Rallies and Petition Letter Template

From Nadia Peralta:

We will have a rally for the meadow at the corner of Hagar and Coolidge tomorrow Monday 3/13 and Wednesday 3/15. Monday from Monday 4:30-6:30 and Wednesday 3-5. We will have lots of banners, tell them to come help us hold them! and show the regents we are paying attention.  Direct them to @protecteastmeadow or they can email me at nadialuciaperalta@gmail.comestions. 

They can send their letters to: regentsoffice@ucop.edu

Sincerely,

Nadia

Letter template to regentsoffice@ucop.edu

I am writing to you today as [describe relationship to UCSC].

I urge you to vote no on the proposed new financing approach to the Student Housing West Plan at UCSC. This is a short-sighted proposal that puts students and the UC at risk, is not likely to contribute to affordable housing, and would forever compromise the integrity of the East Meadow, a central feature of the UCSC campus greatly valued by the campus community. 

I care deeply about the East Meadow and the trajectory UCSC takes in both respecting the land on which the school resides and the housing needs of students. However, to suggest that building housing on the East Meadow would be the solution to the housing crisis presents a false choice. 

The new proposal for financing construction on the East Meadow would significantly increase costs and financial risks associated with the project, undermining the prior condition the Regents had placed on project approval that new housing rents be 30% below market. The University has other choices for increasing on and off campus student housing that would be more effective and less harmful to the unique natural setting of the campus. We encourage the University to turn instead towards infill projects such as the 2009 East Campus Infill project that was  approved for construction previously and would provide more beds than the East Meadow portion of the Student Housing West project. Building student housing at the UCSC Westside campus is also a far more appropriate option, in an area many students would desire to live.

In addition to its iconic, scenic and historic qualities, it's important to not minimize the ecological significance of the East Meadow. The meadow forms the headwaters of Dodero Creek, provides foraging habitat utilized by Golden Eagles and is the only known historic breeding site for the Burrowing Owl in Santa Cruz County. The grasslands of the East Meadow contain remnant coastal prairie flora, indicating significant restoration potential. Instead of developing this unique and precious grassland, the University could work with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to enhance and restore the native coastal prairie ecosystem, setting a valuable and highly visible example of how campus lands may be stewarded responsibly.

UCSC can both protect and steward the singularly unique natural features of the campus, and provide for the needs of students. Please don’t fast track a bad plan with very widespread campus and community opposition to it. Don’t put student rent costs at risk of increase with University-backed bonds that ignore the litigation that may make continuing the project impossible. Do the right thing by protecting the east meadow while finding ways to support students with affordable housing. 

Please vote to reject any new financing proposal for UCSC’s Student Housing West Project as to be discussed in agenda Item No. F11 of the Finance and Capital Strategies Committee on March 15, and the Full Board Meeting on March 16.

Sincerely, 

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