The University of California Board of Regents will meet at UC San Francisco today and tomorrow to discuss systemwide business and vote on the UC Office of the President’s proposed 2010-11 budget, among other items.

The UCOP’s proposed budget of $438.5 million largely reflects the promises made by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in his May revisions to the state budget, which included placing state funding of financial aid programs as a top priority. If approved by the Regents, the UCOP budget would allocate 55.2 percent of its funds for systemwide academic programs and 36.8 percent for core administration costs in the 2010-11 fiscal year. The remaining 8 percent would fund Regent Direct Reports and the Academic Senate.

Following Gov. Schwarzenegger’s May revisions, UC Vice President for Budget Patrick Lenz said the proposed budget reaffirmed the importance of higher education in California.

“The restoration in funding for the University of California will help us maintain access and protect financial aid for thousands of young Californians who look to our campuses as portals of opportunity,” Lenz said.

According to Lenz, the Governor’s budget recommendations for the UC included the restoration of $305 million to the UC budget, as well as $51.3 million to support student access and $355 million for capital facility construction.

Furthermore, the Regents will vote on proposed revisions to the UC Student Fee Policy, as well as consider a spectrum of UC affairs including, but not limited to, the release of the annual UC accountability report and new litigation.

Associated Students External Vice President of Statewide Affairs-elect Doug Wagoner, a second-year history major, said students should be the University’s priority.
“Without a higher education, the fact of the matter is you can’t get as high-paying of a job and you don’t have the range of opportunities that you do with a good higher education — especially from a University of California institution,” Wagoner said.