OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR -
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
July 16, 1996
ALL AT UCSD
SUBJECT: | 1996-97 State Budget |
For your information, the following is a press release regarding the 1996-97
State budget signed yesterday by Governor Wilson and a statement by President
Atkinson.
If you have any questions regarding this notice, you may contact me at 534-6590.
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Margaret F. Pryatel
Assistant Vice Chancellor |
Attachment
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The following is a news release issued today regarding UC's 1996-97 state
unding.
Mike Lassiter
Director, News & Communications
------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 15, 1996
News Office (510) 987-9200
STATE BUDGET HELPS ENSURE UC QUALITY
Gov. Pete Wilson today signed a 1996-97 state budget that ensures for now
that the University of California will be able to maintain the quality of
its programs and begin to make progress on a three-year plan to restore
faculty salaries to competitive levels.
With the funding provided by the governor and the legislature, general
student fees will remain frozen for the second consecutive year, students
will continue to get the classes they need to graduate in a timely fashion,
and UC will continue to admit at the undergraduate level all eligible
California students who wish to attend.
In addition to funding the university's basic needs, the governor and the
legislature also provided funding for several high priority initiatives,
including increased university-industry cooperative research and expansion
of academic outreach programs.
This budget is good news for the University of California," said UC
President Richard C. Atkinson. The governor and the legislature have
demonstrated a wholehearted commitment to higher education and the need to
safeguard UC quality and access. This budget clearly recognizes the
important role UC plays in a healthy California economy."
UC will receive $2.06 billion in state general funds in 1996-97, an increase
of $130 million or 6.7 percent over last year. While this marks the largest
increase in state funding for UC in the 1990s, it is still less state
funding than the university received in 1989-90. The state funds, combined
with student fee revenues, will provide for about a 5 percent increase in
overall university spending in 1996-97.
The budget adds $5 million in 1996-97 to the $3 million Atkinson had already
earmarked for the Industry-University Cooperative Research Program. Through
the program, UC will expand its activities to facilitate and speed the
transfer of ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace. The program
leverages state dollars by requiring matching funds from industry for research
that shows promise for the development of new products and processes.
"California urgently needs to invest in the emerging industries that are
replacing our defense-related and other declining industries," Atkinson
said. Investments in research are investments in economic growth."
In addition, the budget provides another $1 million to the $2 million in
extra funding for UC academic outreach programs identified by Atkinson. Of
the $1 million increase, $250,000 will be earmarked for outreach programs in
the Central Valley. The budget also provides $1 million to bolster
California's chance of successfully competing for one of the two new National
Science Foundation computer centers.
The one disappointment is the governor's vetoing of $7.5 million for the
first year of a multi-year plan to provide necessary funds for building
maintenance. This funding shortfall has led to a backlog of deferred
maintenance projects that now totals $480 million.
Nonetheless, the budget reflects the Board of Regents' intentions to close
the faculty salary gap with comparison institutions, avoid an increase in
basic student fees and provide greater funding for outreach programs.
Funding equivalent to a 2 percent cost-of-living increase is provided for
all employees and additional funding equivalent to 3 percent parity
adjustment is provided for faculty. This will bring faculty salaries within
5.5 percent of the average of comparison institutions. The budget also
includes funds for merit increases for eligible employees.
Under the budget, mandatory student fees for California residents will
remain at $3,799 next fall. This amount does not include miscellaneous fees
which vary by campus, nor does it reflect increases in out-of-state tuition
or increased fees for entering students in selected professional graduate
programs.
The budget provides funds to cover inflation in ongoing costs and to meet
enrollment growth of about 1,500 full-time students.
The state budget also provides UC with $152 million in voter-approved
general obligation bonds to fund seismic, infrastructure, life-safety and
renovation projects, including $5 million in deferred maintenance projects.
UC students will also benefit from a $20 million increase in overall funding
for the Cal Grant program. UC students can expect to receive about $3
million of this increase.
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