State funding for higher education has declined by 65 percent in the past four decades. In response, tuition and fees have more than quadrupled in California since 2000. At UC Davis, 49 percent of students take out loans during their time in school. These students graduate with an average debt of $19,124.

The Young Democratic Socialists of America at UC Davis is launching Davis’ College For All campaign on 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Solano Park Community Center, 2500 Solano Park Circle, on the southeast side of campus.

The YDSA’s nationwide College for All campaign calls for tuition-free public higher education through direct federal and state funding to fully cover living wages of all campus workers, student debt cancellation, ending all forms of government subsidies to for-profit institutions, and democratic representation for students, faculty and staff in all higher education budgeting decisions. Davis’ local YDSA chapter will be working to build a broad coalition with student organizations on campus, as well as working with campus workers in their joint fight against austerity.

Speakers include Eva Mroczek, associate professor of religious studies and Jewish studies and Morganne Blais-McPherson, co-chair of YDSA at UC Davis and a teaching assistant. There also will be student testimonials.

The YDSA at UC Davis is an autonomous and democratically organized branch of the Young Democratic Socialists, the student and youth wing of the Democratic Socialists of America.