only 7 years of service, including one year on paid sabbatical and another in which he taught only one class per semester. California budget crisis The California budget crisis resulted in massive cuts to higher education by the California State Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Struggling to grapple with the ensuing crisis, California legislative leaders cut more than 20 percent from the UC budget in one year - the largest budgetary reduction in the history of the UC. In a July 9 "Open Letter to UC alumni and friends," UC Regent Richard Blum; Russell Gould, then-chair; Sherry Lansing, then-vice chair; and UC president Yudof wrote, "The UC model — providing universal access to a top-notch, low-cost education and research of the highest caliber — continues to be studied around the globe among those who would emulate its success. And yet, this model has been increasingly abandoned at home by a state government responsible for its core funding." As state budgetary support declined dramatically, Yudof kicked off an online grassroots advocacy effort in order to make the case for the University of California. In 2008, Yudof organized advocacy efforts on social media. Yudof called on all students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to unite behind an aggressive push to make funding UC a state priority. In 2009, Yudof further bolstered this effort through a campaign seeking to let legislators and the governor know how critical their support is in preserving the university's commitment to quality and student access. Also in 2009, Yudof came under criticism for an interview that he gave to Deborah Solomon of the New York Times, in which he joked about taking a pay cut from his salary of over $800,000 to $400,000 in exchange for the White House and Air Force One. Project You Can In October 2009, seeking to help keep the University of California accessible and affordable for California students, President Yudof announced an ambitious effort that aims to raise $1 billion for student support over the next four years. Through the fundraising effort, Project You Can, all 10 UC campuses have committed to raise $1 billion in the aggregate over the next four years—doubling the amount of private support the system has raised for scholarships, fellowships and other gift aid in the previous five years. The UC Board of Regents endorsed the effort at its November 2009 meeting. Yudof made the Project You Can