At yesterday's Academic Senate meeting, I updated faculty members on the state's precarious fiscal situation, detailed the potential impact of further state budget cuts to UC, and described how we are preparing for mid-year cuts and further permanent reductions in state funding to our campus.
Today, we finally have a state budget agreement. While my comments to the Senate obviously did not reflect this breakthrough, they provide a significant amount of detail that is as true today as it was yesterday. I encourage you to read them.
In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to more fully understand the impact this budget will have on UC Santa Cruz. One thing is certain: Our campus will face difficult choices in deciding how to accommodate a decline in state funding that we know will be very significant.
As I've reported earlier, mid-year cuts already allocated to our campus will impact many core academic, research, service, and support activities. Now that the state has an approved budget, we face the more difficult choices and decisions on how to implement the necessary permanent reductions in 2009-10. I believe that we will not be able to avoid some level of additional job loss. I want to assure each of you, however, that we are working to minimize this to the greatest extent possible through careful overall planning, a significant slow-down in filling vacant faculty and staff positions, and increasing efforts to reduce spending in all non-personnel areas.
Let me reaffirm that, fiscal challenges aside, we are all part of a dynamic teaching and research university. The planning process I described to faculty yesterday is intended to ensure that we address our short-term challenges but also continue to think about the long-term. We must continue to invest strategically in core academic and research functions and the talented people who support these activities.
Many of you have taken the time to provide me with thoughtful ideas about how the campus might best meet the challenges ahead. Please know that I appreciate not only your counsel, but your continued commitment to this campus.
Chancellor Blumenthal and I will continue to provide you with regular updates on these budget challenges. You may also go to this web page to review previously distributed budget messages.
