Victory for Higher Education in the Central Valley

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) applauded yesterday’s passage of Senate Bill (SB) 129, which included tens of millions of dollars for higher education in the Central Valley in California’s 2021-22 Budget.
 
“I am proud to see this legislative body’s determination to include important funds for San Joaquin County’s higher education institutions and their students,” said Assemblymember Villapudua. “The needed resources for these colleges and universities are immense. By providing these investments, we are ensuring our students and future leaders have the opportunity to seek out high-quality educational experiences to set themselves up for a future of success.”
 
The California State University, Stanislaus is set to receive $1 million for the Stockton campus to expand enrollment by 115 full-time students, increasing access to quality higher education and attracting more students to seek learning opportunities in San Joaquin County. The Stockton campus will also be receiving $54 million to support the replacement of the Acacia building for new classrooms that enhance the education experience.
 
The Cal Grant program has been used to provide financial aid to California students seeking higher education at an eligible institution. Students do not need to pay back the aid received through Cal Grant, which helps them focus on their education and career path rather than how they’re going to pay back costly student loans. SB 129 provided a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to increase Cal Grants from $9,084 to $9,220 for recipients attending private, nonprofit institutions, such as the University of the Pacific. This amount adds to a total increase of $5.4 million for our students seeking this aid.
 
“Investing in our students and higher education has shown to pay dividends down the line. These prioritizations help to prepare them to play an active role in our future workforce and fuel our economic prosperity for generations to come,” said Assemblymember Villapudua.
 
SB 129 is now awaiting the Governor’s signature to finalize these allocations.
 
You can learn more about the legislation here.
 
What Community Leaders are Saying

"I am appreciative of Assemblymember Villapudua's efforts to secure $54 million in funding for classroom building and facility enhancements, and $1 million to help promote and attract more Stockton and San Joaquin County students to our CSU Stanislaus Stockton Campus. These investments will go a long way towards helping CSU Stanislaus Stockton expand its University presence in the Greater Stockton Area," said Dr. Ellen Junn, CSU Stanislaus President.

"We are enormously grateful for Assemblymember Villapudua’s leadership efforts in helping to secure a much-deserved increase in CalGrants for students at private universities across California. These funds are essential to help deserving students to achieve their dreams at institutions such as University of the Pacific,” said Christopher Callahan, University of the Pacific President.