I'm also a comp lit student at UCI. I visited six schools before deciding on this program, and UCI was the only program to offer a contract with 5 years of guaranteed funding. No other university outside of California would even come close. Many PhD students who have been here for a long time complain that money isn't floating around in the air as it seems to have been before. And while I certainly agree with the saddening loss of national language departments, I cannot say that the funding for UCI comp lit students is in bad shape. As long as you're offered a contact, you have little reason to worry about funding. Just my experience...
