Latinx Research Center to receive $3M in state funding

Skinner, who is also chair of the state senate’s Budget Committee, worked with other colleagues to allocate funding to the center in the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget that was approved and signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. She noted that there were many legislators, including individuals from the California Latino Legislative Caucus, who supported and helped achieve the request.

“Chancellor Christ has declared an interest in UC Berkeley receiving the federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and it makes sense that all of our public higher education be Hispanic-serving because of the large population of Hispanics we have in California,” Skinner said. “But for UC Berkeley to get that designation, it has to do a lot more to support, attract and inspire Latinx undergraduates, graduate students and faculty.”

Skinner noted that though the Latine population is one of the fastest-growing segments of the California population, only 18% of undergraduates and 9% of graduate students at UC Berkeley are Latine. She noted that giving the funding to the research center made sense in helping support campus getting that designation, as it helps expand opportunities in all fields.

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