The Board of UC Regents met at UC Davis on April 22nd. Only the Public Engagement and Development Committee and the Special Committee on Basic Needs convened. All items were discussion items (no action items).
The following highlights from this meeting are:
*items marked with an asterisk are agenda items tracked during this meeting
In Public Engagement and Development Committee, Regents Engagement update* discussion covered the co-sponsorship between UCSA and UCOP on the summer CAL Grant expansion bill. Student Regent Graves mentioned that during 18-19 academic year, 15 regents have done 16 legislative visits. Regents Advocacy day in Sacramento to occur in early-mid 2020. Regent Leib recommended that UC Merced to show up first to advocacy because of the high PhD ongoing rate especially graduate students from diverse backgrounds to address faculty diversity* There was also a presentation from UCSA president and UCOP State Government Relations on this year’s joint student advocacy. Regent Pérez asked how can UCOP and Regents restructure and have internal conversations about why Black students are burdened disproportionately with debt at the UC. Claire Holmes committed to “taking that on to to be a better bridge.” UCOP’s Federal Government Relations launched a communications campaign for the passage of Dream and Promise Act of 2019 and identified financial aid and simplifying FAFSA as priorities.
In Special Committee on Basic Needs meeting, there was a presentation on rapid rehousing by John Burton Advocates.* The presenter briefly mentioned 2017 UC study that found that 1:20 students experience homelessness. 8% of Black first generation students and 13% of former foster youth experienced homelessness. Rapid rehousing helps people exit to stable housing and lower costs than transitional housing and emergency shelters. UC System Basic Needs Co-Chairs Ruben Canedo and Tim Galarneau presented and mentioned how all campuses have basic needs interventions but there’s limited staffing due to funds. Ruben said for that reason, ongoing funds are necessary. Regent Cohen asked for more information on utilizing CAL FRESH and the proposal for allocation mechanism for these services.Regent Butler asked how is the UC designing basic needs to support campus police and minimize potential of what happened at Columbia University where a Black student was profiled and harrassed at the library. Butler asked Yvette Gullat for follow up on the inclusion of campus police in these discussions as UC builds out these services.
At the conclusion of the Board of Regents meeting as of 4/22/19, Regents’ Grades are:
Regent Anguiano: 63.8%
Regent Blum: 55%
Regent Elliot: 56.2%
Regent Guber: 66.7%
Regent Kieffer: 68.3%
Regent Lansing: 55.2%
Regent Makarechian: 55.83%
Regent Oakley: 60.4%
Regent Park: 79.7%
Regent Perez: 91.7%
Regent Sherman: 46.9%
Regent Tauscher: 82%
Regent Zettel: 50.7%
Regent Cohen: 75%
Regent Butler: 75%
Regent Estolano: 65.5%
Regent Leib: 77%
Regent Sures: N/A. This Regent was recently appointed, so not enough data exists to issue a grade.
