UCLA Chancellor discusses budget crisis, plans, priorities

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

There have been some previous threads as to the impact of the economy on the public U systems including the UCs. This letter from the chancellor of UCLA provides some insight. It also confims some areas posters have discussed. Although the letter refers to UCLA I imagine many other public (and private) institutions are going through similar planning.

Chancellor Block addresses scope of budget crisis, plans and priorities / UCLA Today

...
- Reduce undergraduate over-enrollment...
- Operate with a smaller faculty and administration...
- Reduce the number of educational programs we offer...
- Remove redundant functions, both administrative and educational, that have arisen over time, in order to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency...
- Reduce the use of general funds to support research, and instead attract funding from other sources...
- Recognize that the reduced level of state support will be a multi-year problem...
- Take full advantage of vacant positions following retirements and voluntary work reductions to minimize the need for layoffs...
- Rededicate ourselves to philanthropic efforts...

And pertaining to some previous discussions on CC -

...But we must reduce our student population to ensure that we have the resources to offer a quality education. We also will consider increasing the proportion of non-resident students. UCLA currently enrolls a greater proportion of state residents than our peer public institutions. There are strong intellectual arguments for geographical diversity; non-resident students can enrich the educational experience for all. A moderate increase in the proportion of non-residents would generate millions of dollars in new revenue to protect instructional programs for all UCLA students.
...

[mini]

He's basically saying that they charge OOS students more than the schools are worth.

[Skywalker23]

"He's basically saying that they charge OOS students more than the schools are worth."

HAHAHA so true.

[ThisCouldBeHeavn]

He's basically saying that they charge OOS students more than the schools are worth.

No, he said they can be a revenue stream. There's no mention of worth.

[hmom5]

The issue will be whether anyone wants to pay $45K OOS for 5 years at schools that are a mess.

[bluebayou]

A moderate increase in the proportion of non-residents...

Gotta just love (hypocritical) educators. They could accomplish the same thing by an increase in the proportion of full pay RESIDENTS....instead of admitting a bunch of kids who struggle and/or flunk out (based on compassionate review), why not accept more top kids from wealthy 'hoods (ELC, top gpa, etc.). Yes, I realize that is not blue-state egalitarian, but it's no different than going after rich out-of-staters....

[hmom5]

They give such poor aid and have reduced merit scholarship amounts so it seems like most residents are already full pay or close between student loans and parent loans.

[bluebayou]

Nope, ~30% of UCLA's (and Cal's) Frosh are Pell Grantees; to have a number that high, they HAVE to be receiving a huge admissions tip. Even with poor finaid, those kids receive a ~$16k grant. Moreover, bcos finaid is so poor, most, if not all, need to work a LOT of hours during the year to make ends meet. Thus, hey take the minimum load and five years + is a graduation norm.

Regardless, increasing the OOS'ers is gonna reduce this group, which tend to be the lower admits in the pool statwise. Why not just then accept more in-staters?

[Lucy55]

hmom5, are they really a mess? You are putting that pretty strongly. Hey, University of Illinois has been on the front cover of the Chicago Tribune for days. Clouted acceptances. That is a mess.

[mini]

"Nope, ~30% of UCLA's (and Cal's) Frosh are Pell Grantees; to have a number that high, they HAVE to be receiving a huge admissions tip."

Doesn't follow.

[bluebayou]

mini: you were the one that turned me onto the idea that $100k+ income...correlates with higher test scores. Thus, it IS logical to assume that the lower test scorers at Cal are also lower incomes.....

[menloparkmom]

"But we must reduce our student population to ensure that we have the resources to offer a quality education. We also will consider increasing the proportion of non-resident students."
Like THAT is going to be OK with the taxpayers of Calif who have supported the UC system with their taxes for decades! Ha! We'll see....

[TheDad]

Only 17 percent of the UC budget comes from taxes. And I suspect that in the current climate raising the number of OOS students to relieve fiscal pressures will be accepted.

[coolweather]

I agree with the points summarized by ucsd_ucla_dad. I think the CSU campuses and CA community colleges should adopt the UCLA Chancellor's approach.
I will be happy if each UC campus is capped at 20,000 students.

[menloparkmom]

so 83% comes from private funding? or what?