On June 23, Joe Kiskis sent the following letter:
Dear Assembly Member Torrico,
The Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA) supports the legislative appropriations process as the preferred means for determining funding levels for state programs.
Within the context of ACA 16, we would like to comment on the funding level for higher education that has been suggested. The ACA 16 base for CSU and UC funding is FY 2007-2008, the present fiscal year. This is a decreased level of state support that has come after years of disinvestment in higher education. The multi-year context for higher education funding in general and UC funding in particular has been analyzed in two UC Academic Senate reports: the “Future” report at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/senate/reports/AC.Futures.Report.0107.pdf and the “Cuts” report at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/senate/reports/cuts.report.04.08.pdf These demonstrate the magnitude of the cuts and the funding levels that are needed to restore the promises of quality, access, and affordability in the Master Plan. We are pleased that ACA 16 would stabilize long term funding for higher education and that it invites a discussion of the appropriate level for that funding. It is the position of CUCFA that the cuts that have been made in higher education funding in recent years should be restored by a return to FY 2000-2001 support adjusted for inflation and with roll backs of student fees to that year. We will be pleased to work with the author and others who value the role of higher education in California and believe that it should have stable and adequate funding.
I have also included CUCFA’s own handout on these topics, “How to Restore the Promise.” If I can be of any assistance on this issue, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Joe Kiskis
Vice President for External Relations,
Council of UC Faculty Associations