Fitch believes California's proposed budget, which would increase state
allocations to University of California (UC) and California State
University (CSU) by $125 million, will provide some funding stability
following several years of declining appropriations. The state expects
the additional funding to improve course offerings and graduation rates
at those systems and eliminate the need for UC or CSU to raise tuition
and fees in academic year 2013-2014, the second year of flat second
student charges. This budget allocation is in addition to the $125
million both universities will receive in fiscal 2014 for not raising
tuition in the 2012-2013 academic year.
The budget, proposed by Governor Brown on Jan. 10, also references
shifting appropriations allocated for debt service costs on certain
state GO, lease revenue bonds to the university systems' budgets, and
tightening control of the systems' capital spending.
Fitch will review the final budget once adopted to determine the impact
these budget proposals will have on UC (general revenue bonds rated
'AA+' with a Stable Rating Outlook by Fitch). It is important to note
that UC's broad discretion, including over tuition and fee increases,
remains an important source of fiscal flexibility and that just 9% of
UC's fiscal 2012 operating revenues were derived from state
appropriations.
Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com.
The above article originally appeared as a post on the Fitch Wire credit
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hyperlinks to companies and current ratings, can be accessed at www.fitchratings.com.
All opinions expressed are those of Fitch Ratings.
