California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a 2026–27 budget that would increase base funding for the University of California, California State University and boost community college funding by roughly 9 percent. The proposal allocates billions more to the state’s public higher education systems and ties some funding to performance objectives in the state‑university compact. The announcement coincided with the UC system reporting record enrollment—surpassing 301,000 students this fall—an outcome university leaders cited when urging lawmakers to sustain long‑term support amid rising costs and suspended federal research grants.