January 31, 2023 - In this brief, we provide an overview and initial analysis of the Governor’s higher education budget plan.
February 28, 2024 - In this brief, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposals for the University of California (UC). We have sections focusing on UC’s core operations and enrollment. We also revisit recent UC one-time initiatives and capital projects the state had funded.
January 30, 2024 - In this brief, we provide an overview and initial analysis of the Governor’s higher education budget plan.
February 25, 2025 - This brief analyzes the state’s budget plan relating to CSU’s core operations and enrollment, as well as the Governor’s proposal to increase salaries for the Capital Fellows program.
March 11, 2025 - This post contains assessments and recommendations related to two proposed budget augmentations: the College Corps program and a new Belonging Campaign.
February 1, 2021 - This report analyzes the Governor’s major budget proposals for the universities, covering base funding, enrollment, students’ basic needs, faculty professional development, and deferred maintenance.
February 28, 2025 - In this brief, we provide an update on Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship cost estimates, as well as analyze the Governor’s budget proposals for California College of the Arts and California Student Aid Commission’s state operations.
February 27, 2025 - In this brief, we analyze the state’s budget plan relating to UC’s core operations and enrollment.
March 10, 2025 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s budget proposals for College of the Law, San Francisco (CLSF). In 2025‑26, CLSF would receive $101 million in total core funding, reflecting a $15 million (17 percent) increase from 2024‑25. Both of CLSF’s main sources of core funding would increase, with tuition revenue projected to increase $4.3 million (7.8 percent) and state General Fund proposed to increase $11 million (40 percent).
January 5, 2023 - In this brief, we provide background on capital renewal at UC and CSU, assess the current approach to addressing capital renewal, make recommendations to better plan and budget for capital renewal, and raise other related issues for consideration.
February 27, 2015 - In this report, we provide an overview of the Governor’s higher education budget. We then review the segments' performance in certain key areas and assess the degree to which the segments require enrollment growth funding, base funding increases, and facilities funding. We find the segments have improved performance in some areas but additional improvement is needed. We find little to warrant additional enrollment growth at UC and CSU, and available data indicate CCC likely will not use all the growth funding provided in 2014-15. We recommend against unallocated budget increases, instead recommending that the Legislature link base increases to a cost-of-living adjustment and any additional increases to specified state priorities. We review several facility proposals and make various related recommendations, including recommending the Legislature establish state facility priorities and require the segments to submit a report describing how they plan to eliminate their maintenance backlogs.
February 15, 2024 - In this brief, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposals for the California State University (CSU). We also revisit recent CSU one-time initiatives and capital projects.
September 6, 2024 - Each year, our office publishes the California Spending Plan to summarize the annual state budget. This publication provides an overview of the 2024‑25 Budget Act, gives a brief description of how the budget process unfolded, and then highlights major features of the budget approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. All figures in this publication reflect actions taken through early July 2024, but we have updated the narrative to reflect actions taken later in the legislative session.
February 23, 2006 - The Governor’s budget proposes $110 million to fund 2.5 percent enrollment growth at the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU). This amount would provide $10,103 in General Fund support for each additional student at UC and $6,792 for each additional student at CSU. (The proposed budget also provides $149 million for a 3 percent enrollment increase at the California Community Colleges.) In this write-up, we (1) review recent enrollment trends at UC and CSU, (2) analyze the Governor’s proposed enrollment growth and funding rates for 2006-07, and (3) recommend alternatives to those rates.
January 26, 2022 - This brief provides an overview and initial assessment of the Governor’s higher education budget package.
February 15, 2022 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s budget proposals for the California State University. The brief covers base support, enrollment, foster youth programs, deferred maintenance, and climate-related initiatives.
February 18, 1998 - Analysis of the 1998-99 Budget Bill, Higher Education Chapter
October 16, 2023 - This publication provides a preliminary overview of the 2023-24 Budget Act, gives a brief description of how the budget process unfolded, and then highlights major features of the budget.