In November the Regents of the University of California will vote to decide whether or not a tuition increase is in the not-too-distant future. A large opposition, especially from students, is an obvious and highly anticipated response.
As the executive board of the University of California, The Regents consist of 26 officials who organize and govern the UC system, each member possessing the power to legislate and vote on all matters brought before the Board.
One student is appointed for a one-year position, in addition to seven ex-officio members. The ex-officio members are the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, Superintendent of Public Instruction, president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC, and the UC president.
Since the beginning of the year, the UC’s budgetary responsibilities have been under scrutiny. UC President Janet Napolitano and the Regents have been facing the year’s financial goals that, in addition to the long-term monetary platform, the UC system needs to reach and maintain.
On September 17th and 18th the Regents attended a series of meetings—including open sessions to non-board members—at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay campus to discuss various topics pertaining to the 10 committees the Regents operate through.
The university’s current and long-term financial outlook has been the center of attention for most of the year, as verified by many students who attended one or more of these sessions who voiced opposition to tuition cost increase.
According to Governor Brown’s funding proposal, UCs will see an increase in funding of $142 million. This total, much to the dismay of the Regents, does not include the $120.9 million requested by the Regents for pension and enrollment growth funding, according to The Daily Californian.
Sarina deSousa
Business Manager
sdesousa2@ucmerced.edu