Defend Research Funding

Over the next few weeks, UC faculty have two vital opportunities to advocate on issues related to research funding. 

SB895 (the California Science and Health Research Bond) will be voted on in the next three weeks in the CA state assembly.  Please consider calling your assemblymember using this script.  If you’d like some guidance on making these calls, we’ll be holding Zoom office hours on Friday, June 12 from 8-9am and noon-1pm to support phone calling. 

There is a new attack on research: the federal Office of Management and Budget’s Proposed Federal Financial Assistance Rule (OMB-2026-0034; collection of coverage here) would have numerous dire consequences for federal grants in all fields. One of the most impactful things for you to do is submit a public comment on the Rule. 

Not sure how? Join a virtual workshop co-hosted by UCSFFA and CUCFA where we will review the proposed rule, walk through recommendations for making a comment, and create and submit our own comments: Thursday, June 18th from noon-1pm.

Irrespective of their status as public employees, faculty are legally protected by federal and state law to act through their Faculty Associations and advocate for their working conditions (including research funding). Because the Faculty Associations are independent bodies, they are uniquely empowered to represent faculty before the University administration or the Legislature. FA members have been advocating for higher education funding and intervening in the political sphere since the 1970s, resulting in the passage of several important bills securing our intellectual property rights and safeguarding our salaries, pensions, and workloads.