Photo of Bettina Duval ‘82 by Keegan Houser.
How did your high school internship impact you?
Advocacy is a thread that has run through my entire life. I was in the high school student government and the first student representative to sit on the local school board. At Berkeley, I helped run student elections. After college, I became focused on electing women leaders and founded the California Women’s List in 2002.
Why is advocating for higher education important now?
Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed cutting almost 8 percent from UC to help balance the state budget. That would hurt the progress we’ve made, with the state’s help, in enrolling more Californians. It would also have real consequences for our students, like fewer courses or support services. We have to use our voices to ensure UC thrives.
Universities are under attack at the federal level. Federal funding has led to powerful discoveries at universities, which then lead to things like life-saving treatments, new technologies, and new fields and jobs. Cutting this funding would decimate UC and the economy.
We need to activate students, parents, alums, and donors. Every elected official needs to hear from us.
Is contacting our officials enough?
They’ll pay attention to calls and emails, but they will talk to you if you give them money. In 2020, a group of unpaid UC supporters created Friends of the University, a political action committee (PAC) focused on building UC’s political muscle. We’ve held virtual conversations with public leaders, as well as fundraisers for candidates, something the university can’t do. We’re building a network of enthusiastic leaders in Sacramento.
What keeps you going?
Now is the time to stand up for what you believe in. I can’t do immigration or foreign policy, for example, but I believe so strongly in higher education. It’s my brick in the wall. If each of us stuck with one thing, we could build a strong wall of defense. We will persevere. UC will come through this.
