice president of budget and capital resources for the UC, said that while the university was grateful for the state’s work, it would be more beneficial to work out a funding plan together.
At this point, it seems the governor is forcing change rather than working on a plan that is good for everyone.
We appreciate the effort by Brown to improve the UC, but as lawmakers finalize the state budget in coming months, he must work closely with university leaders to ensure the best possible outcome.