Open letter · September 28, 2026

UC Regents: Release the CIII–UCLA Affiliation Agreement Before Voters Cast Their Ballots

The No on Proposition 38 campaign asks the University of California to expedite public release of the 80-page agreement governing UCLA’s relationship with the institute likely to receive $4.2 billion under Proposition 38.

Re: California Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII) Public Records Act Request for Affiliation Agreement with UCLA

Dear Regent Anguiano:

On behalf of the No on Proposition 38 campaign, we request your assistance to expedite the public release of the affiliation agreement between UCLA and the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIII).

In response to our formal request for the document, we were advised on September 24 that the estimated date of response will now be October 16th. This affiliation agreement is likely to provide a critical understanding about the relationship of the university to the proposed CIII, the research institution which is likely to receive over $4 billion in public funds if Prop 38 is passed by voters on November 3rd. This is information that voters need and expect.

Proposition 38, which appears on the November 2026 ballot, requires the state to borrow $8.4 billion for immunology research. The measure is primarily funded by Gary Michelson, MD, and Meyer Luskin, the Chair and Treasurer respectively of the CIII Board of Directors. Half of the funding — $4.2 billion — is for a research institute that the Yes on Proposition 38 campaign now confirms is “very likely” to be CIII. This is a consequence of highly specific criteria in the bond measure that essentially excludes any other California research institute.

Voters need to understand to what extent CIII will be subject to the rules that apply to other University of California affiliated institutes with regard to transparency, accountability, operating policies and practices, data sharing, and access to intellectual property.

CIII has declined to answer our simple questions about whether it has an address or phone number. Other questions about its governance, staffing, budget, strategic plan have not been answered. Adding to our concern is language in Proposition 38 that would exempt CIII from the California Public Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act and the Political Reform Act.

California taxpayers are being asked to assume an estimated annual debt of $500 million to $600 million for the next 20 to 25 years. They should not also be asked to surrender their right to know who makes the decisions, where the money goes and who benefits.

When the Regents’ Finance and Capital Strategies Committee met on September 16th, University of California staff indicated that there was an 80-page affiliation agreement with CIII. We don’t understand why the public release of this document is being delayed.

We urge the Board of Regents to expedite the release of CIII’s affiliation agreement to ensure that voters have all the facts before making their decision on Proposition 38.

Sincerely,

cc: Regent Michael Cohen, Chair, Finance and Capital Strategies Committee