Good news. The so-called budget "trigger" will not be pulled. State revenue has met expectations, and further UC cutbacks will not be made for the 1994-95 budget year. Funds will be available for 3 percent cost-of-living increases, or range adjustments, for faculty and staff effective in January and retroactive to Oct. 1.

Student fee hikes will be reduced from 18 percent for the year to 10 percent, providing for a spring-semester fee rollback. At Berkeley, annual fees will be $4,346.50 for '94-'95. Students who paid higher fall fees will receive refunds. Refunds for continuing students will come as credits for spring fees.

The UC budget also provides funding for 2 percent merit increases for eligible faculty and staff. Eligible faculty received merits July 1; staff merits take effect Jan. 1.

There will be no salary increase for the most senior executives. Salary actions for exclusively represented employees are subject to the obligations of the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act.