Speaks Out

The UC Regents will have to reduce the overall UC budget
by 15 percent for fiscal year 2002-2003. What should the regents do
to meet their new budget? Ricky
Sklanowsky Fourth-year History “I think the first
option would be to look for government funding. If that
doesn’t work, then you might have to increase student rates.
I don’t know the specifics of the programs that they research
and their importance, but some might be of particular importance at
this point in time. I’d be OK (with raising student rates),
as long as it’s not too severe. It should be a reasonable
amount ““ I wouldn’t want to pay any more than a $200
rate increase.” Victoria Hightower
Third-year English “I definitely don’t think they
should cut the money used for outreach programs. I don’t
think they should raise student fees either. I think the best bet
would be to go to Gov. Gray Davis and say: “˜You promised us a
certain amount of money, and you have to come through with
it.’ The reason why we voted for him was because he said he
would do certain things that we liked, and so he can’t go
back on his word now. That’s not how it works.”
Michael Barnard Staff research associate
Department of medicine “I don’t think (cutting back)
outreach would be valuable. I can only guess that student service
fees might be raised. That might be the most equitable way to deal
with underfunding. Raising student fees represents the closest
thing to an option, and so that’s the only thing I would
immediately address.” Jason Lowe First-year
Mechanical engineering “Personally, I think education is very
important. If you educate people, they become educated and they get
a job and pay more money in taxes. The state government should do
as much as they can to make sure that the money is there (for the
UC) so they don’t have to cut the budget.” Speaks out
compiled by Edward Chiao, Daily Bruin Senior Staff. Photos by
Michael Chien.