The budget package set to go before the California legislature Wednesday contains some new money for the UC and CSU systems for the first time in years – but only under two very big conditions. First, voters would have to approve Governor Jerry Brown’s November tax measure. And second, the systems would have to agree not to raise tuition for the upcoming academic year.
The UC system is reacting favorably. But the Cal State system has already approved a tuition increase and would have to pull it back. Mike Uhlenkamp with the CSU Chancellor’s Office said that’s a bit of a gamble.
“It’s asking us to forego funding that we are going to get this year, that we’ve already budgeted, for the potential to receive funding next year, that’s tied to the governor’s tax initiative, which we wouldn’t know the outcome of until November,” explained Uhlenkamp.
The budget still contains an additional $250 million dollar trigger cut to each system if the tax measure fails.
