Governor Jerry Brown's 2015-16 budget proposal increases funding for the state's public colleges and universities by $1.2 billion while making critical investments in financial aid and student success.

We are particularly encouraged by the Governor's proposal to grow enrollment to serve an additional 45,000 students and his $100 million proposal to close equity gaps in access and success between underrepresented students and their peers at California's Community Colleges.  

"Governor Brown is providing much needed investment in our public colleges and universities while setting high expectations for that investment," said Michele Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. The Governor's proposal calls for colleges and universities to maintain affordability, decrease the time it takes to graduate, increase the number of students who complete programs, improve community college transfer, and close equity gaps as conditions to receiving additional revenues. 

While the Governor's budget proposal provides the expected 4% increase for the UC and CSU systems, the systems argue that the investment is not sufficient to stave off a rise in UC tuition rates and the CSU will be forced to continue denying admission to thousands of qualified students. "We have to rally together on behalf of the students in our state. Our institutions need the appropriate levels of revenue to serve more California students but they also need to do a better job of graduating those students lucky enough to have a seat," Siqueiros concluded.