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51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis law student Rebecca Gardner says it's all about making the case -- to state legislators.

"Public education is extremely important to young people," said Gardner, a third-year student. "It's accessible and affordable, and that's why it's more vital than ever."

Gardner was one of hundreds of alumni, students and other "friends" of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ campuses who gathered Monday and Tuesday at the Sacramento Sheraton Grand Hotel to discuss the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system with state legislators at the capitol and browse student research projects. The conference's theme -- "It starts here" -- focused on 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's impact in California. Figures such as the university's 192,000 students and spending that created $14 billion for the state's economy last year received top billing.

This year, the stakes at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Day were higher than usual.

State budget cutbacks have come at a time of rapid student enrollment increases throughout the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ president Richard Atkinson noted in a speech that the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system will likely receive about $3 billion in state funding compared to about $4 billion in normal years. "We're about a billion short in the level of funding received from the state," he said.

Atkinson described the current situation as "an extremely important moment" in 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's history. The university system is in the midst of a 16-year period of adding 100,000 students, he said. However, under the 2003-04 budget proposal, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's state-funded budget declines almost 6 percent while enrollments have increased by 18 percent.

"We need to explain our situation more than ever," Atkinson said, adding that term limits have resulted in significant legislative turnover and an increasing need to re-educate new members on 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's impact.

The 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system made its case with legislators this week by enlisting the help of alumni and friends it has made all over the state. Roughly 360 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ representatives overall participated in 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Day festivities.

Volunteers like Beatrice Collins of Westwood showed up committed to work hard. Retired, she lives a few blocks away from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏLA. "I feel it's important for people to give back to their community," Collins said. "The university brings so many good things to us -- education, movies, theater and music."

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's newest campus, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Merced, is especially eager to highlight its forthcoming campus. "This is a chance to get together with our nine sister campuses," said Larry Salinas, director of governmental affairs for Merced. "We're being helped by a lot of our delegates who are from all over the Central Valley."

Salinas said that showing legislators what the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system is doing is the best approach. Information conveyed to legislators and their staff during 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Day included facts like the university system has the nation's largest medical training program, with more than 12,000 students enrolled. Its hospitals and clinics account for more than 3.3 million visits a year. Nearly 370,000 jobs were dependent on 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ expenditures last year -- about 2 percent of the state's total employment. And 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ will generate 2 million new jobs in the coming decade.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw told the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis delegation that she is an "eternal optimist" and believes that California has an "enormous capacity" to rebound. "We do have rough times ahead, but 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis is loaded with folks who have a 'can-do' attitude," Hinshaw said, noting that Davis is the major growth campus in the system.

Hinshaw emphasized the academic mission above all -- "Our biggest concern on campus is with our student activity."

Hinshaw said 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis is in a very "healthy trajectory" as far as research funding, despite budget uncertainties. "Research universities are the economic engines for our state, nation and world."

In the agricultural sector, research funding is at a crossroads.

Agricultural concerns

James MacDonald, executive associate dean in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said "crippling" budget decreases in the state-funded Agricultural Experiment Station will result in possibly 72 fewer faculty positions in the years ahead. The aftermath will be a lack of student access to college courses, a weakened ability to help the state respond to agricultural and environmental crises and problems, and a revenue loss in grant funds.

"We're facing very serious challenges," MacDonald said.

George Tibbits, a farmer and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis alumnus, agreed. He was happy to have the opportunity to meet with legislators and to voice his concern that the current budget cuts "are going too far."

The state budget situation will have a very serious impact on the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Health System, said Barbara Ross, assistant director of government and community relations.

"It's a great opportunity to be here today" and make our case to legislators, she said.

The medical center plays a huge role in providing treatment to some of Sacramento's poorest people. Indigent patients make up 42 percent of the medical center's patients, Ross said.

Gage Dungy, a third-year 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis law student, said: "It's critical that we actually talk about these issues with the people who make the budget decisions and show them how and why the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ system makes a difference. Because it makes a big difference."

President Atkinson, others lauded

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Regent Fred Sainick offered a welcome at Tuesday's luncheon."Research shows that alumni are 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's most credible advocates," he said.

At the luncheon, Atkinson was honored for eight years of service as 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ president. Also recognized were three who earned Legislator of the Year accolades. Honored were: Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento; Assemblywoman Carol Liu, D-La Cañada Flintridge; and Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose.

Gov. Gray Davis was among the luncheon attendees. He thanked Atkinson, who has announced his plans to retire Oct. 1. "Every great cause requires a leader," Davis said. Atkinson also received a bundle of logo shirts and sweatshirts from each 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ campus.

Legislators of the Year each talked about their commitment to the impacts of higher education on the welfare of the state.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis News Service intern Megan Gywnne contributed to this story.