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February 13, 2004
To: Campus Community
From: Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood
Re: Voter Registration
Dear Colleagues,
February 17 is the last day to register to vote in the March 2nd primary election. On the ballot are three state propositions critical to the University of California--as well as candidates for president and other state and local offices. For information about how to register locally, please go to: www.ucsc.edu/resources/register_to_vote.
Propositions 57 and 58 address the state's budget problems. Because of the economic downturn of the past two years, the amount of state funding available for the University and other important programs has become much more limited. This fiscal year, UC's state funds were cut by $410 million. For the coming year, an additional $372 million in UC cuts are included in the governor's proposed budget. These cuts assume that voters will approve Propositions 57-58 -- if they don't pass, even deeper cuts may be required.
Proposition 55 asks California voters to approve $12.3 billion in bonds that will help public K-12 schools, colleges, and universities alleviate overcrowded classrooms, make badly needed seismic and other repairs on aging buildings, and upgrade university facilities in engineering and scientific fields that will fuel California's future economic growth. UC's ten campuses would receive $690 million in Proposition 55 funds over the next two years.
UCSC would receive $54 million for construction and planning work if the bond is approved. Projects include the McHenry Library renovation, planning for the Digital Arts Facility, seismic corrections to make administrative buildings more safe, and alterations to the Baskin Engineering Building to renovate labs and other spaces to convert to larger nanotechnology, biomolecular engineering, and electrical engineering research spaces. For more information about these UCSC projects, please go to: http://currents.ucsc.edu/03-04/02-02/prop_55.html.
President Robert C. Dynes has stated that "UC is recognized worldwide and in our own communities for the extraordinary opportunities it offers our state's young people and for the profound impact it has on California's economic growth and global competitiveness. It is an institution that helps our people achieve their hopes and dreams. The continuing trend of reduced state funding for UC makes me deeply concerned about our ability to deliver on the promise that the University of California has always represented for the people of California. While I cannot tell people how to vote, I personally believe that passage of Propositions 55, 57 and 58 is critical to the University's ability to fulfill its mission--as well as the hopes and dreams of our students."
Proposition 55 has been endorsed by a broad coalition of education, business, and taxpayer groups, including the California Taxpayers Association, California Chamber of Commerce, California State PTA, California Business Roundtable and California Teachers Association. At this time, Proposition 55 opponents include the National Tax Limitation Committee and the 60-Plus Association.
You can obtain more information about voter registration, polling places, voting by mail and ballot arguments about the propositions on the Secretary of State's web site, www.ss.ca.gov. More information about Proposition 55 is also available at: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/prop55/.
Maintained by:pioweb@ucsc.edu