UC grapples with federal budget cuts
Across virtually all University of California campuses, the impact of federal budget cuts is being felt, according to several campus newspapers.
On Oct. 30, The Daily Californian reported that UC Berkeley paused its college readiness program for disadvantaged youth due to the loss of a $836,000 annual grant. The program, Educational Talent Search, was part of the federal T.R.I.O. program, a group of federal programs designed to aid students in overcoming financial, social and academic barriers to higher education.
The Daily Californian reported on Oct. 23 that the Department of Energy had cut three Berkeley-led research projects since the start of the government shutdown. On that same day, it was reported that Berkeley lost $1.1 million in grants over the next three years as part of its designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.
City on a Hill Press reported that UC Santa Cruz’s programs under its Hispanic-Serving designation will also be impacted by the loss of federal grants. At this time, the University is unsure which specific programs will be affected.
These are just a few of the most recently reported impacts of federal funding cuts. In early October, UC President James B. Milliken said in a press release that federal cuts and wide-ranging investigations “may well represent the greatest threat to the University of California in its 157-year history.”
UC Berkeley extends housing guarantee to two years
Starting the next academic year, Berkeley will offer incoming freshmen two years of guaranteed housing and one year for transfer students. Before the announcement, one year was guaranteed for freshmen, and transfers were “provided housing priority” if they applied on time.
The extended guarantee was possible due to housing projects that were recently completed, according to The Daily Californian.
“This change reflects the university’s ongoing process in increasing housing capacity and providing greater stability for undergraduate students,” university spokesperson Lindsey Michels said in an email to The Daily Californian. “The campus can now extend housing guarantees that better support students’ transition to Berkeley and strengthen their sense of belonging in their first years on campus.”
Pasadena sues UCLA for allegedly relocating football games to SoFi Stadium
The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Stadium filed a lawsuit against UC Los Angeles on Oct. 29 for allegedly relocating football games to SoFi Stadium. This was done in an effort to preserve its current agreement with the University, which states Bruin football games must stay at the Rose Bowl through 2044.
The lawsuit states that UCLA has allegedly been “unequivocally expressing its intent to abandon the Rose Bowl Stadium and relocate its home football games to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.”
UCLA’s football team has played at the Rose Bowl since 1982. According to the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuit argues that taxpayers have invested over $150 million in stadium renovations.
“While we continue to evaluate the long-term arrangement for UCLA football home games, no decision has been made,” Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times.
A version of this article appeared on p. 2 of the Nov. 6 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
