Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Office of the President

Title of entry: UC Advocacy Network: Speak Up for Science

About this entry: When the Trump administration submitted its budget request to Congress in May 2025, the problem was immediately clear — it called for drastic cuts to the science agencies, in some cases by more than half. As the number one public research university system in the country, we knew it was imperative to protect federal funding for science agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as all institutions relying on that funding to conduct critical research. If Congress granted the president’s funding cuts, it would devastate the University’s research mission. It would halt life-saving health care, stall game-changing discoveries and stop economic growth in its tracks. This funding supports tens of thousands of students and faculty doing work to make our lives safer and healthier across the country.

As the proposed funding cuts gained national attention, the Speak Up for Science campaign was launched to engage students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the public who were concerned about the future of scientific research in the United States. The campaign asked advocates to email their lawmakers and encourage them to reject the drastic funding cuts. By the time the Fiscal Year 2026 federal funding cycle had wrapped, UC Advocacy Network (UCAN) members had sent over 15,000 emails to lawmakers, reaching over 72% of the House and Senate combined.