(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, the Assembly Committee on Higher Education passed AB 1711 (Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento), which would cap nonresident enrollment at specified campuses of the University of California (UC) on a bi-partisan vote of 8-2. Jointly authored with Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside), chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, this measure would increase access for California resident students at UC.
"The State Auditor recently found that although the UC has insisted that non-resident students do not supplant resident California students, in fact, it continues to grow its nonresident population and displace many of California’s students and families," said Assemblymember McCarty. "The audit’s results simply provide more evidence for the necessity of this bill, which will ensure that taxpayers have accountability that their investment is being used for Californian students and that these students have access to the UC system."
“As Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, I believe it is crucial to support higher education access for California students,” said Assemblymember Medina. “Nonresident students contribute to campus diversity. However, the continued increase of nonresident students at UC is displacing California students. This bill will ensure that UC campuses maintain an appropriate balance of both nonresident and California students.”
AB 1711 caps undergraduate nonresident enrollment at 15.5% at UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, and UC Berkeley. In addition, this measure will require 50% of revenues from new nonresident enrollment be used to support resident enrollment at all campuses. In the fall of 2015, the UC admitted 1,600 fewer resident freshmen compared to fall 2014, and increased nonresident enrollment by 4,700. Resident freshman enrollment fell from 48,827 in 2014 to 47,146 in 2015 even though more than 105,000 Californians submitted applications to UC for fall admission.
Recognizing the rationing of access to resident students, the 2015 Budget Act included $25 million for UC if it grew CA resident enrollment by 5,000 students for the 2016-17 school year. The UC Regents have committed to this increase. AB 1711 will next be heard in the Committee on Appropriations.