UC Seeks $2.8B From State To Stave Off Tuition Increases

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS/AP) – The University of California plans to ask for a big increase in funding from a state that is struggling to pay its bills.

UC administrators said Tuesday the 10-campus system is seeking $2.8 billion for 2012-2013. That's significantly more than the $2.37 billion that UC received this year but well below the $3.2 billion it received several years ago.

UC President Mark Yudof said $2.8 billion is what the system needs to boost enrollment, preserve academic quality and avoid raising tuition. But he acknowledged the university rarely gets the amount it requests.

KCBS' Janice Wright Reports:

Yudof said that UC is likely to lose another $100 million this fiscal year because state revenues are coming in below projections.

He said that the key going forward will be better money management.

"I think that we shouldn't have 11 payroll systems; we're going to have just one shortly," said Yudof. "We're also going to manage our assets a little bit better."

He also said that it may be time to add some things back in that previous cuts went a little too far with, such as more classes, and a larger faculty.

The UC Board of Regents is expected to vote on the funding request next week.

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