In short, there is likely to be more drama in Sacramento, budget and nonbudget, but with little ultimate effect on next year's UC budget.
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*The speech may be seen at:
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More information on the budget negotiations is at:
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article316141655.html.
Provost Newman expressed concern with regarding proposed federal policy that would require political evaluation of grants. She also noted that despite UC's various court victories, the flow of federal funding for research has not resumed.
There was a separate segment on state matters. Both houses of the legislature were proposing state budgets for next year that would be more generous to UC that the May Revise. What the final deal will be remained open. There was some language in the proposed bills that made funding contingent on some immediate changes in admission that can't happen since the admissions cycle for fall has already occurred. Apart from the proposed state research bond ballot measure which UC is supporting, it is also trying to be included in a proposed state housing bond.
From the Daily Princetonian: The University has implemented rules prohibiting reporters from recording, photographing, or filming faculty meetings. The new rules went into effect from the May 11 faculty meeting, marking a departure from past practices in which reporters were able to record meetings for transcription and take photographs of the Faculty Room inside Nassau Hall.
The new rules also limit the number of reporters to two per campus publication and stipulate that reporters notify the Office of Communications of their attendance at least 24 hours in advance of meetings. Campus press must also obtain media credentials before each faculty meeting. Campus radio remains permitted to broadcast faculty meetings, though no campus radio station currently broadcasts the meetings...
Full story at https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2026/06/princeton-news-faculty-meeting-recording-policy-campus-press-ivy-league.
From the Harvard Crimson: The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection are investigating the Harvard Kennedy School over allegations that the school mishandled asbestos-related materials during Littauer Center renovation projects, according to a person familiar with the matter. The complaint, filed April, alleges that the Kennedy School disturbed asbestos-containing material without prior testing, failed to notify occupants of potential asbestos exposures, and did not file required permits from the City of Cambridge or MassDEP for the construction project. ...Both agencies observed spare parts containing asbestos in storage, according to the person.
HKS did not notify faculty or staff of the complaint until ...roughly three hours after The Crimson reached out for comment. HKS Executive Dean Joshua G. McIntosh then sent an email to faculty and staff informing them of the allegations. “We take allegations about improper construction practices very seriously, and we are working with urgency to investigate these allegations and take appropriate action as needed.” ...
Full story at https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/6/9/hks-asbestos-handling/.
To meet the constitutional deadline, the legislature has until midnight tonight to pass a "budget." The Senate version of what is currently under consideration can be found at the link below:
https://sbud.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2026-06/legislatures-version-of-the-budget-summary.pdf
You will note, if you go to that link, that the higher ed proposals deal with the community colleges for the most part, not with UC.
The Assembly version has more detail. See:
Below is the summary for UC:
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University of California
• Provides $254.3 million ongoing General Fund for the fifth and final year of the Governor’s Compact funding of the UC. Also includes $96.3 million for partial funding of the fourth year, as expected based on the 2025 budget agreement.
• Extends the repayment of a one-time 3 percent funding reduction of $129.7 million included in the 2025 budget by one year from 2026-27 until 2027-28.
• Maintains a 2025 Budget Act agreement to defer the 2025-26 compact’s $240.8 million ongoing General Fund to support a 5% base increase until 2027-28. As part of the deferral arrangement, the state would plan to provide UC with one-time back payments in 2026-27 and 2027-28.
• Maintains a 2024-25 Budget Act agreement to defer $31 million ongoing General Fund to continue the 5-year program to replace nonresident students with California students at the Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego campuses until 2027-28.
• Provides $1.5 million General Fund to support the First Star Academy Youth Cohorts at UC campuses, as proposed in the May Revision.
• Includes $9 million one-time to continue the Cal-Bridge program.
• Adds $750,000 one-time for the ENLACE program.
• Provides $3.4 million one-time for the University of California Menopause Centers of Excellence.
• Includes $5 million one-time for the UCLA Center for Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy.
• Adds $3.6 million one-time to expand Prime RX program at UC San Diego.
• Appropriates $1.8 million one-time to UC Berkeley for the ACCESS optometry program.
• Includes $3 million one-time to UC San Diego for a workforce development initiative.
• Adds $6.5 million one-time to UC for the Voting Right’s Program.
• Provides $6.5 million one-time to UCLA for the Ralph J. Bunche Center
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In essence, various pet programs are listed for additional funding. Various deferrals continue. As noted in prior postings, even if a budget is passed, revisions are possible as the Democratic legislative leaders continue to negotiate with the governor.
There was some controversy at the Assembly over the working group for A-G. It wasn't exactly clear what the concern was but yours truly suspects it had something to do with the recent Ethnic Studies brouhaha. ??? In any event, despite an effort for the Assembly officially to express a view that there was no need for more A-G study, the Assembly did not take that position. So there will be more A-G study,
More concerning was the SAT/testing issue. According to a report in the LA Times,** the number of signatures of UC STEM faculty on the letter pushing for reinstatement of the SAT for incoming STEM majors has grown to over 1,400.
It should be noted that the BOARS roadmap appears to have been prepared before the letter and proposes moving along at the usual Senate deliberative pace. While we have noted the seeming impracticality of having an SAT requirement only for some prospective majors, we suggested a more responsive and rapid effort over the summer - not over another full academic year as the roadmap suggests - to create an interim report that could be discussed at the September Regents meeting. (The Regents are surely aware of the controversy; they read the LA Times.) Although a concern was expressed that waiting a year for a report pushes back actually implementing something at least a year, that seems to be the likely scenario at this point.
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*https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-academic-senate-announces-plan-review-admissions-policies; https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/committees/boars/documents/uc-academic-senate-boars-roadmap-executive-summary-06-11-2026.pdf; https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/committees/boars/documents/uc-academic-senate-boars-roadmap-06-05-2026.pdf; https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/committees/boars/documents/academic-senate-chair-to-faculty-re-boars-roadmap-06-11-2026.pdf.
From Insider Higher Ed: Former Virginia Tech rector John Rocovich sued Gov. Abigail Spanberger this week, as well as the university and the Board of Visitors, over his removal, and he’s seeking immediate reinstatement to his seat, according to Cardinal News. Spanberger removed Rocovich from the board late last month, accusing him of ethical violations. But to date, the Democratic governor has not specified her exact reasons for removing Rocovich, a major GOP donor who was appointed by her Republican predecessor, Glenn Youngkin.
She’s already appointed a replacement, and Rocovich did not attend the last board meeting... The legal battle between Spanberger and Rocovich is happening amid an effort by the governor to reshape Virginia boards after Youngkin appointed numerous conservative donors and activists. Rocovich was supposed to oversee a closely watched presidential search...
Full story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/06/12/former-virginia-tech-rector-sues-over-removal.
