For the past year and a half, the University of California and our 10 campuses have faced an onslaught of lawsuits, enforcement actions, investigations and threats from the federal government, including attempts to cut and freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in medical and scientific research funding. Though some of these actions have been temporarily stayed by courts, the UC’s federal research funding remains in significant peril.
Fortunately, Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, recognized this danger and introduced Senate Bill 895 in January. This bipartisan legislation would place a $12 billion research bond on California’s November ballot. It is designed to create a long-term funding pool that researchers could access over time. The UC is a proud cosponsor of the bill, alongside the United Auto Workers, which represents UC researchers and academic workers.
By establishing a dedicated revenue source for research, this legislation will help ensure that California scholars, including those working within the UC system, can continue finding solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.