SACRAMENTO—Today, California State Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva and leaders of the California Faculty Association (CFA) held a press conference to address students and faculty on the campus of Sacramento State University to announce a new bill that will place a moratorium on student tuition and fees at California’s public community colleges and state universities.
Quirk-Silva authored AB 393: The Student Protection Act in response to the financial challenges faced by today’s college students, including deepening debt and long work hours necessary to supplement their educational costs.
“I have been a teacher for over 30 years and I’m committed to making sure that all California students have access to higher education. We know that our students are not only struggling to pay their tuition, but to pay for necessities like rent and food,” said Quirk-Silva. According to the California Faculty Association, 40% of students are not dependent upon their parents and must work to support themselves. Additionally, about 25% of students have dependents of their own.
“This moratorium on tuition will give working class students and their families’ assurance that the cost of higher education will be within their reach.”
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva was joined today by the California Faculty Association (CFA), which is a sponsor of AB 393. Speakers included the president and vice president of CFA’s Capitol Chapter at Sac State, Dr. Kevin Wehr and Dr. Margarita Berta-Ávila, and CSU student Isaiah De La Cruz.
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Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk represents the 65th Assembly District, which includes the Orange County communities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Palma, and Stanton.