By Robert Salonga
DAILY BRUIN STAFF
rsalonga@media.ucla.edu
Several University of California programs face elimination in
Gov. Gray Davis’ May budget revision, leaving the Board of
Regents to soften the blow of his proposed $162.4 million cut.
UC officials nevertheless applauded Davis for protecting the
university from more severe cuts ““ the overall state deficit
is estimated at almost $24 billion ““ but were hard-pressed to
find ways to make up for Davis’ recommendations.
“If they chose to make bigger cuts, we would’ve been
creamed,” said Larry Hershman, UC vice president of the
budget.
Outreach, research and teacher development programs were the
most affected victims of the state’s budget crunch, receiving
dramatic and even fatal reductions.
Davis crossed off funding for the University and K-12
Partnership, ArtsBridge and the UC Prep Initiative, which provides
online access to advanced placement and honors courses for students
in schools that do not provide them. Hershman said graduate and
professional student outreach was “virtually
eliminated” by Davis’ revision.
He added the university plans to recover funds for teacher
development programs by seeking federal grants.
The outreach cuts were unprecedented to most UC officials.
“The extent of the cuts is a total surprise,” said
Winston Doby, UC vice president for educational outreach.
Doby added he was disappointed with the governor’s office
for cutting outreach to the San Joaquin Valley, a region widely
considered to have poor access to the UC.
“There was not an understanding of that funding,”
Doby said, referring to the $1.9 million cut from Central Valley
Outreach.
Regent Monica Lozano urged the governor and legislature to find
alternate ways to fund outreach.
And as with other regental budget discussions this year, the
idea of raising student fees found its way into the discussion.
Undergraduate student fees have not risen in eight years, settling
at $3,429 in 2001-02.
Though Davis did not include a fee increase in his revision, it
has become an increasingly possible option as the state’s
economic outlook continues to tumble.
Hershman suggested modest fee increases to offset the UC’s
cycle of keeping fees constant in good economic times but raising
them in bad times.
In response to the recession of the early 1990s, student fees
rose 150 percent from $1,476 to $3,799 over a five-year span. When
the economy picked up near the end of the decade, fees were
decreased by 10 percent.
This fluctuation has led some regents to question the sedentary
position of student fees.
“While (budget) cuts are painful, it was a policy blunder
not to raise fees,” said Regent John Davies.
But UC Student Association Chair Kenny Burch said those who
advocate raising student fees must factor in the total cost of
attending the UC.
Though undergraduate fees are among the lowest in the nation
compared to top public universities, the price of living near a UC
campus pushes costs well into the tens of thousands of dollars,
Burch said.
According to a UCSA report, it costs an average of $16,072 to
attend the UC when fees, health care, housing, and transportation
are totaled.