Senator Sharon Runner (R-Antelope Valley) announced that she introduced a Constitutional Amendment to focus on the admission practices of the University of California. Senate Constitutional Amendment 12 addresses the recent influx of out-of-state and international students in the University of California (UC) system. At several UC campuses, non-resident students have been granted admission at a dramatically higher rate than California students.

“The primary purpose and obligation of the University of California is to serve Californians,” said Runner.

“California’s hard working students should be the number one priority of our public universities.”

Specifically, SCA 12 would require each University of California campus to disclose a profile of the incoming freshman class on its website, including a uniform analysis of in-state, out-of-state and international students. The disclosure would reflect the total number of applicants in each classification, the number granted admissions and the number actually enrolled and the grade point averages and standardized test composites for each of the respective groups.

SCA 12 would also prevent the University of California from admitting out of state students, or international students who as a group have lower grades or standardized test scores than California freshman admitted to the same school.

“SCA 12 will establish a much needed level of transparency to assure California’s students that their applications are being processed fairly,” said Runner. “California students should not be passed over for less qualified non-resident students who are willing to pay more.”