California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed an amicus brief Friday, supporting UC Berkeley in the ongoing case regarding campus admissions.
Newsom’s amicus brief, which is a document offering additional information in an ongoing legal case from an uninvolved party, argues the Supreme Court of California should block the enrollment cap while the ruling is under appeal. According to a press release, the block would prevent one-third of campus’s incoming enrollment from attending UC Berkeley.
“We can’t let a lawsuit get in the way of the education and dreams of thousands of students who are our future leaders and innovators,” Newsom said in the press release. “I urge the Supreme Court to step in to ensure we are expanding access to higher education and opportunity, not blocking it.”
Expanding college access is the keystone of the state’s higher education vision, according to the press release. It states Newsom’s budget allocated $47.1 billion in investments for higher education in support of an increased enrollment of more than 7,000 resident undergraduates in the UC system. The press release further notes a significant portion of the growth was to occur at UC Berkeley, due to demand from prospective families.
UC Berkeley could lose $57 million from decreased enrollment, which will have “cascading impacts” on campus, as well as undermine Newsom’s priorities and investments in higher education, according to the brief.
“A college education, especially at a school as revered as UC Berkeley, can be life-changing and provide tools and opportunities to thrive that students, especially those from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds, may not otherwise receive,” the brief reads. “Denying this opportunity … would be irreparably damaging to thousands of students.”
Maria Young is the university news editor. Contact her at [email protected], and follow her on Twitter at @maria_myoung.
