Official Blog | UCGPC

Written by Josiah Beharry,

This year, UCGPC took a new and intentional approach to setting our campaign priorities. We launched a systemwide survey that received 110 detailed responses from graduate students across all UC campuses. In this survey, we asked: What issues should UCGPC champion on your behalf this year?

From these responses, we identified and coded 15 major issue categories. At our June Board Meeting, representatives from across the system came together for a robust and nuanced discussion. Drawing on both the survey data and the lived experiences shared from their respective campuses, the Board engaged in a thoughtful deliberation that reflected the diversity and depth of graduate student needs.

After careful discussion, UCGPC is proud to announce our three campaigns for the year:

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1. Immigration, Undocumented, and International Student Rights

Graduate students from immigrant, undocumented, and international backgrounds face unique and urgent challenges. This campaign will focus on:

• Protecting and expanding work and research opportunities.
  
• Advocating for equitable tuition, fees, and funding access regardless of immigration status.
  
• Addressing visa, work authorization, and travel barriers that disrupt academic progress.
  
• Strengthening institutional support for undocumented and mixed-status families.
  

We will work to ensure that every UC graduate student—regardless of origin or status—can thrive without fear of legal, financial, or institutional barriers.

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2. Healthcare

In light of federal and state policy shifts impacting both healthcare access and healthcare workers, UCGPC will take a comprehensive approach to graduate student health. Our campaign will:

• Address the rising costs of healthcare premiums, co-pays, and out-of-pocket expenses.
  
• Advocate for improved dependent coverage so graduate student families aren’t left behind.
  
• Examine the accessibility of mental health services, specialist care, and reproductive health.
  
• Protect graduate student researchers working in health-related fields from political and funding attacks.
  

We believe healthcare should be affordable, comprehensive, and accessible for all graduate students and their families.

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3. Basic Needs: Food, Family, Housing, and Affordability (FFHA)

Basic needs are the foundation of academic success—and far too many graduate students are struggling to meet them. This campaign will:

• Fight for affordable, stable housing near campus.
  
• Advocate for food security programs that meet graduate student realities.
  
• Push for better family support services, including childcare and parental leave policies.
  
• Address overall affordability, from transportation to campus fees.
  

Our goal is to ensure that no graduate student has to choose between academic success and meeting their basic needs.

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Through these three campaigns, UCGPC will mobilize across campuses, work with UC leadership, and advocate at the state and federal levels to secure tangible wins for graduate students. We invite all graduate students to get involved, share their stories, and help us make change happen.