UCSB Only Campus to Receive No Individual Funding in State’s $600 Million UC Budget

This story first appeared at the Daily Nexus.

The state of California approved its 2022-23 budget this July with its annual allocations for the University of California through general systemwide funding and campus-specific funding. Among all UC campuses, UC Santa Barbara is the only campus that will not receive any individual funding. 

The total sum of UC allocations in the state budget is $602.3 million, including both one-time general fund augmentations and ongoing general fund augmentations. The UC is receiving a $307.3 million increase in its ongoing general fund. Of this funding, $200.5 million will be provided over the course of five years to “support University costs” and $67.8 million will be used to support enrollment of California resident students.

Of this ongoing general fund, $6 million will be used to increase campus support programs for foster youth and $2 million will be used to support the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center.

Another $13 million of the ongoing general fund will support the operations of existing UC Labor Centers and Occupational Safety and Health Programs and invest in similar programs throughout the UC system, according to the Assembly Budget Committee Floor Report.

The UC-wide Underground Scholars program will receive $4 million to strengthen and expand its program, which supports formerly incarcerated and system-impacted students. UC Undocumented Student Services will also receive $5 million from the ongoing general fund.

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Along with general increases for the UC budget, the state budget includes funding for campus-specific programs and initiatives. Notable increases include a $185 million one-time general fund supporting climate initiatives at the Santa Cruz, Riverside and Merced campuses and a $83 million one-time general fund to support the Berkeley Clean Energy Campus project.

UCSB is the only UC campus failing to receive individual funding. According to UCSB spokesperson Kiki Reyes, the State did not fulfill funding for the four UCSB capital outlay projects included in the university’s budget request.

“UC Santa Barbara followed the UC process and advocated in favor of the UC budget request that was approved by the Board of Regents,,” Reyes said. “The State Legislature provided line item funding for various campuses, and capital outlay projects and UC Santa Barbara projects were not funded as part of these line items.”

Additionally, Reyes said that though there is no campus-specific funding, UCSB will benefit from the funding for former foster youth, undocumented students and formerly incarcerated students. 

“UC Santa Barbara also advocated for systemwide funding for vulnerable students, which will fund specialized services on the UCSB campus for former foster youth, undocumented students and formerly incarcerated students,” Reyes said. “While those funds were not specifically targeted to UC Santa Barbara, they are important.”

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