University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., today (June 15) issued the following statement on California’s 2023-24 budget:
With passage of California’s fiscal year budget, the state Legislature has demonstrated its strong support for the University of California and our shared priorities. We are deeply grateful to Governor Newsom and the legislature for this support — especially during a fiscally challenging time. We believe this budget reflects their belief in the University of California’s role as a driver of economic innovation and social mobility.
The funding provided will allow the University to continue expanding opportunities for more California students to attend the University of California, while also ensuring that our campuses can make the investments necessary to support that growth. In addition to the hiring of more faculty and academic support staff, this stable funding provides locations with greater resources for long-term projects that expand on-campus student resources.
We are grateful to Gov. Newsom and to the Legislature for their continued collaboration and commitment to the University of California. In addition to funding for increased enrollment growth for our system, this budget provides millions of dollars for University of California Health so that we may continue supporting the health care needs of communities throughout the state and researching cures to deadly diseases.
Under the five-year funding compact between the governor and the University, with the Legislature’s ongoing support, the University will continue educating the next generation of leaders, producing cutting-edge research for the benefit of our communities, and delivering high quality health care to Californians. We look forward to continuing to partner with state leaders to ensure that our University continues to be a world-class institution of higher education helping to drive California’s economy for generations to come.