The Tiniest of Gifts: UCGPC President’s Address to the UC Regents

Piyalli, Good morning Regents

I want to take a moment to remember that this land doesn’t belong to us.  We can claim it as ours, say it’s so, but the land doesn’t belong to us, we belong to the land.  I want to recognize the Gabrielino Toongva tribe who steward the land upon which we meet, and who we should always take lead from in matters of its care.

We are now at the halfway point, you and I,  we have had more meetings behind us than ahead, and I believe we are due for reflection.

I took office in June, then came here in July to meet all of you as an unknown face, a blank slate.  I took more than my share of time that day… I’m aware…  because to me, when I come here I am not just speaking to you all, I am also speaking to over 63,000 students.  I took your time that day so others like me can see that they too, have a seat at the table through me.  And it was an added bonus for you to see someone not like you, and for you to wrestle with any boredom or annoyance you may have been feeling because you had to hear a student’s story longer than you were comfortable with. 

In case you’ve forgotten… 

• We talked about the UCSC raid of 2024, in which the University’s orders endangered my children. Since then students across the ten campuses have been expressing their fear and extreme distrust for the University regarding policing, data sharing, and privacy.  
• I spoke of the severe unhealthy living conditions for families, including moldy carpets, asbestos, peeling lead paint, and termites.  Six months later and those families are still living there.  
• We talked about students’ unsustainable rent burden.  I do believe there is a path forward, but those conversations have just begun, and I fear my time will be up before we see change.  
• I warned of the dangers of losing diversity within academia.  Now students of color experience intense fear when ICE is near, and they know their University will not warn them- at least not in time.
• I asked you to remember your mission, your vision, and your values.  I asked that we begin a reciprocal relationship, to forge a path forward toward holistic student support.

I am pleased to report that at this point UCGPC and UCOP have developed consistent streams of communication through a predictable meeting schedule with President Milliken, Regental Leadership, SGR, FGR, the Basic Needs team, the Budget Consultation team, and we have consistent communication with Eric Heng and George Zamora.  All of this is to say that while we can’t rebuild the student’s trust, perhaps we are moving forward on the right path with open communication to help you do that.. with the support of UCGPC and the student experience we bring forth in a productive way.

In the last 6 months, UCGPC processed the nominations for students on systemwide committees, has consistently brought 2 StARs to every Regents meeting, has started the Student Advocates program in partnership with UCAN and FGR featuring a Student Advocate from every campus to support the fight for federal funding, and we engaged in advocacy at both State and Federal levels through letter writing campaigns, public comment, and committee testimony and panels.  

In the first week of March, UCGPC will be meeting with legislators advocating on behalf of students’ needs and the betterment of the University of California.  April 20-22, UCGPC will be in Washington D.C. fighting the good fight.  It is my hope that in this second half of my term, that it becomes clear for both sides, that we students, and you the administration have more things in common than not.  That we have shared goals, shared values, and shared experiences to bring us together.  Now, I know we will never see eye-to-eye on everything, but that’s okay, that is the beauty of higher education, we are not here to indoctrinate each other. 

With all that said, I look at my time as the President of UCGPC, a role that humbles me every day.  I ask myself if I was the right president for the last 6 months, and if I am the right president for the next six months?  I am reminded of meeting President Milliken in person….  It was at UCSF in August.

President Milliken stepped into an impossible job, I don’t think anyone in this room envies him.  From my home in Mexico, I brought him an alebrije, a little squirrel.  It was wrapped in craft paper, and I offered it to him on behalf of UCGPC, but he seemed surprised and didn’t want to take it.  He said, “What’s that?” so, I was like “its a gift, you have to open it”

 It made me curious about the lives he’s led, the people he has worked, the students he interacted with in Texas.  The experiences that colored that moment.  As I said in the beginning, I was a blank slate, and on that slate all of his biases flooded forward making him question a gift- one of the most basic human gestures.

Shortly after, the students were all sitting at a table in the corner eating lunch together, not wanting to bother the Regents… and President Milliken brought his lunch over and broke bread with us that day.

It was in that moment, watching them converse, that I realized why I am here.  It’s not to be political, it’s not to protest, but to serve as a conduit.  Honestly, the rest of UCGPC’s board is significantly more qualified in politics and student government than I.  But the beautiful thing about me being here… is that I don’t need anything from you all, I am not here trying to personally network, build myself up, start a career…. So I get to experience those truly human moments and help with the rebuilding of our community.  I watched President Milliken soften and smile as he unwraps the tiniest of gifts, and as a direct reaction saw students brighten up because they were approached instead of vice versa, thus creating a space for humanity, openness, and an honest conversation where we can care for each other and build a reciprocal relationship, that then… and only then, can be politicized without taking advantage.

In six months, my ask really hasn’t changed.  I called for a return to the University’s values and connection.  When students, faculty, and staff become people again… when they aren’t just numbers, angry comments, destitute statistics… then this community of over 500 thousand with 2.5 million alumni can enact real change – and we can get back to what was beautiful about the University of California.  

Then maybe we can be proud of where we stood, when our posterity reads about these times in their history books.

Thank you for your time.

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