By Todd Sargent
After having many informative conversations with student leaders and activists in recent weeks regarding lobbying efforts toward the UC Board of Regents, I have come to the conclusion that there is a fundamental flaw with the approach.
Lobbying the UC Regents is essentially a wasted effort around budgetary issues.
In fact, the regents do not control the influx of dollars to the UC system. That is left up to the California State Legislature.
By refocusing lobbying efforts on actions that the state legislature can enact (i.e., taxation, prioritization of educational spending, etc.), there will likely be better traction for change within the system.
Student protestors have made legitimate points but provide no guidance to the regents other than, “We want X.” The regents cannot give students “X” without funding support from the state of California.
No internal shuffling of funds, particularly as cuts have been made over the years, resulting in a bare-bones budget, will solve the current crisis.
The key constituencies of the university community ““ students, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, parents ““ should work collectively on a plan to effectively lobby elected state representatives who have time and time again made the poor decisions that have negatively affected the University of California.
Although students have gotten used to anger at the UC Regents (maybe because every check to the university is made out to “UC Regents”?), this focus seems to bear little to no fruit in matters of finance and budget.
Make the University of California great again ““ lobby the California State Legislature!
Sargent is an alumnus from the class of ’96. He is currently a director of the UCLA Alumni Association.