September 28, 2006

UCSF Stands to Gain from Proposition 1D on Nov. 7 Ballot

UCSF will be one of the beneficiaries if voters approve Proposition 1D, the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2006, on the November 7 ballot. If approved by California voters on Tuesday, Nov. 7, Proposition 1D would provide a total of $10.4 billion in bond financing for educational facilities over a two-year period. The measure would earmark $7.3 billion for kindergarten through 12th-grade schools; $1.5 billion for community colleges and $690 million each for the California State University and the University of California over two years. An additional $200 million would be used to expand UC medical education and telemedicine programs. UCSF would receive $17.8 million in Proposition 1D funding, including $16.4 million to upgrade the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the Medical Sciences Building, which has been used for teaching and research since 1950 without renovation. The proposition also would provide $1.4 million to make electrical distribution improvements on the Parnassus campus, enabling better control of emergency power and reducing electrical shortages. In addition, UCSF would get $35 million of the $200 million Proposition 1D would provide to UC for medical education. UCSF would spend its share to establish a new program to increase access to medical care for underserved populations via telemedicine technology and improve long-term access to medical care by increasing the supply of clinicians capable of addressing the unique needs of the urban underserved. Statewide, funds from Proposition 1D would improve earthquake safety and finance vocational educational facilities in public schools. Funds also would be used to repair and upgrade existing public college and university buildings, and to build new classrooms to accommodate the growing student enrollment in California. The UC Board of Regents in July endorsed the proposition. "Voter support for Proposition 1D is critical to the University's ability to accommodate the growing number of students, improve building safety and modernize obsolete facilities as the University works to fulfill its public mission of education and research in the coming years," said Gerald L. Parsky, chair of the board. The UC has nine general campuses, plus UCSF as the only health sciences-focused campus, and various affiliated institutions, with total enrollment of about 210,000 students. A world-class higher education system, UC offers bachelors, master's and doctoral degrees, and is the primary state-supported agency for conducting research to find cures for diseases, develop new energy resources and create advanced technologies to enhance human life as well, as meet critical needs of the state. More information about how UC would benefit is posted on the UC Office of the President website. Over the past decade, voters have approved $6.5 billion in state general obligation bonds for capital improvements at public higher education campuses. Virtually all of these funds have been committed to specific projects. The state also has provided about $1.6 billion in lease revenue bonds (authorized by the state Legislature) for this same purpose. UC's Share If approved by the voters, UC would receive $345 million per year for facilities programs and an additional $200 million over the two-year period for medical education to enhance its telemedicine programs throughout the state, according to UC officials. The bond measure would fund construction and renovation of UC facilities to address enrollment growth, seismic and life safety needs, and renewal of outdated infrastructure. The capital funds also would allow UC to continue building its new campus in Merced, which is central to keeping its promise of educational access to the youths of the San Joaquin Valley and throughout California, UC officials say. The medical-education portion of the funding will provide facilities and state-of-the-art equipment for increased enrollments in UC's Programs in Medical Education (PRIME), which are aimed at improving health care for currently underserved populations and communities in California. Importantly, the state has not expanded medical education in California in almost 30 years -- despite rapid population growth and changes in health care delivery. In fact, California ranks 38th among 46 US states with medical schools in the number of medical school graduates per 100,000 people. While the state currently produces about 1,400 physicians per year, 2,600 are needed to maintain the appropriate doctor-patient ratio. UCSF's Share If Proposition 1D passes, bonds will fund UCSF projects in the capital budget for fiscal year 2006-2007 and fiscal year 2007-2008 from the $345 million annual amount. These projects are as follows: * Medical Sciences Building: The bond would provide $16.4 million to upgrade the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the research and teaching building, which has been used since 1950. The HVAC system has never been renovated, and operates poorly and inefficiently. Specifically, the money will be used to convert an existing steam heat system to a more efficient hot water system, improve air distribution and cooling throughout the facility, and add capacity to the chilled water plant. * Electrical Distribution Improvements: Some $1.4 million in bond funds would be used to make the second of five improvements to the Parnassus campus electrical system. Specifically, it will enable discrete control of emergency power on each individual research building floor. Other system upgrades will address inadequacy in fault isolation and device coordination, and reduce the negative impact of electrical shortages.

• Medical Education: UCSF would receive $35 million for its Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US), which will both increase the involvement of UCSF faculty and students in the care of the underserved and train physicians to become leaders of high quality care in underserved communities.