Governor's Proposal to Cut Cal Grants

Impact on UC Santa Cruz Students

The Governor has proposed eliminating fee increase coverage for current Cal Grant recipients and eliminating all new awards beginning in 2009-10, thus phasing out the entire program by 2012.

While eliminating the Cal Grant program is only a proposal at this point, we are deeply concerned about the potential impact on UC students.

UCSC students who are current recipients would receive the same amount as the Cal Grant they received in 2008-09 - the awards would not be increased to cover fee increases for 2009-10.

Students who were notified they are eligible for a Cal Grant for the first time for 2009-10 would not receive a Cal Grant under the Governor's proposal.

Cal Grants would normally be expected to provide $30 million to UC Santa Cruz students in 2009-10, or nearly 35% of all grants received by UCSC undergraduates. 

Cal Grants in combination with federal and UC grant funds support about 7,000 students – nearly half of all undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz. To ensure equal opportunity, we offer students of similar economic backgrounds similar amounts of grant support, regardless of the source of the support. Therefore, the loss of the Cal Grant program would impact every student who receives grant assistance at a UC campus because the entire pool of grant funds would be severely reduced. 

Your Voice is Important

A legislative conference committee recently rejected a proposal to cut Cal Grants from the 2009 – 2010 state budget. While we were heartened by this development, we must continue working to educate the governor, legislators and others on the importance of preserving access to Cal Grants for deserving students like yours.

Administrators at all UC campuses and the UC Office of the President are actively engaged in educating state legislators about the serious impacts the proposal would have for our students and their families if it is approved.  Your voice is also important to ensuring the Cal Grant program is preserved.

You can help. Please visit http://www.ucforcalifornia.org/santacruz/home/ and learn how you can join us in fighting for Cal Grants and California families.