FROM THE ASUC OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

UC Berkeley • 200 Eshleman Hall #4500,Berkeley,CA 94720-4500 • (510) 642-1431 •
www.asuc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday,October 29,2007
Contact:Joshua Daniels, 510-717-1185
Shawn Kumar Jain, 415-846-3707

STUDENT GOVERNMENTS ANNOUNCE STUDENT FEE REDUCTION

Berkeley — On Monday,October 29,2007,the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) and the Graduate Assembly (GA) will announce that for the first time in UC Berkeley’s history students have successfully lobbied the administration to reduce student fees. This effort will save students more than $130,000 over the next two years.

When the student-approved Class Pass Fee referendum went into effect during the 2006-07 academic year students expected to soon receive access to a service called TransLink,which would allowstudent IDs to be used as access cards on any public transportation system in the Bay Area. However,even though the student body has been have been charged approximately $66,000 each year for the TransLink service,it is still not available to students. Last week,the University administration finally agreed to remove the fee until the service is implemented, which is thought to be at least two years away.

“When students elected me last spring,they did so under the premise that I would work to lower their student fees,and the removal of this TransLink fee is a tangible step in that direction,” said ASUC President Van Nguyen. “We must do whatever we can to make college more affordable so that higher education is accessible for all students.”

The ASUC Senate,the Delegate Assembly (the GA’s legislative body),and the Committee on Student Fees and Budget Review (CSFBR) crafted a letter to the administration requesting the temporaryreduction. Nguyen,GA President Joshua Daniels,and CSFBR Chair Chandresh Patel then personallylobbied the administration on the issue. After some initial disagreements,the administration agreed with the students and the Chancellor approved the reduction.

“This is how the student-administration relationship is supposed to operate,” said Daniels. “Students identify a problem and bring it to the administration’sattention. The administration listens,ensures that the students’ arguments are valid,and then approves the students’ request. Chancellor Robert Birgeneau,Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom,Associate Vice Chancellor Ron Coley,and Parking and Transportation Director Noel Pinto responded in exactly this way to our concerns.”

According to Candace Nisby, chief of staff to Nguyen,this is the first time that a student fee has gone down as a result of students’ lobbying efforts. “It is important for students to realize that they have the power to make change on this campus,and the ASUC is the agent through which change happens,” she said.

QUICK GA NEWS!

The Graduate Assembly adopted the following three issues as its action agenda for the 2007-08 academic year,indicating the general foci of GA attention:

•access to health resources,
•reducing the cost of international student enrollment,and
•Teaching Excellence and Advising at California's Highest University System
(TEACH US).


Resolutions of note that have passed already this semester:

Directed Action Regarding the Academic Calendar of the University of California,
Berkeley: Significant Dates of Recognition for Oppressed Populations

WHEREAS we as graduate students in an institution of higher education value diversity and
attempt to be inclusive of underrepresented students;
WHEREAS the United Nations declares August 9th of every year to be International Day of the
World’s Indigenous People;
WHEREAS the State of California declares the fourth Friday of September as Native American
Day;
WHEREAS the City of Berkeley declares Indigenous People’s Day in replace of what was once
known as ‘Columbus Day’;
WHEREAS the month of November is declared by the federal government as American Indian
Heritage Month;and
WHEREAS October 11 is observed by members of the LGBTIQQ community as National
Coming Out Day;
THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the President of the Graduate Assembly shall advocate to
the campus administration of the University of California,Berkeley to recognize the above dates
onthe academic calendar.


Directed Action to Sign a Letter to Associate Vice Chancellor Ron ColeyRequesting
that the UC Berkeley Administration Temporarily Reduce the Class Pass Fee
by$1.50 per semester

WHEREAS the Class Pass fee passed via a student referendum in Spring 2005;
WHEREAS a portion of the Class Pass fee,as established in the Class Pass Fee Referendum,goes
to AC Transit,and,of that AC Transit portion,$1.00 per semester is for the specific purpose of
providing a service known as Translink (and another $.50 per semester goes to the required
Return-to-Aid);
WHEREAS the UC Berkeley Registrar has been collecting this $1.50 per semester since Fall
2006;
WHEREAS the Translink service has yet to be provided to students and,according to the
Director of Parking & Transportation,it will not be provided for at least another two years;and
WHEREAS students should not be paying for a service which they are not receiving.
THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that President of the Graduate Assembly empowered to take the
necessary actions in order to persuade the UC Berkeley administration to temporarily reduce
the Class Pass fee by $1.50 per semester,which includes sending a letter to Associate Vice
Chancellor Ron Coley.

For more information about Graduate Assembly goings on, visit the GA website at ga.Berkeley.edu