The University of California’s one-time $1.43 billion request for maintenance funding to support systemwide infrastructure was excluded from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May revision budget proposal. The proposal still continues ongoing federal funding increases for the UC system.
University officials warn that ongoing funding deferrals, federal funding uncertainty and rising operational costs are contributing to hiring freezes, program cuts and layoffs across the system.
“In their discussions with the Administration in the spring, UC made clear that their priority was in ongoing funds,” said H.D. Palmer, deputy director for external affairs of the California Department of Finance, in an email. “The Governor’s May Revision follows through on this.”
Palmer noted that Newsom’s May Revision maintains the proposed increase of $254.3 million in the ongoing General Fund, marking a scheduled 5% increase in the UC system’s funding for the fifth and final year under Newsom’s Compact with Higher Education.
According to Palmer, an additional proposed $96.3 million increase in the General Fund to provide partial funding of the fourth-year payment was maintained as well.
In November, the UC Board of Regents approved the one-time $1.43 billion General Fund petition to the state government to support critical needs projects, including four infrastructure improvements at UC Berkeley.
Projects that would have been funded by the one-time request targeted supporting enrollment growth, developing facilities for advanced teaching and research, renewing aging facilities and improving seismic safety.
The regents’ proposed UC Berkeley projects included a new Interdisciplinary Academic Building intended to accommodate increased enrollment and replace seismically non-compliant Evans Hall, as well as projects modernizing Wellman and Durant halls, both century-old buildings identified as being vulnerable to earthquakes.
The request also included a College of Chemistry modernization and expansion project aimed at supporting enrollment growth, faculty retention and recruitment and advanced research in clean energy, therapeutics and sustainable materials.
According to UC President James B. Milliken’s May 14 statement on Newsom’s 2026-27 revised budget proposal, the university will continue to work with Newsom and the legislature in the next few weeks to attain a state budget that fully funds the UC system.
“The UC funding included in the May revision will help ensure that the university remains affordable and accessible to California students. As the University of California faces ongoing federal funding uncertainty and increasing operational and labor costs, state funding for UC is more important than ever,” Milliken said in his statement.
