Since 2012, The Daily Californian has found greater financial stability (despite the volatile landscape known as the journalism industry) through UC Berkeley campus fees. These fees, which started with the passing of the V.O.I.C.E. Initiative in 2012 followed by the passing of the current Ink Initiative in 2016, were approved by the student body during their respective ASUC elections. 

Despite continuous budget cuts, aggressive campaigns for donations and explorations on how to boost revenue, we need your help. We need your vote. The Daily Cal Initiative fee referendum on this year’s ballot proposes to collect $6 from both undergraduate and graduate students each semester and $2.50 for summer students. It will replace the Ink Initiative, which is set to expire in 2022. This funding won’t cover our entire budget, but it will give us the stability and opportunity to continue covering Berkeley’s news.

The Daily Cal has served as a training ground for students in journalism, business and other fields for 150 years. It’s a pretty good one, too — even through the difficulties of the pandemic, we’ve maintained our status as an award-winning publication. It also provides a platform for all kinds of voices, both within our 300+ person staff and from the broader community. 

Since we are completely independent, we have complete editorial control, but do not receive funding from UC Berkeley. We typically rely on advertising sales to make up the majority of our operating expenses, but the pandemic has left advertising prospects bleak. We’ve already reduced print to one day a week, and we don’t want to have to cut down on online content, especially in a time where it’s more important to be connected than ever before. We don’t want to be another local newsroom forced to shut down because of financial struggles.

So please, vote “yes” on the Daily Cal Initiative. 

ASUC elections will take place virtually April 5-7.