- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
Dear Colleagues,
Despite this being a very challenging budget year for California, the Legislature passed and the governor has now signed a final state budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which does not cut funding for UC. We are deeply grateful for the steadfast support of the governor, and our elected officials, for higher education in California.
With the budget signed, President Drake has formally approved the 2024-25 systemwide salary program. The 4.2% salary increase for policy-covered staff and academic appointees at all locations recognizes the extraordinary efforts of employees during this past year. Pay increases will take effect on July 1, 2024, for employees who are paid monthly and on June 23 for those who are paid bi-weekly.
Thank you for your dedication and passion for our mission of improving the lives all Californians. As we head into the 4th of July holiday, I hope you can enjoy some quality time with friends and family.
Best wishes, Glenda
Glenda Humiston
Vice President
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Governor Newsom signed the first budget bill (SB 154) on June 27, and the second budget bill (AB 178) June 30. Together, these bills fund the core of the state budget. Provisions include:
- 5% increase for UC ANR's budget (This allows UC ANR to adjust employee salaries effective July 1, 2022, as described in the May 20 UC ANR Update.)
- $2.4 million in one-time funds for Nutrition Policy Institute to evaluate
- “School Meals for All”
- $125 million in one-time funds for UC deferred maintenance, seismic mitigation and energy efficiency projects.
- $185 million in one-time funds to support UC climate change research
“The state budget process is not finished and we expect several Budget Trailer Bills to be taken up in August after the Legislature returns from Summer Recess. Stay tuned!” said Anne Megaro, director of government relations.
See President Drake's comments about the state budget at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-statement-2022-23-california-budget-0.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Vice President Glenda Humiston spoke to the California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education at a hearing to discuss the University of California's budget on Feb. 9.
The session was chaired by state Sen. John Laird, who championed augmentation of the 2021-22 budget for UC ANR.
Humiston gave a status report for UC ANR via Zoom due to COVID protocols.
“Thanks to the ongoing augmentation of the 2021-22 budget for UC ANR, we have acted quickly to rebuild the UC Cooperative Extension footprint,” Humiston told the committee. “While the positions identified in March 2021 are still the focal point of the hiring plan, we also implemented a separate process to ensure identification of the highest priority academic positions across all discipline areas for today and into the future. This involved communicating with community partners and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing needs and prioritize the next round of hiring.”
She noted that, for the first time, UC ANR opened requests for placement of UC Cooperative Extension specialists to all 10 campuses.
“To date, 11 Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists have been hired and are in the field, while 35 more are currently under recruitment and expected to be hired before June 2022,” Humiston said. “UC ANR will be announcing over 40 additional new advisor positions and up to 20 specialist positions later this spring. We've expanded recruiting capacity and enhanced hiring practices to meet the evolving demands of the job market and ensure success. UC ANR is committed to hiring a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the top talent necessary to solve societal problems. We will provide the committee with a budget and impact report later this spring.
Laird mentioned in the hearing that legislators aren't often thanked for their work, but after UC ANR received a budget augmentation, he returned from the summer recess to find a huge stack of thank-you cards on his desk.
Laird also noted that UC campuses get COLAs (cost of living adjustments) and he would like ANR's budget to be adjusted annually as well. The adjustment would apply to the overall state general fund budget, not salaries.
Discussion of UC ANR begins at 1:46:30 of the recording at https://www.senate.ca.gov/media/budget-fiscal-review-subcommittee-1-education-20220209/video.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Governor Newsom released on January 10 his budget proposal for FY 22/23. Under the plan, UC would see a 5 percent budget increase over each of the next five fiscal years, allowing the University to increase enrollment, boost resources to help underrepresented groups achieve academic success, and expand college access and affordability for struggling students and families across the state. However, Governor Newsom proposes to hold UC ANR's budget flat, after restoring the budget to pre-COVID levels last year, increasing it by 5% and adding $32 million in ongoing funding.
Other highlights of Newsom's spending plan for UC include:
- $185 million in one-time funding for research and innovation to combat climate change, including the creation of new climate-focused innovation hubs, workforce development for climate-focused careers, and seed grants that will attract matching funds to accelerate projects that foster resilience and mitigate the environmental impacts of climate change.
- $100 million in one-time funding for energy-efficiency projects across UC campuses and critical deferred maintenance.
“We look forward to working with the governor and the legislature as they finalize the budget, and we appreciate Governor Newsom's significant investments in UC that will help improve the lives of all Californians,” said Anne Megaro, director of government and community relations.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
On Nov. 17, state Sen. John Laird was invited to the UC Regents' Public Engagement and Development Committee to discuss his support for the university. Laird described his instrumental role in what he called the “resuscitation” of UC Cooperative Extension by championing the state's historic increase to UC ANR's budget.
“We basically got an over 50% increase to try to bring it back to where it was at least a decade ago,” said Laird, who is chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education. He credited the agricultural community in Monterey County for initiating the push to restore UCCE funding.
“I think it's really a feather in the cap for UC because it is something that reaches into every agricultural county of the state and is really appreciated,” Laird, a UC Santa Cruz alumnus, told the regents.
While touring Santa Cruz County, Laird recalled meeting a young farm employee who reduced water consumption 15% in the farm's greenhouses by following the advice of a local UCCE farm advisor. The senator noted that the UCCE advice helped the Watsonville native, a person of color, get off to a successful start in the agricultural field.
Laird said UC needs to publicize more success stories like that. “I think that story really demonstrates the difference that is made … Here is UC Cooperative Ag Extension giving advice to somebody who is starting probably a 35- or 40-year career and saving a bunch of water right off the bat.”
To view the excerpt of his discussion with the regents, visit https://youtu.be/aL524U8z0qM.
