California Gov. Jerry Brown on June 16 vetoed a state spending plan that would have deepened the cut in financial support for the University of California by another $150 million for the coming fiscal year.

The university already is enacting a series of program reductions and other painful measures to absorb a cut of $500 million, a drop of roughly 16.4 percent in state general fund support.

UC President Mark Yudof and Board of Regents Chairman Russell Gould sent Brown a letter just prior to the veto, urging him to reject additional cuts to UC beyond the anticipated $500 million.

“Cuts beyond those already enacted would have a severe impact on the university and the people it serves — including further tuition increases for the families for whom the promise of a high-quality yet affordable education in California seems to be fading,” Yudof and Gould wrote.

“In addition, because the budget still contains a multimillion-dollar structural deficit, it does nothing to alleviate the instability and unpredictability in funding that are the chief threat to the continued quality of the university.”

UC’s leaders, together with other advocates, have been working since January to press for a state budget that makes higher education a priority and offers UC reliable levels of support in the coming years.

Go to the UC Newsroom for the full story and links to messages from UC leaders and Gov. Brown.

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