Currently, the California state legislature is considering what to do with its one-time budget surplus. We, the Office of the External Affairs Vice President, along with the UC Student Association, believe the state should invest $20 million of that surplus in the UC system’s own Student Academic Preparedness and Educational Partnership programs, or SAPEP. This election season witnessed the proposal of Proposition 16 (a ballot initiative made to repeal Prop. 209), which would have reinstated affirmative action in public hiring, contracting and, most importantly, admissions throughout California public universities. Unfortunately, the measure failed to pass, leaving many wondering what the future for students of color will look like.