At the University of California, Merced, lecturers make up almost half of faculty members, representing the largest percentage of lecturers when compared to other UC campuses. Those lecturers say they are now feeling the impact of flatlining enrollment and a budget crunch at the campus in the middle of the state's agricultural heartland. Amid efforts to contain that budget gap, lecturers say they have seen less work and their positions eliminated. Lecturer salaries largely come from a portion of the university budget labeled “Temporary Academic Support,” which is funded by tuition and fees.
