UC students want more money + The Census is coming + Police bills up for vote
By Hannah Wiley, Sacramento Bee
MONEY, PLEASE
Members of the University of California Student Association will be at the Capitol today to lobby for increased funding, rally support for legislative proposals and advocate for “racial justice and support for undocumented students.”
The event is an opportunity for the association to highlight its main priorities, and this year’s conference comes in the wake of headlines that brought some unwanted attention to the system.
Catch up — A University of California Los Angeles coach resigned on Thursday after news broke that he was one of dozens of coaches, administrators and athletic directors caught up in the recent college admissions scandal. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, then called on UC President Janet Napolitano to conduct a thorough investigation into all UC campuses.
And a report last week out of The Institute for College Access and Success and the association revealed that students of color and low-income graduates take out student loans at a disproportionate rate compared to their white and wealthier classmates.
In the $1.4 billion budget bump Gov. Gavin Newsom allocated for higher education, $240 million will funnel to UC for ongoing costs, and a one-time $138 million will cover deferred maintenance.
Is that enough? — The representatives of the nearly 300,000 students at UC think not. Which is why they are asking lawmakers to consider an additional $200 million to finance enrollment growth and keep tuition flat. The association is also advocating for $700,000 for ongoing immigration legal services and $20 million in College Readiness Block Grants, which help with UC outreach to underrepresented students.
“This is about our voices as students of color, first generation students, and underrepresented communities who are ready to reclaim higher education,” said Emelia Martinez, UCSA government relations chair and student from UC, Riverside. “On Monday, when we walk into the capital, we are ready to do what it takes so that the more-than 280,000 UC students benefit from better basic needs resources such as rapid rehousing, more accessible financial aid options such as Summer Cal Grant, and adequate funding that maintains a flat tuition for next year.”
State Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, is sponsoring legislation that would expand funding for summer grants and finance construction of a new Riverside School of Medicine facility. He’ll join association representatives and Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, for a press conference scheduled for noon on the North Steps.
“Our UC students cannot be a part of that California dream if there aren’t mechanisms in place to ensure their success,” Roth said. “We must act now to provide more financial flexibility for our students. If we are asking our college students to be California’s champions – counting on them to become the well-educated workforce of tomorrow – we must be their champions! I am honored to help address this critical issue.”