University of California Student Regent Jesse Bernal is speaking up for students by trying to stave off tuition increases planned for the UC system. Those same planned fee hikes  prompted one of the largest student and faculty demonstrations in years of over 5,000 people on September 24th.
 
“We can really almost solidly point a finger at our state legislature and a decline in funding for public education,” Bernal explained. “Students have always been the targets of revenue. I am vocally opposed to the fee increases, especially this midyear increase--it's going to blind-side students.”

As the student regent, Bernal will have opportunity to voice his proposals while attending the six major board meetings each year, as well as during his visits to all UC campuses to educate himself on the issues currently affecting students.

“Making sure the UC (system) is more responsible with fee revenue has been something that we've been working on for a while,” Bernal added.

Bernal said that he hopes his position as student regent will bring the student voice when the time comes for the regents to cast their votes on fee increases.

Bernal also explained that the quality of education will remain high priority for the UC system, and will have a lot to do with the choices made about fee increases.

“Students are really right to be angry,” Bernal said. “The governor I think is in a lot of ways detached from reality when it comes to student concerns…but the UC will work to maintain its quality.”

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