UC Budget, Tobacco Funding Policy on Agenda for Regents

Source from:  BY Tamara Bartlett Daily Cal Staff Writer Monday, July 16, 2007 07/17/2007

The UC Board of Regents is set to meet this week at UC Santa Barbara to discuss a range of issues, including a policy on funding from tobacco companies and the university's budget for the next few years. The meeting will begin tomorrow, when the regents are scheduled to consider certifying the long range development plan for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. A policy on funding from the tobacco industry is expected to be voted on the following day. The regents will consider turning down funding from the tobacco industry unless the funding goes toward projects that do not address the health effects of tobacco, or the promotion, regulation or use of tobacco products. In May, the Assembly of the Academic Senate voted against a policy prohibiting the university from accepting research funding from tobacco companies. UC spokesperson Jennifer Ward said the current consideration of tobacco funding has a more specific focus than previous policies. "It was a broader restriction (before)," Ward said. "It would broadly restrict any funding from tobacco companies. This particular one before us specifically looks at the effects of tobacco." Ward said it is likely that faculty input will be taken into account when the regents vote on the policy. "It's critically important to hear from faculty on this, where they're directly impacted," she said. The regents are scheduled to review changes and request approval of the university's 2007-08 budget if a final state budget is in place by the meeting. UC spokesperson Brad Hayward said in an e-mail that it is unlikely that a final state budget will be finished by the time of the meeting, meaning the regents' adoption of the university budget will likely be deferred until later date. Preliminary discussions for the 2008-09 budget will also be held, and initial planning for a new process for developing the 2009-10 budget will be examined. Hayward added that the state government seemed pleased with the university's operating budget. "So far the governor and legislature have indicated their support for the university's basic operating budget, and there are a few outstanding items that remain to be resolved," he said. Tamara Bartlett is the assistant news editor. Contact her at tbartlett@dailycal.org. Enditem