Quoted by The Epoch Times
The University of California (UC) has decided not to pursue an invitation from San Francisco city officials to build a new campus in the city’s downtown area. This decision comes primarily due to financial constraints and a reduction in state funding.
“Given the outlook for state appropriations and the financial capacity of our campuses, the university is not considering establishing any new campuses or other facilities in the city of San Francisco at this time,” UC spokesman Ryan King told The Epoch Times in an email on June 24.
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In July 2023, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and city Attorney David Chiu invited UC to have a discussion on establishing a new campus downtown. It was part of the mayor’s “Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future”, aiming to revitalize the struggling downtown area.
“Bringing students into the heart of San Francisco affords a set of remarkable opportunities—venture capital continues to invest in San Francisco companies more than any other city because of our distinctive talent pool and storied history of successful innovation,” the mayor and city attorney wrote in the letter.
In regards to the U.S. decision, UC Spokesman Ryan King cited the outlook for state appropriations and the financial capacity of existing campuses as reasons for not considering new campuses in San Francisco.
Although university officials plan to continue discussing future educational and research opportunities for students and faculty in San Francisco, according to King
“The University of California is deeply committed to the communities that are home to our campuses, medical centres, and labs, including San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland,” Mr. King said in the statement.
“The UCSF campus continues to be a dynamic and vital presence in the city, while our other campuses like Berkeley, Davis, Santa Cruz are also key drivers in the greater innovation Bay Area ecosystem,” Mr. King said.
“We’ve had conversations with numerous educational institutions, including the University of California system, about being a part of our city,” Ms. Breed’s office told The Epoch Times in an email on June 24. “This is a long-term effort.”
