Campus leaders hold key roles as budget process begins

While the months-long budget process is just beginning, UCLA's senior leaders are already working upfront and behind the scenes in key roles to help UC and the campus deal with the new fiscal realities and to ensure that state legislators understand UCLA's needs and priorities.

Advocacy in Action

As part of his introduction to decision makers all over the state, Chancellor Gene Block will be in Sacramento Jan. 29 and 30 where he will meet with key legislators individually to discuss issues affecting UCLA, including the budget. Highlighting the chancellor's visit will be a reception and dinner with about 80 to 100 elected officials, their staffs, key opinion leaders and others. They will be gathering at the Senate Office Building across from the State Capitol.

Block will have the opportunity there to discuss how the governor's proposed budget would impact UCLA and UC as a whole, said Michael Altschule, assistant director of state relations with UCLA Government and Community Relations, which is organizing the chancellor's visit.

On the System-wide Level

Other senior leaders are working behind the scenes on system-wide task forces that will play an important role in helping UC and UCLA meet this latest fiscal challenge.

UCLA Vice Chancellor Steve Olsen of finance, budget and capital programs is serving on a system-wide budget task force convened by UC Provost and Executive Vice President Wyatt R. Hume to identify options for UC to take and to help develop a strategic plan to get through a tough budget year while still maintaining the quality of its teaching, research and public service mission. Another UC-wide task force, which will undoubtedly play a key role, is being chaired by UCLA Administrative Vice Chancellor Sam Morabito. This group was formed to achieve administrative efficiencies that will help UC cut costs. Regents have in the past applauded UCLA's cost-saving initiatives, which are being used as a model for similar efforts throughout the UC system.

Campuswide Planning

Meanwhile at UCLA, Vice Chancellor Olsen has already begun an extensive series of meetings with academic leaders to update them on the budget situation and start the lengthy consultative process

— Cynthia Lee