Chancellor Gene Block's testimony before UC Regents.

UCLA faces an approximate shortfall of $131 million: $117 million for 2009-10 and a $14 million carryover from 2008-09.

In addition, we must cover unfunded cost increases of approximately $26 million for utilities, benefit costs and retirement contributions.

A savings of approximately $37 million through salary reduction and an increase from the education fee will leave us with approximately $95 million - $100 million in what will most likely be long-term or permanent cuts.

During the current fiscal year, we will achieve our general fund reductions through a combination of permanent reductions and what we hope will be temporary reductions that may be restored partially or fully as our longer-term planning yields additional administrative/academic savings.

How we will take this year's reductions?

• Faculty recruitment is limited to 25 searches, which will yield between 12 and 17 faculty (normal level is 75 - 100).
• Since February, we have reduced our work force by 428 positions, including 36 ladder faculty, 95 lecturers and 109 teaching assistants (TAs). Reductions will increase during the current fiscal year.
• Campus departments have canceled 162 job requisitions; those positions will go unfilled.
• We are reducing by 50 percent general fund support for research centers ($6 million).
• We are reducing by 40 percent general fund support to clinical teaching services ($8.9 million).
• We are increasing by 40 percent the contributions that housing and parking make to campus resources ($2 million) (beginning to shift money around where we can).
• We are reducing by 20 percent the chancellor's commitments (fellowship support, community programs, capital projects, etc.- $5 million).
• We are cutting student services by 10 percent.
• We are consolidating information technology services, reducing central administrative costs and implementing enhanced energy conservation strategies ($5 million - $10 million).
• Finally, we will use approximately $18 million in campus reserves to allow us time for additional administrative/academic restructuring.

We recognize that general fund reductions of this magnitude will have profound effects on the UCLA community.  

First, effects on students

• We have seen a 20 percent increase in average class size over the last three years because of increases in enrollment not covered by state support. Class size will exceed 60 in fall '09.  
• We project 165 fewer courses in fall '09 than in fall '08.  This is a 10 percent reduction.
• Fewer TA positions will reduce the number of lab sections and small breakout groups.
• Fewer TAs and higher faculty workload will limit opportunities for faculty/student interaction.
• Reduction in faculty size will require us to reduce undergraduate enrollment levels in order to guarantee that students can graduate on schedule with the high-quality education they expect from UCLA. Small incoming classes could negatively impact student diversity. That is of great concern to me.

Effects on faculty

• Faculty workload will increase as the number of faculty and TAs decrease. This may decrease scholarly output, which is the hallmark of a great research institution.
• Salary and program reductions will be especially hard on junior faculty, who already struggle to make ends meet in Los Angeles. And they are highly competitive and portable.
• Reduction in faculty recruitment to less than 20 will mean slowed renewal of faculty, delays in diversifying faculty and fewer opportunities to build critical strength in emerging areas of scholarship.
• Faculty retention will become an even bigger concern.

Effects on staff

• As positions close, staff will have fewer advancement opportunities.
• As programs close, we will lose outstanding, talented staff.
• For our lowest-salary employees, salary reductions will critically worsen their financial difficulties.