WHEREAS, The State of California made a commitment in 1960, through the Master Plan for Higher Education, to a high quality, free, and universally accessible higher education for all Californians. However, since the year 2000 the state’s support per student at UC and CSU has dropped by 40%, student fees have exploded by 150%, 170%, and 200% at the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges respectively, and in the past twelve years California residents have graduated with $12 billion in student debt; and

WHEREAS, The privatization model forced upon systems through a policy of state disinvestment from higher education has led to skyrocketing student fees, historic and disastrous levels of student debt, and misallocated university administrative priorities. Privatization further created a prohibitively intricate and complex financial aid matrix for low income families to access higher education; and

WHEREAS, In recent times, support for such policies has increased amongst the public; according to a December 2016 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, 67% of respondents agreed public colleges and universities did not receive enough state funding and 72% agreed the cost of attendance keeps students out; and

WHEREAS, Rise California is a student-led, non-profit 501(c)(4), statewide organization that is focused on achieving free college tuition at all public higher education institutions in California by shaping the 2018 election to focus on the issue of higher education and calling on candidates running for governor to have a plan of how they will fund higher education; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine support a recommitment to the Master Plan and making higher education a public good; specifically by eliminating all tuition and fees at the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges for all Californians and restoring academic quality by resetting per student funding to historic levels -- doing so through progressive taxation; and,

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine support Rise California through the Office of the External Vice President (specific commission to be determined by the EVP) in their efforts and will collaborate with them in educating students about free tuition be it that Rise California will fund these events; and

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, a copy of this resolution be forwarded to University of California, Irvine Chancellor, Howard Gillman and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Thomas Parham.