A message to the UC community from President James B. Milliken: Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of SB 895

Dear UC community,

As you may know, UC was a proud sponsor of Senate Bill 895, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act. This bipartisan legislation was introduced at the beginning of the year by state Senator Scott Wiener to give Californians a chance to vote for a $12 billion research bond. The bond would have provided a new, dedicated revenue source to support UC’s remarkable faculty and researchers who pursue solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. This measure is especially significant for our research community given the federal threats and actions that have impacted so many across our university.

June 25 marked an important milestone in the state’s legislative process, the date by which measures typically need to be placed on the ballot. Despite that date having passed, no official legislative action has been taken, and we will keep you updated on any future developments. We will continue to advocate for essential research investments from the state. For now, I want to thank the UC community for your advocacy and reflect on what we’ve accomplished together.

Our collective effort to pass SB 895 reflects the extraordinary commitment of so many UC community members. Together, we built a broad coalition of organized labor, researchers, faculty, staff, students, and partners who helped spark a national conversation about science, research, and why it matters to everyone. Thanks to you, California became a model for how to respond to federal attacks on research.

I had the privilege of witnessing this commitment firsthand. I met with lawmakers throughout this year, spoke publicly about the importance of California’s research enterprise, and worked alongside our campuses and faculty to advocate for this legislation. In May, I joined Senator Wiener, UAW President Shawn Fain, UC faculty and researchers, and more than a thousand supporters at the State Capitol for the Rally for California Science to make the case to protect California’s research enterprise. Across the UC system, our community mobilized through legislative meetings, committee testimony, campus outreach, and grassroots advocacy. I could not be prouder of how the university community responded in this moment.

Placing a bond on the ballot is always an ambitious undertaking — particularly so in California’s current fiscal environment. State budget challenges, competing priorities, and a limited ability by the state to borrow money shaped the outcome of the bill. I’m grateful to Senator Wiener for his leadership and to our faculty and researchers for their strong advocacy. No one anywhere does scientific discovery better than the University of California.

Science is still at risk, and our work isn’t finished. We remain committed to advancing California research, and we’ll be back in touch as we have updates to share with you.

Sincerely,

President Milliken