Prop. 55 and UCSC

February 2, 2004

$54 million in funding for UCSC projects at stake in Proposition 55 vote

Several projects at UCSC are included in Proposition 55, the $12.3 billion education bond issue going before California voters on March 2.

UCSC's Government & Community Relations Office has prepared a fact sheet on Proposition 55.

UCSC would receive additional funding of nearly $54 million for construction and planning work if Proposition 55 is approved by voters on March 2. Photo: Chris Myers

UCSC would receive additional funding of nearly $54 million for construction and planning work if the bond is approved.

Proposition 55 is designed to relieve overcrowding, accommodate new enrollments, make overdue safety repairs, and upgrade California's elementary, middle and high schools, community college,s and universities.

It is a general obligation bond that will not raise taxes.

The University of California Board of Regents has endorsed the education bond.

“The projects that would be funded by this bond issue are vitally needed throughout California--and those for UC Santa Cruz are critical for our future,” said UCSC Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood. “I urge everyone to learn more about the bond measure. If you aren't already registered to vote, please do so--and please vote on March 2."

Proposition 55 is a companion measure to an earlier bond measure, Proposition 47, approved by voters in 2002. Campus building projects are broken down into three components: preliminary plans, working drawings, and construction. The new bond would cover various components; for some projects, planning work was covered under Proposition 47, with construction work covered under Prop. 55.

Baskin Engineering: Alterations to Baskin Engineering Building form a large part of the UCSC share of the bond proposal. Construction funding for more than $4 million in alterations, to begin in December 2004 or January 2005, is included in the bond proposal. This work would include renovating existing labs and other spaces to convert to larger nanotechnology, biomolecular engineering, and electrical engineering research spaces and safety improvements such as sprinklers. Also scheduled for 2004-05 would be preliminary plans and working drawings, at a cost of $389,000, for another phase of alterations at Baskin Engineering. This phase includes a mathematics classroom, additional labs and research space, and safety improvements such as sprinklers. Construction for this second step would be tentatively scheduled to begin in 2005-06, at a cost of $3.94 million.

McHenry Library: The McHenry Library project has $1.46 million set aside in the bond proposal for working drawings in 2004-05. An addition to the existing building, in the area of the current loading dock, is planned. Once the addition is completed, parts of the current building will be renovated to provide improved library space and academic department, research, and institutional space. Construction funding of $32,002,000 is tentatively scheduled for 2005-06. Additional funding, possibly from a future bond measure, will be needed to complete this project.

Seismic corrections: Seismic-correction working drawings and construction at four different locations, at a cost of $7.51 million, is also part of the bond proposal. Work at the Stevenson Academic Building, Hahn Student Services Building, Cook House, and Barn H near the base of campus, ranges from exterior bracing of buildings to less-obvious stiffening of structures.

Digital Arts Facility: The bond would provide $1.33 million in preliminary planning in 2004-05 for the Digital Arts Facility, a new building to be constructed between the Baskin Studios and the Music Center. The building is mainly designed to provide classrooms and laboratory space for those involved in the digital aspects of all the arts. Improvement in theater production facilities in the Experimental Theater would also be funded. For 2005-06, $841,000 is tentatively set aside for working drawings on the project. As with the McHenry Library project, additional funding will be required to construct this project.

Humanities and Social Sciences Building: The bond issue also tentatively includes $2 million in equipment for the new Humanities and Social Sciences Building in 2005-06, to be constructed on what is now a parking lot northwest of Cowell College. Construction costs for that building have already been budgeted, and groundbreaking is expected this winter.

Preliminary planning for infrastructure improvements involving exterior utility work at various campus locations is also tentatively scheduled, at a cost of $465,000, for 2005-06.

If approved by voters, Proposition 55 would provide the three segments of higher education--the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges--with $2.3 billion. UC’s share would be $690 million. Proposition 55 would provide about half of the amount necessary to fully fund UC’s annual capital outlay needs in the coming years.

• Voter information guide

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