To the Cal Community:
This coming Wednesday, November 9, students and community members will join together in a Day of Action to draw attention to the current crisis in higher education. As California continues to struggle with its budget, social services across the board have witnessed unprecedented cuts and higher education has not been exempt. These reductions have resulted in higher fees forcing students to bear a heavier burden in funding our own education.
This is part of a larger national conversation about wealth distribution and misguided priorities at all levels of government. The only way to solve this growing disparity is to invest in public education. As student leaders at the premier public university in the world, we stand with students across the nation in raising awareness around these issues and compelling our elected leaders to respond.
This Wednesday, we support students to participate in peaceful demonstrations, namely the planned walk-out, noon rally on Sproul Plaza, and various teach-ins, and ask all students to be mindful of their own rights and to be respectful of our peers. We encourage you to consult the Student Code of Conduct and campus regulations governing all forms of public expression. ASUC student leaders have expressed their unwavering support for our campus’ principles of community and encourage all students to engage in conduct appropriate to and respectful of our overarching mission of equity and inclusion. While students may choose to respond to these issues differently, we are all members of the same campus community and should treat one another accordingly.
While Wednesday’s events are important, this dialogue cannot end here. We encourage all students to join us in our efforts to lobby our elected officials at the state and federal levels to halt continued reductions in funding and identify new sources of revenue. We are partnering with our counterparts across the UC system on a multiyear campaign to reform Proposition 13, which could channel billions of dollars back into higher education. This and other initiatives will help restore the vision set forth by the California Master Plan for Higher Education, but we cannot do this alone. If you are interested in getting involved or have questions about the upcoming Day of Action, please contact us by responding to this email.
Sincerely,
Vishalli Loomba Joey Freeman
ASUC President ASUC External Affairs Vice President