UC Riverside med school: Lack of $100 million in state funding could delay opening

A lack of state funding could stall the opening of UC Riverside’s medical school.

The first class might not start next year as planned if lawmakers don’t come through with a multi-million dollar funding commitment.

Without the $100 million, the med school cannot get accreditation. And without accreditation, UCR could also lose out on millions of dollars in federal grants.

But with California facing down an $11 billion budget gap, the state’s funding pledge is now in doubt. In an interview with KPCC last month, UCR Chancellor Timothy White was determined to open the med school on time, even though state funding was at risk.

“Funding is an issue for anything in California right now so we’re working hard on that piece of it," said White. “We’re in a precarious position in California right now. How are we gonna find solutions that are really gonna be sustained in this great state? And if we don’t, what are we gonna pay? What’s the peril for California?”

This week, Riverside County supervisors approved transfer of the first installment of a $10 million funding commitment for the med school. It passed with four votes in favor. But Chancellor White says without a commitment in state funding, there’s more at risk than just the med school.

“If we’re disinvesting, dismantling, what does that mean for our position in the world order economically, environmentally, politically?" says White. "And that’s what keeps everyone pushing very hard on the importance of research universities and American global positioning.”

Chancellor White is meeting with accrediting agency officials and state lawmakers to hammer out a solution. UCR is moving forward with medical school construction and plans to welcome its first 50 students next summer.