Periodically we’ve been checking in with other western states on how their respective budget shortfalls are affecting public universities. In California, the recently approved budget agreement includes major cuts for the University of California and the California State University systems. A story in the University of California San Diego student paper summarizes the cuts:
The $130 billion budget plan slashes UC funding by an additional $115 million, stretching the university’s total projected budget deficit to $450 million. The cuts are designed to save the state a sum of $264.4 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year.
UC President Mark G. Yudof said the new round of cuts will have both immediate and long-term implications for the university and the state economy as a whole.
“It is important to state clearly that the reductions contained in this budget will be felt by students, by faculty, by staff and ultimately by people across California who benefit in their daily lives from the university’s work,” Yudof said in a statement. “Lower spending for higher education ultimately erodes student opportunity, innovation, health care and medical research and economic growth for California.”
Because the California budget accord relies on voters approving a series of ballot measures in May (and early polling suggests they may not), this story is far from over.