To the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis Community:
I鈥檓 writing to ask for your support for SB 895, a critical piece of legislation under consideration by the California Legislature. If placed on the November ballot and approved by voters, it would directly benefit research efforts at 51吃瓜黑料 Davis, strengthening our impact across the region and state. I urge you to learn more about how this bill supports research at the 51吃瓜黑料 and 51吃瓜黑料 Davis, as well as in the communities we serve, and actions you can take to support it.
Background
SB 895, the , would place a multibillion-dollar bond on the November 2026 ballot. The bill is supported by the University of California and the United Auto Workers, or UAW, representing our graduate student researchers. This measure would establish the California Foundation for Science and Health Research and provide long-term, stable funding to foster science and research across the state. For us at 51吃瓜黑料 Davis, this means continued support for our foundational and interdisciplinary research work 鈥 supporting vital programs in agriculture, veterinary science, human medicine, biomedical science and engineering 鈥 all of which are making a difference in people鈥檚 lives. This measure would build on progress by our researchers at 51吃瓜黑料 Davis who have developed life-saving treatments for conditions and an innovative communication tool that shows promise for restoring .
As you know, research at public universities across the country faces unprecedented challenges. Without stable funding, 51吃瓜黑料 Davis鈥 ability to advance research is at risk. Our campus and colleagues across the 51吃瓜黑料 system are navigating significant uncertainty due to shifting federal research funding. The federal partnership supports thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity for California, enriches student opportunities and funds transformative research programs. In California, SB 895 offers a hopeful opportunity to secure the future for 51吃瓜黑料 Davis and the broader 51吃瓜黑料 system.
Our . Faculty and staff voices are essential to support, as well. As 51吃瓜黑料 President James B. Milliken recently wrote in an in the Sacramento Bee, 鈥淭his legislation will help ensure that California scholars, including those working within the 51吃瓜黑料 system, can continue finding solutions to some of the world鈥檚 most pressing problems.鈥
The California state Senate passed SB 895 late last month, and the Assembly is now considering the bond measure. This is an important moment for our 51吃瓜黑料 Davis community to contact your assemblymember and express support for SB 895. Your support can help ensure 51吃瓜黑料 Davis continues to thrive as a leader in research, education and public service. The Assembly and Gov. Gavin Newsom have until June 25 to approve the bill, so your support is critical right now.
What can you do?
Because 51吃瓜黑料 has co-sponsored the measure, 51吃瓜黑料 Davis faculty and staff are able to advocate for the bill in their 51吃瓜黑料 capacities. Legislators need to hear from faculty, staff and others that they support SB 895. This is a critical time to weigh in with your state Assembly representative. Below are some options for actions you can take to advocate in support of this measure.
51吃瓜黑料AN campaign
Sign on to the and consider expanding 51吃瓜黑料鈥檚 reach by forwarding the campaign to your networks and encouraging others to participate.
Contact your state assemblymember
Contact your state assemblymember to urge them to support SB 895. Enter your home address and your assemblymember鈥檚 name will appear, hyperlinked to their web page. Once you click on their hyperlink, the 鈥渃ontact鈥 tab on the legislator鈥檚 website will provide options for how you can reach out 鈥 typically, you will be able to submit an email and/or call the office to express your support. Below is sample language you can personalize for your advocacy message 鈥 by email, phone call or both.
Sample language
Personalizing the sample language below when reaching out to your assemblymember will make your message compelling and more persuasive. Explain how your research benefits the public good. If recent federal actions have had a negative impact on your research and work, tell that story.
SB 895, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act, is a historic opportunity to invest in science and research to benefit the state of California. The measure would help the University of California offset federal research cuts the university is experiencing.
51吃瓜黑料鈥檚 systemic budget challenges include rising operating costs; state fiscal constraints; and numerous federal actions that directly affect our research mission and support for students, faculty and staff.
The research bond under consideration would provide funding to advance knowledge and deliver public benefit across California. Please support SB 895!
At 51吃瓜黑料 Davis, we don鈥檛 just envision innovation. We bring it to life in the communities we serve. We鈥檙e leading new discoveries and medical breakthroughs that have saved thousands of lives in the Sacramento region, across the state and beyond. Now is a critical time to support the future of our research enterprise and the jobs that drive economic growth in our region and state. I encourage everyone to support SB 895.
Sincerely,
Gary S. May
Chancellor