２つのsince

菅改造内閣の経済政策は大学人には気になるところですが、それよりも気になったのがJTの冒頭。こういうsinceにはなんらかの意図があるのでしょうか。小山本くん、どうぞ。（UG）
Universities feel the squeeze
Since national universities became independent administrative agencies in 2004, their financial conditions have since weakened. In accordance with the Koizumi administration's 2006 decision, government grants to pay for national universities' ordinary outlays have declined 1 percent annually.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20100921a1.html