Tuition Free

The words were clear, precise, and direct. “Dean, just remember that this University is to remain tuition free! That’s all made very clear in the California Master Plan for Higher Education.” The speaker was Governor Pat Brown. Dean was Chancellor Dean McHenry the first UCSC Chancellor. The occasion was the official Site dedication of UCSC April 17, 1964. The event happened near the present Cowell Courtyard. President Clark Kerr was there, and it had been rumored that President John F. Kennedy had been scheduled to be present. Of course, with his assassination the year before that was impossible. I had the privilege of opening the ceremony with an invocation and closing it with a Benediction. The Cal Berkeley Band was on hand to do the music and we ended the ceremony with the hymn “O God our Help in Ages Past, our Hope for years to come”

Fifty years later on the same date April 17, 2014 at the anniversary of the event I was again asked to say a prayer. Then a quick call and email came. Well, we didn’t really mean a prayer but rather short reflection. Times certainly had changed and below are some of the  words I spoke at that event. Of course, you can imagine the “ad libs” about the fear of the University hearing a prayer. The following is the end of my remarks:

“Provost Crosby, Chancellor Blumenthal, Old Colleagues and friends:

…I’m here to give a short blessing, and I represent many different faith traditions in the University Interfaith Council, including even our secular student alliance, so how does one pray or bring a blessing? The one spiritual practice that all religious traditions and people of faith without a religious tradition acknowledge and respect is silence. And so, as the gong sounds let us remember in silence, give thanks to God, or just give thanks for all the blessings of these past 50 years and resolve to be a blessing in the years to come. May the dreams of Clark Kerr and McHenry, and implemented by people like Page Smith, Hal Hyde, who is with us today, and so many others over these past 50 years continue to become a beacon for us in the future. 

Before we pause for silence, permit me to offer a small “prophetic footnote”.  When I listened to the audio recording of Pat Brown 50 years ago I was impressed by his insistence on tuition free education. With today’s astronomical student loans, it is important that we remember that the California Master Plan for Higher Education hoped to provide “Tuition Free” education for all. As we reflect to remember and celebrate the past 50 years and dream about the next 50 let’s add this concern—This University should again Be Tuition FREE. A tremendous challenge!” …Then the gong and a moment of silence!