How the budget crisis affects you and how you can help fight for the education you deserve

UC Administration says : if state funding doesn’t increase, UC will raise fees 16% per year for the next four years. Today’s freshmen would pay about $21,800 in 2015.

Paying more for less Qualified CA students are increasingly turned away in favor of out-of-state students. 13.6% of 2009 UCB freshman class; in 2011, 31.2% Increased class sizes and fewer TAs. Many TAs have students. Fewer classes offered each quarter. Winter ’11 alone: 11% of classes cut. Departments & programs having budgets slashed or being eliminated entirely (Community Studies, American Studies) UCSC library resources cut by millions Huge cuts to programs & resource centers such as the Chicano & Latino Resource Center and the Equal Opportunity Programs office Faculty, staff and tutors being cut

The argument that California is broke: California’s GDP has more than doubled since 1987 (from about $803 billion to $1.9 trillion) Per capita income has grown steadily since 1959 CA has the 8 th largest economy in the world. Meanwhile, state funding for UC has declined 50% between 1970 and 2005 (before the current recession). CA has chosen to defund the UC.

The argument that the UC is broke: Though in fact the state cuts have been enormous.... UC has been adding senior managers while laying off workers & staff, cutting services and funding for students & TAs, and leaving faculty positions unfilled The ratio of management to professors in 1994 was 3 to 6. By 2010, there were more senior managers than profs. Regents regularly give 20-25% raises to these execs at meetings where they also raise your tuition.

The problem of student debt Average student debt: $24,000 National student debt has doubled since 2005 to $1 TRILLION DOLLARS this year Default rates have nearly doubled since 2003 and have now reached 9% Up to 85% of new college grads are now moving back in with their parents Economists predict that the huge debt of this generation will be a drag on the economy for years to come

Students take on more risk while earning outlook is looking worse Cost of UC has doubled since 2000; national average for post- BA incomes has gone down 11%

By 2009 (after five years), the Regents had lost $23 BILLION of UC money through high-risk investments benefiting several Regents and Gov. Schwarzenegger. The UC gambled on these despite being strongly advised against it by the UC treasurer & the many economists consulted.

What happens when the state fails to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% (a high % of whom live in CA) & refuses to close tax loopholes? Huge income gaps: Since the 2008 crash, income levels of the middle & working classes have plummeted due to predatory corporate practices which caused the crash. This isn’t the case with the income of the 1%, which includes the execs of banks & corporations which caused the crash, profit off it, and refuse to pay higher taxes while continuously cutting services for everyone else.

ReFund California Statewide coalition of students, workers and educators for progressive tax reform “Make the banks pay” campaign Ballot initiative for 2012 that would raise taxes on the state’s richest 1% An initiative for 2014 that would close tax loopholes on corporate property Partnering with the Occupy movements

What you can do NOVEMBER 9: STATEWIDE DAY OF ACTION Noon: Student-worker rally, Bay Tree Plaza 1:30: Tea-Time at the base of campus: lunch, workshops, sign-making, games, fun! 3:00: March to the Clock Tower for Rally and BANK ACTION 5:00: Meet-up at Occupy Santa Cruz

November 16 th : Get on the bus Free ride free and lunch. Buses will depart Santa Cruz in the morning and return in the afternoon and evening. Lunch provided! Schedule: 7:45 am: Buses leave UCSC from East Remote Pkg Lot Morning: Bank Action with AFSCME Noon rally at the Regents’ Meeting March to the Financial District Meet up with Occupy San Francisco