[ASUC Public Notice] Release of ASUC Budget Committee Memorandum to Campus Leadership

[Esha Sharma, Abdinasir Mohamed, & Samrina Khan]

Hello all,

I am writing to share that the ASUC Budget Committee has formally submitted its memorandum outlining student and campus priorities to University leadership on March 26th, 2026. The memorandum was addressed to Chancellor Rich Lyons, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Ben Hermalin, Vice Chancellor of Finance Kelly Sparks, and Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Lisa García Bedolla.

This memo reflects the culmination of student input, organizational advocacy, and committee deliberation over the past months. Our goal was to ensure that student needs are clearly communicated and meaningfully represented in ongoing campus budget discussions.

The priorities outlined in the memorandum focus on four key areas:

• Recreation and Capital Spaces: Expanding access to student-serving spaces and increasing staffing to support extended hours for recreation and practice facilities.
• Funding Allocations: Sustaining and increasing support for resource centers, international students, and transfer and student parent communities.
• Accountability and Transparency: Advocating for clearer visibility into campus spending, including UCPD funding and research funding sources.
• Student Wellness and Basic Needs: Strengthening services such as the Basic Needs Center and improving access to essential resources like EBT.

This memorandum is intended to center student voices in institutional decision-making and push for a more transparent, equitable, and accessible allocation of campus resources.

I have attached a PDF of our Budget Memo, and you can also find a Google Drive link here.

We encourage all students to engage with this process, please share any feedback they would like to provide, and stay informed about how these priorities move forward in discussions with administration.

If you have any questions or would like to get involved in ongoing advocacy efforts, please feel free to reach out.

Sincerely,

Esha Sharma
ASUC EVP Chief of Staff
Chair, ASUC-GA Budget Committee

Sydnee Thy
ASUC Senator
Vice Chair, ASUC-GA Budget Committee

Co-signed by the Budget Committee: Isha Chander (ASUC Executive Vice President), Sandra Sotomayor (GA President), Calvin Yang (ASUC External Affairs Vice President), Jennifer Tran (ASUC Academic Affairs Vice President), Kianna Rodarte (ASUC Senator), Niyati Ram (Community Member At-Large), Abigail Verino (ASUC President),  Jonathan Ngai (ASUC Chief Financial Officer), Britnee Stephen (ASUC Student Advocate), Reg Macarro (ASUC Senator), Clara Ortega (Community Member At-Large), Rishi Bhatt (Finance Executive, Office of the President)

Esha Sharma, Abdinasir Mohamed, Samrina Khan Chiefs of Staff | ASUC Office of the Executive Vice President Associated Students of the University of California Phone: (510) 642-1431 | bCals: esha....@berkeley.edu, nasi...@berkeley.edu, sam...@berkeley.edu 412 Eshleman Hall | Berkeley, CA 94720