The University of California Regents are not giving up.

Once again, as part of their budget proposal for next year, the regents have included a request for $15 million to support the UC Riverside School of Medicine. The budget plan came out of the regents meeting last week.

Supporters have hope that with the passage of Prop. 30 and Californias slowly improving economy, the funding pitch will get a better reception in Sacramento than in the past. The school is scheduled to open in fall 2013.

The same $15 million request was made two years ago.

When Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature removed the expenditure from the UCs final budget, it essentially cost the medical school its accreditation. The Liaison Committee for Medical Education decided that the medical school, without the state funding, did not have enough money to sustain itself.

Brown turned down a request for money this year as well.

Meantime, UCR officials and supporters had raised enough in commitments from local government and private sources, along with the assurance of a loan from the UC Regents, to guarantee $10 million each year over the next 10 years. In October, the school received preliminary accreditation.

The state funding is still vital, according to the schools dean, G. Richard Olds. Without that money, he said, UCRs medical school cannot operate at full capacity.

Phyllis Guze, the schools associate dean, said Sacramento should be more receptive this time around.

What were hoping is that the governor and the legislators will support the funding now that theres a light at the end of the tunnel, Guze said. Id like to tell you that were optimistic, but weve been optimistic for the last three years.

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REGION: State funds requested again for medical school