Weekly Federal Update Brief

August 28, 2025

Dear UC colleagues, 

Last week, we refreshed the Stand Up for UC campaign page to make engagement by our supporters easier and more effective. A key addition is the “Share Your UC Story” component, which gives advocates an opportunity to highlight how UC has made a positive difference in their lives –  and why protecting its future matters to us all. The page also now offers new tools to show support, including a downloadable poster, social media banner, profile frame, and Zoom background. Help us stand up for our university in this critical moment — share your story, post about the campaign on social media, and show your UC pride with a poster or Zoom background!

This week also marked the formal launch of Speak Up for Science, a targeted campaign under the Stand Up for UC umbrella focused on preserving and rebuilding federal funding for the federal science agencies. While it has already been circulating, the campaign is now rolling out more broadly with updated content, advocacy tools and shareable assets – including a social media graphic, Zoom background and Giphy sticker. Speak Up for Science underscores the importance of rejecting the administration's proposed cuts to the science agencies for the upcoming fiscal year and calls on our community to join our effort by contacting their lawmakers and urging them to protect this critical funding.

Also this week, President James B. Milliken visited Sacramento to meet with leaders in the State Senate and Assembly, including the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. He emphasized the importance of UC’s continued partnership with Governor Newsom and state leaders and highlighted the significant economic and operational impacts of the federal government’s suspension of hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding at UCLA and its demand for a $1 billion payment from California taxpayers. President Milliken also met with members of the UC Legislative Roundtable, which brings together legislators representing UC campuses, health centers, and labs across the state.

Finally, I hope you saw this headline yesterday in the Los Angeles Times: “California Democrats and Republicans agree on one big thing: They support UC, poll shows.” Among the dozens of news headlines referencing UC's challenges with the federal administration, it’s welcome news to see that strong majorities of registered voters across demographic groups say that UC research is good for their communities. That’s according to new polling from the nonpartisan UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.

Best, 

Meredith Vivian Turner
Senior Vice President 
External Relations & Communications 
UC Office of the President 

New Resources 

Media Highlights

For ongoing updates and resources, please visit the UC Federal Updates website.