(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, the Assembly passed AB 1711, jointly authored by Assemblymembers Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) and Jose Medina (D-Riverside) with bi-partisan support. The bill would cap nonresident enrollment at the University of California (UC) and increase access for California resident students.
"Earlier this year, the State Auditor released a report that hundreds of thousands of kids were rejected by UC schools while these slots were taken by out of state and out of country students – sometimes with lower test scores,” said Assemblymember McCarty. “This bill won’t help every California student get into a UC, but if they work hard and follow the admissions requirements they should have a chance.”
“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 creates a six year plan to reduce non-resident enrollment to 10% by the 2022-23 academic year system-wide. In addition, this measure will increase resident enrollment each year in that six year period by 5,000, and reduce non-resident enrollment by 1,700. 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.
AB 1711 moves to the State Senate for hearing.