Several UC chancellors call for tuition increase amid pandemic-fueled budget crisis

UC Irvine’s interim provost, Hal Stern, said he agreed “a hundred percent” that it was time to talk about tuition rates, even though the campus was able to fill a $67-million budget shortfall and achieve its UC-imposed $12-million savings target with no pandemic-driven furloughs or layoffs this year. Stern said the campus instead dug into reserves, made a 2% budget cut and dramatically slowed down hiring, including largely pausing midway through a plan to add 250 new faculty.