To prevent University of California students who receive Cal Grants from being negatively affected by delays in state payments, the university announced today (Feb. 2) that it will provide funding to cover the value of UC students' Cal Grant awards for the spring term.

The university will use resources from its short-term financial reserves to prevent the state's current cash-flow crisis from placing Cal Grant recipients -- all of whom are students with financial need -- in financial jeopardy.

"Ensuring that UC students will have the funds they have already been awarded is a high priority for the university," said UC President Mark G. Yudof. "Students cannot be put in financial jeopardy. Our goal is to prevent any disruption in our students' ability to pay for fees, books and other costs they face this spring."

The university will advance students the amount of their Cal Grant awards with the expectation that the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will disburse Cal Grant funds to campuses once the state adopts a final budget.

This is not the first time UC has taken such action. Last fall, due to a delay in the passage of the state budget, the university also provided students with funding to cover their Cal Grant awards until a final budget agreement was reached.