UC Students Lobby for More Representation, Housing and Food Access

Over 250 UC students spent a day meeting with state leaders to advocate for key bills, including adding a second voting student regent to the UC Board of Regents.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:05pm

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UC students from across the system recently spent a day lobbying at the California Capitol, holding over 100 meetings with state leaders on issues like representation, basic needs, and housing. The students are pushing for a bill to add a second voting student regent to the UC Board of Regents, as well as measures to increase access to CalFresh food assistance and make it easier to build student housing.

Why it matters

UC students have long advocated for greater representation on the governing Board of Regents, arguing that the student voice and experience should not be an afterthought. With housing and food insecurity affecting many students, the lobbying efforts aim to address critical basic needs that impact academic success.

The details

The students' lobbying efforts focused on several key bills, including a constitutional amendment (ACA 18) that would add a second voting student regent to the 26-member UC Board of Regents. Currently, only one student regent can cast a vote. The students also pushed for bills to streamline CalFresh applications and reform the California Environmental Quality Act to make it easier to build student housing.

  • On March 9, 2026, over 250 UC students participated in the UC Student Association's annual lobbying day at the state Capitol.
  • Assemblymember Jessica Caloza introduced ACA 18, the Student Regent Empowerment Amendment, on the Assembly floor during the lobbying day.

The players

Jessica Caloza

A Los Angeles Democrat who authored the bill to add a second voting student regent to the UC Board of Regents.

Samantha Zavala

A third-year public policy major at UC Riverside and vice chair of the UCweVote campaign, who has been leading the effort to make the change to the UC Board of Regents.

Evelin Chavez

A UC Santa Cruz student who noted that the Cal State and California Community College systems already have two voting student seats on their governing boards.

Candice Phan

A third-year student at UC Davis and the student association's government relations chair.

Kate Rodgers

The executive director of the Student Homes Coalition, who spoke about how local opponents use CEQA to hinder student housing projects.

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What they’re saying

“It's time to put students first. On this 26-member body, the UC Board of Regents, the student voice and the student experience cannot be an afterthought.”

— Jessica Caloza, Assemblymember

“It feels at first scary to step into the spotlight as a student who was, at the time, broke, burdened, tired, hungry — to think that I had a voice at the table, that my voice mattered. It was UCSA who empowered me, who educated me to say that not only are students powerful, but together, students are unstoppable.”

— Jessica Caloza, Assemblymember

“Let's go. The leaders of tomorrow, we are counting on you.”

— Josh Lowenthal, Assemblymember

“Housing is a basic need and a human right. That affects your education at the end of the day.”

— Evelin Chavez, UC Santa Cruz student

“(SB 961) really resonated with me a lot because I personally didn't think I was eligible for CalFresh. People aren't getting the resources that they deserve.”

— Andrew Yanez, Fourth-year computer engineering student at UC Santa Barbara

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This lobbying effort by UC students highlights their determination to have a stronger voice in the decisions that impact their education and well-being. By advocating for increased representation, housing access, and food security, the students are pushing for systemic changes that could improve the overall student experience across the UC system.